Joseph H. Pilates

As I was chatting with a gal in my triathlon training program today, she began asking me questions about Pilates, and the difference between Pilates and Yoga.  As a triathlete, she made the comment that she runs, bikes, swims, and does some weight training, but had never really worked much on her flexibility, and is now realizing that she needs to do something to improve it.   She wondered which would be better to do for improving flexibility – Yoga or Pilates? 

As a Pilates enthusiast, and a Yoga novice, I see great benefits from both practices, and feel that they complement each other nicely if you have the time to do both.  I also believe that if I had to pick only one Pilates or Yoga, I’d start with Pilates.  During my almost twenty years of teaching Pilates I have had a handful of really great Yoga teachers come to me for Pilates training.  Why did they come…because they got injured in a Yoga class.  Each of these well-qualified Yoga teachers made the comment that Pilates helped them better understand how to support their bodies during their Yoga poses.  But we don’t always have time for both…  Time seems to be a challenge just for getting a workout in.  So for a lot of people this means skipping out on their stretching and missing the benefits of this very important component of their health & wellness program.  Eventually, these overly tight muscles can increase your risk of injury.

I love Joseph Pilates quote above, “True flexibility can be achieved only when all muscles are uniformly developed.” Our body is a system of levers and pulleys.  For one part to lift, another part has to lower.  If one muscle contracts, the opposing muscle has to lengthen and release.  This is a much different concept than the all or none principle which is how some people address their stretching exercises.   

Training efficient body mechanics for functional movement with Pilates develops this work-release system – And that is what helps improve real flexibility.  Our brain is smart enough not to let go and really relax a muscle, unless it can sense that something else is supporting the body structure.  If you were standing upright and “let go” and relaxed all of your muscles what would happen?  You’d fall down!  Stand and strongly engage your leg and core muscles to lift up, and it’s possible to let the shoulder and arm muscles drop and relax.

With proper strength comes length.  The point is not to get into a wild stretching position and tie yourself into a knot – and relax everything while holding this position,  but to smoothly and gracefully flow from one endpoint to the next moving the body with balance and control through as full a range of movement as possible.  Some muscles will work harder, and others will release to allow this movement to happen.

Yes, there are some different types of “Power” Yoga classes that also work on this flow, but to a certain extent – Yoga is about holding poses or postures, and Pilates is about maintaining good posture, balance, support, and control while moving gracefully and efficiently from one position to the next.  I think of Pilates like a game of connect the dots to create a beautiful picture of effortless movement with maximum efficiency of your work-release system.  When this happens you gain true flexibility and have developed not only the strength to push yourself to the limits of your flexibility, but you also have the body awareness and control to safely pull yourself back to center!

Pilates Matwork allows you to work on these concepts against the resistance of gravity.  Pilates equipment work on the Reformer, Chairs, and Cadillac allows you to work against the resistance of springs – which act like the lengthening and recoil action of your muscles.  It would be ideal to optimize the use Pilates for improved flexibility by working the system and doing exercises that utilize both equipment and Matwork.  And Pilates Matwork is something you can learn and do on your own, at home, anytime, anyplace to continue to reinforce proper functioning of your lever/pulley systems.

Both Pilates and Yoga can help improve flexibility.  Both are mind-body methods for health-enhancement.  Both I would also consider forms of meditation.  Yoga is more of a meditation in stillness (you’re holding a still posture or pose and focusing on your breathing.)  Pilates is  more of a moving meditation.  (every bit as focused on riding the breath – but doing it while you’re on the move.)

So, in encouragement of you incorporating a little more Pilates Matwork into your weekly workout routine…  I hope you enjoy this quick Basic/Intermediate 10-Minute Mat Workout designed to inspire you to stay on track and improve your flexibility with Pilates.

Basic/Intermediate Pilates Mat – Focus: “Improving Flexibility”

This may look like too many exercises to accomplish in a short 10 minute workout.  But if you know your exercises, and are riding your breath for flow, you will be able to get this workout completed in approximately 10 minutes.  Getting started it may take you 15-20 minutes.  You will know you are progressing when you can move easily from one exercise to the next using your body’s work-release system to maximize the strength/stretch relationship of your levers & pulleys for efficient movement.

Pilates Matwork is not just about developing core strength!  But it IS this strength that give you the opportunity to develop and improve your flexibility.

Give this Mat workout a try and let me know what you notice.   Joseph Pilates in his book Return to Life recommends doing your mat exercises at least 4 days a week.  If you think about  only four 10-minute workouts a week, it’s not an overwhelming amount of time to be focused on improving your health.

If you’re looking for additional resources to help you with your Pilates Mat exercises, here are some Pilates books, and Pilates Audio Workouts (CD & MP3) that can assist you in learning & doing your Pilates program.

Have fun “riding your breath” and using your Pilates exercises to improve your flexibility!

Do you or your Pilates clients ever struggle with shoulder pain or limited range of motion to lift the arms overhead?  Is it a challenge to keep the back or ribs from popping up off the mat when the arms go overhead on exercises like Ribcage Arms, or the Roll Up in Pilates Matwork?  Are you interested in discovering an amazingly simple cue/secret to help reduce shoulder pain and increase your range of motion to more easily lift the arms overhead? 

I know the video demonstration of this Pec Release concept says I discovered this great tip a couple of weeks ago…but it was actually March – and I’m just now getting around to editing my video footage!  I’ve  been practicing and applying this Pec Release concept to my own workouts as well as with my Pilates Mat class and Personal Training clients for about 7 months.  So far, everyone that has learned to release their Pecs during overhead arm lifting exercises has found this Pilates exercise tip a great asset to their functional shoulder movement and exercise technique.  I can’t wait to hear what you think, and for my fellow Pilates teachers out there – what kind of results your clients achieve by adding this thought for Abs and Back work with Pec release to your arm & shoulder workouts!

Pilates Exercise Tip:
To Help Improve Arm & Shoulder Movement on Overhead Arm Exercises

Click here to view the embedded video.

When lying on your back to lift the arms overhead for the Pilates Mat exercise the Roll Up, (or just a prep exercise like Ribcage Arms) IF the back arches off the mat and the ribs pop out there’s a really good chance that you’re holding your chest muscles too tightly while trying to take the arms overhead.  A tight Pec muscle will hold the arm forward in front of the body – the only way the arm can continue overhead when the chest muscles are engaged is to arch the back, because the relationship angle of the arm to the body isn’t going to change until the Pec releases.

Ribcage Arm Exercise to Practice Pec Release:

• Lay on your back, legs together & straight.
• Begin with the arms by your sides reaching down to your legs
• Inhale and lift the arms to the ceiling
• Exhale, pull the Abs in, Shoulders down, Release the Pecs and move the arms overhead
• ONLY TAKE THE ARMS AS FAR AS YOU CAN GO IN A PAIN-FREE RANGE OF MOTION.
• If you feel the back start to arch off the mat…hold your arms where they’re at, take another inhale, exhale and pull your abs in more to help press the back to the mat, then strive to release the chest even more and feel the back work to lift the upper arms overhead towards the floor.
• Inhale to lift the arms up to the ceiling / Exhale to pull the abs in, shoulders down, and lower the arms back to the starting position along the sides of your legs.
• Repeat 5-10 times, and/or incorporate this into any other exercise that involves lifting the arms overhead.

The Goal:  

To freely move the arms all the way to the floor overhead with the back stabilized on the mat, and return them to the starting position – maintaining core support, using your back to move the arms, and keeping the chest / Pecs more relaxed while moving the arms.

The Benefits of Learning to Release the Pecs When Lifting the Arms Overhead:

• Improves Core Support
• Improves Stability of the Spine & Ribcage
• Frees the Arm & Shoulder for Increased Flexibility
• Enhances Efficient Shoulder Mechanics
• Improves Shoulder Strength
• Reduces Shoulder Pain / Impingement Issues
• Increases Body Awareness for Work & Release of Opposing Muscles (Chest / Upper Back)

Since I discovered how beneficial cueing the Pec release is to my clients on an overhead arm lift, I’ve incorporated this concept into multiple other exercises with great results!

Give this Pec Release cue a little thought the next time you’re doing your Pilates Matwork.  Play with the concept of releasing the Pecs to lift the arms, and let me know what you think.  How does it feel when you do it right vs. holding the chest tight and trying to move the arms? 

If you find this little cue of value to improve your Pilates exercise technique for stronger, freer arms and shoulders please tell a friend – and drop me a comment to share how this has benefited your workout program.  I’m looking forward to hearing how the Pec Release is benefiting YOU!

Click here to view the embedded video.

The focus for the exercises I’ve shared lately  is Hip Extension.  However, anytime you start analyzing any Pilates exercise, there’s always the realization that you’re always working the whole body, not just one part or piece!  There’s always so much to think about!

I could probably do at least 20 different videos and blog posts on this (and every exercise) to detail ALL of the things to pay attention to.  Our “theme” today with the Double Leg Kick  is the hips and hamstrings – so we’ll put most of the focus and emphasis on what the lower body is doing. But that’s not a license to completely forget about your head, neck, shoulders, and upper spine!

Prep Positioning for the Pilates Double Leg Kick Matwork Exercise:

1. Begin lying on your stomach with the tip of the nose on the mat.
2. Legs together, parallel with the inner thighs squeezing.
3. Lengthen the tailbone to the heels, zip the low belly up to support the back, and squeeze the Glutes to stabilize the lengthened lower back and pelvis.
4. If you have good shoulders, the hands grab behind the back, bend the elbows to bring the hands up as high as possible between the shoulder blades, and then drop the elbows out towards the floor to stretch the shoulders & arms.

I think one of the most challenging things to do when working on hamstring strength is to stabilize the pelvis and keep the work in the hamstrings and out of the lower back!

Getting the right muscles engaged to prep the pelvis position is a great start.  Then they have to stay engaged while you bend the knees.

Strive to keep the front of the pubic bone and front tops of the thighs pressing firmly against the mat while you do a triple kick with both legs.  If your back arches and there’s space under the front of your hips when your knees bend, you’re using your back muscles more than your hamstrings.  The goal for me is a strong, stable back and pelvis, with all the movement from the knee joint.

Done well…  the triple kick will strengthen the hamstrings along the back of the thighs, and stretch the quads along the front of the legs.

A Hint for Improving Hamstring Strength & Improving Motion at the Knee Joint:

There are 3 aspects to the Hamstring muscle – outer, medial, and inner muscles.  The outer aspect is generally the strongest, so you’ll find it easier to triple kick with your knees apart rather than together.

Keeping your inner thighs squeezing to keep the legs together will help you strengthen the weaker inner portion of the hamstrings.  For many people the hamstrings are weak and tight which is a bad combination for knee health!  And if the outer portion of the hamstrings are strong, and inner portion weak, it affects our ability to bend at the knee joint with proper mechanics and alignment.  Strengthening the whole back of the leg is critical to avoid knee pain.  And this is a great exercise to incorporate into your workout program to help stabilize your pelvis and strengthen your Hamstrings.

Hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about the Double Leg Kick with today’s Pilates Exercise Tip!  If you have any questions or suggestions for topics you’d like to know more about – drop me a comment here on my blog, or visit me on my Facebook fan page at http://www.Facebook.com/Centerworks/

Enjoy healthy hips, happy knees, and a wonderful chest opening, back strengthening moment by adding the Double Leg Kick exercise into your Pilates Mat workouts!

More soon…  Have a Great Day!

Traditionally, this exercise is done with the arms in an overhead position.  But today, I’m going to share a version with you that keeps the arms low.  This will help keep some of the tension out of the upper neck and shoulders, and assist in training your muscles to fire more correctly to improve gait when you walk and run.  The action of the leg and arm lifting to the back is exactly what happens when you’re walking or running and swinging your arms!  Since most of what we do in life is in front of us, we sometimes lose sight of what’s going on behind us.   Hip extension strength, and the whole-back-of-the-body-strength and awareness are a part of what keeps our body in-balance and injury free.

Even though this is an “easier” version of swimming, I normally don’t teach this to right off the bat (even though it’s a really important part of good walking technique) because if you don’t have enough core strength in the front of the body to support the back, the back may feel worse, instead of better when you start doing extension exercises.   So be careful as you’re getting started with this, and be sure you’ve been regularly doing your basic Pilates Mat exercises before adding this Swimming exercise to your workout routine.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Pilates Matwork – Slow Swimming Exercise (arms low)

• Lay on your stomach with your legs together in parallel, arms by your sides, and tip of the nose to the mat.
• Reach the tailbone towards the heels to lengthen the lower back, maintain some low ab support (but not so much that your belly won’t allow your back to arch.  It just needs to be a supported arch!)
• Inhale and reach the right leg and left arm up off the mat.  Exhale and lower them back to the floor.
• Inhale and reach the left leg and right arm up off the mat.  Exhale and lower the arm & leg back to the floor.
• Continue alternating for 5-10 repetitions on each side.

What To Watch For On This Pilates Swimming Exercise

1. Strive to lift the arm & leg an equal distance up off the mat.
2. Keep the pelvis and shoulders level and square to the floor.
3. Spine can be in extension, just be sure it’s the entire back, don’t overdo it with the neck or low back.
4. Use your proper muscle firing pattern to lift the arm & leg. It’s a diagonal line of support from the heel to the opposite shoulder.  (Hamstrings, Glutes, Opposite Side of the Low Back, Same Side as Low Back Lats, & Back of the Upper Arm.
5. Be sure the leg is initiating the lift from the hip joint (thigh bone moving to get to the heel), and the arm is lifting from the shoulder (upper arm bone moving to get to the hand).
6. The leg teeter-totters with the front of the hip bone (ASIS) going down towards the mat, while the whole leg lifts and heel goes up.
7. As the arm lifts to the back, keep it reaching for the heel.  The back of the arm should be working, front of the chest opening and stretching.
8. Feel your Abdominals “catch” the arm and leg as they lower back to the mat with a smooth, controlled motion.

When you practice the Pilates Matwork Slow Swimming Exercise (with the arms low) it’s the same feeling of muscle work you should notice on every step when you take a stride to walk or run.  Can you feel the Giant X of muscle support through the back of the body that alternates sides as you switch from lifting the right leg & left arm, to the left leg & right arm?  Though the front of the body you also have an X of support.  The Oblique Abdominals are working in opposition to your back X to help support the body as the opposite leg and arm is swinging forward.

This happens fast when you’re walking and running, so it’s good to slow things down a bit and focus on finding and feeling the right muscles work to support moving the arm and leg to the back.  Done well, you’re helping to release tight hip flexors and chest muscles by strengthening hip extensors, the upper back, and the back of the arm.

This much needed back-of-the-body strength that you’re developing with the Slow Swimming exercise helps keep your body in balance, for better whole-body health and reduced risk of back pain or injury.

Once you can feel everything working well when you’re practicing your Pilates Matwork, take what you’re feeling back up to a standing position, and incorporate the same muscle firing patterns into your walking and running to reinforce this great new habit of improved X-Support for whole-body health.  Before long, you won’t even have to think about it…everything will just work better, it will be easier to move, and you’ll be getting maximum benefits for better strength and flexibility with every exercise you do!

This “Runner’s Lunge” stretch on the Ladder Barrel is a great addition to your Pilates workout program and it can also be done at home on your stairs, or even with a chair.  It’s a good exercise to do anytime, but is especially important after a long walk, run, or bike ride, or if you’ve been sitting for awhile – working on your computer, or driving in the car.

I’m going to demonstrate the exercise with the Pilates Ladder Barrel so you get a good visual of body alignment.  Then we’ll talk about how to adapt this to a home exercise program using your stairs or with a chair.

Pilates Ladder Barrel Exercise:  Standing Runner’s Stretch

Click here to view the embedded video.

A Few Tips for Exercise Technique on the Hip Flexor Stretch

1. Stand facing the Ladder, and hold onto the top rung for balance.
2. Place the ball of the right foot on the highest rung you are comfortable with. (If your hips or hamstrings are tight – start on a lower rung and as your flexibility increases you can progressively put your foot higher on the Ladder.
3. Bend the front knee to lunge forward bringing the hips towards the Ladder, until you feel a stretch along the front of the hip and top of the thigh.
4. Hold the stretch and take 3-5 deep, long breaths.

*To tweak your technique and improve your stretch, paying attention to your body alignment is very important.

• Be sure the foot on the floor is parallel – with the toes & heel facing straight ahead.

• Keep the heel reaching down to anchor the standing leg and stretch the calf.

• The standing leg should stay straight with an unlocked knee.

• Be sure both knees are facing straight ahead, same direction as the toes.

• Your tailbone should lengthen down and out towards the back heel just a little to lengthen the lower back, while the lower abdominals pull up and in for support. This may place the pelvis in a slight tuck or scooped position.

• If you had headlights on your hip bones, both lights should be shining straight ahead.  Be sure to keep the top crest of the back hip (ASIS) reaching forward to the Ladder.

• Press forward with your standing leg from the back of the thigh where the leg meets the pelvis to help open the front of the hip for the best stretch.

• The farther forward your pelvis moves towards the Ladder, the more you should strive to lift your torso up, while you keep pressing the back heel down.

• Strive to find a long diagonal line with your body from your head to the heel.  Hips and shoulders stay square and even to the front.  Body lifts up, shoulders relax down.

A Few Tips for Exercise Technique on the Hamstring Stretch

1. After your 3-5 breaths for a hip opening stretch in the forward lunge, slowly straighten the front leg until you’re standing with two straight legs for a hamstring stretch.
2. If you started a good distance from the Ladder, when you straighten the top leg, your standing leg should be perpendicular/vertical to the floor.
3. Keep your hips square to the Ladder
4. Lengthen from the tailbone through the entire spine and out the top of the head, to bend forward over the top leg reaching your head to your knee (or ankle!)

• Ideally the pelvis will be hinging forward to give you a great stretch high in the back of the hamstring where the leg meets the butt.

• Hold this Hamstring stretch for 3-5 breaths.  On every exhale – if your leg and back relax strive to deepen the stretch and bend farther forward.

• BONUS STRETCH: You can also – flex the ankle and reach the heel for the next rung down for a deeper stretch down the back of the leg from the heel to the hip.

After 3-5 breaths here, shift your weight back to the upright diagonal and repeat the hip flexor stretch for another 3-5 breaths.  Then straighten the front leg out and repeat the Hamstring stretch.

Do this Alternating Runner’s to Hamstring Stretch  3-5 times on one side, then repeat the entire exercise with the other leg.

How To Do This Stretch Without A Pilates Ladder Barrel

If you’re at home, or out at the park and don’t have a Pilates Ladder Barrel handy, but your front foot up on a stair, park bench, back of your car bumper…  anything that’s an appropriate height to get a good stretch.  This exercise isn’t about balance – so be sure you’ve got something to hold onto, otherwise your legs will stay tense and restrict your ability to get a good stretch.

Remember, the better your body alignment, the better your stretch!  Continue to scan your body and tweak your technique for the best stretch possible in both positions during your Standing Pilates Ladder Barrel Runners Stretch.  The goal is to really open and stretch at the front of the hip – to release tight hip flexors at the top of the thigh, and lengthen and release tight hamstrings down the back of the thigh.  This combination will help you enjoy a freer swinging motion of the leg from the hip joint, and help keep your hips, legs and back healthy & injury-free.

This is one of my favorite non-traditional Pilates barrel exercises.   I love this exercise for a supported whole body stretch.  It helps to benefit improved shoulder mechanics, maintaining/improving core support, increasing lateral flexibility of the spine, and finding the balance between the work needed to strengthen hip extension while stretching the hip flexors and front of the thigh.  It feels GREAT!

Click here to view the embedded video.

I like to call this my Pilates Arc Barrel “Rainbow Hip Stretch” aka Side Bend with Hip Extension.

• Start sitting on the lip of the barrel facing sideways.  Legs are in a Z position.
• Side bend over the barrel.  The bottom arm rests under your head, top arm begins palm down along the side of the thigh.
• The top arm is going to “paint a rainbow” lifting from the hip to the ceiling, to overhead for a side stretch.
• At the same time as the arm is moving overhead, the top leg is going to extend out to the back corner to stretch through the waist and the front of the hip.
• Then, pull the abdominals in for support, and bring the arm and leg back to the starting position.

Inhale and exhale to extend the arm and leg away from center, lengthening the whole side of the body.  Inhale lengthen farther, exhale, pull the stomach in, shoulder down, and lift the arm while bending the leg back to your resting position. Repeat this 5-8 times.  Inhale and exhale to “paint a rainbow” with the arm while the leg extends to the back corner.  Inhale stretch away farther, exhale and return to center.

A Few Things To Watch For:

1. Be sure the hips and shoulders stay stacked.
2. If your neck is stiff and doesn’t lay comfortably on your arm, use a pillow or towel under your head for extra support.
3. Move the shoulder blade and the arm.  When the arm is by your body, palm faces the body.  When the arm is lifted to the ceiling, palm faces the front.  When the arm is overhead, palm faces the floor.  AND…  It’s NOT the palm that does the rotating.  Rotate the whole arm from where the arm meets the shoulder to change the direction the palm is facing.
4. Initiate moving the arm in both directions by pulling the shoulder blade down and moving the arm from where it’s attached to the body.
5. Keep the head relaxed and resting on your arm while painting your rainbow to deepen the stretch through the neck and shoulder.
6. Squeeze the Glutes to extend the leg to the back corner.
7. Be sure the top hip doesn’t lean back as the leg extends.  If anything it should shift slightly forward the farther back the leg goes.
8. Be sure the lower abs stay lifted for support as the leg moves out.  Avoid a “banana back.”
9. Keep the pelvis still while the leg returns to the starting position.  Avoid pulling the abs in and tucking the hips to move the leg.  Your tailbone and pubic bone stay still and just the leg moves.

This is a great exercise to stretch your body sideways and open your hip with gravity helping. If you don’t have an Arc Barrel you can get a similar stretch on a Bosu® (but it’s not quite as effective.) Or if your inspired to buy a Pilates Barrel to have at home, I’ve got barrels and a book filled with lots of easy to do Pilates Arc Barrel exercises that makes a great addition to your at-home exercise program.  You’ll find my book “A Barrel of Fun!” and Pilates Arc Barrels in the Pilates Exercise Equipment section of the store at Centerworks.com

Thanks for sharing a couple of minutes of your day with me for this Pilates Exercise Tip today!  Look forward to seeing you again soon for more thoughts on easy things you can do to stay inspired, have fun with Pilates, and enjoy whole-body health!

Make it a Great Day!  See ya soon!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to read my previous blog post on Pilates Exercise Tips for Strong and Healthy Shoulders

Click here to view the embedded video.

With all our Pilates exercises we’re looking for great ab support to help keep your back safe, and improved movement to  better articulate your spine from your head to your tailbone!  I think the most challenging exercises for most Pilates students are the Roll Up, Neck Pull, Teaser, and Short Box round on the Reformer with the full back bend and roll up.  Practicing little pulses during your workouts, can help you improve your abdominal strength, and get your body bending more efficiently.

So here’s the Little Pulses exercise to help strengthen your abs:

Start with a modified  ½ Roll Back exercise and add 4 levels of little “pulses” to your movement.

• Roll the pelvis backwards almost to the waist on the mat.  Pulse 10-30 times bending two inches below the navel (L5). Feel & watch the low abs pull in while the low back relaxes and falls backwards in space deepening the low scoop.  Focus on feeling the pivot point at the bottom of the lumbar spine.
• Roll back farther – waist to the mat.  Pulse 10-30 times bending two inches above the navel (L1). Continue to feel the back relax and back bones drop backwards while watching the low and middle abs pull in and back as the head and shoulders bob forward.
• Roll back farther – pelvis, waist, and bottom ribs to the mat.  Pulse 10-30 times feeling the front of the bottom ribs dropping backwards in space as the pivot point for the pulse. (T-12).  Keep the lower back to the mat and feel it drop more as you pulse up.
• Stay with the bottom ribs to the mat.  Pulse 10-30 as the upper back relaxes the bottom ribs will get closer to the floor, but this time focus on feeling the shoulder blades spread apart while the breastbone drops and slides down the front of your shirt.

Be sure that the initiation for the pulsing  is the lower back and belly is pulling in and down, not the head and shoulders hurling up!  The deepening of the curl comes from the release of the back, and the work of the abdominals.  This probably won’t happen automatically!  You’re going to have to actively make the movement happen.  Watch your low stomach with your eyeballs to be sure it’s happening.

Arm Options:

• Easy – arms reach to the legs
• Moderate – “I dream of Jeanie” or “Indian Chief”
• Challenging – Hands behind the head
• Super Challenge – Arms straight overhead by your ears, thumbs hooked.

It won’t take you very long after adding pulses to your workouts before you’ll notice how much better exercises like the Roll Up are getting.  So keep practicing to enjoy great benefits from your little pulses.

Have fun adding these little pulses to your workouts!  Practice your little pulses with the exercise above, or when you’re on the Trapeze Table with the roll down bar, during your Roll Up and Neck Pull, or any other exercise that they might help you get a little more work from your workout!

Thanks for checking out this video.  Keep on the lookout for my next Pilates fitness tip to help you get the most from your training program.  See you soon, have a GREAT Day!

“Twisting exercises facilitate improved flexion and extension of the spine.”

Don’t know why I never realized that little gem on my own, but how true it is.

Think about getting water out of a wet washcloth.  We don’t just fold it over to get the water out.  No, we twist it, then bend it to maximize wringing the water out.  And if you think about it, that’s exactly what we’re doing in the Criss-Cross and Saw exercises during Pilates Matwork!

Not every spine rotation exercise needs to twist AND bend for maximum benefits.  It’s important to learn how to just do good twisting first to get the whole back involved in the movement.  Twisting exercises where the spine stays in a tall, neutral position are the best exercises to start with.

My favorite preparatory exercises for improving spine rotation in a lying down position are:

• 2 Knee Drop
• X-Stretch
• Tic-Toc

My favorite seated twisting exercise is:

• Simple Twist

To improve spine rotation during Pilates Matwork:

• Criss-Cross
• Saw (both the rounding and hinging versions)
• Corkscrew
• Twist II
• Can-Can

And for practicing twisting on the Pilates Equipment:

• Stomach Massage Twist
• Short Box Twist
• Chair – Footwork w/Simple Twist
• 1-Arm  Washer-Woman w/Spiral Twist
• Chair – Teaser w/Twist
• Cadillac – The Saw
• Cadillac – The Circular Saw/Swan-Lake Saw
• Cadillac – Mermaid w/Twist
• Spine Corrector

While there are other great twisting exercises in the Pilates repertoire of exercises, and other great non-Pilates exercises you can do to improve your rotation.  These tend to be the one’s that I gravitate to the most when incorporating more rotation into my Pilates exercise programs.

And as I look at the  twisting exercises on my list, I’m realizing that not only do they all rotate the spine, but the exercises I have picked are  a combination of passive and active movement choices.

• The prep exercises are all passive, which means the weight of the legs (or arms) moving through space is what facilitates the rotation of the spine.
• The seated twist is an active spine twisting exercise, the oblique muscles and spine rotators are working to rotate the torso.
• The Pilates Matwork exercises are a combination of active and passive movements.  (Corkscrew and Can-Can are passive, and the rest are active rotation exercises.)
• And on the Pilates equipment exercise list, most of the exercises are active rotation.

I see a good progression in helping the body figure out how to move freely, and support the effort of improving spine rotation by starting with exercises on the prep list, teaching Simple Twist, then moving into Pilates exercises that seem most appropriate for each individual.

So many people are stiff, and not very flexible through their back.  This lack of mobility affects everything from how we walk, our ability to check for traffic behind us when we’re driving, digestion, neck and lower back pain, poor posture….and more. (Not to mention challenges with the basic Pilates exercises like the Roll-Up, Neck Pull, Teaser, and Rolling Like a Ball, or getting balanced back extension for Swan.)

The ability to freely move the spine in all directions helps improve whole-body health, which is what Pilates is all about.  Exercises that move the spine in all directions should be included in every Pilates training session (flexion, extension, side bending, and rotation)  But a little extra focus on twisting the spine, might make it easier to get even more benefits from your other exercises.

Joseph Pilates said, “If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old.  If it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.”

Twisting exercises can help improve the flexibility of the spine so that regardless of your age, you will feel, act, move, and be – youthful and healthy!

******

What are your favorite Pilates twisting exercises?  Drop me a comment and share!

Discover helpful tips and strategies for getting the most from your Pilates exercises to improve your ability to bend and articulate every segment of the back smoothly and easily.

I’ve been on a rant the last couple of weeks with my Pilates clients with the goal of helping them to improve their 100’s curl, as well as getting better articulation through the upper back on exercises like the Roll Up, Teaser, and Neck Pull – Three challenging exercises for most beginner Pilates clients..

If you observe participants executing any of the above Pilates exercises, you’ll either notice smooth, sequential articulation of the spine – in which case the exercises are easy!  Or the head leads, then the next place the body bends is almost at the waist!  When this happens, the upper body is moving as a “chunk.”  Instead of the back muscles releasing and breastbone softening to help the front of the body bend forward more effectively.

When the whole upper body is held stiff, it completely restricts smooth movement, and makes it difficult to properly  engage the abdominals for effective core support.

Here are my Ah-Ha revelations, a couple of preparatory exercises , and helpful tips that I’ve found useful  to help my Pilates clients free up their upper body and improve their ability to bend forward with ease for all of their Pilates Exercises.

1. Rib Expansion & Contraction (rise and fall)

When inhaling the entire ribcage fills with air, and the ribs separate.  On exhaling, the ribs should come closer together, so there is pliability through the entire chest.

Strive on the exhale to see and feel the highest ribs (right below the collar bones and under the armpits) begin softening or actively come closer together.  Lots of people expand under the armpits, but don’t release these muscle on the exhale.

This will help lengthen the spine and help the upper back drop closer to the mat placing the back in a better position to articulate well while peeling off the mat to curl up during exercise.

2. Breastbone Slide Exercise

Stand facing the wall and place both hands on the wall in a “push-up” position.  Keep the arms straight and lower abdominals lifted.  Inhale to stand tall and on the exhale pull the shoulders down while sliding the breastbone down the front of your shirt to flex the upper spine.  The bottom tips of the shoulder blades should spread wide to make room for the breastbone to move backwards between the blades.

Inhale to return to center – standing tall.  Exhale to pull the shoulder blades down and slide the breastbone up and forward reaching it towards the wall in front of you.  Keep the elbows straight and feel the upper back bones move towards the breastbone as it slides up and forward.  The upper back moves into extension.

Inhale to return to center .  Continue alternating between the breastbone sliding downward and the upper back moving into flexion, and the breastbone sliding up and forward as the spine moves into extension.

3. Standing Roll Down on the Wall

Stand with your back against the wall, and either together or hip-width apart as far out to the front as needed to get the entire back from your tailbone to the head firmly pressed to the wall.

Maintain lower abdominal support throughout the exercise to keep the lower back firmly against the wall.  Arms and shoulders remain hanging and relaxed throughout the exercise.

Inhale to stand tall, exhale and nod the chin to the chest. Inhale and exhale to continue forward bending.  Watch the breastbone slide down  the front of the shirt, and move backwards towards the wall between the shoulder blades.  Continue breathing and forward bending to the bottom of the breastbone.  Lower abs stay lifted.

Take as many breaths as needed to roll down the wall peeling one segment of the back off the wall at a time to the bottom of the shoulder blades.  Take as many breaths as needed to roll back up to a tall standing position one segment at a time.  Lower back and lower abs stay firmly against the wall.

Tip for Maximum Movement on this Exercise:

The collar bones should rotate like a rotisserie. Then each rib from the top to the bottom of the breastbone should rotate and move backwards under the collarbones to effectively deepen the upper back flexion.  Strive to put the front ribs that are attached to the breastbone, and the breastbone on the wall behind you, then peel the back off the wall to bend forward. If you have a partner or spotter, they can lightly place their hands on  the front ribs to help find this movement.  The breastbone slides down and back while the ribs rotate and move back and up to bend forward.

I use these three exercises to help improve awareness of rib, breastbone, and upper back movement.  Then take this body awareness and new movement habits back to all of the Pilates exercises that require a forward bend. Hand support behind the head will help when beginning to transfer these concepts to curling the head and upper body off the mat.  The Roll Down Bar and Push Through Bar on the Cadillac are also helpful to improve forward bending and reinforce these new muscle habits.

Every Pilates exercise that requires a C-Curve, needs this whole-spine flexibility to achieve optimal body alignment and muscle use for maximum benefits from every forward bending exercise. These tips and fundamental exercises are great to incorporate  into Pilates workouts, and also make great “homework” exercises!

Have Fun & Happy Forward Bending!