8 Core Principles of Pilates Exercises (Part 2)
Date: Sunday March 29, 2009Posted in: Pilates Reformer, Pilates exercises
To continue, the next core principle is breathing. You should always use large full breaths using the entire thoracic cavity. Always try to completely fill your lungs with air. This does a number of things including:
Removing all toxins from your body
Relaxes and energizes you at the same time
Brings a sharp focus to your mind
It engages all the core muscles of your abdomen, and
Controls the speed of the exercises
Pilates uses thoracic/lateral breathing, enabling you to breathe fully, but still maintain that all important core contraction to stabilize the pelvis, support the lower back and keep the neutral position.
The next important core principle is co-ordination. It may seem darned near impossible to co-ordinate your breathing with your movements at first. But as with all things-practice does indeed, make perfect. I know that some beginners courses can seem tedious and slow, but this is the very thing that allows one to slowly build, layer upon layer, the complete co-ordination of mind, breath, and body, until you can everything all at once.
Precision is the next principle in ingrain into your practice. Obviously every movement is filled with purpose and each instruction you receive is vital to your success. Precise and perfect movement is what you are trying to achieve rather than just relying on listless repetition. It is in this way that you can develop a strong, safe, and effective practice.
Fluidity- Your body is perfectly formed for the movements Pilates teaches and every exercise in its repertoire is quite dynamic. And while some forms may hold the posture for a moment the final action certainly involves movement. Theses forms flow with your breath like a exquisitely executed dance, lengthening away from your strong center, controlled, free from tension and stress, and rhythmic.
The final principle brings us to the end of this article-
Stamina
Your deep core muscles need to be working gently, but continuously so that you can keep your body correctly aligned. In order for this to happen, they require stamina. All your supporting muscles need a huge amount of stamina so that your body can work as a whole. Some of your muscles will tire very easily without the support of the others and with practice. That said, an exercise that seemed difficult to perform one week will soon appear relatively easy. Stay tuned for more information about the new Pilates Reformer.
8 Core Principles of Pilates Exercises (part one)
Date: Saturday March 14, 2009Posted in: Pilates equipment, Pilates exercises
While it may depend on which program of Pilates exercises you are using, I like to think that there are 8 core principles which define a Pilates exercises workout.
The first has to be, I think by all standards, relaxation. I know it may sound odd to think of entering any sort of exercise regimen with relaxation in mind, but it is crucial to get rid of all excess tension in your body. One of the primary benefits of Pilates exercises is how it affects any sort of muscle imbalance you may have. When you relax the muscles of your neck and shoulders, and even those of your face, it becomes much easier to release the core strength muscles. If you are using a piece of Pilates equipment, like the Pilates Reformer, or perhaps you are working from a Pilates DVD, you always want to begin each session with a total sense of being profoundly relaxed.
The next vital principle is concentration. Once you are fully relaxed and your mind is still and the attention is fully focused, you can start working on your body. It is well known that Pilates is a profound system of mind and body exercise. and you have to be fully present in the moment to get its best effects. You’ll want to scan the entire body with your mind, looking for places of tightness, contraction, some place that feels “stuck”, or anywhere that just doesn’t feel quite right. You want to notice exactly how your body feels and notice any tension or tightness. And then, once you start, feel how each individual movement affects you. See how the totality of the movements of each exercise works your body. This is the best way to know you are working correctly and safely.
Alignment, core, neutral position, and centering are all a apart of the same process. You’ve let go of all the unnecessary tension inside of you and relaxed your body. Now it’s time to clear your mind and focus on the body parts that you will be using to perform your Pilates exercises. Now check your alignments depending on what position you are in. If you are lying down with your feet extended, you are pretty much in a neutral state. If you are standing you’ll want to pay very close attention to your posture. Particularly look to your main weight bearing joints, your shoulders, hip, knees and ankles. This is generally where the frame tend to become unbalanced and begins to compensate.
