pilates paper

8/9/2019 Pilates Paper

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my #le.ander Te(hni ue (lass, the &o(us is to use one5s body in

the most e4(ient %ay possible* $ 'nd that $ pre&er Pilates to yoga

&or this reason* $ &eel li-e $ am being more e4(ient in my

mo)ements*

#s a musi(al theater per&ormer, $ ha)e been in dan(e

(lass &or hal& o& my li&e* $ 'nd that Pilates is e.tremely similar to

the e.er(ises $ %ould do on the 3oor during dan(e %arm ups* $n

&a(t, $ %ouldn5t be surprised i& my dan(e tea(her is an a)id Pilates

dis(iple, be(ause the similarity are &ar too similar to be on

a((ident* $ loo- &or%ard to seeing %hat $ learn in this Pilates (lass,

both physi(ally and maybe mentally* $ &ound that the (lass %as

)ery rela.ing and put me in a good mood a&ter* $ hope that $ %ill

(ontinue to see the bene'ts o& the (lass, and $ loo- &or%ard to

reading the suggested reading boo-s to learn e)en more about

the pra(ti(e o& Pilates*



ednesday, June 6 th Se(ond "lass

e tal-ed about the idea o& the 8po%erhouse9* $t5s basi(ally

the group o& mus(les in the abdomen, (onne(ted to the glutes

and lo%er ba(-* $5)e (ommonly heard o& this group o& mus(les as

the 8(ore9 in the past* Bodies in Motion suggests that many

people a)oid using this part o& the body to start any mo)ement,

%hi(h (auses in ury and stress on the body* Pilates has taught me

that $ need to &o(us on my (ore be&ore initiating any mo)ement* $

'nd that by in(orporating my (ore more be&ore and during ea(h

e.er(ise, $ get a lot more out o& the e.er(ises, and $ really &eel it

the ne.t day*

$ %ant to a)oid the (ommon pit&alls that are asso(iated %ith

Pilates* #s a dan(er, $ am usually trying to tu(- my pel)is under

itsel&* That is ho% $ %as trained ;o% $ ha)e to unlearn that* $t5s

not hard, but it is %eird* $ -no% that there are times %hen $5m

supposed to -eep my ba(- (ompletely on the ground, and it

results in tilting my pel)is under* $ -no% that it is a deli(ate

balan(e* $ don5t %ant to e)entually 3atten the natural (ur)e o& my



spine* There are other times %hen $ (annot grip %ith my (ore, so

then my ba(- tightens and gets the 8ba(- )ersion9 o& a "harlie

horse* $ must &o(us on lengthening my spine along my mat and

(on(entrate on isolating my abs mus(les %hile maintaining the

natural position o& my pel)is* $ (an use %hat $5)e learned in

#le.ander Te(hni ue about ho% to lengthen my spine naturally

by deli(ately balan(ing it on the top o& my head<ne(-* $5m trying

to use the idea o& imagining my head balan(ing deli(ately at the

top o& my spine, and (onne(ting do%n )ertebrae by )ertebrae* $

don5t do %ell %ith more (omple. images than that, and $ do 'nd

that the #le.ander terms help %ith my Pilates immensely* $ am

slo%ly but surely training mysel& to (oa(h mysel&, and my body,

to do ea(h mo)ement as e e(ti)ely and (orre(tly as possible

using the images and dire(tions $ ha)e learned and (reated*



Monday, June 1= th Third "lass

#s $ begin to del)e into Bodies in Motion , $ am

&as(inated by the idea o& de'ning %hat Pilates a(tually is* $s it an

e.er(ise program> $s it a strengthening program> $s it physi(al

therapy> $s it a mind<body e.er(ise> "an it be all o& these things,

and maybe more> $n the boo- Bodies in Motion , Pilates is (redited

as being an art &orm* hile $ don5t disagree %ith that, $ don5t

honestly agree %ith it, either* $ do agree that it must be %or-ed to

per&e(tion on a daily basis* hile it may be all o& these things, it

is simultaneous none o& them singularly* Pilates, $ belie)e, is more

ho% one e.perien(es and utilizes it? that is %here the de'nition

(omes &rom* There is no %rong or right ans%er* $t is

simultaneously all o& the abo)e and none o& the abo)e, i& that is

ho% you, yoursel&, see it* $ loo- &or%ard to establishing my o%n

personal de'nition &or %hat pilates means and is to me*



$ admire Joseph Pilates attempt to (reate a uni ue system

%here his student (ould no longer su er &rom physi(al limitations*

$t amazes me that someone (an set out to do something o& su(h

a simple, yet po%er&ul nature, and no%, people all o)er the %ord

are a)id &ollo%ers o& his pra(ti(e and in)ention* $ 'nd that

absolutely remar-able* $ had no idea that Pilates %as (reated &or

su(h an altruisti( reason* $ 'nd that $ respe(t it so mu(h more

no%, and )alue it on a mu(h deeper le)el* $n per&orming arts

(onser)atory, %e used to do something (alled the 3oor barre, and

it is remar-ably similar to Pilates* $n &a(t, the dan(e dire(tor o&

our s(hool (laimed to ha)e used 3oor barre as a means o&

physi(al therapy %hen he (ouldn5t %al- due to an in ury* $t ma-es

sense then that Pilates %as originally (reated as a means o&

e.er(ise &or those %ith physi(al limitations*



ednesday, June 1@ th !ourth "lass

$ must admit, $ am still (on&used by the idea o& the long bo.

and short bo. e.er(ises that are tal-ed about in (lass* $ am

(urious to see %hat it is light to %or- on a Pilates Ae&ormer

ma(hine, but $ also li-e using 100B o& my o%n body, no

ma(hines, no pullies, ust all me* $ li-e that aspe(t to doing Pilates

on a mat*

Bodies in Motion tal-s about lateral breathing, %hi(h $ ha)e

ne)er heard o& be&ore, at least, not that terminology* Joseph

Pilates %as, apparently, su ering &rom asthma his %hole li&e, and

so he %ould &o(us primarily on breathing* 8+e ad)o(ated

inhalations that 'lled the lungs entirely and e.halations that

empties the lungs to the )ery bottom, (leansing the bloodstream,



and puri&ying the body o& to.ins*9 Joseph Pilates in(orporated this

te(hni ue o& breathing to his pra(ti(e, and (alled it lateral

breathing* $ didn5t realize, until Bodies in Motion e.plained it, that

%omen are api(al<upper (hest breathers, %hi(h means that the

shoulders are ele)ating the shoulders and the upper body %ith

ea(h breath*

$ &eel li-e, as a singer, $ ha)e more diaphragmati( breath,

but apparently that is primarily %here men breathe* $t5s all )ery

&as(inating* $ try to pra(ti(e lateral breathing during Pilates, and

e.pand my ribs side%ays, but $ 'nd that $ am more &o(used on

my alignment, body, et(* $t5s hard to do %hile simultaneously

tring to -eep my upper body aligned and rela.ed*



Monday, June 21 st !i&th "lass

Joseph Pilates %rote 8abo)e allClearn to breathe (orre(tly*9

Bodies in Motion e.plains that (orre(t breathing o.ygenates the

bloos and in(reases (ir(ulation* $t is important, espe(ially in

Pilates, to ha)e a stru(tured breathing te(hni ue* $t is an

essential and e e(ti)e tool that is meant to enhan(e and ease

ones mo)ements* $ am not sure ho% a%are o& my breath $ am

%hen $ am doing my Pilates %or-outs* $ thin-, be(ause o& my

e.tensi)e time doing yoga, $ ha)e a naturally e e(ti)e breathing

system, but $5m not sure* $ should pay more attention to my

breathing %hen $ do Pilates* There is al%ays room &or

impro)ement



$ try to ha)e e.tensi)e (on(entration %hen $ do my Pilates

%or-out, but it is hard to negotiate %here my (on(entration

should go at any gi)en moment* $t is almost li-e dri)ing* $ ha)e to

ma-e sure my &oot has the proper pressure on the gas, %hile

loo-ing in &ront o& me, ma-ing sure my hands are on the right

pla(e on the steering %heel to steer, plus loo-ing in my side

mirror, and my rear )ie% mirror, plus ma-ing sure that $ am

obeying all the la%s and signs* $t5s a lot o& %or- and

(on(entration on multiple things ust to get &orm point # to point

D $ &eel li-e Pilates is similar in that %ay* $ (annot let my mind

%ander, and $ do admit it does tend to do that a lot* $ %ill be

thin-ing about my day at %or-, or my boy&riend, or my other

home%or- that needs to get done, or my laundry* $t snea-s into

my brain* $t used to happen to me all the time during /oga* $

%ould try to -eep my mind (lear, loo- out o& my third eye, et(,

and all the sudden, my laundry list %ould pop into my head, or

the ingle &rom the Tide (ommer(ial %ill pop into my head* $t5s

&unny, but $ %onder ho% mu(h it deters &orm my Pilates pra(ti(e* $

%ill try harder to ma-e sure $ am (ompletely &o(used* $ need to



(ome up %ith a %ay to 8shoo9 a%ay those pointless thoughts

%hen $ should be (on(entrating

ednesday, June 2E rd Si.th "lass

$5)e honestly stopped -no%ing %hat to say in these ournal

entries* #&ter a %hile, Pilates starts to &eel li-e $5m ma-ing less

and less dis(o)eries &or mysel& as %e go along* $ hope that this is

not the (ase $5m sure it5s not, but the ournal is getting tiring* $

&eel pressure to say (ertain things that %ill ta-e up t%o pages,

and $ ne)er seem able to do it $ -no% $ %ill get a se(ond %ind,

hope&ully be&ore ne.t (lass #ny%ay, here %e goC



This %ee- $ am trying to &o(us on lengthening, in general*

My spine, my ne(-, my legs, my arms, my torso* F)erything

lengthening* /ou hear the %ords all the time in dan(e: 8Taller,

taller 9* Dut is it e)en really possible to ma-e yoursel& taller> ;o*

+o%e)er, %e are so (run(hed do%n as a so(iety, it is easy to

&orget to be upright, at our &ull length* Stress, among other

things, gradually ma-es us (run(h our torsos, ba(-s, et( do%n so

%e aren5t at our &ull lengthening potential* $ am trying to &o(us on

(reating the most distan(e bet%een my sit bones and my ne(-*

+ope&ully this %ill simultaneously elongate my ne(-, (hest, and

torso* $ %ant to de(ompress my )ertebrae so there is less

pressure on them* $ hope that not only %ill this ma-e me loo-

lengthened and taller in the short term, but that my body %ill

(ommit the mo)ement to memory, and impro)e my posture and

alignment o)er time &or years to (ome* $t5s hard to not lo(- my

arms and legs, or to engage them, %hen trying to lengthen*

Sometimes $ 'nd mysel& tensing up my upper thigh mus(les %hen

trying to do something, and it hurts, and isn5t good &or me in the

long run $ am already hyper e.tended so $ ha)e a lot to be

mind&ul o& %hen using my body in this manner* $ -no% that o)er



e.tension %ill %ea-en my mus(les o)er time, and %ho %ants

that> ;ot me

Monday, June 2G th Se)enth "lass

$ ha)e a hard time not gripping my toes, legs, e)erything $

'nd that $ am al%ays gripping something, but $ am getting better

at releasing that tension* hen $ am told to point my &eet, $ 8o)er

point9 $ guess* $ ha)e )ery 3e.ible &eet that $ ha)e been praised

&or in ballet, be(ause my 8lines9 are )ery (lean* +o%e)er, it



(reates unne(essary tension in my &eet, and $ ha)e learned,

slo%ly but surely, to release that tension, %hile maintaining a

loose point* $ also ha)e issues %ith my -no(-ed -nees* $t has

been getting better %ith ea(h (lass, but $ still ha)e to be super

mind&ul o& %hat $ am doing*

$ didn5t realize ho% mu(h memorization %as su(h a huge

part o& Pilates, but it really does help me to utilize my body in the

best %ay, %ith the most e4(ien(y, during ea(h (lass, instead o&

ust plo%ing right through it* $ thin- $ ha)e it do%n though, that

%hen the instru(tor gi)es the instru(tions, $ -no% e.a(tly %hat

she is tal-ing about, and (an do it %ithout her sho%ing me ho%*

This is important*

+o%e)er $ do belie)e that $ need to get better %ith utilizing

the transitions bet%een ea(h e.er(ise* Huring ea(h brea-

bet%een ea(h e.er(ise, $ tend to go ba(- to my old %ays o&

sitting, and beha)ing %ith my body* $5m sure that i& %e ust

plo%ed right through, it might be easier than starting and

stopping in the long run, %hile stopping and starting is easier as



&ar as di4(ulty is (on(erned be(ause it is a ni(e little brea- $

en oy (oming to Pilates so mu(h* $ don5t really thin- o& it as a

%or-out, $ ust thin- o& it asCPilates $t5s &unny be(ause that is

%hat the boo- says to do in order to stay moti)ated, and that

ma-es me &eel li-e $ am on the right tra(-* $ -no% regular pra(ti(e

is (ru(ial in the %orld o& Pilates, and $ plan on maintaining my

progress and (ontinuing on %ith the pra(ti(e*

ednesday, June E0 th Fighth "lass

Today %as an e.(iting day, and $5m not sure %hether

or not it in&ormed my Pilates or not* Ianded a big deal %ith a

produ(er &or my /ouTube sho%, %hi(h %as e.(iting, but also



Lnited States &rom ermany and taught his te(hni ue to the

dan(e and theater people o& ;e% /or- "ity* #nd, so many, many

years later, here $ am, in ;e% /or- "ity, a %or-ing a(tor,

pra(ti(ing Pilates* $t &eels -ind o& Nismet in a %ay, probably mu(h

more than it should, but it reminds me that $5m ust a spe(- o&

dust in this large (ir(le o& li&e* $t is unbelie)able to me that Pilates

is one o& the most su((ess&ul, and readily a)ailable, and routinely

pra(ti(ed e.er(ises in the (ountry, e)en more that =0 years a&ter

his death* People all o)er the (ountry, e)en in small to%n middle

#meri(a, ha)e Pilates Ae&ormers in their homes* $ (annot imagine

ho% proud he is loo-ing do%n on the %orld, and seeing ho% he

has re)olutionized ho% people use their bodies*

ednesday, July 7 th ;inth "lass



mean, $ (ould tell mysel& that $ %ill oin a Pilates studio, and

(ommit to going, but %ho -no%s i& $ %ill really do that* $ initially

%anted to ta-e this (lass not only be(ause $ ha)e %anted to

dabble into Pilates &or a long time, but be(ause $ -ne% $ %ould go*

$t is a "I#SS, going to%ard my HF AFF* So the &a(t that $ (ouldn5t

go really ma-es me disappointed and angry* $ -no% it %as out o&

my (ontrol, and $ %as in so mu(h pain, $ (ouldn5t ha)e gotten

anything out o& the (lass*



Monday, July 12 th Tenth "lass

Today %e learned about the shoulder blade, and the

shoulder girdle* $t is interesting be(ause %e ust %ent o)er this in

my #le.ander (lass* $t is &un to see ho% o&ten the (lasses o)erlap*

$t is uite re%arding &or me, and be(ause the (lasses seem to sort

o& go hand in hand, $ &eel li-e one is enhan(ing the other*

There&ore, $ am getting the most out o& the semester, and $ am

grate&ul &or that* $ am not ready to let this (lass go* $ hope that

there are pri)ate (lasses that $ (an ta-e %ith Meli, be(ause $

really appre(iate her approa(h*

#((ording to Bodies in Motion , the shoulder blades are t%o

&ree 3oating triangles that migrate do%n%ard and in%ard to%ard

the spine* $ ha)e to &o(us on opening my (hest as $ press my

s(apulae do%n and ba(-* $ ha)e to remind mysel& to imagine that

my ba(- is pinned ba(- to the 3oor %hen $ am in e.er(ises %here



$ am o the mat* $ ha)e trouble %ith a neutral spine* hen $ thin-

$ am straight upright, $ am told that $ am either too &ar ba(- or

&or%ard* $t is &rustrating* #pparently, a neutral spine is de'ned as

the pla(e %here my spine rests %hile maintaining all o& its natural

(ur)ature* $t is easy to a(hie)e %hen standing upright, but a lot

harder %hen on the mat, or in an e.er(ise %here $ am sitting %ith

my legs in &ront o& me* $ ha)e to al%ays be )ery mind&ul o& %hat $

am doing* #l%ays using my (ore, al%ays ma-ing sure my &eet and

legs aren5t turned in, al%ays ma-ing sure that $ am aligned

properly, al%ays ma-ing sure that $ am right on top o& my sit

bones, et(* $t5s a lot to be on top o& and tailor #&ter so many

(lasses though, $ am beginning to be able to tell %hen $ am

utilizing the proper alignment and %hen $5m not*



ednesday, July 1= th Fle)enth "lass

$5m 'nding that my 3e.ibility is getting greater and greater

%ith e)ery (lass* $ appre(iate learning about my anatomy, and

applying it to the e.er(ises* There are times %here $ push mysel&

beyond my threshold* $ thin- $5)e rea(hed my physi(al 3e.ibility

pee-, but then $ (hallenge mysel&, and $ (an usually handle it*

+o%e)er, there is the (on(ept o& not going passed the threshold

in Pilates, %hi(h is ne% &or me* Lsually, %hen $ used to %or- out

%ith my trainer at a gym, %e push beyond the threshold to

a(hie)e 8the most9 &rom the %or-out* +o%e)er, $ 'nd that the

se(ond $ go passed my threshold, $ (annot do the e.er(ise

properly, and $ -no% that (annot be using my body (orre(tly and

e4(iently that %ay* So, $ -no% that there is a deli(ate balan(e

bet%een -no%ing that $ (an al%ays %or- harder, and de(iding



%hen $ am at a point %here $ (an5t do the e.er(ise properly

anymore*

$ %ish there as a %ay to oin a Pilates studio, and really

guarantee that $5d go, besides the guilt that $5)e paid &or it* $ tend

to ha)e really good sel& dis(iplinary s-ills, but there really is ust

no sure 're %ay* The more $ %rite in this ournal entry &or today,

the more $ &eel li-e $5m rambling* $5m the type o& person that on(e

$ (ommit to doing something, $ do it, &ull out, and no one (an get

in my %ay* $ (ommitted to being a )egan &or 10 months o& my li&e*

The se(ond $ 8(heated9 and had (heese O;"F, $ suddenly starting

ha)ing (heese more and more, here and there* ;o% it5s li-e $

ha)e it three times a %ee-, %hi(h is (razy $& $ gi)e mysel& ust a

little lee%ay, it5s o)er* $& $5m stri(t, $ (an go all the %ay,

inde'nitely* There %as also a time %here $ %ent to yoga &our

times a %ee-* Then $ slo%ly started to only ma-e it to three

(lasses, then t%o, until $ ustCstopped going* hile it is true that

li&e does get in the %ay, and $ shouldn5t beat mysel& up too mu(h,

$ (an5t help but %onder i& $ really (ould5)e made the time, i& $

really %anted to* $ hope $ (an (ommit to Pilates a&ter this (lass,



be(ause it has really be(ome a great addition to my li&e and

routine this summer*

pilates paper

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