Harmony Mind Body Fitness

Demystifying Those Cues!

Laura — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:40:10 +0000

You’ve heard your instructor say it a million times: “Draw your navel to your spine”, “Lengthen through the top of your head”, “Energy through your legs”, “Zip up your abs!”. What does it all really mean? Here are a few tips to take with you to your next Pilates session:

Draw Your Navel to Your Spine
In the Stott Pilates method, we teach two specific positions of the spine and pelvis as a foundation for all exercises: neutral and imprint. If your teacher cues you to draw your navel in, think about finding your imprinted position, which will help you access your oblique muscles more easily. The abdominal oblique muscles help define the waistline, and assist in keeping ideal posture.

Lengthen Through the Top of Your Head
Pretend you’re a puppet, and there is a puppeteer gently pulling your spine more upright with attached strings. Having a greater sense of verticality helps create more space between the vertebrae, and makes it easier to move the spine in all directions. Gravity works against us all day, and hopefully Pilates can help you feel the opposite sensation of growing taller, longer and leaner!

Energy Through Your Legs
Pilates movements encompass the whole body, and create awareness to help us move in the most functional way possible. Whether seated with the legs extended, standing on a reformer, or lying down ready for the Roll-Up, think about activating your leg muscles for support and stability.

Zip Up Your Abs
Imagery often works well in Pilates, and the abdominal “zipper” is no exception. Imagine a zipper starting at your pubic bone, and running up towards the navel. By thinking about pulling that zipper in an upward motion, you can access the deep pelvic floor muscles and the transversus abdominus, which are both important stabilizers for the pelvis and lumbar spine. Think of this cue when you have been standing for a while, or feel fatigued and it will instantly flatten your tummy and make you appear taller!

A great Pilates teacher has a multitude of cues to share with her/his students, and those cues will resonate differently depending on the client. When in doubt, “Zip, Lift, Scoop, Reach, Lengthen” and don’t forget to smile!

All things Harmony…

Laura — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:10:02 +0000

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.



Learning a New Language
Laura — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:43:26 +0000
 
Copyright STOTT PILATES®
 
I recently heard someone say, “Pilates is like learning a new language.”  If you talk to any experienced Pilates instructor, they will likely agree. 
When I asked a few of our Harmony staff instructors to share their advice for clients new to Pilates, there were three common themes:
 Open Your Mind
“Keep an open mind!  Someone once said to me “Pilates never gets easier, it just gets more familiar”.  It is so true, after nearly eight years I am still learning new things on a regular basis about exercises I thought I had mastered.  Things that initially seem easy get harder and things that initially seem impossible will be mastered; so just be patient!” – Tara
Be Confident
Think about the way babies learn to speak?  They don’t worry about how the words sound, they do their best to emulate their parents and older siblings until one day, their funny little sounds form audible words.  You can apply the same approach to learning Pilates.  Follow the choreography as best as possible, and implement your instructor’s cues as your body & mind allow.  
“Arriving at your session with an open mind can really help new you find confidence in trying new ways of moving your body. Hopefully you will be able to loosen up and have fun within the session too!” – Jamila
Patience, Patience, Patience!
Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy, right?  If you feel overloaded with information in the beginning, choose one thing to focus on, like breathing. Once you have a good connection to your breath, focus more on the choreography, and so on.  Sooner than later, all the pieces will fall into place and you will be fluent in Pilates!  
“Pilates may at first seem complex in details.  Things will get easier.  With patience and focus on form, you’ll soon see and feel the power of this practice.” – Molly
Years ago, in high school, I remember my French teacher saying “you’ll know you are really beginning to understand the language when you start dreaming in French.”  Well, if you find yourself counting to one hundred and pumping away your arms in your sleep, then you are well on your way to living and breathing the Pilates way of life!
                        


Take Pilates to Work!
Laura — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:24:29 +0000
 
Have a little fun in your cubicle!
                        


Are Your Goals S.M.A.R.T.?
Laura — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:19:05 +0000
 
Ready, set, go!
 
Resolutions, schmesolutions.  If you hope to succeed in reaching your personal Pilates and wellness goals in 2010, make sure they are S.M.A.R.T.!



S – Specific  Whether it’s being able to do a full Roll Up, increasing your hamstring flexibility, or decreasing lower back pain, be clear about your goals.  Share them with your instructor so they can program based on your needs!
M- Measurable  Like anything worthwhile, reaching your Pilates goals will require continued commitment. Take it one step at a time, and use the building blocks provided during your sessions to measure your success along the way. 
A- Attainable  If you’re new to Pilates, don’t expect to perform Teasers on the Reformer within your first month of training!  Focus on smaller goals, like truly understanding the principles, and how to apply them as you move forward in your practice. 
R- Reasonable  Stay positive, but try not to get overzealous.  Give yourself a pat on the back for the progress that you do make.  
T- Timely  Give yourself a definitive amount of time to reach your goals.  The shorter the time allotted, the more likely you are to achieve your goals. 
Statistics show that only 17% of people keep their New Year’s Resolutions.  Set yourself up for success, not failure, by following the S.M.A.R.T. guidelines.  One step at a time…
Good luck to you!
                        


New Year, New Blog!
Laura — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:59:17 +0000
We’re finally jumping on the blogging bandwagon, and hope you will join us.  You may refer to this blog for articles and updates related to all things Pilates, health and wellness.  We welcome your comments, and hope to engage in some inspiring dialogue!  
Happy New Year & Happy Blogging!