Whether you are a beginner or a Pilates Pro, there is never a bad time to take your practice right back to basics.
Sometimes, somewhere along the way, it is easy to pick up some sneaky habits that prevent you from fully benefiting from Pilates. Your neutral spine may have stopped being so neutral, your stressed shoulders may be creeping closer to your ears or you are beginning to cross your legs a lot more at work creating some wonky pelvic alignment. Whatever it may be - take your Pilates practice back to basics every once in a while to do a little body check.
Sometimes, somewhere along the way, it is easy to pick up some sneaky habits that prevent you from fully benefiting from Pilates. Your neutral spine may have stopped being so neutral, your stressed shoulders may be creeping closer to your ears or you are beginning to cross your legs a lot more at work creating some wonky pelvic alignment. Whatever it may be - take your Pilates practice back to basics every once in a while to do a little body check.
Three retuning exercises:
Below is an excellent recap video by Body Control Pilates, Lynn Robinson can assist you in taking it right back to the beginning.
- Begin with scarf breathing. Loop your scarf or an exercise band snugly around your lower ribs and hold it securely. Practice breathing deeper into your body and allow your ribs to expand out to the side - you will feel the scarf or band tighten slightly. Try not to breath out into your tummy - think of your ribs as wings and lets them expand out to the side though you should see a slight swell in your lower abdomen.
- Slide down the wall. Practice your spinal stability by leaning your back against a wall with your feet a foot from the wall. Prepare your neutral spine and once ready begin to slide your body down the wall by bending your knees. Bring your thoughts to your lower spine - has the sneaky flattened against the wall or was it trying to get further away? If all is well with your spine, bring awareness to your knees and feet - you want your knees to go over your toes, so don't let your knees clunk together or begin entering into a demi-plié.
- Pelvic clocks. Even excellent Pilates people sometimes miss some hours on their pelvic clocks. Lie on your mat and come into a neutral spine, once settled begin to take your pelvis backward (flattening your back). From here begin to roll your pelvis in a clockwise rotation taking the weight slightly down onto your left hip, follow through taking your weight onto your tail bone (slightly increasing your lower back arch). Continue the movement up to your right hip then come back to the backward tilted pelvis. The points I mentioned were only 12, 3, 6 and 9 on a clock face so really focus and attempt to roll through each hour and every minute if possible. WATCH POINT: do not let your legs get involved, allow your pelvic floor and lower abdominals stabilize and move your pelvis.
Below is an excellent recap video by Body Control Pilates, Lynn Robinson can assist you in taking it right back to the beginning.