A big thank you to all subscribers for their support throughout my blog’s inaugural year.
I loved reading your insightful comments. I am honored that you were able to share your personal experiences with our brilliant Pilates Method.
Truly inspiring.
For those of you that are new to the blog,
Welcome.
I invite you to troll the archives. Should there be a particular topic, exercise or concept you’d like to see in a future post, I’d love to hear about it.
That exercise you hate just might make the blog. I might even “hate” it too.
That said, lately, I’ve got tons on my Pilates mind. New thoughts and experiences are percolating about such familiar exercises as the Roll Up and the Elephant. Chinese New Year (The Year of the Horse!) is also tempting me if you recall last year’s Year of the Snake post.
Yeesh…a post on the Horseback?? I’m so scared of how much I need to delve into and dissect that one, surely I must step up to the plate. Worst-case scenario, my Horseback gets a little better…
Win Whin-ny!
What do I love about Pilates RIGHT NOW?
Peeling the Onion
My client Gail and I love to discuss the process of uncovering the infinite layers of the Pilates Method as ‘peeling the onion.’
According to Answers.com:
peel the onion
This metaphor is often used to describe an enlightened approach to problem solving: By methodically removing each layer of the onion, one is able to appreciate the complexities at each level as you eventually reach the core where you can objectively define the problem.
‘Eventually, reach the core’ – how apropos.
But we soon realize, what happens when you peel an onion?
You cry…
There’s no crying in Pilates.
We have since switched up our metaphor.
Eating the Artichoke
More tasty and satisfying than an onion, yet similar in scope. Many layers and leaves to contend with, changes in taste and texture, prickly parts as you get deeper and deeper in, and finally if you’re lucky, what happens when you reach the center?
The heart is delicious.
It’s hard to decide which I love more. Pilates or artichokes…
It’s my favorite thing about Pilates RIGHT NOW.
Pilates has been described as an endless journey. It has been said that if one is true to Pilates, Pilates will indeed be true to you. Study the Pilates Method well and discover layer upon layer of potential in yourself.
It’s undeniably empowering and a ridiculously-good-for-you daily habit to cultivate.
You shall reap the fruits of your labors tenfold.
100 fold!
But that’s just one thing I’m jazzed about RIGHT NOW. Not to mention my current obsessions with Handstands at the Ladder Barrel, the Thigh Stretch everywhere and the reach of the lower body…
If you ask me again tomorrow I’ll probably have a different answer.
So I reached out via social media to see what’s on your mind Pilates-love-wise. Thoughts and experiences poured in from across the continental US and Hawaii, UK, Puerto Rico, Israel, Estonia, Scotland, Australia, Canada (O, Canada!), Indonesia, Romania, Turkey…
Wow.
So what it is about Pilates that everyone is loving RIGHT NOW?
The most beloved?
1. Physical and Mental Health/The elusive Fountain of Youth!
Ooh, this was a biggie…
“It takes my mind away from everything else.” Amen, sister.
“Just yesterday I had a lady in her 60s say she felt a youth and brightness in her body that she hadn’t felt since she was a teenager.” Return to Life!
“I can touch my toes!” says Chuck Rapoport at 76, reaching his toes for the first time in his life.
“The gift of movement is more movement.” Beautiful!
2. “I learn something new every day.”
…which, of course, you all remember, means you are a genius!
“It seems that I’m never tired and never bored with it! It keeps the fire, the challenge and the move on.” No boring exercise!
“Working out a lot and always surprised by some new thing I find/feel each time.” It is amazing that way…
“How much there is to learn. So much breadth and depth, it’s exciting.” Get excited about feeling good.
“That it still makes me feel the way it did the first time I worked out on the apparatus 30 years ago.” The classics never go out of style…
“It’s a constant challenge in the best way: during personal practice, while teaching, while learning. Pilates keeps me permanently alert!” Did complacency kill the cat?
“I love that right now fascia fitness is the next big thing and Pilates has been fascia fitness all along!” Joe Pilates said he was 50 years ahead of his time…I’m thinking it’s more like 100.
3. Community/Higher Education
“Connection within the body and throughout the community, connecting the archival work and methodology to current movement research, and connecting to the never-ending depth within the work!” Deep stuff to be had here…
“Community, support, a wealth of shared knowledge, diving deeper and making new passionate pilates friends.” Again, diving in deep!
“RIGHT NOW the most impressive thing about our profession is the tremendous push towards next-level training. Mentor programs, Master’s programs, intensives, and business support are burgeoning in our industry providing the educational opportunities to instructors that will truly redefine the practice of Pilates going forward.” Alycea Ungaro weighs in on a significant development in our industry.
“The community in which I belong, hands down.” Nerd out with all your Pilates besties!
4. Trust Contrology. It Works.
“My favorite thing about Pilates right now is how I can have complete faith in it. I trust it and it never fails me or my clients.” Pilates is your best friend for life!
“Practicing the system builds stronger trust into it day by day. Contrology works.” Do Pilates. It works.
“Pilates is a translation tool for everything else I do.” Guilty. Make Pilates your secret weapon.
5. “I love my job!”
“Discovering new things about my body through daily practice AND how I then translate them through my teaching…love my job!” Daily discoveries – love ’em.
“Witnessing a client’s ‘aha!’ moment.” I get excited when a client makes a new connection. I start talking loud.
“The feeling you have when you know you’ve taught a great class and a client texts you: ‘Fantastic class!’” Hey, I’m good at this.
“Healing, empowering, humbling, inspiring….all at the same time.” We wouldn’t have it any other way.
12 Responses
It’s now almost 40 years after my first morning Pilates class, and it’s still the best way to start a day!
I agree – I have been doing daily Mat exercises for nearly a year now (why it took so long to start this really good habit?) and really miss it when I end up skipping a day… 🙂 Pilates just gets better and better doesn’t it? Cheers to you and have a great day!
Great blog Andrea! Yours is consistently the best thing I read about Pilates.
Thank you so much Bob, I so appreciate your feedback and your regular commenting. I’ve got some fun stuff planned for the future and I am glad to have you along for the wild Pilates ride 🙂
I love the way I keep discovering even more of my back! I never knew how long it really was! (Thanks Amy Kellow!)
Lucy – thank you so much for sharing this important comment! I agree – just found a new piece of my back last week – so funny when that happens – Look what I found! I never knew that part was there – LOL. And yes, special love always to Amy Kellow, my Pilates bestie 🙂 Keep up the good work, Lucy. Cheers!
A perfect question and so many perfect answers for me today, thank you Andrea!
Right now, I love the everything that Pilates is, that it can generate so many answers from so many people and from ourselves depending on the ever-changing context of our lives. I’m in somewhat unchartered territory these days because I’ve taken a more proactive involvement in my self-care regimen since my chiropractor is on maternity leave. Because my Pilates practice is currently revolving around self-healing and creating space, it’s got a slightly different rhythm which is giving me an opportunity to see the work differently. And because I’m looking into other modalities for additional support, mainly Holistic Biomechanics (™) and The Alexander Technique, I’m discovering so much more in the Pilates Method. It’s all in there and it’s such a treasure hunt finding each gem. I think of other methods like mirrors, they reflect back what Pilates has to offer as much as they offer me something in and of themselves.
Okay I love so much of what you jam packed into that comment!! “I love the everything that Pilates is” could not be a better statement. I also love the double meaning that can come from “creating space” as I have heard Pilates talked about as “all about opening” I have to agree that my current Pilates practice is about self-healing and creating space (in my hips – LOL) Thank you so much for your thoughts 🙂
Great piece Andrea. I was running through my head the whole time as I was reading the article, what do I love most or right now. I always find something new to spark my fire. I personally progress in my practice, seeing a client progress in their practice, reading a new article. One thing I especially love is the cross over of Pilates towards other things. I also compete in Kettlebell sport, which I believe I succeed in because of my body awareness developed in Pilates. Together these workouts challenge me, complement each other and allow me to kick butt each day.
Thank you so much for your comment Rachel. Yes, I agree Pilates is a wonderful tool to keep us sharp at whatever we choose to do and whatever happens to come our way. Kathy Grant had said that “Pilates is for the unexpected” and it rings truer and truer with every passing year – LOL.
Hi Andrea, 1st off every time I see you either in person or in print, I’m reminded of length through the spine and all those places that are yet to find their freedom in length and width. Today however, I’ve come back to this post because I took a class at a local studio that had pilates in the name, alas no pilates as I know it was performed. SO, I was extremely grateful that I could come home to my studio and straighten and stretch and elongate and widen through my sticky spots and relieve myself of the compression of the more gymlike moves done to an 80’s aerobics music mix by doing actual Pilates. Phew, saved by the real deal ;))
Sunni!! Always happy to be of service 🙂 Length is always around every corner – more and more…all roads lead to more length. This is my lesson that I am learning over and over again. Also I love “saved by the real deal” Is that url taken? LOL.