Why Pilates?
About 15 years ago, I was on the collegiate rowing team. I loved my team, I loved being a D1 athlete and I loved my youth. Sometime during winter training (two-a-days), I started to experience back spasms, sciatica, and neuropathy in my legs resulting from two lumbar disc herniations. The debilitating pain shifted my relationship to my body and myself. Fortunately, my sports med red-shirted me, and told me to explore Pilates.
Now, I successfully manage my spinal disfunction with ease & have not had any low back spasms in the last few years. Within five years of the injury, and three days of Pilates a week, I was competing in marathons. Pilates continues to support me through every injury or physical challenge over the years. Which is why I chose to deepen my practice by becoming an instructor.
While I do not attribute my whole recovery from injury to Pilates, here’s how Pilates can help you accelerate in physical performance and overcome chronic pain.
Mind-Body Connection
Most of our day is reactive, and we forget to breathe. Pilates is all about breathe with movement, and creating space in the body with the breathe. This allows you to reconnect proprioceptively to your physical body as an extension of your being. Having a greater awareness of your body, shifts your focus from external to internal and helps disconnect from stress and distress.
“Above all, learn how to breathe correctly.” — Joseph Pilates
Also, breathing is important, lol.
Balance
Not only does the Mind-Body teaching style develop balance in the individual, the flow is designed to work all planes of the body to bring your body into plumb line posture. You will stretch, strengthen and lengthen your muscles in opposition to counteract destructive habits, such as repetitive motion, and sitting. Alternating between contraction, isometric holds, and stretching in opposing planes improves overall flexibility of the body.
Core Stability, Control and Strength
Having a strong core supports your spine and stabilizes your pelvis. Hard core = happy spine. A strong core and the proprioception to control core engagement improves digestion. A stabilized pelvis decreases overall joint disfunction and pain.
“Core strength is less about power and more about the subtleties of being able to maintain the body in ideal postures — to unload the joints and promote ease of movement. Having strong and stable postural muscles helps suspend the bones and other structures, allowing them to move better.” — Lauren Elson, MD Harvard Medical School © 2018 (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/understanding-and-improving-core-strength-2018090414662)
Lastly, Joseph was the man!
“The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They’d be happier.” — Joseph Pilates
