Here are her comments and question:

“I have some very hip flexor dominant students that suffer from hip click in quite a few of the Pilates exercises, big one being Leg Circles and virtually anytime they extend their legs out away from the body.  I cue to bring balance with the antagonist muscles (tva and Glutes) but am still having issues.  Could you guide me in helping these people a little more effectively?  (I do ask them to stretch with a lunge prior to class, and even do a recumbent jazz attitude movement before leg circles.)  So is there something I am not seeing or doing?  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.”

I then dove into a folder on my computer to find an article in hiding that I had written, but never posted on my blog – think I may have posted in on a Podiatry forum where I read a clicking hip question!  Interesting to me that Podiatrists are also dealing with this issue with their patients.  It doesn’t do anybody any good for me to keep things a secret!  So I hope that for those of you out there challenged with clicking hips – you will find some of this information useful.  Please let me know how it goes with teaching or doing Pilates exercises and using this info to get out of the hip click!

Here are my thoughts:

In my 15 years of experience teaching Pilates, when a client experiences “clicking” or popping in the hip with movement, strengthening the pelvic floor muscles and increased lower core support, as well as focused exercises to improve hip mechanics with a softer (un-gripped) rectis femoris muslce will assist with this issue.

I was really blessed that when I started learning Pilates my first teacher, David Mooney, spent many, many hours during my private sessions helping me learn how to use my quads less and everything else more to support movement – especially when doing Pilates exercises that involved moving my legs away from and back to center, and not gripping the fronts of my thighs!  I then spent a ton of additional hours propping my feet up on things when I practiced on my own to re-train my body to relax my rectus femoris (top of the thigh hip flexor) , and support the weight of my legs in the air with my abdominals, psoas (under the thigh hip flexor), hamstrings, and glutes.  Then later on,  from my mentor Dianne Miller,  I got a greater appreciation of the value of an appropriately engaged pelvic floor to also benefit better support and reduce hip clicking.

In a Mat class there are a few things I do immediately to modify the One Leg Circle, until clients can make it happen with no noise or aggravation.

1.       Decrease the size of the circle and range of motion of the leg while it’s circling. A smaller range of motion should temporarily solve the problem, and allow the client to reach the leg longer creating more free space in the socket for movement, and helping them focus on the support and stability needed through the pelvis and “standing” leg.

2. Bend the knee while doing the circles. This shortens the lever and will adjust where the ball is sitting in the socket through the range of the circle.  It also takes some of the work out of the quads and shifts support to the hamstrings so the leg can swing more freely from the hip during movement.

3.      Use the support of a strap and assistance of the arms to help hold up the leg. If the hamstrings are very tight (back of the thigh), or the quadriceps are gripping to pull the leg around and up (front of the thigh) the leg cannot move freely from the hip because of the tension caused by muscle contraction and over-holding at inappropriate moments.

If I’m working privately with a client and have access to the Pilates Trapeze Table, the use of one leg spring to practice circles provides a similar support along with resistance to strengthen the leg throughout the range of movement.

In fact, all the Pilates equipment exercises where the legs are in a strap or spring, or knees folded over the roll down bar, are helping to retrain the body to reduce issues with clicking hips – IF a client is cued to keep the pelvic floor active, work from the back of the legs to extend and return, and maintain a softer “un-gripped” rectus  femoris.

This is why Pilates is a system.  Clients will benefit the most by working on both the equipment and Matwork to help retrain the body,  undue bad habits, and strengthen the most efficient muscles for functional movement.  It is extremely difficult to retrain  the quads to let go when they’re the guys used to doing all the work when the legs are extended, unsupported in space.

From the tweaks to the Leg Circle exercise listed above, education about the benefits of using and finding the Pelvic Floor is the next thing to incorporate into classes or client training programs. I teach how to find and use the Pelvic Floor as an exercise all by itself first, and then add this into other exercises until clients can confidently find and fire it at will!  Contracting the pelvic floor for support during exercise helps to take the pressure off the hip joint, frees up the ball in the socket, and allows movement without the noise or aggravation.  It’s the front and back walls of pelvic floor support  (tailbone to pubic bone connection) that is most difficult to find and use that is needed for free hip motion.

Then, watch your clients walk across the room.  Do the thighs stay in front of the body?  Or swing evenly with one leg moving behind the torso (the rectus femoris is releasing on every stride.)

With poor gait mechanics, a shortened stride, slightly posterior tilted pelvis, and overuse of the rectus femoris (one of the four quadriceps muscles,) the thigh bone is held to far to the front of the socket. Try to move the leg in a free range and it’s not going to happen easily until the pelvis and hip muscles have a different relationship.

In my experience – this postural and mechanical use of the body is apparent in many if not most of the people who have walked through my door for Pilates.   We spend too much time sitting, have lower back issues, and don’t take much time to stretch.

The great news is things can quickly improve with an understanding of how to find and use the pelvic floor as well as exercises to get a better understanding of posterior/inferior ball & socket placement, how to move the ball in the socket, and how to move the socket around the ball. If the leg is working mechanically well from the hip, the foot and lower leg have a better shot at good mechanics too!

Not only is the clicking apparent on one leg circles, but for some clients doing the Roll Up, or Neck Pull, you may see one or both hips make a funny, clunky shift in the transition from laying down to a seated position.  The reason for this again might be not enough pelvic floor, clients are “hanging off their hip flexors” and trying to move.

Think about the levers of the body –what parts of the body are moving and supporting during exercise?

• In the One Leg Circle, the thigh (ball & socket) are moving with a stable pelvis.
• In the Roll Up, the pelvis is moving (around the ball & socket) with a stable thigh.

So you’ve got movement from above, the ball and socket, and movement from below…the support to move is the same!  More pelvic floor action (especially the connection between the tailbone and pubic bone) will free up the movement and reduce / eliminate the “clicks.”

Hope this info is helpful!  Any instructors or Pilates clients out there who would like to comment on things you’ve done, cues you’ve found helpful, or exercises that have been beneficial to assisting  with the saying good-bye to the clicking hip issue,  please share!!!

The new teachers who have completed the Centerworks Pilates Teacher-Training Program, occasionally will ask questions, like the ones in this post, as they are faced with the challenge of creating quality Pilates programs.  I am always happy to share my perspective and insights with them, to help develop good teachers with great critical thinking skills.

They, in turn, have been kind enough to allow me to post some of their questions and my replies, so that other Pilates teachers and trainers  might benefit from hearing my thoughts on working with different clients and issues, and perhaps also practice developing  great critical thinking skills to create the best Pilates workout programs possible.

I hope you find my thoughts and information below helpful to continue developing your skills as a well-qualified Pilates professional!

Programming Questions from a Pilates Teacher:

“I have a new client who has a left hip that is higher and therefore a shorter leg so to speak.”

“Also, her left side does very little of the work and the right side compensates for everything.”

“What would you work with her on to help engage and strengthen that left side?”

“We moved from the Short Box to the Ladder Barrel and that seemed to help some.

We worked on some teaser on the chair and we did Going Up Front to engage both sides of the body and work on strengthening that left leg.  We worked on the Springboard with the roll down bar, two handed roll downs, one handed roll downs, side oblique’s…”

“She is strong and knows when that left side gives up…”

“Any advice would be mucho, mucho appreciated.”  ~ K

My Thoughts and Advice on Developing a Pilates Workout Program for this Client:

1. If she is new to Pilates, I would be working on her basic reformer and mat skills! Just like anybody else. Just striving to work evenly on these exercises will begin to lengthen the short side and strengthen the weak one.
2. From there I would probably do some of the side lying work over the spine corrector to stretch the torso & hips, then face down on the spine corrector to strengthen the legs with a longer waist.
3. Leg springs on the Cadillac (lying on her back), and work into the side leg series in Mat.
4. The leg series over the arc barrel would be a good choice too.
5. The standing chair exercises are good – but I would choose to get some of the alignment issues addressed in a non-weight bearing position (with exercises on the Reformer & Cadillac) so she can find different muscles to use and support her body. In a seated & standing position right now, she will probably tend to initiate and work mostly with that dominant side. Plus it is more challenging to make corrections for alignment on the chair. Flat on her back – she’ll be able to notice if the weight is even on both hips & shoulders, and with the overhead poles on the Cadillac it will be easy to tell if the legs are uneven on leg springs.
6. Before running – you might consider going to 2 springs and doing some one leg exercises. (1. on toe – push out and return, 2. push out and stay on a straight leg to lift and lower the heel, 3. Combo – push out, lift & lower the heel, then bend & return.) Start on the weaker leg & do weaker, stronger, weaker. (do this for 1, then, 2, then 3) over time work to doing 1,2,3 on one leg, then the other.
7. Eve’s lunge might be a good exercise too.
8. Fundamental hip hikes, circles, and figure 8’s.

You have so many choices!!!

But most important is to see her working evenly with good alignment on her Basic Reformer & Mat exercises. I would focus on this first – knowing that the changes you are looking for will begin to happen by cueing even hips, shoulders, arms, and legs.

You’re job to help change her body will be much easier with less effort – if you take this path to get there, and toss in only a few exercises that you feel are most relevant to the additional stretch, or strength she may need to even things up!

Remember, open the joint space 1st, then the muscles have a chance to fire to move the bones correctly! ~ Aliesa George

More Client Info from the Pilates Teacher:

“She is visiting from another city and has been working with a private trainer.  I left that part out.  Intermediate mat and reformer is her “level.”

“Except with the hip/left side issue, I see the need for more basic exercises like you suggest to get her stronger.”

“Thanks so much!” ~ K

More Thoughts and Advice on Helping Encourage an “Intermediate-level” student to Get Back to Basics:

So you might explain to her, that while she’s progressed with Pilates to an intermediate level and learned lots of exercises, the alignment issue and muscle imbalance have not been completely taken care of along the way.

IF that is something that she would like to focus on as a goal with her program, you would recommend going back to the basics to focus on tweaking her form and alignment to become more aware of how to be both longer and stronger.

Sometimes a shorter leg really is a shorter leg.  But if you can tell that the hip is hiked AND the leg is shorter – there is a good chance that by striving to work in balance and evening up the muscle use – the shorter leg may not really be short!

You also need to inquire as to her daily habits that may be continuing to aggravate the issues. Does she sit on one hip instead of two, does she sit with her legs crossed (and which one is usually on top?) When she stands is she always on one leg.  Becoming aware of these posture habits and consciously changing them – will only help reinforce what you’re doing with your Pilates workouts. ~ Aliesa George

Pilates Workout Plan Ideas from a Pilates Teacher

“Okay, so here is what I’ve come up with from your suggestions.  I only have one more time to work with her, so I want to leave her with some things to take home.” ~ K

30 minutes

• Start with Fundamentals – hip hikes, figure 8
• spine corrector – side, prone, legs over
• legs in springs cadillac
• one leg work on reformer
• eve’s lunge

30 minutes

• Basic mat work

“Thanks so much, Aliesa.  You ROCK as always!  I love helping people!” ~ K

Pilates Workout Plan Feedback from Aliesa George

Now…What you need to do is format these exercises into one well -planned workout – to be sure that you are working the Pilates system.  Spine flexion, extension, side bending rotation, leg work, arm work, strength, and flexibility should all be included in every Pilates workout.

If you do 30 minutes and just to the exercises you’ve listed in the order on your list – you’re doing:  Hips & Back, Hips & legs, Hips & legs, Hips & legs, Hips & legs,… (and this does not a well-balanced Pilates session make!)

Do you have time to think through a sequence & flow for incorporating your Reformer, Mat, Cadillac, & Barrel exercises into the best order that will hit all bases on target?

I’d love to see your plan! ~ Aliesa George

Pilates Workout Outline from a Pilates Teacher:

“This is my area of weakness.  But I’m thinking I’ll start her warming up on the spine corrector with paint a rainbow and roll backs.  Then move into legs – prone and side-lying.”

“Then I thought we’d do some fundamentals of the hip hikes, figure 8 and hip circles.”

“Then we’d start with some Basic mat exercises:

• 100
• roll up
• one leg circles
• rolling like a ball
• series of five
• spine stretch
• open leg rocker
• corkscrew
• saw
• swan
• neck pull

then move over to the Cadillac for legs in the springs

then teaser and seal

then one leg work on the reformer and eve’s lunge

if we have time push ups.” ~ K

Pilates Workout Outline – Feedback from Aliesa

Nice Job!  I can see the thought process in the order you have selected.  You have learned well “grasshopper!”  I’m not sure that there is too much I would chose to do differently if these were the exercises I had selected for a session.

Can you see how you have now taken the exercises that you had on your list of 30 Minutes of these, and 30 Minutes of Matwork, and organized them to flow that is consistent with the Pilates system?

Here are my thoughts and suggestions for a few things you might consider doing with some of the exercises you have selected:

• 100 – Use the leg springs on the Cadillac, so she has support and the spring to open to assist with lengthening both legs and keeping them active throughout the exercise.
• One Leg Circle – Again, use 1 leg spring on the Cadillac to assist with the strength, and having something to press against to work the leg against the spring, and support the leg as it completes the circle.
• Series of 5 – Place the legs on a Fit Ball, so the quads can release, backs of the legs work more, and she’ll have more support for lengthening the back, reaching through the legs, and keeping the pelvis even and supported against the mat.
• Corkscrew – if you’re doing a small circle, go for it!  If you’re planning to lift the hips off the floor – You might break this down and do Knee Drops, and the first part of the Roll Over, then build into the more int.-adv. Corkscrew.
• Leg Springs on the Cadillac – Since she’s an intermediate level student, I’m going to make the assumption that she is familiar with the leg spring series.  If the answer to that is YES, then you might consider adding the small arc barrel to this series so she can work into a larger range of motion against the spring.
• After 1 – Leg Work on the Reformer be sure to do Running, so you can integrate what you’ve done back into a whole-body moving exercise.
• Be sure to have time for Push-Ups! With this workout program, that is your main upper-body exercise for the day.  It is also an important centering exercise, since you would have just finished Eve’s Lunge (one leg at a time.)

Once you get to working with her, you can always make a choice to switch the order of things, or change an exercise based on what direction the session takes, or how the client feels for the day.

This looks great! I think you are well-prepared for your next session.

It’s fun to think through all of your Pilates exercise choices and be creative!  We have too many choices to ever be able to do everything we’d like to accomplish in a one-hour session.  And in my opinion, (especially for newer Pilates teachers) thinking through this on paper, before you ever get to your client’s training session, will have you well-prepared to provide excellent service and a Pilates workout program that will help your clients reach their wellness goals!

As long as you’ve taken the time to think through things and have exercises in your workout plan that move the spine in all directions, as well as exercises for the arms & legs, AND know the reason behind your exercise choices, you will hit your target and have a happy well-satisfied customer.

Thanks for letting me share this process of our discussion on my blog!  I hope that it will help other newer teachers as they are working through a similar process with developing their own client programs! ~ Aliesa George

The Pilates program outlined here was designed by an Apprentice Teacher and is being used as an example for a critique on designing effective Pilates programs.

This blog posting is meant to assist Pilates teachers, and especially new Pilates trainers with assistance in thoughtful and safe exercise selection to design safe and effective workout programs. I do not recommend that you precisely follow this program, but analyze the program and my comments and suggestions – then use this information to help develop your critical thinking skills, make good exercise choices, and design great Pilates programs for your clients.

As a more-experienced teacher, I enjoy helping the students in my teacher-training program develop their critical thinking skills. It thought there may be other new teachers out there who would find this information useful.

Below is an example of a beginner’s Pilates Workout Program with the consideration of no neck flexion that I recently reviewed for an apprentice teacher. The exercises that were chosen for this program are not right or wrong… Any exercise can be a good choice if done correctly.

Apprentice Program Design: Beginner Student – No Neck Flexion

***Please consult with a Pilates professional, and your Health Care Provider, before following this, or any other fitness program.

Comments and Suggestions for Tweaking and Improving this Pilates Workout Program:

Since I don’t know the reason for this individuals need to avoid neck flexion, I have to ask if it’s because of an injury, Doctor’s request, or just because it’s uncomfortable and creates pain to curl up into exercises like the 100 (due to weakness, muscle imbalance, or lack of body awareness to be mechanically efficient with the movement.)

In my experience – while we play it safe and typically choose exercises that keep the neck in a more neutral position, it’s important to watch closely to see if client’s are “gripping” with their neck and upper traps to hold the head steady. Too many exercises laying on their back, or side lying and you can exacerbate their problems….even when you’re choosing to stay flat!

With neck issues, I tend to do 2-3 exercises laying down (see if they are more or less comfortable with a pillow), and then change to doing 2-3 exercises seated or standing. This will help reduce strain as the head and neck can sit in its normal balanced position on the torso, plus you won’t have clients snoozing after a whole hour in a reclining position!

In The Pilates Program Example above – Here Are the Things I Might Do Differently:

• I would choose to NOT do #3 Shoulder Elevation and Depression. But start from a resting position and cue “diamond down”, then arms hang down lower. The elevation of the shoulders will create more neck tension, but they need to learn how to better utilize lower traps to release shoulder tension. By doing this seated or standing, gravity is assisting the release of neck and shoulder tension.
• 100: I might choose to start with the legs in the straps, and no resistance (straps) in the arms. Or feet on the bar, No Straps. Head down – legs up, and straps could aggravate the neck, especially if the legs are lower.

Here’s where knowing WHY you’re avoiding neck flexion is important…

If a client just has a tense personality and needs to understand how to relax their neck and shoulders…doing Flexion exercises INTO gravity will help you over time progress into safe, strong, well-supported flexion working against gravity. If the head is going along with the rest of the spine in a relaxed state – this might be beneficial.

If a client has experienced an injury, accident, surgery…or other issue that has a medical limitation to avoid neck flexion – the exercise choices may be altogether different! (This limitation may be prescribed by a doctor forever, or for a limited period of time suitable for recovery. This information is vital to a Pilates professional making appropriate exercise choices.

Continuing on with things I would consider changing for this program…

• Ex: Stomach Massage Round – The head should be in a good posture position over the shoulders. The primary flexion is through the pelvis and low ab scoop, with a focus change down and forward, but not the head sheered forward off the neck. There’s a chance this might be safe and appropriate – but if in doubt, better to start with the 2^nd exercise (hands back)
• Ex: Elephant – Round. If the spine is in a properly flexed position, the head and neck are relaxed and handing forward. Gravity is assisting in stretching the neck for someday being able to do flexion and lift the head off the floor. (Same concept for Kneeling Knees Round)
• Arm Springs lying down on the Cadillac may have a tendency to create more neck tension, so watch for this and be prepared to find alternate exercises. Leg Springs – (when you brace the arms on the poles) are strengthening your lower traps if you cue “diamond down” and remind them to keep the shoulders & neck relaxed. Or – you can do with arms by the sides. But long-term you want to work to that overhead arm position, and understanding how to use the arms and shoulders without creating any problems for the head and neck.
• I might choose to do the Standing Cadillac Arm exercises right after the Reformer for a moment of standing, and reinforcement of “Diamond Down,” good posture, and a lengthened, relaxed neck and shoulders. Then would do Parakeet, some of the Matwork, then consider the Arm Springs lying down.
• I would NEVER choose to do Double Straight Leg in Matwork with the head down. Esp. for a beginner with neck problems. The modified one leg at a time version will be safer for their whole body! Until someone can curl up safely – I would personally opt for this one-leg modification.
• I would probably add Alternate 1 Arm Reach (Climb a Rope) as a modified Criss-Cross to cue the Oblique Abdominals, and work on coming from under the shoulder, around the ribcage to a diagonal scoop of the torso.

The STRONGER a client’s core muscles are, the less they will use their upper traps and shoulders for body support. When the core is working, the neck and shoulders will begin to relax – you then focus on transfering this feeling to every exercise, daily life activity, and movement.

• Corkscrew will be a challenge to keep no tension in the neck and a good position. I might consider doing Knee Drops or Can-Can. (This is the 8^th exercise in a row that they’ve done lying down, perhaps a seated exercise would be a nice choice – even though this is not a classical order.)
• If you’re doing a hinging Saw it means that spine rotation is not contra-indicated. I might suggest that you add a Seated Twist to your reformer. This will warm up rotation in a vertical position (if it’s appropriate for them to twist) Rotation improves muscle length for flexion and extension. Seated Twist will help your Swan, and as appropriate progression into gravity assisted flexion, and finally working against gravity.
• There is a chance you’ll need to alternate sides for EACH exercise in the Side Leg Series. Look at neck placement and tension and switch sides before they feel anything in their neck. Ask how they feel while working – and change sides as often as needed – or do the series in a standing position.
• Because you’ve chosen the SEAL, I’m assuming that spine flexion is OK, but neck flexion against gravity is not. If you needed to avoid spine flexion altogether – I would do Dead Bug here instead.
• Because you’ve chosen the SEAL – I would definitely have done Stomach Massage Round, and probably Elephant and Kneeling Knees Round. Stomach Massage round will be warming up the correct body placement and support. It might also indicate that over time – the Roll Down on the Wall and 100 on the Wall would be good progressions.
• It also make more sense to finish your Matwork with the Seal or Dead Bug (a centering exercise,) and then move on to something else. By my re-arrangement of the Arm exercises, this happens automatically, and you finish mat and proceed to your ending stretches.

Other GREAT Exercises to consider for this program:

Chair – Footwork, Going Up Front, Spine Stretch forward, Swan on top, Pump 1-leg Demi-pointe

If gravity assisted flexion is OK – add “Washer Woman” to your safe list.

Spine Corrector – Breathing Over the Barrel, Swan, Hamstring Curl, Leg Extension

If there are NO medical limitations for the neck, and flexion into gravity is OK… I would also incorporate some gentle neck and chest stretching.

Wall – Clock Stretches, Standing W

Gentle Neck Stretch: Ear-to-Shoulder, Nose-to –Shoulder, Forehead-to-Shoulder, Chin- to-Chest, Center head.

• Ballet Stretches on the Ladder Barrel involve Forward Flexion and articulation of the spine & neck through flexion to recover to center. AGAIN – this may be OK, useful, and beneficial for your client. IF I had to play it safe – I would either stretch with the Magic Circle lying down, OR do the Split portion of the Ballet Stretches on the Cadillac with the Trapeze.

Now that you’ve had time to read and review this beginner Pilates Program… What choices would YOU make, and how would you progress your client if avoiding Neck Flexion was something you had to take into consideration when choosing exercises to develop a safe and effective Pilates workout program?

I’d love to hear comments on this! Is this example useful to your thought process for Pilates program design?

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….

Dear Aliesa,

I am teaching a Pilates class and one of the participants has
told me that she is pregnant. She has been doing Pilates for
a while and is strong and knows her limits, but I am looking
for a resource where I can research the limitations and
contraindications for a pregnant participant.

Can you recommend some reading or a website I can rely on
to give me correct information? This is a mat class only.

Thanks very much for your help,

Darlene

Great Question Darlene!!!

You’ll find a few guidelines for Pilates & pregnancy in the PMA Pilates Certification Study Guide. If I remember correctly, Dawn-Marie Ikes did a session or two on this topic at the PMA conference in 2005 & 2006, it was great information. If you have access to a copy of the course outlines for either of those years, I think you’ll have the info you’re looking for. You might check on the PMA website for Dawn-Marie’s contact information www.PilatesMethodAlliance.org and request info directly from her.

The other thing I would recommend is checking with your OB/GYN for the official guidelines for exercise during pregnancy. I believe it’s the American College of OB/GYN’s that publish this info. (ACOG).

You should also be able to find some information through the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

If you haven’t had your participant give you a written release to continue participation during pregnancy, that is something you should request. I’ve had pre-natal participants participate almost full-term, and a few who because they were high risk, as soon as they got pregnant their physician advised NO Pilates. So please have her bring you a release ASAP!

Hope this info is helpful. Have a Great Day!

Peace & Blessings,
Aliesa George

Share your Pilates and Pregnancy Tips or Questions in the comments section below:

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!

Do you remember reading Dr. Suess as a kid?  One of my favorite stories was the Starbelly Sneetches.  And how wonderful that that star is in the perfect spot to think about pulling the abdominals in for support and Core Control.

Here’s my tribute to the great Dr. Suess from a Pilates perspective!

Is your Starbelly hanging out – which might be a factor, or cause, or concern – for  lower back pain that you’d like to relieve?  

Or perhaps you have realized that whether or not there’s a star on your belly – pulling it in is the thing that you need.  

For strength in your abs, and a core that is working, all that you need for your spine feel fine is to remember the spot where the star might be placed and keep pulling in with your will and your might, so as you get stronger your back will not hurt. Yes…That is Right! 

With practice your star will shine with great strength.  And I know you will see…with each Pilates exercise, longer and leaner your body will be - as you learn to do each movement quite precisely. 

If Joseph Pilates were here still today, he would cheer your success and be proud of your efforts.  So enjoy your good health and keep in your mind, your star-belly IN very close to your spine.