One of the things that keeps Pilates exercises so challenging, regardless of how long you’ve been doing them, is the concept of developing strength with length.  The muscles of our abdominals and back are the ones that help provide the lift, length, and space between the ribcage and hip bones.

Here’s a video with a few thoughts on practicing better breathing habits to help improve your ability to be long and strong.  Start practicing this, and then learn how to apply it to all of your Pilates exercises (and other fitness exercises) to get maximum health benefits from your workout program.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s the question…Are you using more of the fronts of your thighs, or your abs when you’re doing abdominal training exercises like a sit-up, crunch, or curl?  Or on Pilates Mat exercises like the Hundred, Roll Up, Series of 5, or Neck Pull?

Our quadriceps muscles are so used to doing lots of work, gripping to support us, that it can cause the abs to slack off a bit and not have to work quite as hard.  And while our goal might be to do core training to achieve a set of 6-pack abs, or to help keep our lower back injury-free, it’s not going to happen if our legs are doing most of the work on our sit-up exercises!

Check out my series of new core training tips videos on this topic  and discover ways to improve abdominal strength, Pilates exercise technique, and fitness:

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s interesting the difference in perspective between traditional “Aerobic” class ab work and Pilates ab exercises.  You know how everybody always complains that their neck hurts?  Or they feel more work in their neck, chest, and shoulders than they do in their middle, which means it takes tons of reps of a variety of targeted exercises before you “feel” like you’ve really worked your abs?

While with Pilates Matwork, once you figure it out… you only do 3-5 of most exercises, and with good body mechanics your abs are well worked with this very  low number of reps, and the variety of Pilates exercises you do are not only working your abdominals, but the rest of your body as well!

One of the differences between general fitness programs and Pilates training is in the focused concentration on working the body through a full range of motion, and developing good spine articulation from the head to the tailbone.  Our back should easily and naturally bend forward, backwards, sideways, and twist at every single segment.  The Pilates system puts the body through all of these different ranges of motion with every workout which is why it’s such a beneficial training method for whole-body health.

Why Does Where You Look During an Exercise Matter?

So why should it matter where our gaze goes during exercise?  Our head is basically an 8-10 pound globe on the end of a flexible straw!   In order to keep the weight of our head from creating more tension in the body (in unnecessary places like our neck and shoulders) it is important to do the following:

a) Support the head with the muscles of our upper abdominals and middle back during every exercise and daily life activities.

b) Pay attention to where we are looking during every exercise so that the head and neck can be in as “neutral” a position as possible to avoid neck strain, and improve body mechanics.

Examples of Eye Focus During Abdominal Sit-Up Exercises

Here are two photos for to help you “see” the difference in posture and body alignment for the upper body, neck, and head between an abdominal exercise with the eyes looking at the ceiling, and the eyes looking towards the belly.

Both positions are working the abdominals, but in photo #1 the head and neck are not in good alignment which will create increased stress and strain for the neck and back when she curls up off the floor.

Can you see in photo #1 that while her body is striving to bend forward to work her abs, her head and neck are not doing the same bending and flexing action? Instead, her chin is actually jutting forward which is shearing the neck bones farther out of good alignment!

If in photo #1 her eyes were looking towards her stomach, it would bring her head and neck into a more neutral position (similar to the vertical position for standing posture) The abdominals would be working harder, and she would be more freely articulating the full length of the spine to bend into flexion to maximize the benefits from her ab work.

If you asked participant #1 to continue rolling up to a sit, chances are she would get to a sitting position by using her back muscles, and almost hinge up with a flat or arched back, since her “line of lift” is to a high forward diagonal, or she would make it up just a little higher than she is now – and then use her back to get the rest of the way up, or get stuck – unable to go any farther and fall back to the mat.

Participant #2 has an eye focus that places her head and neck in the vertical “neutral” that we have for normal standing and seated posture. Notice how the curl of her body shape continues from her low back on the mat, all the way up the back and over the top of her head and around to her stomach.  She has a more circular shape to her forward bend.  If you asked her to continue bending forward to roll up to a sit, her upper body is moving in the right direction to make that happen, and she’ll be using her abs to get there!

Although the photos I’ve used as an example for body position and eye focus, the hand and arm positions are different, it really doesn’t matter where the arms are.  Whether they are reaching up, out, or forward to either assist or challenge the exercise, or the hands are placed behind the head for support, it’s the focus of the eyes that will best help improving the technique of the exercise and train the whole spine to improve mobility and articulation. (As well as provide an excellent and effective abdominal training workout!)

Practice and Apply the Principle of Eye Focus to Movement in Any Direction

In forward bending, or abs work, the eyes should be the initiators to begin the curl.  To move in other directions, the eyes may not “look” first, but as the rest of the body moves, and the head is going along with the movement– pay attention to your eye focus to assist and you’ll find less stress in your neck and shoulders, and perhaps freer movement through your entire spine from the tip of your tailbone all the way up to the top of your head.

Additional Benefits of the Eyes Looking Towards the Stomach on Abdominal Work

There are three natural curves of the spine in standing posture.

1   An arch in the lower back (lumbar curve)

2.  A forward bend through the middle back (thoracic curve)

3.  An arch in the neck (cervical curve)

These three curves help to provide shock absorption and balance the weight distribution of our body for improved posture, support, and movement.

The lumbar and cervical curves also act as a team.  If one is in an arch, the other strives for balance and moves towards the same arched position.  When you apply that thought to bending forward, it makes sense that to help the lower back release, lengthen, and stretch the body has to bend out of the arch and into more of a scoop or c-curve.  And to do this well, both the lower back and the neck need to move into flexion/forward bending.

The change in focus to look forward towards the stomach begins to move the head and neck in the right direction and cues the lower back to do the same.  When the eyes look towards the ceiling, since the neck is being held in an arch, the lower back will tense up to hold its arch too and the body really can’t do any effective forward bending exercise.  Paying attention to where you are looking can make an advantageous and positive difference in your ability to execute your Pilates and general fitness exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and mobility of the abs and back.

Use Your Eyes While You Exercise!

Enjoy efficient and sequential articulation of the spine.  Focus your gaze in the right direction to maximize your results. Not only will it help your head, neck and lower back become stronger and more flexible, but while you’re looking at your abs for the Hundred, Roll Up, Series of 5, and other Pilates or fitness exercises, you’ll be able to see if your abs are pulling in for support, and can watch them pull in farther with every repetition!

When was the last time that you sat down and really thought about your definition of what wellness means to you?

Do you think of wellness only from the standpoint of how you look, or being a certain weight or size?  Or do you know you’re well because you have the energy and endurance to enjoy your favorite activities,  and have the stamina to play with your children and grand kids?

Perhaps it means that you’re happy instead of battling with your inner-self  and fighting to overcome moments (or a lifetime) of depression.  It might mean that your medical checkup is showing a strong heart, cholesterol and blood sugar in a normal range, and even though your chronological age is 55, by comparison you have the body of a 30 year-old! Wellness might be a sense of inner peace and calm, or the spiritual connection you feel with your Higher Power.

Maybe your definition is:  I’ll be well when I complete my first Marathon, or swim a mile without stopping, or my dog and I will both be well when we consistently take walks together (for the rest of our lives!)   I’m sure there are lots of things that you can put on your Wellness Checklist! 

That’s step one…  Know  what’s important to you and what it means to you personally to BE WELL! It really doesn’t matter what the rest of the world thinks about your definition, as long as you are confident with what you want and are striving to achieve it.  And if you haven’t clearly figured out for yourself what Wellness really means – you may be in a cycle of self-sabotage feeling like you’ll never achieve your goals because your brain and body aren’t in sync with what those goals really are!  So take some time this week to contemplate and create your Wellness Wish List.

A Wish is a thought, a dream that has yet to come true.  Speak it out loud and write it down to light the flame of inspiration in your brain and body.  And you will begin the creative process to bring it to life.

Give your dreams a deadline and they shift into goals. Every goal has specific and measurable action steps that must be taken to achieve success.  And as Napoleon Hill once said, ” Whatever the mind of man can dream and believe, it can achieve.”

But, we might not be able to do it alone!  Some things, definitely!  But there may be some of your wellness goals that will move forward farther and faster with a little friendly support! It may be having friends, family or co-workers in your corner and on your “team” all working together to help each other stay on track.  Or perhaps seeking the advice of your doctor, a personal trainer, nutritionist or other professional to guide you with the right information and exercises to help you reach your goals.

While some of us (myself included) are a bit shy to sometimes reach out for help…  It truly is all around us.  And think of it this way – when you deny someone else the opportunity to help you, you deny them the privilege of a feel-good moment in their life. Everybody likes to lend a friend a hand! And the folks out there who are in the wellness and health professions are passionate, driven, and I think probably divinely inspired,  to want to help others succeed and offer support and guidance!  USE YOUR RESOURCES.

You’ve got a list of your Wellness Goals.  Now make a list of your Wellness Resources. What friends, family, co-workers, professionals, and organizations can assist you in moving forward to help make your wellness wishes come true? Put the names of all these folks down next to the items on your Wellness Wish List that you think they can assist you with.

Now…Why wait another minute? Reach out to someone on your list and see what happens.

Oh, and I should say, please don’t be discouraged if some bozo you put on your list has a brief moment of insanity and doesn’t give you the positive feedback and support you were hoping for.  Just know that in this moment, they are not the right person to hang with to move your butt forward to Wellness Success!  Love ‘em anyway and call somebody else for support!  Do not let their potential laughter or negative attitude steer you off course.  Their reaction is their problem, NOT YOURS!  Perhaps in time you’ll get an apology for their bad behavior, but either way…  Stay on track.

Enjoy a “Champagne Moment” to Celebrate Your Success!

There are stories about how Joe and Clara Pilates helped their clients celebrate success with “Champagne moments.” Every time someone had a breakthrough, successfully completed an exercise that they had been struggling with, or just generally had a WOW moment.  They were rewarded for their success!  All action stopped in the studio, the cork was popped  on a cool bottle of Champagne, and everyone toasted to their success.  I’ve heard rumors that this was a very frequent occurrence in the studio!  How much fun and memorable would it have been to enjoy a Champagne moment with Joe!

So who’s your Joe?  Or Joe(s).  The mentor and friends you want to help toast to your success?  And what kind of celebration will really mean something to you? It might be a Champagne toast, or  going shopping with a friend to buy  a new outfit, or a night on the town!  Take a moment to cheer yourself on and be sure to share that moment with others. Everyone loves a celebration!

What’s Next?

Well, first I’m going to suggest, “let’s get there first!”  Why put extra unnecessary thoughts in the way that might block progress. Stay focused on your current Wish/Dream/Goal list.  Chances are you’ve got more than one thing on your list and plenty of fun things to play with to tweak your wellness program.

Achieving our goals is a process.  So enjoy the journey!  Each step forward is a cause for celebration.  Might as well wait until we’re at the top of the hill to take in the view, instead of worrying about what we’re going to do when we get there.

There will be new choices and opportunities for us to see and explore! f you’re a big picture thinker, and the What’s Next really needs to be answered for you.  Then  chances are you already know the answer.  So write it down!  Then live in the moment, don’t worry about what’s happened in the past, enjoy today, stay on your path,  and your “what’s next” will show up right along with your Wellness Success!

As an author and advocate for foot care. And having learned the hard way with some serious foot pain issues as a competitive gymnast when I was a teenager. I’ve been on the bandwagon to spread the word about the importance of healthy & happy feet.

So last night I was thinking…what life would be if we didn’t have feet? And here’s what I came up with…and how things might be different if for some reason things changed and our feet became obsolete.

1. No more, “Running away from you problems.”

2. No more, “Jumping for Joy!”

3. No “First Step for Man, Giant Leap for Mankind.” (Lunar moon walk)

4. No worries about getting “cold-feet” the night before your wedding!

5. No struggles to“Get your foot in the door.” for a new job or promotion.

6. No more “Barefoot & Pregnant.”

7. No more “Insert foot in Mouth” when you say something ridiculous or inappropriate!

8. No more searching to uncover the mystery… and actually find BIGFOOT!

To help avoid these crazy problems you might encounter if you’re faced with life without feet…Check out my book Fantastic Feet! Exercises To Strengthen the Ankles, Arches, and Toes.

I would love to turn this into a list of The Top 100 challenges if we didn’t have feet! What creative, hilarious, and thought-provoking comments and suggestions do you have for adding to this list?

I may be a bit behind the times when it comes to enjoying the fun and benefits of all the new interactive video game products on the market – like the Nintendo Wii Fit…  but recently my techno-geek boyfriend purchased a Wii Fit for home.  (He’s had one at work since they first hit the market.)  Being a bit shy about actually getting a computer to do what I want, for me is intimidating, never mind the hand-eye coordination it takes to “win” a computer game…..I was never any good at these games as a kid.

I have to admit my extreme skepticism about the benefits of staring at a TV screen and using a computer game for fitness.  But am always excited to hear about new ways to inspire and encourage people to increase their exercise and activity level, and ANYTHING that people enjoy doing that involves movement can be a great way to improve health and fitness.

After playing with the Wii Fit only a couple of times, I am a happy to report that I am a fan of the fun, interaction, and health benefits that this gadget can provide!  Last night my family spent 6 hours playing Wii Fit games together!!!  Tennis, Baseball, Boxing, Bowling, Golf, balance games, yoga.  I think we explored the gamut of options!  I can honestly say that I can feel my abs this morning – so core muscle strengthening was definitely happening, and I wasn’t one of the folks that spent tons of time playing! So can only imagine how sore a few other people might be today!  We had more fun, spent more time laughing, talking, and encouraging each other in competition that the evening flew by and nobody wanted to stop playing.

While I wouldn’t want to spend all my workout time on the Wii…I think it’s a great option for friendly competition, a way to check-in on your health status with weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), goal setting, and some basic fitness testing for strength, balance, and control.  This gizmo provides instant feedback to see where you’re at, games and skill challenges to improve your health, and a way to do something besides just be a couch potato in front of the TV.  I also think that the balance awareness and assessment tools are excellent.  More about that in an upcoming blog post!

Do you Wii???  If you’re doing or teaching Pilates and haven’t tried this yet…find a friend who’s got one – create your Mii (your own personal cartoon version of you!) and go play!  I’d love to hear what you think about using Wii Fit as a tool to help your clients track improvements with their health and check-in with Posture and being “on center” for balance and body control that is such a key aspect of Pilates training.

Share your Wii Fit experience!

Question: Is Pilates appropriate for someone with peripheral atrophy? Balancing is becoming more & more difficult so yoga is no longer an option. If appropriate, please tell me where I might find a certified teacher/instructor. Please advise.

Answer: I do not feel it’s appropriate for me to answer this with a specific yes, or no – because I’m out of my scope of practice to recommend Pilates for a specific person, with a specific medical issue. (Especially someone I’ve never seen or worked with!)

However, here are my personal thoughts on the subject:

There can be many different reasons for peripheral atrophy. It would be important to know the causes, what parts of the body are being affected, how long it’s been an issue, symptoms, challenges, goals, a personal medical and exercise history, AND get prior approval from your primary care physician and medical specialist who is treating you for this — before starting a Pilates program. Your physician should give you the green light that it’s ok for you to begin (or continue) an exercise program – Pilates training or other forms of exercise.

Based on my years of Pilates teaching experience, and having worked with several clients with moderate to severe health challenges related to degenerative nerve and muscle diseases, Pilates training didn’t help reverse the clock and make everything “normal” but I have watched my clients enjoy substantial benefits in regards to gaining and maintaining strength, flexibility, balance, and body awareness for an improved quality of life.

Because a training session with the Pilates equipment can get you off your feet, and into more supportive positions – the challenge of balance can be taken out of the equation while learning different ways to improve strength and body control. The goal, of a Pilates program (in my opinion) would be to help identify things in your daily life activities, movements, and posture that are becoming a challenge, and then develop a program with the Pilates exercises that will best help to maintain and improve your fitness.

Some of what I do with my special needs clients is Pilates. Some exercises have been creatively modified; other exercises I pull from my experience in dance and general fitness that I feel are applicable to continue gently encouraging the body to stay strong and healthy. This is my approach! It might be different with a different teacher.

If your Physician agrees that Pilates might be beneficial and recommends you give it a try, then you can start the search for a qualified Pilates teacher with the knowledge and background to work with you.

Not all Pilates teachers are created equal. With health challenges, it would be best to find a teacher with good experience, and it might be advisable to find someone with rehabilitation background or physical therapy experience (You want to find a Pilates teacher who is confident to work with special populations.)

Ask your potential Pilates trainer if they’ve worked with other clients with special needs or peripheral atrophy. If you’re lucky enough to be in an area of the country with an abundance of Pilates professional, I’d recommend visiting several studios, asking lots of questions, and possibly take lessons from a few different teachers to be sure you’ve found one that has a personality that clicks with yours and fits the bill for knowledge, expertise, ability to help encourage you, and can design a Pilates training program that allows you to work at your own pace.

Begin with private one-on-one Pilates training, and let the teacher you are working with help guide you into Pilates Mat or other equipment classes if and when it’s appropriate for you. (Private Pilates lessons may be your long-term best and safest option.) Chances are there will be lots of exercises and concepts that you will be able to take out of the studio for “homework” as a supplement to your Pilates personal training routine.

To locate a Pilates Teacher near you:

• See what’s listed in your local phone book under Pilates.
• Inquire with your local health clubs.
• Call sports medicine / physical therapy / or kinesiology / chiropractic clinics and ask where they refer their patients for Pilates Training.
• Check with the Pilates Method Alliance. The PMA is an international membership organization for Pilates. You can search on their website to locate a PMA member Pilates Teacher/Studio at http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/curntmemb.html
• PilatesStyle Magazine also has a good studio referral network at http://www.pilatesstyle.com/web/directory.aspx

It’s so important – that we maintain a good level of wellness! Finding an exercise program that you can do safely to maintain strength and flexibility will keep you as healthy as possible. It doesn’t have to be a wild and vigorous workout to get results. There is a difference between a professional athlete training for sports performance, and you or me enjoying exercise to maintain a good quality of life. Check with your doctor to be sure it’s ok for you to be active, and then find exercises you can do and enjoy that keep you moving at your own pace… and keep on moving!

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If you’re looking for more general info on peripheral atrophy visit: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000593.htm

Here’s my new cue of the week for improving Spine Extension.

Pretend your ribs are like an oriental fan, and as you lift into extension open the fan.

The pivot point for the fan is under the armpits, (assisted by shoulder depression and the lower trapezius.) By visualizing each rib sequentially pulling away from the next and lifting apart the spine moves more freely, and pulls away & up, reducing stress on the lower back while moving into a glorious well-supported backbend.

I have found this cue particularly helpful on Down stretch on the Reformer, where the goal is to be light on the arms while lifting into spine extension. But it works equally well on many other back extension exercises. Try it on Swan, Short Box Round (into the backbend) Extension exercises on the Spine Corrector, Pulling Straps on the Long Box, Kneeling Knees Arched, Even on Mermaid – opening one fan, and closing the other. (If you have success using this image on one exercise – associate it to other exercises and you should get similar results!) It might also be helpful on Spine Flexion in “Fanning the ribcage into a good C-Curve” bending the other direction.

Depending on the exercise you’re teaching, you might also consider which end of the fan is opening first. Pulling apart from the top of the ribcage to the bottom, or opening from the bottom of the ribs to the top. The image of the fan works both ways. Evaluate what you’re doing and what will be best for the body to determine which end of your fan should be opening first. Then see how many different exercises you can apply your “FAN” image visualization for improving exercises understanding and technique.

Try it and drop me a post to let me know how it works for you!