A great body position on push-ups, makes the exercise so much easier to do! And with great technique you’ll be getting a lot more bang for your buck from every repetition to improve your upper body strength and fitness.

Push-ups in Pilates normally are done at the end of a Mat workout, but they’re a great exercise that you can do anytime, anywhere without any fancy equipment to maintain your fitness.

To Start the Exercise:

• Stand with your feet in a V-position, arms extended over your head.
• Walk your hands down the front of your body while you bend forward to reach the floor.
• Walk your hands out on the mat taking 3-5 steps to get into a long and strong push-up position.

While you are getting into your push-up position…the following things should happen in this order:

1. Heels lengthen away from the head
2. Tailbone tucks under and reaches towards the heels
3. Lower abdominals lift up and in
4. Glutes & Inner thighs squeeze
5. Shoulder blades pull down the back
6. Spine lengthens through the top of the head

To do a Push-Up and keep a great body position, the sequence of what happens is really important.

Inhale to lower the whole-body, exhale, pull the low belly up, shoulders down, then engage the muscles under the shoulders, around the ribcage and into the belly to help lift the body up while straightening the arms.

Here’s a video clip with my fitness tips and a Push-Up demo to help you improve your body position and Push-Up power.

Have Fun Practicing Your Push-Ups!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Neck strain, and occasionally pain, is something that is common during Pilates Matwork and general abdominal conditioning programs.  And while feeling some work in the neck while those muscles are getting stronger, might be a good thing… When you’re really wanting to work on strengthening your abs, it’s a challenge to focus when you’ve got more pain in your neck than work in your belly!

Discover a very important tip that can help you reduce neck pain and improve core fitness for all your Pilates exercises and general fitness abdominal training workouts in this third video from my Core Training Tips series:

Enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

This modified ½ sit-back exercise is a great one to help gain strength and mobility to roll backwards to the mat with control, AND be able to efficiently roll back up to a sit – articulating through the spine and using the abs.

Discover fitness tips on how to execute a great half-sit back, and how this exercise can help strengthen your abs and improve your core fitness with this second video in my Core Training Tips series:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Use the exercise tips on this video to help you improve your ab curl position for Pilates Matwork exercises like the Hundred, Roll Up, Neck Pull, and Teaser.  And at the gym, this easy-to-do KG Curl exercise can help improve your technique for sit-ups on an incline bench,  crunches on a ball, and with all your ab training exercises during aerobics class.

Have Fun Improving your Ab Strength with the KG Curl!

Here’s my revelation for the week!  (or perhaps it’s just today’s revelation – and something else will pop up eager for me to share tomorrow.)

I’ve always cued my clients to begin learning their exercises with the awareness of working within the framework of the Pilates “Box.” Think about the torso from shoulder to shoulder, and hip to hip.  Every exercise starts from the center of the box, moves away from, and back to center.  The farther away from center you move, the stronger you have to be to maintain balance, control, and core support for your exercise or movement.  Feeling where the corners of the “box” are help create an awareness of being evenly  distributing your weight and staying centered.  Great concept!

So when the knees bend in towards the chest on any exercise where should they go? 

I encourage clients to stay within the framework of their “Box” and here’s why:

When the knees don’t open wider than the body there are multiple benefits for strength, flexibility, joint range of motion, core stability and control.

Here are 5 Great Benefits for “Knees Over Chest is Best – For Pilates Training”:

1. Better abdominal support for a safe and healthy back. The abdominal muscles have to pull in – out of the way when the thighs/knees pull in towards the chest.  This cues the core muscles to work and get stronger while the legs are moving.
2. This improved abdominal support, and the relationship with the thighs to the chest, provide a massaging action on the internal organs to assist the digestive system and elimination processes. If the knees open wide and the abdominals “pop” out to the front – support for the spine is lost, as well as the strength to hold the organs in a natural resting position in the torso.
3. Strengthen the Adductor Muscles. The inner thigh muscles work more effectively to stabilize leg control, and guide the legs in a precise plane moving away from and back to center.
4. Improve Knee Flexion. The medial hamstrings will do more work and get stronger as the legs bend in towards the body. This will help strengthen the knees and assist with smooth, controlled movement.  (With the legs opening wider than the body the inner thighs and medial hamstrings might not be working much at all!
5. Moving the legs while tracking within the Pilates Box, strengthens efficient alignment and allows the ball to drop in the hip socket to a good posterior-inferior position.  This helps to develop a free full range of motion for the hip joint (which is necessary to maintain and improve bone density),  trains the legs to move independently of the pelvis, and effectively stretches the glutes, and lower back.  AND while all this is happening, you are maintaining support with the back and core muscles.

I encourage you to play with this concept and see how it feels.

With which Pilates exercises can you see value in thinking about the “Box” and Knees Over the Chest position?

Has this post changed your perspective on wide knees vs. knees over the chest?

I’d love to know what you think!  Comments please….

Here are a few frequently asked questions, and Five Tips to find a Great Pilates Teacher near you:

Q. I use Pilates books and videos at home, why should I participate in lessons at a Pilates Studio or Health Club?

A. Books and videos can be good tools to help you remember what you’re doing. However, nothing can replace the eye of a qualified and experienced Pilates teacher to help you understand the exercises and find the right muscles to do each exercise correctly. Books and videos will show you the basics of the exercises, but won’t help you become aware of the ways you’re cheating, or help to identify your bad habits and assist you in correcting them. Also, not every exercise is for every person. Following exactly what’s on a video may be dangerous for your body. Besides, just doing Matwork is only half of the system, so you’re missing out on half the benefits Pilates has to offer. Use of both the Pilates equipment and mat exercises is the ideal and best way to utilize the Pilates system.

A Qualified Pilates Teacher Can Help You:

• Find the right muscles to get the most benefit from the exercises.

• Learn how to modify or tweak the exercises for your body to be in safest position.

• Identify which exercises are appropriate for your body and which exercises you should skip or wait awhile before adding to your workout.

Q. How do I know if my Pilates instructor is a qualified teacher?

A. Great Question! Anyone can call themselves a Pilates Teacher – If they’ve read a book and watched a video, participated in only a weekend workshop, or completed an intensive 500+ hour Comprehensive Pilates Teacher-Training program.

To the uneducated consumer, without asking questions, you may not know if your teacher has the background and experience necessary to really help you get the most from your Pilates training experience.

The Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) is an international non-profit organization to provide information and education to Pilates teachers and consumers.

The PMA^TM recommends that anyone wishing to teach the Pilates method:

• Participate in a Pilates exercise program prior to attending a teacher training program.
• Attend a comprehensive training program, and maintain a commitment to education.

The following are general guidelines, questions, and information from the Pilates Method Alliance that you can use to help search for a qualified Pilates teacher:

1. Are the instructors trained through a comprehensive training program?

2. Did that training program require a written and practical test, lecture, observation, practice and apprentice hours?

3. How many total hours were spent in the training program? (The Pilates Method is a knowledge based method of exercise and training. Time spent in certification training produces qualified teachers.)

4. Does the instructor have any other movement related teaching experience.

5. How long have the instructors been teaching Pilates?

6. What is the instructor’s / studio’s philosophy and specialty? Are they able to handle special needs, injuries and rehabilitation?

7. Does the instructor or studio teach the full repertoire of Pilates on all pieces of apparatus?

Q. How do I find a Pilates studio with qualified, comprehensively-trained Pilates teachers?

Five Tips To Locate a Great Pilates Teacher Near You:

1. See what’s listed in your local phone book under Pilates.
2. Inquire with your local health clubs.
3. Call sports medicine / physical therapy / or kinesiology / chiropractic clinics and ask where they refer their patients for Pilates Training.
4. 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
5. PilatesStyle Magazine also has a good studio referral network at http://www.pilatesstyle.com/web/directory.aspx

Remember…Pilates is for Every Body! Find a Great Pilates Teacher and check out what Pilates can do for you.

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!

*************************************

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 best advice to all teachers & students out there….

1. Never stop thinking things through.

2. Try different versions, techniques, and modifications to see what agrees with your philosophy about the work.

3. Be open to new ideas.

4. Challenge & question things you’re not sure are right.

5. Search & research to find the answers to things you are unsure about.

6. Take the best that other teachers have to offer that makes sense to you, and leave the rest behind.

If I think about my understanding of Pilates 14 years ago, vs. what I know now – there is light years of difference. But even so, when I hear things that contradict how I teach – I still doubt what I know sometimes. Plus, I am completely secure in my belief I’ve got lots more to learn about the body.

So…Here’s the question I was asked:
“How do I ask this question succinctly? (It will be difficult!) You speak of the incorrect use of the thighs when speaking of the psoas. What about when you are rolling up or rolling down from standing? The venerable Mary Boyd advocates using the inner thighs along with the pelvic floor and navel-to-spine. I get confused–there are contradictions in the field! Please advise. THANK You.”

My Response: As I read back over my psoas article, my usage of the word “thighs” was mainly in reference to the quadriceps muscles, in particular the Rectus Femoris as it tends to be the over used and inefficient hinger of the leg/pelvis.

For me the Pelvic Floor is a given starting point on every exercise as it provides support for elongation of the spine and freedom for hip movement.

While I used to cue navel-to-spine, personally, I’m looking for everything from the crotch to the navel to be pulling towards the spine (for a flattening band of support for the low back and belly). Some folks are really good at just pulling the belly button to the backbone with a pooch below. If your teacher is getting the correct action from your body with that cue – it’s working.

Rolling Up or Rolling Down – whether you’re standing or doing the Matwork Exercise Neck Pull or the Roll Up I agree that the inner thighs are active – not a death squeeze, but definitely energized. (It doesn’t matter whether the legs are together or apart there is still “action” in the inner thighs.)

In reference to the inner thighs and psoas…In my opinion, I don’t think that squeezing the inner thighs harder is going to keep the quadriceps out of the equation so the psoas can do it’s job. There should be some life in the inner & outer thighs, but the engagement through the glutes & hamstrings will be more important for the support & action of keeping the legs down on the floor to articulate through the spine and pelvis when rolling up & down when laying on the back. Same would be true in a standing position (only it might feel easier here since gravity is helping hold the legs still.)

The short & condensed version…I don’t think the information you feel is conflicting really is! I agree with what you’ve been told. And we all have to remember that with so many parts and pieces to think about during a Pilates workout, you’re teacher can’t possibly pick on, or correct everything every time. Some days you might be reminded more about the pelvic floor, other days what the abs are doing, or the glutes & legs, or the psoas, or the movement of the pelvis, or the breathing. Plus – once you understand and are doing some things well, we tend to start reminding you about other things to keep tweaking your technique – until there is nothing left to remind you of and you’re brain and body are beautifully connected for efficient movement!