Hello all you Pilates cats and kittens!
Welcome to one of my very favorite weeks of the year, that mellow, holiday-between-holidays, last. week. of the year.
2021, I’ve got my eyes (and hopes) on you.
Post-feasting is when I need my Pilates exercises the most. They are just the best twisty-turny things to work out the gut. Even foods that can mightily tax your digestive system are no match for a Reformer workout.
Meanwhile, Back at the Cadillac…
Continuing from last week’s post I’ve been taking a good hard look at Joe Pilates’ Cadillac apparatus.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Joe Pilates giveth and Joe Pilates taketh away.
One Solid Bar vs 2 Wambly Springs
On the Cadillac apparatus, we’ve got lots of Joe’s goodies to work with: there are individual springs, a wooden pole attached with 2 short springs, a solid wooden push-thru bar, the firm surface of the mat, a hanging trapeze with stout springs, 2 fuzzy loops, and the steel poles of the canopy.
Some places to work are very solid and supportive:
- a solid wooden push-thru bar
- the firm surface of the mat
- the steel poles of the canopy
Other places to work may literally leave you hanging in the breeze:
- individual springs
- a hanging trapeze with stout springs
- 2 fuzzy loops
Lots of choices to be made.
Scroll up for another look at the image of the Shoulder Roll Down.
Now take a look at another exercise where you are in the same position in an entirely different scenario:
Here in the Leg Springs in the Air, there’s not as much to stand on, right?
You’ll find all kinds of Joe Pilates’ tricks like this throughout the Cadillac repertoire. Probably not a coincidence…
The Spring Remains the Same…or does it?
The Cadillac apparatus is equipped with 4 different sets of interchangeable springs.
Sure they have specific names: arm springs, leg springs, roll back bar springs and push thru springs.
But depending on who you are, what you are looking for, and your proficiency, you may decide on a specific spring to assist you on your Pilates Path.
For example, on my Gratz Cadillac I find more success using the lighter arm springs for the Leg Spring Series.
Joe’s original name for his method was Contrology, or the study of control.
That’s really what we’re after, right?
Control.
Whichever spring elicits the help you need to be in control is the one you want.
And then there’s also the option of no spring at all.
More on that in January…
Only 3 spots remaining in The Cadillac Project.
Got questions? Leave a comment below and I’m happy to help.
4 Responses
Do you answer your followers questions here? I have asked a few in the recent past and have received NO answer.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for your question. I’m sorry you didn’t see my response to your recent question. You can view it in the comments here: https://pilatesandrea.com/the-cadillac-of-apparatus/?preview_id=15411&preview_nonce=a017c94881&_thumbnail_id=-1&preview=true
I do answer questions regularly within a few weeks at most – I am trying to be even more timely as well. If you dn’t find your previous comments and my answer, please let me know of course. Thanks xo
A! do you know when Joe made the Cadillac? After all the other apparatus bits? Just curious. I never really thought about it like this until I read this!! I’ve been changing up the Springs alot, as you suggested…game changer. I’m #jealous of everyone signed up for this workshop, it’s going to be great!! I’ll catch it on the next wave! x
This is a good question Corrie – there are conflicting accounts of what the first piece of apparatus was that Joe invented. The Foot Corrector is the first apparatus he created. I believe the Cadillac was created next – mostly because I think I learned somewhere that the Cadillac is the first of his inventions but the Foot Corrector was actually first in my understanding.
It is interesting to see what adjusting the spring can do for the exercise, right? I will miss you in the Cadillac Workshop, but I hope I will get to see you in January at some point and maybe for my February and March workshops… keep up the good work!
xo