In the Pilates industry, you get introduced to a whole world of lingo.
A few of my favorite examples of Pilates language are:
- oppositional forces or dynamic opposition
- 2-way stretch
- full-body workout
As buzz words go, these are all awesome, but really, what do they mean and how are they helping you?
One Pilates Skill You’ve Achieved and Forgotten About
Consider the humble prelude to your Teaser on the Cadillac.
To the casual observer, it looks like you’re just lying down and moving your arms.
The common thought on the matter is “this an arm exercise.”
But Pilates is different.
The UNcommon thought on the matter enlivens the entire body creating the much-sought-after full-body workout.
How?
What about all of the body beautifully supported by the Cadillac apparatus? What is it doing?
The starting position of this exercise is not random, it did not happen by accident.
Surely you don’t want to squander all this feedback and more importantly, it can be used to your advantage.
Who’s Got the Power?
The entire back of the body is what I’m gonna call the ‘power’ of the exercise. And figuring out how to use this power efficiently can create a system-wide helper exercise.
If you’ve been reading for a while you know I love to say “The part of the body that’s lying/sitting/standing there doing nothing should really be doing all the work.”
In this Cadillac example, you know the Teaser is coming soon, but what if your body is already “doing the Teaser” albeit in this static position?
What a preparation that would be!
Pumping in the Pilates Method
Earlier this year I taught a new workshop all about my new favorite skill-du-jour: how to encourage all the body parts to rally and create this full-body workout you’ve heard so much about.
‘Full-body workout’ has another alias that’s just as exciting: balanced musculature.
This is the Pilates Holy Grail, right?
The choreographic elements of the Pilates exercises can point up and therefore utilize the part of the body that is powering the exercise.
Depending on whether the choreography is straightforward – pumping arms or legs – or more complicated – circles and bicycles – you can decide the best versions of the exercises for yourself and/or your clients.
In this short video, I’ll use these moments before the Teaser on the Cadillac to help me find success in a few of my least favorite Pilates moments. Maybe they are your least faves too LOL
The Exercises:
Today I’ll briefly visit a small selection of Reformer exercises and utilize the magic of opposition.
Watch the video!
- Footwork
- Hundred
- Frog and Circles
- Stomach Massage Series
- Short Box Series
- Elephant
- Knee Stretch Series
- Running
- Bottom Lift
Thank you so much for reading 🙂
6 Responses
Thank you so much. I became a Pilates teacher at age 67! Love reading your blog to further develop my knowleadge.
Hi Susanne 🙂
Thank you so much for reading and for your kind words on my blog. Wow thank you for sharing your info with me – That is awesome that you are a Pilates teacher! Keep up the good work. xox
Wow Andrea that was a fun inspirational video! Keep them going. I absolutely enjoy reading your blogs and you make my Pilates enthusiasm go even deeper with your powerful beautiful prose!
My favorite Pilates instructor and the most influential writer!
Dalia!
Thank you so much for reading and for this high praise! You are too kind 🙂 Keep up all your hard work with your exercises and I will see you soon. I so appreciate your kind words on my blog posts – I have a good time writing them. The exercises are hard so I think it is okay to have fun while doing them LOL xox
Wonderful tutorial!! Love this and would very much appreciate more!
Thank you so much Julie! Thank you so much for watching and I will keep them coming 🙂
All Best to you!
xo
A