No muscle left behind

No muscle left behind

“Developing minor muscles naturally helps to strengthen major muscles.” ~ Joseph H. Pilates

I first mentioned the above quote in this blog that I wrote, and to be honest, I’ve been thinking about this quote for more than a hot minute.  Raise your hand if you thought or said out loud:  “I worked muscles I didn’t even know I had.”  OR “I didn’t even know I had muscles there!”.  I had to add the exclamation point there.

FUN FACT – Pilates works muscles you never knew you had.  It’s true!  I remember the first time I felt a muscle I didn’t know existed.  The best I could do was point to it, and ask what this is.  I also remember the first time I felt soreness in DEEP layers in my body.  And I remember the first time being sore on day 2 or day 3 after a workout.  That’s when you know you did some serious work.  This is why I fell in love with Pilates, why I’m still in love with Pilates, and will be for the rest of my life.  

You don’t always need a mat to practice Pilates.  Have you tried practicing Pilates using a wall?

Stand against a wall, and you’ll get a lot of feedback using your wall as a template for a tall spine.  What’s touching/not touching the wall?  There’s a lot of work happening in your body to try to match the wall even though nothing may be noticeably moving.

Try some mat exercises standing against the wall – hundred, roll up, single leg circles, single leg stretch, double leg stretch, single straight leg stretch, criss cross.  

Try some wall squats. 

Try some mat exercises seated against the wall for a spine stretch forward, or a saw with hands behind your head.  What’s working/not working?  

Try some mat exercises seated with your feet against the wall for a teaser, or a spine twist, or a saw.  What’s moving/not moving?  How does this saw feel different from being against the wall?

Stand facing the wall in a Pilates stance, not too close, with hands behind your head.  Push your head back into your hands to get your head on top of your spine.  Do you feel the back of your neck long, and your upper back working?  Good.  Now lift/lower your heels.  Did you lean forward and kiss the wall?  It’s ok if you did.  Try again.  Go straight up like an exclamation point!

Whew – that was a lot of work, right?  If you’re not feeling it, try it again.

Let’s revisit the mat.  No mat; no problem.  Use the floor.  Too icky?  Grab a towel (or anything you can lay on), and do your mat exercises, as many as you can remember.  Need a list?  Check it twice in this blog.  Take notice of what’s touching the mat, and what’s not touching the mat.  Whatever part of your body that’s on the mat should be working, not resting.  Invite those resting parts, lazy parts, to the party.  Pilates is a whole body/full body workout, so make your body work.

Bonus if you have some Pilates props like a Magic Circle, theraband, weights, squishy ball, a bar, a towel, and so many others.  If you don’t have props, that’s no excuse not to get a workout, and join the fun.  Check out the home substitutes I’ve listed here.  

When you’re reaching into, pushing against, or pulling back with air, it’s challenging for the mind to wrap around how to move, let alone the body figuring out what to do.  No wonder Joseph Pilates built the apparatuses.  You simply cannot get this feedback anywhere else if you want your body so well connected that it moves with zest and pleasure.  Feedback is both an obligation and a gift.  Without it, how do you know what to improve, or how to move better/more efficiently?

I have some apparatuses (read: TOYS) in my home studio, and more are coming this summer and fall.  I’m so excited!  More toys to get more connected!  Book a private with me today, and let’s see what apparatus(es) your body needs during your sessions.