Regardless of your sport, ankle pain and foot problems are one of the quickest ways to end up on the sidelines

Have you ever experienced a sprained ankle, or other foot injury?  Do you know that because of a previous injury, the chances of re-injury are much higher?  All that limping around while things hurt can create muscle imbalances that may not get addressed during your recovery.  A little extra emphasis on foot care can go a long way to keeping you in the game and participating in the sports and activities you love.

This is a re-post of an article I wrote a while back with ankle exercise tips to avoid injury.  Always nice to have a reminder & refresher on things to do to keep your feet fit!   Help keep your feet and ankles in tip-top training condition with these excellent ankle strengthening exercises.

Have you ever thought about what your tongue is doing during exercise?

If you or your Pilates clients are interested in:  Better breathing habits, reducing neck pain / neck tension, improving the execution of exercises that articulate the spine, freeing up the whole body for flow and ease of functional movement.  Then I recommend that you play with, introduce, and think about what the tongue is doing in your mouth during a workout.

This may not be something to add into the mix for a beginner Pilates student who is still getting in touch with basic body awareness and just figuring out how to execute the exercises. But for intermediate Pilates students who are focused more on fine-tuning their exercise technique, the tongue can be one more thing to pay attention to that will help enhance and improve performance.  And, if where your tongue is in your mouth and what it’s doing improves performance for Pilates – Imagine all the other sports, and daily life activities that paying attention to your tongue could be a valuable asset for helping improve overall wellness, functional movement, and improved athletic performance!

The tongue is a pretty large & powerful muscle sitting up there in your head. It shares a common nerve root with the Diaphragm.  So what the tongue is doing in your mouth can dramatically affect how well the diaphragm is working, and your ability to move higher volumes of air (oxygen) into and out of the body.

If you are familiar with Eastern concepts and Meridians, the tongue placement on the roof of the mouth closes the circuit for the Central & Governing Meridians.  This is used during circular breathing and Cosmic Egg meditation techniques, but during these meditation techniques, on the exhale the tongue remains on the roof of the mouth.

During Pilates workouts we are doing more vigorous exercises, and a part of our breathing goal is to transfer as much oxygen as possible into and out of the lungs.  To accomplish this we must change the tongue position in the mouth, allowing it to drop to the floor of the mouth on the exhale, to cue the diaphragm to release, lifting and pushing air out of the body as quickly as possible for the “forced exhale” that Joseph Pilates encouraged during exercise.

How To Use Your Tongue Effectively During Pilates & Exercise

• When you inhale, the tip of the tongue should be lightly placed on the roof of the mouth right behind the front teeth.  The tongue placement here cues the diaphragm to drop on the inhale so the lungs can fill with air.
• When you exhale, the tongue should drop to the floor of the mouth. This cues the diaphragm to lift up and assists in emptying the lungs.

Any exercise that the neck and head are involved with can benefit from paying attention to the tongue during exercise.  If your goal is to facilitate better breathing, reduce neck tension, improve neck mobility, and assist better articulation of the entire spine for flexion, extension, side bending and rotation, spend a couple of workouts focusing on what your tongue is doing in your mouth during your Pilates workouts.  Discover how being aware of what your tongue is doing affects the freedom and ease of spine articulation and your overall movement experience.

Pilates Exercises To Practice with This Tongue Technique

On every exercise there is the opportunity to train the tongue to better support your breathing and movement.  But on some exercises you may find this particularly helpful.

Play with the Tongue Placement on the following Pilates Exercises:

For Improving Spine Flexion / Bending Forward

• The Roll Up
• Spine Stretch Forward
• Neck Pull
• Rolling Like a Ball
• Short-Spine Massage
• Long Spine Massage
• Elephant-Round
• Kneeling Knees – Round/Off
• The Roll Down w/Bar
• Parakeet
• Tower
• Teaser

For Improving Spine Extension / Arching Backwards

• Swan prep
• Pull Straps & T
• Down Stretch
• Short Box – Round to Arch
• Swan w/Push Through Bar
• Spread Eagle
• Back Bend over Barrels

For Improving Lateral Flexion / Side Bending

Hint for Side Bending:  When you side bend, allow the tongue to drop to the floor of your mouth, and go towards the side you are bending to.  (Side bend  to the right – the tip of the tongue will be on the roof during the inhale, and it will lay on the right side of the teeth on the exhale.)  If you side bend right, and the tongue goes left it is counter-balancing the bend and will restrict your neck and head from moving in the correct direction causing more neck strain and eliminates the body’s ability to sequentially articulate through the spine sideways.

• Mermaids
• Short Box Side Bends
• Seated Side Bend
• Standing Side Bend

For Improving Spine Rotation / Twisting

• Seated Simple Twist
• Saw
• Stomach Massage Twist
• Short Box Twist
• Snake/Twist

This is by no means a full list of exercises to play with tongue support on!  But hopefully a good starter-list with a few of the exercises I have used with my clients to introduce this concept with to discover the benefits that tongue placement has to offer for improving form, function, and exercise technique.

As with any new concept – add this thought in to simple, more basic exercises first, where technique and body awareness is already in place so clients don’t have a million and one things to pay attention to, but can maintain their body placement and can put their primary focus on feeling what the tongue is doing and how it affects their movement.  Then progress to incorporating this “Tongue Technique” with the intermediate and advanced Pilates repertoire.

I would love to hear from you about what discoveries you have made as a Pilates student, or Pilates teacher with incorporating a little emphasis on working and releasing the tongue muscle on your inhale & exhale during exercise.

• Can you notice a difference in the ease of your movement? 
• Is your neck more relaxed? 
• Does this help you get through your sticky-spots on exercises like the Roll Up & Neck Pull? 
• Is it easier to roll down out of Short-Spine?

Play with this, share it with your friends, and then please drop me a comment and update me on what interesting things you’ve discovered while paying attention to your tongue during your Pilates exercises and any other health & fitness workouts.

Have a Fit & Fabulous Day!

After the experience I have had recently to identify my personal food allergies, I believe that everyone should consider being tested for food allergies.  And anyone who suffers from any chronic health issues should definitely get tested to identify if there are any foods that may be contributing to the way you feel, and your chronic poor health.  More pills to alleviate the symptoms doesn’t really solve the problem.  And it is possible, and probable that your health will improve if you nourish your body with the right foods, and avoid foods that your system cannot process or handle efficiently.

I have struggled with inflammatory issues almost my whole life.  As a child, the joint pain in my ankles had me popping anti-inflammatory pills like candy.  As an adult, I have had 3-4 flares of Optic Neuritis (an inflammation of the optic nerve which causes blindness.)  Lucky for me each time I’ve had to take high dose steroids to reduce the inflammation my eyesight has been restored.  But the fact that my system was so inflamed that it caused me to go blind in the first place IS something to take notice of.  Not to mention the back pain, joint pain in my hands, tender spots throughout my body, being tired all the time, depression…and the list of how I used to feel  eating allergy-laden foods goes on.

Personally, I’ve also had a bit of extra belly fat (inflammation in my gut…)  And it has always been practically impossible for me to ever lose weight.  The only way my weight has ever changed was to fast or stop eating – and THAT’s not a healthy way to live either!

My family practice doctor, eye doctors, and the rheumatoid specialists I saw for my eye never seemed concerned about the foods I was eating.  In fact, I specifically asked the rheumatoid specialist if there was anything I should eat, or avoid that would help heal my body and get me off steroids – and she almost laughed at me, commenting that what I eat has no relevance on my inflammatory issues!

But I’m here to tell you that what you eat DOES make a difference in how you feel.  And because we are all unique individuals, don’t assume that because it’s a food that should be, (or is advertised and marketed as “healthy”) that it is a healthy food for you – unless you’ve done your due diligence and had allergy testing done to identify it’s safe to eat.

Here are the Top 8 Food Allergens:

1. Milk
2. Eggs
3. Peanuts
4. Tree Nuts
5. Fish
6. Shellfish
7. Soy
8. Wheat

These are by far not everything you might be allergic to.  With any food you eat, your body has the potential to be allergic to it.  Some allergic reactions happen almost instantly.  (like not being able to breathe…  or breaking out in hives.)  But other reactions might not be as noticeably tied to what you eat.  Because of a potential  24-48 hour delay – you may find it difficult to actually tie symptoms you feel to the foods you have eaten.

Before the Holidays, I had blood allergy tests and a stool analysis taken to check my gut flora and tell how well I’m able to assimilate what I’m eating.  OH MY!  What a wake-up moment…

So I thought that as a Pilates teacher & health professional that I had a pretty good and healthy diet, but EVERYTHING that I was eating that I thought was “healthy” and good for me, was causing a reaction in my system! 

And nobody ever told me that if you had a latex allergy there were FOODS to avoid! (Bananas, Avocados, and Mangos) are somehow related to latex…  So I think I’m eating healthy to put bananas & mangos in my smoothies, and getting my good fats with a couple of avocados a week…but in reality – I’ve only been contributing to the inflammatory problems in my system with these and all the other foods I’d been eating.

So how have I had to change my lifestyle to eat allergy-free foods?

• I’ve cleaned out my kitchen cupboards of every food & spice that I need to avoid to stay healthy.
• I’m reading every label before I buy a product
• For the most part if it’s not a fresh/ whole food, I’m avoiding it.
• A little bit more meal planning, prep, and cooking.
• IF I eat out, making good choices and asking for specially prepared allergy-free foods.
• Rotating the foods I eat, so I don’t eat the same foods every day.
• Adapting recipes to only use allergy-free ingredients.
• STICKING WITH MY HEALTHY FOODS LIST AND AVOIDING EATING MY IDENTIFIED ALLERGEN FOODS.

How has this helped so far?

• I FEEL 100% better!
• My energy level is higher
• I am sleeping more soundly
• I am physically (& mentally) stronger
• I have lost 6-7 pounds in only  4 weeks.
• My belly is flatter
• My face is thinner
• I am Happier!

I am amazed at how quickly and dramatically the inflammation in my system has gone down in only ONE month by avoiding foods that I’m allergic to and only eating foods my body can digest and process easily! 

It was a little overwhelming when I discovered what I was in for and needed to change to make this positive improvement in my overall health and allergy-free eating plan.  But with the support of my good friend Kirstin Carey, owner of the amazing Nourish 123 restaurant, who understands eating with food allergies, the help of my doctor who ran my tests, along with my family to accept a new meal plan – it hasn’t been as bad as I expected….And the benefits of my improved health are making it easy to stick with my new healthy eating plan.

If you are on a personal journey to improve your health, and checking for food allergies is something that you have not done yet.  I highly recommend you consider finding a physician in your local area who can assist you with this.

It is a positive, life-changing, health-improving experience to live and eat with an allergy-free lifestyle!

For more information about food allergies here are a couple of helpful resources:

Arizona Food Allergy Alliance 

Nourish 123 

Are your current breathing habits helping you stay healthy, or potentially causing back pain, shoulder pain or neck pain?  Is your current breath pattern helping improve your posture with every breath you take?

Breathing is something we take for granted.  It happens automatically to keep us alive.  Inhaling is the first thing we do when we’re born, and exhaling is the last things we do when we die.  Every minute, of every day  for our entire life, our heart beats to pump life nourishing blood through our system, and our lungs and diaphragm work to provide oxygen to our blood & cells.

It’s nice to know that we don’t have to think really hard to keep breathing and stay alive, but better breathing habits definitely have added benefits to improve our health. 

These Pilates Breathing Tips Can Help:

My dear friend and Pilates mentor, Dianne Miller, made this comment to me about breathing – and it was a revolutionary thought  that has stuck in my brain and helped focus on breathing to improve posture,  assist with the natural action of breathing for compression/decompression of the spine, improve Pilates exercise technique, and help reduce both lower back pain, and neck pain.

“Breathing elongates the natural curves of the spine.”

This is a KEY principle in allowing the breath to assist the body for improved posture & functional movement!

“Breathing elongates the natural curves of the spine.”

There Are 3 Distinct Curves of the Spine: 

1. Lumbar Curve – An arch in the lower back.  (Ideally with the apex of the curve at L3 – at the belly button.)
2. Thoracic Curve – A rounded, flexed upper back.  (So the curve of the shoulder blades can rest on the curve of the ribcage, that is attached to the curve of the spine.)
3. Cervical Curve – An arch in the neck.  (Which should mirror the arch in the Lumbar spine.)

These curves work as a balance, and shock-absorbing system as we sit, stand, walk, and run – fighting gravity all day.

What happens if your curves are not bending at the right spots? 

Balance is off, and there will be undue stress placed in other parts of the torso, neck,  and back.

For Example:

I used to be a gymnast & dancer.  Big arch in my lumbar spine, (spanned my lumbar & ½ of my thoracic curve.)  This long, over-extended arch put a lot of additional strain on my lower back.  My abs could never pull in enough or work hard enough to keep my back from hurting.  And because my thoracic curve was not in flexion, but in extension it restricted my ability to get air to the bottom of my lungs – which made me a very shallow, high-chest breather.

With this posture position, I had chronic low back pain, chronic neck pain, tight shoulders, and usually by Friday afternoons a whopping headache from trying to hold things together with tension and tight muscles in the wrong places.  In addition to this, I experienced a voice injury – because I held my head forward on my neck and there wasn’t enough free air-flow through my windpipe as I spoke for me to project my voice without strain.  But I am not alone…many people have a similar posture position to this!

• Any posture that deviates from the 3 natural curves, balanced, and changing directions at the appropriate points will have an increased risk of back pain and neck pain.
• Any posture that does not “Ride the Breath” to elongate the natural curves of the spine on an inhale, and allows the back bones  to naturally come closer together on an exhale, is missing out on the benefits of breathing for better health.

Become Aware of Your Breathing Habits:

Stand in front of a mirror and watch yourself breathe.

Where does the air go inside your body as you inhale?

• Into the Belly?
• Into the Back, Lower Ribs?
• Into the Chest?

If when you inhale air is going into the belly – you are losing the support in the front of your Lumbar Curve, and your inhale is pulling your lower back into more extension, and causing the back bones to come closer together.  Resulting in compression on your inhale AND more compression on the exhale.  Not a happy feeling for your spine!

If when you inhale air is going into your chest – you are increasing the extension of your thoracic curve.  This means your whole back is arching more, creating more tension in the mid-to-low back and eliminating the opportunity for you to fully fill your lungs with air.  Breathing will be quick and shallow.  The back muscles will be over working, and it will be difficult to get the abdominals to function for better balance and support.  The shoulders will also more-than-likely, be elevated with an increase in neck & shoulder tension, and the head forward, out of balance on the spine.

Learning to inhale and fill the Back, bottom ribs first, then continuing to fill the lungs up through the back of the torso is optimal.

In Pilates we call this Posterio-Lateral Breathing.  You are breathing into the back and sides of the ribcage.  Since the ribs are attached to the spine, if you start filling at the bottom first – the ribs will lift and separate as you fill with air.  When the ribs come apart, it gently pulls each segment of the spine apart also – opening the space between each joint and providing a natural moment of decompression. 

This Posterio-Lateral / Back Rib breathing technique will lift the ribcage up off the hips, while maintaining  and elongating the natural curves of the spine.  The result:  Better posture, reduced back pain, and an improved range of motion for functional movement.

Let’s take a look at your shoulders, neck, and head while you breathe.

Stand back in front of your mirror, and look at what your neck is doing as you breathe in.

• Do you see the front of the neck grip and tighten as you inhale?
• Do your shoulders actively hike up around your ears on your inhale?
• Does your head get closer to your shoulders as you inhale?
• Does your neck & head lengthen up and away from your shoulders?

If you see any of the first three happening as you inhale, neck muscles tighten, shoulders rise, head gets closer to your torso… you are jamming your head into your body with every breath!

Strive to carry the inhale up the spine with a relaxed neck, and continue lifting all the way up to the base of the skull.  You should feel like your head is a helium balloon floating up to the sky on your inhale.  Done well, the shoulders will rise a little, but only because you are filling with air, not because they are actively lifting.  I almost feel my shoulders go down, the farther up I fill my spine with air.

The shoulders dropping (or pulling down from the bottom tips of the shoulder blades) can be a great anchor point for leverage to ensure the lifting and elongation of the spine on your inhale. This counter-leverage may stretch your neck muscles a bit.  By keeping  your head up lighter at the top of your spine, and doing less gripping with your shoulders and neck muscles when you inhale, you will begin to notice a significant reduction in neck pain.  For me, figuring this out with my neck meant my Friday afternoon headaches went completely away!

Learning to elongate the natural curves of the spine on your inhale, and maintaining good core support on your exhale will help improve your posture, and keep your neck and back healthy.

Ideally this Posterio-Lateral Pilates breathing technique should be your everyday breathing style.

It probably won’t happen overnight!  But throughout your day, pause and take 5-10 breaths focused on feeling the lengthening of your spine, and support of your belly, with your shoulders relaxed down and your neck and head floating up.  In time, you will begin to notice that your body is naturally doing this a bit more as you are reinforcing better habits for whole-body health.

Practice this new breathing habit standing still or seated first, then apply it to everything you do for movement and exercise.  Pilates, Yoga, walking, running, dance, weight lifting, swimming, cycling, cleaning the house, mowing the yard… with everything you do – learning to breathe better is your best-friend for a healthy life!

Yamuna foot savers are one of the most fabulous foot care products ever invented!

I take mine with me when I travel.  They are easy to use anywhere, and take up almost no space to pack.  After a long run or workout, or when I’ve had to wear dress shoes all day, my Foot Savers help release the tension and achy muscles under the sole of my feet.

After having sever foot-pain problems as a teenager, I am now happily running ½ marathons with zero foot pain or foot injuries, thanks to my Foot Savers, and other Fantastic Feet exercises I practice to help keep my feet healthy.

Yes, you can use a tennis ball, or other small ball to roll along the sole of your feet, but it’s not the same!  A rolling massage is wonderful & feels great, but there is something different about standing still on a pair of Foot Savers that helps release tight muscles and fascia in a different, more passive way that will give you lasting results.

If you’ve never used a pair of Foot Savers, be prepared for some surprising tender spots along the bottom of your feet!  Breathe deeply, and if needed start with 1 foot at a time and progress to standing on both Foot Savers at the same time.  If the bottoms of your feet hurt a little while you’re standing on your Foot  Savers – you need to be using them more regularly.  Ideally, your feet should be comfortably and able to relax around the dome for an efficient & effective stretch with the help of gravity and your tall body posture oozing the arches around the domes.

This is one product I highly recommend.  If you are an athlete, runner, triathlete, walker, dancer, or anyone who’s on their feet all day.  A pair of Yamuna Foot Savers is a great investment to help you take better care of your feet, and improve your whole-body health.

See how easy it is to use a pair of Yamuna Foot Savers with this video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you’re inspired to get yourself a pair, you’ll find Foot Savers in the Foot Care Product section at Centerworks.com   If you have friends with foot pain, (or healthy feet & you’d like to keep them that way…)  Please share this great resource.

Let’s all enjoy  walking, jumping, running, and dancing with healthy, happy feet!

If you’re participating in Matwork classes and doing Private or Group Training on the Pilates equipment, there are many  Pilates equipment exercises that can help you find the right muscles and improve your technique to make your Roll Up easier.  But what if you’re only doing Matwork?

Here are 5 quick Pilates Training Tips To Help You Work On Improving Your Roll Up Exercise During Your At-Home Workouts, In Pilates Class At the Gym, Or Anywhere You’re Practicing Pilates:

1. Instead of bending your arms & legs to get through the sticky spots.  Keep your arms & legs strong & straight.  Slide your arms along the sides of your thighs while rolling back and up.  If your elbows stay straight, your back will bend more, the abs will work harder, and you will articulate more sequentially through the whole spine.
2. Use a Theraband looped across the soles of your feet to provide assistance & resistance to Roll Up and Back one vertebra at a time.  Remember:  Safety first!  Be careful that your band does not slip off your feet and whack you in the face.
3. Practice ½ Sit Backs on an Incline Board.  If you have a step aerobics bench, tilt it so that one end is high and one end is low.  Or if you’re at the gym, use the Decline Sit-Up Bench.  Only put your head at the high end with your feet on the floor and practice your sit ups.  (Start you’re your hands reaching along your thighs, progress to hands behind the head like Neck Pull.)  Being on an incline bench can help you feel your pelvis, low back, and bottom ribs get to the mat first for better bending through the spine.
4.  Relax your Chest & Look at your Belly.  Getting your eyes in the right spot cues the whole back to bend.  Relaxing your chest will help you use more abdominals and less arms, and a relaxed chest also helps your upper and mid-back to bend more  easily – aiding in the sequential articulation of the spine.
5. BREATHE!  Good Breathing is key!   Inhaling should lengthening the spine for good joint space so you can move more easily.   A strong exhale is what is needed when the going gets tough.  This forced exhale more strongly activates your abdominals to help curl you up and control your movement rolling back to the mat.  If you hold your breath when you get to a stuck spot, you will be holding your body still in that spot.  “Riding” the breath will help you ride the movement for good flow and a smooth articulation of the spine.

BONUS TIP:  Practice with hand weights, a weighted stick, ball, or Magic Circle in your hands with your arms straight, (elbows unlocked) and shoulders relaxed and down.   Actively pull your abs up, in, and away from your arms the whole time you are rolling up and rolling back to the mat.  The extra weight of a toy in your hands will give you a little extra boost to work through your challenge spots.

By applying at least one of these technique tips to your Pilates Roll Up exercise, (as well as any other similar exercises in your workout routine) with a little practice, and continued focus on your goal of easily articulating through your spine with good abdominal support, you’ll be doing great Roll Ups before you know it!

If you’ve found this information helpful, drop me a comment – I’d love to hear which one of these five Pilates training tips made the most different to you  to improve your Roll Up exercise technique!

Have a Fit & Fabulous Day!

How flexible is your Foot?  Do your toes bend easily in each direction?  Can you stand or kneel and tuck your toes way under to be securely balanced on the balls of your feet?  How far do your toes bend the other direction to point, like a ballerina in a toe shoe?  Do you run or walk and have stiff ankles and tight muscles in your feet & toes?  Do your feet cramp up a lot and leave you hopping around with calf cramps or foot pain?  Do you have Hammer Toes that fold and buckle from the middle of the toe joints rather than bending from where the toes meet the foot?  Do you EVER take even 5 minutes to do foot-care exercises before or after your workouts to help improve your foot fitness? 

This simple and easy toe stretch can get you started on improving all of the things listed above, plus help you with balance, speed, and better body posture.  Enjoy the benefits of reduced risk of injury and pain-free feet with this simple and easy toe stretch from the book Fantastic Feet!

Did you know that bending the toes down from the knuckles (where the toes meet the foot) helps to stretch the tighter muscles along the top of the foot, and strengthen the weaker arch muscles under the sole of the foot.

To do this stretch and get maximum benefits – use your hands to help manipulate your feet for a great toe stretch.

Find The Knuckles – Foot & Toe Stretch

• Place your fingers under the sole of the foot and your thumbs on top of the toes.
• Pull back and down under the ball of the foot, and lengthen the toes out away from the foot while using the thumbs to bend the toes finding the knuckles for a stretch.
• Lift up underneath the foot a little more under any of the knuckles that are not “popping up.”
• Hold for at least 3-5 breaths, then release.
• Repeat this stretch on each foot at least 3 times.

You should easily be able to see all five of the knuckles of your feet ( just like you’d see the knuckles on your hand when you make a fist.)

Check out this video to see how more about how to do  this easy foot-fitness exercise.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stretch your toes, lift your arches, and improve your foot health in a couple of quick minutes of foot-care a day!

To learn more easy foot fitness exercises and get great fitness products for your feet, visit Centerworks for foot care products to keep your feet healthy & strong.

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!

Viewer Asks: 

“I just watched your “Knee cap dance”  While having my hands on the tops of my knee I felt a slight crunch on the outside of my right knee.   It didn’t hurt but each time I moved my knee cap it crunched.  The reason I watched your video was account of a slight pain in my knee cap.  It is continually getting better with other stretches that I have found on the web.  Here’s my question, do I keep doing the Knee cap dance to “break up any adhesions” or do I stop this particular stretch?   Thank you.”

Aliesa’s Reply:

Thanks for the question about the knee-cap exercise.  Easier for me to make a judgment call when I have a client in front of me, know their full health history, and can see them move.  When in doubt, or if any exercise you are doing is causing pain – I would immediately stop doing the exercise.

Perhaps there are modifications, or other adjustments that need to be made.  But without seeing you – it’s impossible for me to make recommendations on what else to do in this instance.  If you deem it is safe for you to continue this exercise, you might work in a smaller range of motion to move the kneecap to start and see if you can do the exercise and avoid the crunching that you are talking about.  Also, the knee cap should be gliding evenly, straight up the middle.  If the knee cap is gliding in it’s groove – bending and straightening your knees, or lifting your kneecaps should be a quiet experience!  If it’s pulling off to the outside of your leg as it lifts, you may have some muscle imbalance issues that are contributing to the problem and creating the crunching sounds.

Generally speaking,  a lot of people have muscle imbalances between the front of the thigh (quadriceps) and back of the thigh (hamstrings) in combination with the support of inner thighs, outer thighs, and Glutes can cause the kneecap to track incorrectly.

Test Your Knee Cap Tracking:

Sit in a chair and bend your knees,  put one hand on the top of your kneecap and straighten your leg – if you hear some crackling sounds, it’s because your kneecap is not tracking properly in its groove.  Now test the other leg.  Is there a difference in the sounds that your knees make?  Do they both crunch, or is one worse than the other?  Does your noisy knee correlate to any knee pain or problems you have experienced?

Tracking issues unfortunately are common.  Some folks can get away with this misalignment for a lifetime and have relatively few knee problems.  Other folks end up with multiple knee surgeries, and knee replacements because they never took care to improve their posture, strength, flexibility and change bad movement patterns.  Regardless of how old you are, getting the kneecap to track better is possible and the kneecap dance exercise is one of the exercises I teach that is easy for clients to learn & do at home.

Reasons Why You May Experience Knee Cap Pain:

• Sometimes if part of the quadriceps muscle (either inner or outer portion) pulls stronger it can pull the kneecap to either the inside or outside of the thigh, which can cause the grinding and miss-aligned tracking issue.
• If your hips are wider, or your “knock-kneed” the angle from your hip to knee (Q-angle) can make it more of a challenge to maintain good knee alignment.
• Weak inner thighs (adductors), weak outer thighs (abductors), and weak Glutes affect the stability of the knee when standing on one leg or bending and straightening the knees.
• If the knee locks when you are standing or doing any type of exercise, the hamstrings are weak, and locking jams the kneecap against the leg bones in not a good way!
• If you have had serious knee injuries or surgery, scar tissue & adhesions may limit the range of motion for your knee and knee cap.

Recommendations for Strong, Safe, & Healthy Knees

I would recommend that you consider seeing your primary care doctor, a sports medicine physician, or get a referral to a physical therapist to rule out any serious knee issues, and ask them about the exercises you are doing, if they are OK for you, or what other exercises you can be doing to safely improve things.

I’m also a fan of Pilates, since there are so many great exercises you can do in a lesser weight-bearing position on the Pilates Reformer, Cadillac, and Chairs that are excellent for improving functional alignment, strength, and flexibility.  Please keep in mind, if you are having pain or problems with your knees, chances are there’s also a problems at your feet or hips and pelvis that is contributing to the issue.  It’s great to focus on “knee” exercises, but there may be other parts of your body that need to be focused on to ensure your knee pain will completely go away.  If there is a Pilates studio, or well-qualified Pilates teacher in your area – even if you only take a couple of private sessions to have someone help you improve your exercise technique and body awareness for an at-home program it would be a good investment.

Hope this helps you make a wise decision on if the Knee Cap Dance exercise is appropriate for you to help keep your knees safe & healthy!

If you have any other questions about the knee-cap exercise , Pilates, or other health & wellness topics – please let me know.

Have you tried the Knee Cap Dance Exercise yet?   Check it out now!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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!