Fulfilling Each Movement

Bella, the West Highland Terrier who works in my studio, inspired me to write today about fulfilling each movement.  Bella has her own favorite Pilates exercises and I love watching how she milks every movement for all it’s worth. I can walk toward her treat jar or open the back door, but she will not move until she’s fulfilled each and every movement.

First, she slowly extends her front legs and lowers her upper body into Shell Stretch.  Then (and only she knows when “then” is) she begins to lift her ribcage, lengthening her low back and extending her hind legs back into Swan.  She drops her nose ever so slightly to open the back of her neck and avoid any compression of her cervical spine.

Lately I’ve noticed that she’s added a new stretch to her Pilates practice: “Seated Swan.”  You can do Bella’s Seated Swan by sitting in a chair or crossed legged on a mat with your arms at your side.  Press down into the mat with your arms and paws while you draw energy up through your spine and down your back.  Keep your head aligned over your ribcage to avoid over extending your spine. 

What I’ve learned from Bella is to treat each exercise as if it’s the last stretch in your Pilates workout.  Fulfill each movement and milk it for all it’s worth.  It’s Bella approved!

Stabilize then elongate or elongate then stabilize?

I always stabilize my spine and then elongate, so what’s up with this blog? Well, Pilates exercises have a natural flow and cadence.  The movement is always evolving as the core gets stronger and can support greater ranges and challenges.  Stabilization of the spine is at the core of every exercise (pardon my pun!). 

The spine is stabilized to prevent risk of injury and to place it in the best possible posture: the posture that you carry out of the studio and into your life. Once you have that piece in place you can begin to create your movement.

The Pilates body is long and lean, balanced and aligned. It’s the movement that creates the “long and lean”  or elongation part of the equation, and stabilization that creates the “balanced and aligned” part.  They work together only if we are aware of their partnership and foster their co-creation.  Simply put, as you move you adjust. 

Throughout your Pilates workout you are continually tuning into your body and fine tuning your alignment. It is this continual rediscovery of stabilization and elongation that makes the Pilates workout dynamic!

Keep breathing,

Valya