The Work: Pilates

Through inexperience we have the opportunity to make choices with little to no knowledge of the outcome — these choices can result in mistakes, but they also leave room for sparks of genius. As we continue to practice a skill or craft, we refine our approach. We miscalculate less often. We continue to do what works and we discard what doesn’t.

Overtime, we develop rules that dictate our behavior and actions. If A, then B. These rules allow us to feel confident, knowing what to do even when the situation we’re encountering is new.

Even more significant than learning what someone knows, is to learn how and why they came to that conclusion. Here within “the work” we’ll discover the rules that experts in the fitness and wellness space have developed as they share how they arrived.

RULES FOR PILATES

1. EVERY MOVEMENT INITIATES FROM THE CORE

This comes from one of the basic principles of pilates, "centering", but I've found through continuous study that every movement is more effective and more bang for your buck when you correctly co-contract from the abdominals.

It's a major time-saver, elevates the intensity of every exercise, and keeps your back safe. I bring it into my cross-training workouts too!

2. HEALTHY, 3-D BREATHING IS THE KEY TO A FUNCTIONAL CORE + PELVIC FLOOR

This is especially true for my pre/post-natal clients, but learning how to breathe correctly even helped me release a hypertonic pelvic floor from years of gripping in ballet. Belly breathing is coached really often and it's not wrong, but just part of the equation. Integrating post-lateral breath uses the diaphragm more functionally and allows for the full contraction AS WELL AS the often ignored full release of the pelvic floor.

We all know a tight muscle is a weak muscle. Since most of the attention given to the pelvic floor is about Kegels - which are important, but it's only half the solution to pelvic floor dysfunction or recovery from giving birth.

3. YOU KNOW YOUR BODY BETTER THAN ANYONE (TRAINERS INCLUDED)

This is a concept I borrowed from my training as a health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition - "bio-individuality". No two bodies are the same, so no diet, exercise program or wellness routine is going to work exactly the same for everyone. Trainers are experts on bodies in general, but YOU are an expert on your own body. Starting to trust your instincts and modify, scale-up, or take breaks when necessary is a truly valuable skill in feeling empowered about your health.

I don't mean ignore what the trainer says - but acknowledge that they can't necessarily feel how you experience the movement and are often teaching from their own experience. It's a trainer's responsibility to use intuition so they can push you while keeping you safe.