This week I’m in Raleigh, North Carolina to visit with my parents for the first time since December 2019. Although it seems like an eternity has passed since the Before Times, it has also passed in a flash.
At this point, I’m sure I don’t have to explain the swift passage of time…
The escape of uninterrupted “me” time while flying is especially enticing.
I’ve got hours to engross myself in a good book. Or binge a tv show that JoJo’s not into.
But for a gal that craves movement, the trip is also confining.
Despite the engaging mental activity, it’s really hard for me to sit still for hours at a time.
IYKYK.
Yes, lots of walking in the terminal but then nothing – for hours – only to be spat out again on wobbly pins and toddle to collect your luggage. To carry on? Or not to carry on?
Hoisting your carry-on suitcase overhead provides an additional Pilates moment. Hmmm… I go back and forth on this subject but at the moment I’m thrilled to check my bag and be free!
But let’s back up and focus on all that dreadful standing/sitting around. You’ve fetched the requisite coffee or cocktail – my preference is coffee in the terminal and cocktail on the plane, but that’s more my style for a long-haul flight.
Domestic travel is slightly less festive…
And I’m gonna get it right out there that I’m NOT interested in lying down on the floor in any airport. So you won’t see any airport Teaser photos from me. Although Helsinki, you do tempt me…
Standing and sitting are your best strategies for incognito Pilates exercises in public.
Seated Double Leg Pull
Such a fancy name.
This time your Double Leg Pull is on the inside – hello imagination! – and therefore in your muscular engagement.
Your chief apparatus will be the floor and the edge of your seat. Yes, this is edge-of-your-seat Pilates excitement at its most stealthy.
- Plant your feet firmly on the floor in alignment with your hips.
- Sit tall on the edge of the seat.
- Lift your center in and upward away from the floor. Use the floor to help lift up out of the arches of your feet.
- Find your upper stomach “pressing” into the floor via the balls of your feet.
- As you sit tall allow the lift to travel up the front of your body.
- Take a mental u-turn and allow the top of your back to travel down.
- Let your whole body press your feet into the floor, while you sit as tall as you can.
- Take a deep breath and imagine your body doing the Double Leg Pull on the Mat. On the inside, right?
Keep your eyes open and people watch to look more “normal.”
Just not slouching is veering you toward weirdo a bit… persevere.
Standing Foot Exercises
For these exercises you can be as fancy as you like – although the Standing Tendon Stretch will be the most incognito choice to make.
Use all your forces you cultivated in the Seated Double Leg Pull now standing tall and “minding your own business.” Work this one well and get a much-needed back massage to improve your airport attitude.
Savor the lifting on the inside each time your heels return to the floor. Summon your Going Up Front on the High Chair skills to find length in the back and hips.
Brazenly add the Standing Foot Exercises Combo if you dare.
- Standing with your feet in parallel or heels together, toes apart, whichever you prefer.
- Bend the knees maintaining your lift on the inside.
- Keep the knees bent and lift the heels.
- Lift your body up until your legs are straight.
- Keep the lift on the inside and press your heels down to the floor.
- Repeat 3x
- Reverse.
Be the Wall
Step 1: Find a wall. This may be the most challenging part, depending on the airport. As a last resort, you’ll imagine the wall or find a big column to use.
I find this one to be especially stealthy.
Now you could actually do your standard Wall Exercises:
- Circles
- Roll Down
- Reverse Wall
- Squats
But I’m more interested in the moment at the end of all these exercises before you remove yourself to finish up your Wall exercises.
Simply be the wall. Try to make YOU the same shape as the wall. It’s impossible, but it’s the trying that counts.
On the flight, you’ll probably slump over your device, book or activity. Think of this Be the Wall exercise as your time to un-slump yourself. Your upper back will be so happy!
Join My September Pilates Party
Join me September 10-11, 2022, for a new workshop: LIVE AND IN PERSON in beautiful San Diego, California.
This year I’m serving up perhaps the ultimate in Pilates Projects: The Roll Up.
Yes. The Roll Up.
The Roll Up is a fundamental Pilates exercise that isn’t easy to do well. It can be one of the most confusing and difficult journeys in the Pilates system. Perfect your Roll Up and you will open up worlds of better skills all around the Pilates studio.
In this 4-hour workshop, we’ll put the Pilates System to the test!
If you’ve been reading for a while you know that in my first Pilates Mat class I could not roll up at all.
I’ll share my best strategies for building proficiency in the Roll Up that’s best for you, right now, whoever you are. You’ll leave San Diego with a better understanding, a better Roll Up, and/or a plan to build your skills and achieve your best Roll Up over time.
Space is limited. Don’t miss out!
Register today for $399 and secure your spot.
Register after May 31 for $499.
Stay for the Full Weekend!
With your Pilates Projects: The Roll Up registration for Saturday September 10, 2022, you’re invited to an additional workshop on Sunday September 11, 2022, for a full weekend of Pilates education.
After booking you’ll receive more details including the topic of the bonus workshop in your confirmation email.
Hint: It’s a workshop based on one of my most-viewed blog posts.
I’m so looking forward to being in the studio together.
Have a great workout!
xo
2 Responses
Hi Andrea,
This question came up today when talking with a friend: what is the difference between “archival” Pilates and “classical” Pilates? She said she knows a teacher who claims to teach both.
Would love to hear your response. Thanks!
Hi Gail, Thanks for your comment and for such a great question!
The difference between “classical” and “archival” exercises kind of depends on who you ask. This would make a good topic for a blog post actually, so stay tuned.
The term “archival” comes from a book published in the 90’s by Sean Gallagher and Romana Kryzanowska. It was called The Joseph H. Pilates Archive Collection: The Photographs, Writings and Designs and is no longer in print. “Archival” exercises can include photos or films of exercises (or variations of exercises) that are not widely taught in training programs. If you ask my teacher, Jay Grimes, he believes these “archival” exercises are akin to first drafts or something that Joe tried but later decided to not include for some reason. Jay considers there to be plenty of commonly taught exercises that we have from Joe. Especially if we only have a still photo as the documentation. “How can you learn movement from a still photo?” he asks.
In general, the “classical” repertoire includes all the exercises we get from Joe as taught to his students – in my experience, his students Romana, Kathy Grant and Jay Grimes. Other “elders” have studied with Joe and added their own spin on his exercises IMO like Ron Fletcher, Lolita San Miguel and Mary Bowen. Over the years, the definition of “classical” has gotten broader to include teachings from any “elder” that studied with Joe. I think years ago it meant the exercises taught by Romana mainly.
My definition of a “classical” exercise is the body of work that Joe Pilates taught to his students. This system of exercises is cohesive and the same elements show up all over the studio on all his various apparatus.
I’ve also seen some exercises labeled as “historical” for example the Headstands on the Reformer. Although these are complex and challenging exercises and only the diligent and dedicated student may achieve them, they are commonly taught exercises that many people do.
I hope this helps to answer your question and thank you so much for reading 🙂
xo