WELL-BEING
“Make time daily for your well-being.” ~ Lailah Gifty Akita
In 2017, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, aka the Notorious RBG, was asked about “the most important person in her life”, and she responded “her trainer”.
That says a lot about what RBG does for her body and her mind, especially considering she continued her workouts through 4 bouts of cancer, and lived to the age of 87 years young. Did you know she continued working out with her trainer, Bryant Johnson, during the COVID-19 pandemic? She knew her training sessions were essential to her well-being.
If you do not have a fitness routine in your schedule, let’s start with Pilates, shall we? Pilates is a strength training workout. In every class, you work with your body weight. When on an apparatus, you work with springs to increase your muscle strength without the bulk. How? Because you’re working the springs in both directions – concentrically and eccentrically. You’re resisting in both directions, so you’re contracting/shortening the muscle, and extending/lengthening the muscle. Amazing, right?
If you haven’t figured it out, I absolutely love, love, love Pilates. I’ve started/stopped/re-started it many times. But in 2006, it became what I needed and wanted, and couldn’t get enough. For me, it’s a stress reliever that’s so needed for my well-being, to be a better human being in all aspects of my life. The side effect is that it’s made me stronger, more flexible, and do all the things I want to do. And when I injured myself, it brought me back to life.
What will you do for your well-being? Let’s review RBG’s workout in 2017, and find the equivalents in Pilates exercises!
RBG's routine Elliptical warm-up Bench press Leg curls Leg presses Chest flies Lat pull-downs Squats Push-ups Planks Seated dumbbell curls Sit/Stand (with medicine ball)
Pilates exercises Hundred, Ab series on mat Pilates push-ups Single leg kicks, Double leg kicks Footwork, Single leg stretch, Double leg stretch Swan dives, Breaststroke, Rowing 6, Arm circles Pull and T straps, Chest expansion, Leg pull back Squats, Wall sits Pilates push-ups Planks Rowing 1 & Rowing 2, Russian squats Sit/Stand (with apparatus and mat)
Well, that’s my first take of it. Just for fun, give me an exercise you know, and I’ll try to think of a Pilates exercise equivalent.