Anywhere Pilates

When I began my apprenticeship with T.A.P. I was two months away from finding out I was expecting. I was happy when I found out, of course, but also a bit worried, because so much of teaching Pilates relies on the instructors own ability to perform the exercises they teach. There is a phrase we use often: having a movement “in your body”. This basically means that in order to be an effective teacher, one must know how a movement feels in their own body. I believe in this concept wholeheartedly but am having a hard time applying it to myself. I teach beginners to intermediate levels presently. Quite honestly,  I have performed these exercises so many times before that while I am too far along in my pregnancy to do some of them myself ( like the roll over, a full spine twist,swimming, neck pull ) I can still feel them in my body. I guess I could compare the feeling to riding a bike; it is second nature to me.  I have taken a step back from teaching those clients who are advancing beyond the beginner/intermediate levels. I feel that it is breaking a code of some sort to continue teaching movements that my body is now far removed from. I am at peace with my decision but began getting a little bored with the content of my own workout routine. Being pregnant limits you physically- I can not lie flat on the floor ( on my back or stomach) and many of the movements I loved previous to pregnancy have ceased to feel good. So, when people ask : “You can do Pilates throughout your pregnancy?” my answer is ” well, yes and no.”

In order to challenge myself, I have been working on a prenatal workout that focuses on strengthening the pelvic floor, kegel muscles, gluts, and core. Below are some modifications on traditional Pilates movements as well as simple movements that deviate from the method but still focus on core strength and stability.

• The Hundreds: Standing up, hold onto 3 or 5lb weights. Make sure your body weight is evenly distributed  and lift one leg about a foot off the ground. Inhale and exhale while pumping your arms beside the body for 50 counts then switch legs and pump for 50 more.  I love this modification because it forces you to stay engaged in your core and works on pelvic stabilization.

Continue reading Practicing Pilates while Pregnant

As an apprentice studying the Traditional Authentic Pilates Method I am forever looking for new ways to describe movements.  In her book ” The Pilates Body “, Brooke Siler adds to the six Pilates principles with three more: Imagination, Integration and Intuition. The one I am working on the most right now is imagination. By using metaphorical verbiage while instructing, you can “inspire” a clients body to respond in a way their literal mind would not have allowed. Creative thought during a workout enhances your performance both physically and mentally; therefore exercising the mind as well as the body.

My favorite metaphorical cues:

• During Leg Lifts: Lift your leg as light as a feather and imagine that you a pressing 1000lbs into the ground.
• Neck Pull and Roll Up: Imagine your vertebrae is a strand of pearls and you a slowly lowering it onto your dresser

Continue reading Imagination and the Pilates Workout

Today while I was driving to teach a 9am mat class I was worried that I wouldn’t have  anyone in class. This week is spring break for the public schools in Newnan so many of our clients are either out of town or have kids at home (and I have to admit: if I could be at the beach this week I would be too).  However, I was pleasantly surprised. The mat class was great because both of the women that showed up have a very similar strength levels. They are both strong in their powerhouse and are regulars in class so they are used to the verbal cues I use. This allowed me to teach at a faster pace and to really challenge them. I had them do roll-up with the magic circle , holding the circle between their palms with their arms long. This increased the reach toward their toes and helped them move their scapula’s down their back as they rolled down. For the ab series of five*, I added a challenge to the single straight leg stretch by having them hold the magic circle with their arms long from their shoulders. Instead of holding onto their legs, they try to kick the circle with their legs, all the while keeping the torso steady and arms up at 90 degrees. If you haven’t engaged your core for this exercise, it is impossible to perform.

Continue reading Ab Series of Five

For those of you who don’t know me,  I am about 6 months pregnant. I had just begun my apprenticeship with Traditional Authentic Pilates when I found out I was expecting.  I was positive that I would be an very active pregnant chick, able to exercise with few physical limitations- all the way up to my due date.  However, reality stepped in and gave me my first dose of humility with a very tough first trimester. I was so nauseous I could not sit in the car, much less perform rolling like a ball.  Amazingly, just as I had heard, the morning sickness* disappeared as suddenly as it appeared right after my second trimester started. I thought “Great! Now back to business as usual!” and got back on track with private apparatus sessions on the reformer and cadillac. In addition to working out on the apparatuses two times a week I took mat classes and would walk two to three miles several times a week. This honeymoon lasted about 3 weeks and then I pulled something in my inner left thigh. I was in so much pain! I could not place weight fully on one leg or the other without pain shooting through my pelvis. Imagine the muscles you use when you put a pair of pants on while standing: a simple movement I had always taken for granted was impossible for me to do. I made an appointment with my doctor because I was not only concerned that I had permanently injured my body, I was deeply worried something was wrong with my pregnancy (to my relief, the baby was fine). My doctor explained that while we are pregnant, our bodies release a hormone called relaxin which does exactly what it sounds like it should : relaxes your muscles. Because of this amazing hormone that lets my uterus stretch without cramping, my ligaments were now prone to injury more than they were before pregnancy.  I thought  “Seriously? So, I am  like a pregnant Gumby?”.  My doctor kindly but sternly told me to “chill out”  ( a sentiment echoed by my husband) and take it easy. These were the words I needed to hear.  I took several weeks off-  no walking, no Pilates.

Continue reading Pilates and Pregnancy: where is the balance?