Pilates is an excellent modality to combat back pain.  The slow pace of the exercises, the emphasis on proper breathing and the focus on alignment make Pilates a practice that is both therapeutic and strengthening in design.

Pilates for Relief
The routine presented is made up of Classic Pilates exercises with modifications as well as simple stretches.  They will not only help during an acute exacerbation but can also reduce the likelihood of the pain becoming a chronic condition. It is indisputable that each and every body is different and that are various causes and origins of back pain.  However, working with people of all ages and limitations over the past four years, I have discovered my “go-to” exercises to alleviate discomfort in most of my clients.  The following are five Pilates exercises which have been modified to remedy the common problem of back pain.

Before you start
I have found that starting supine is the safest way for your client to start their back care exercises.  In this position, the client should keep their knees bent and their feet flat on the mat.  This will mitigate any arching in the back and allow the lumbar spine to naturally fall towards the floor.   If this is still uncomfortable for him or her, place a large exercise ball underneath their legs for full support letting the calves rest on top of the ball.   Take this time to check in with your client.  Ask how they are physically feeling and how strong the pain or discomfort is. I will often use the scale (1-10) of pain to get a sense of how they are feeling.   Most importantly, allow a few moments here to educate (or reeducate!) on the importance of breathing.  The Pilates principle of breath is fundamental in releasing pain.  By helping your client learn deep lateral and abdominal breathing you are giving them a tool they can use anywhere during a backache, flare-up or little twinge of pain.   Learning to properly use the muscles of the diaphragm will also act as preventative care to avoid future back distress.

The program
For the following exercises you will want to provide a firm but comfortable surface for your client.  Often the floor or even the Cadillac may be too hard on the spine. In this case a thick mat or pad can be used for support.   Have a rolled towel nearby to place under the neck.  This is essential if kyphosis is present and there is an extra large gap between the neck and the mat.

Exercise 1: Modified Hamstring Pull with resistance band
-Tight hamstrings are often a culprit of low back pain.  When these muscles are short (often due to prolonged sitting) they can pull on the back and cause discomfort.

Start supine with the knees bent and the feet on your mat.  Place the resistance band around the bottom of the right foot.  Straighten the leg upwards towards the sky holding each end of the resistance band in each hand.  Feel the stretch in the hamstring and back of the knee.  For a more intense stretch, lengthen the left leg out along the mat.   Hold for at least thirty seconds.  To switch, place the left foot in the resistance band, remove the right foot, and place the right foot to the floor.  Again, stretch the right leg out for a stronger sensation and hold the stretch for thirty seconds or longer.  Always aim for a stretch not a strain!

Exercise 2: Windshield Wipers
-Though “Windshield Wipers” is not a Classic Pilates pose, I have found it to be a consistently effective stretch with back pain sufferers.  The exercise stretches the low back, glute, and hip while also opening up the rib cage and shoulders.

Start supine with the knees bent and the feet flat the width of the mat.  Inhale and drop your knees to the right.  Exhale and stretch your left arm back behind you.  Take a few moments here (again, about thirty seconds) breathing into the left side of the rib cage and encouraging the knees gently towards the floor. Bring the knees and arm back to center.  Repeat on the other side.

Exercise 3: Modified Supine Spine Twist with exercise ball
-I love this exercise as a safe abdominal strengthener.  The ball holds the weight of the legs allowing the transversus and obliques to do the work.

Start supine with the legs completely supported on an exercise ball. Bend the knees so the ball is close.  Take the arms out to the sides with the palms facing down.  Inhale and lower the legs to the left, gently hugging the ball with the hamstrings and calves. Exhale and draw the ball back to center.  Repeat on the other side.

Exercise 4: Modified Pelvic Curl with exercise ball
-Though pelvic tilts may seem like the more appropriate pelvic exercise for back pain, in my experience the subtle movement of a pelvic tilt is often difficult to grasp resulting in clenching of the glutes and overarching of the back.  Try this pelvic curl for a more fluid movement.

Start supine with the legs in table top over the exercise ball so they are fully supported. Inhale to prepare, exhale while slowing lifting the hips off of the floor while simultaneously straightening the legs.  Pause at the top for another inhale, exhale and slowly roll down vertebrae by vertebrae.  Repeat 3-6 times.

Exercise 5: Modified Rest Position
-This version of rest pose is a contribution from Faith Hsu, NP, MSN.   Late in her third trimester, Faith experienced low back discomfort that was alleviated with this pose.  It can also be done over a chair or couch.

Transition on to your knees and place the ball in front of you.  Fold your arms on top of the ball and rest your head on your arms.  Let your back gently arch by allowing the belly to relax towards the floor.  Take several moments here to breath and relax.

Though I feel this sequence is safe enough to do with most back pain sufferers, never forget the importance of checking-in and LISTENING to your client.  No one wants to be in pain! Allow your Pilates sessions to be a conversation with your client – finding the poses and stretches that feel best for them. Honor the work and the process and use it to educate your clients to feel and move in the most beneficial way possible.

With this in mind the work becomes enhanced, which is then implemented through the class plan. For example, while fundamentally exploring the explanation and use of pelvic floor muscles at the beginning of a Mat session, the theme plays throughout the cueing and correctional modalities. The class progresses as it should, the exercises unfold, but each exercise has a gentle reminder of the early minutes of class. Is the pelvic floor being engaged? Does the class remember how they found these muscles? Can they recall the physical sensation found in that first breath fundamental and how can it be applied now that the progression has advanced to Roll Down or Climb a Tree?

Reminders continue as the instructor uses a variety of models to reproduce the idea again with new images applied to the same concept. Perhaps anatomical information is given describing the placement of the pelvic floor inside the body, “it lies between the pubic bone and tail bone”  or “it is in the shape of a figure eight”. Perhaps visual images continue with  “imagine the pelvic floor as a cylinder lifting up the entire length of the body”. Or asking questions such as: “is there engagement of the pelvic floor before beginning that Roll Down”? Always a gentle return to the theme, so that by the end of the class the student’s ability to remember that one important concept has been locked successfully into thinking about this muscle group.

Once the class is well under way, take the theme and put a different spin so as to appeal to the deeper mentality of the work. Thus, the instructor enhances perception and provides further insight into the body.  This is like using the eyes inside the body and referencing the mind’s ability to find further awareness. How might one deepen their understanding of a certain concept so that they can “perceive”, through their senses, the understanding behind the movement?  “Where is the sensation”? “What can one observe internally”? “How can knowledge about the pelvic floor impact deeper abdominals and bring greater attentiveness to the work”? Being aware of these shifts in the physical as well as the mental process brings greater appreciation to the idea of perception behind the specificity as well as the whole picture of the repertory.

By connecting intellect to physical, there is an element that serves as the “electrical conductor”. It is the ownership where body and thinking connect, often provided by the instructor who, with reminding words, provides an opportunity for clients to reinvest a central idea into the work.

The range of themes is endless. The extent to which a topic is explored depends on the instructor and the client as well as the client’s goals set up in the initial sessions. How many classes will it take to determine whether a single person or a mat class of twenty is grasping a specific idea? When does the teacher determine it is time to move on and take the subject matter being emphasized to a higher level of movement or thought? Having a conceptual strategy in the form of a theme enriches the chances for better communication and provides a pathway to achieving the instructor’s vision for the student.  (It may be important to emphasize that planning and forethought is crucial to the presentation of a successful theme). Use the theme in one class, and then refer to it again in the following sessions while developing comparable steps. For example, the pelvic floor and its purpose is now embedded, at least in theory if not solid practice, and now the transverse abdominus is in discussion. How do the two sets of muscles provide a network of support together and how are they used throughout class. At what point does engagement ensure the potential for solid, progressive work in the body? How do the obliques enter the picture while engaging in torso stability? (Though this theme centers on use of anatomy, remember that the same topic can be presented with words that do not involve muscle names).

Move on when the idea has been planted in the mind and the body shows signs of success, such as movement patterns taking on hints of clarity. Refer back when necessary and then explore options of themes in the classes that follow. Use the language that has been provided through training and personal practice to find these themes. Use insights that have affected one’s own progress or words of teachers who have played a significant role in classes taken over the years. This intelligent, high impact form of body and mind movement has an infinite vocabulary that cannot be exhausted in one lifetime. One word can impact an entire series of classes, providing a theme that will enrich the teaching practice, transforming it into a giving practice.

Imagine the composition of a class when addressing the meaning of centering, or using the effect of breathing, or the definition of a precise moment. What could be done when the goal is to find control brought about by a sense of concentration and connection? Finally, the instructor builds into a felt sense of flow and rhythm throughout the class.

The possibilities are endless.

Three and a half years later, there are many more resources available for both instructors and pregnant woman. Jennifer Gianni, a mom and a birth coach herself, has created a training program for instructors. Sarah Picot has produced one of the most comprehensive pregnancy Pilates programs available anywhere. Women can now get their workouts directly on their phones, and celebrities everywhere are crediting Pilates with getting their pre-pregnancy shape back impossibly fast.

Having gone through two pregnancies and taught clients through dozens more, I have compiled a list of go-to resources for both my teaching and my clients. Here are my favorite resources:

Pilates and Pregnancy by Sarah Picot: I recommend the book, because it comes with a video, and it has specific notes for each stage of pregnancy.

If you travel a lot, the Pilates and Pregnancy iPhone Apps are a fantastic take a long tool that won’t weigh down your baggage. And at just $5 per trimester or $10 for the full program, it’s a fantastic deal.

Jennifer Gianni, herself a mom, Pilates Instructor and a Birth Coach, has also created a series of videos for use during and after pregnancy. My favorites are Post Pregnancy & C-Section Recovery & her Exercising with Baby DVD. Her four month old daughter rolls around and tries to scoot away- just like both of my kids did every time I tried to exercise with them. The Post Pregnancy video includes a quick introduction with Jennifer, three days post partum and still in the hospital, giving new moms an idea of what they are in for and a few exercises to get started right after the baby is born. Watch it before going to the hospital- if you wait until after you will miss out on valuable information!

Jennifer teaches her Pre & Post Natal Teacher Training program around the world, but if you can’t make it to her, she has videos available to review the protocol of teaching pregnant clients available for purchase on her website. Sarah’s book also includes a section for helping instructors modify for pregnant clients.

Lynne Robinson’s Pilates Pregnancy Guide offers great full color photography along with several exercises and stretches that, while not in the traditional Pilates repertoire, were some of my favorite for staving off back pain.

Pilates is a fantastic tool during pregnancy- both for preparing for birth and for aiding in quick postpartum recovery. Always remember (and remind your clients) that every pregnancy is different, and every day can bring new challenges. Pregnancy is not the time to push the body, it’s the time to nurture it, and Pilates can help you do just that.

After working with thousands of clients from all walks of life, I’ve developed a unique teaching style that serves both the short-term client and the ongoing client. It uses a system of A-B-C vocabulary that is easy to remember and quite empowering for teachers and clients alike.

Here’s how it works. Begin cueing with A, then move to B, then move to C.

A = Anchor Point

These help us manage body mechanics. We anchor each movement to make it more efficient and effective. Example: arm movements need to be anchored at the armpit, so that the movement originates from the torso. Anatomically, this means the shoulder girdle sits in place, rather than shifting around, but it’s much easier to simply think, “What can I anchor with?”

Cue your clients on what body parts to use as an anchor for their movements, and you’ll notice them self-correcting when movements start to go amiss. Point out to them that in every exercise, the anchor points get stronger, as well as the working muscles, and you’ll see the light bulbs going off in their heads.

B = Body Geometry

This gives your clients clear pictures for creating proper body alignment. Everyone knows their shapes, like square and triangle; and basic directional prompts like, parallel and diagonal.

Use words like these to tell your clients how to orient their bodies, and they’ll quickly gain confidence in assessing how an exercise should feel . This new confidence often seeps into daily life as better body mechanics.

C = Comfort Options

These are the key to avoiding compensation patterns. We’ve all seen what happens to the clients who tough out holding their head up through a sequence of The Hundred before they’re ready – hello, Stiff Neck City.

Make comfort options a normal part of your teaching pattern – like offering a magic circle to support the weight of the head — and you’ll notice clients become willing to let go of the no pain/no gain mantra. The beauty of Comfort Options is that they encourage clients to work smarter, not harder.

Let’s put the ABC’s into action in three commonly-used Pilates Reformer exercises.

Knee Stretch Round

Assume a kneeling position with hands on the footbar, hips shifted behind the knees, back arched.

Knee stretch correct

Anchor Point Cues
• Scoop up the belly
• Draw your armpits toward your hips

When these two key areas stay engaged – the scoop and the dropped armpits – the work of Knee Stretch Round stays focused in the core, while strengthening the serratus. Let these anchor points go, and you’ll see the armpits open, throwing energy into the legs or shoulders, instead of the powerhouse.

Body Geometry Cues
• Focus on your Diagonal Line; that is what’s moving in this exercise
• One body part moves, everything else stays stable

The hips begin farther back than the knees, so you’re creating a diagonal line which will swing back and forth from the hip. Without this diagonal, clients can easily feel confused about how to make the carriage move, often mistakenly shifting the movement pattern into opening and closing the shoulder joint.

Comfort Option Cues
• While maintaining your upper body position, sit your hips back as far as you comfortably can.

Many clients have hip or knee limitations, yet they can still perform Knee Stretch Round. They can monitor and manage the position on their own, which empowers them to do the same in daily life. Nine times out of ten, it’s far better to modify a movement pattern than to eliminate it entirely.

Low Front Split

From Knee Stretch Round position, bring the right foot forward onto the footplate. Slide the left knee back, so that you’re in a runners lunge position. The hands stay on the footbar.

Low front split correct

Anchor Point Cues
• Scoop up the belly
• Allow your back leg to stay in a low diagonal

The action of pressing the front leg out is meant to be a hamstring stretch. To facilitate this, the quads of the front leg should engage, so clients need to power from quads. Avoid powering with the back leg; that’s an inefficient use of energy and it won’t stretch the hamstrings on the front leg.

Body Geometry Cues
• The hips stay parallel to the footbar.

The goal of Low Front Splits is to fully extend the front leg, to stretch the hamstrings. When the hamstrings are tight, the body may compensate by hiking a hip up to allow the leg to straighten. This is a sign of a compensating hip and can lead to SI joint issues. Use the Body Geometry cue to tell them when to manage their range of motion.

Comfort Option Cues
• Extend your front leg as far as it goes without losing your Body Geometry. If it doesn’t straighten today, simply be consistent with your practice. It will straighten in the future.

Comfort Options can also tell clients when their range of motion may differ from session to session.

Shaving

Sit cross-legged; bring your hands to the base of your skull. Keeping the spine straight, hinge at the hip to about 60 degrees.

Shaving on box

Anchor Point Cues
• Scoop up the belly
• Corset the ribcage; knit your ribs inward
• Draw your armpits toward your hips

The first two cues stabilize the torso. Drawing the armpit toward the hip stabilizes the arm movement. Cue this often, and your ‘ears by the shoulders ‘clients may find relief from neck tension.

Body Geometry Cues
• Extend your arm from elbow to finger tips; everything else stays stable
• Maintain your diagonal line; the torso should stay still as the arms move

The diagonal line from hip to shoulder to extended finger tips requires the deep abdominals to work to maintain stability. Lose your diagonal line in Shaving, and you’ll put un-do stress on the low back, while diluting the work that should be happening in the triceps.

Comfort Option Cues
• Sit tall when cross-legged, before beginning your diagonal hinge. If your waistband drops backward, that’s a sign of tight hips or hamstrings. Please use the long box, so that you can sit tall.

The hinge at the hips is a must, otherwise the body will compensate by rounding forward.

• If you’re 6 foot+, it isn’t necessary for your knees to come up by your armpits. Try adding a folded mat on top of the box, so your thighs can be parallel to the floor.

When we get the lower body situated comfortably, you’ll notice the movement pattern of Shaving improve dramatically.

The beauty of this teaching style is that it’s simple and easy to remember: A-B-C. For longtime teachers, you’ll find that you’re using the same cues you’ve always used, but you’re now categorizing them to create a logic pattern for your clients. For newer teachers, the system will help you remember what to communicate to your clients so that they have all the tools they need to progress in any exercise.

Christine Binnendyk was personally certified by Romana Kryzanowska, and is a master Pilates trainer at the Nike World Headquarters in Portland, OR. Her book, Ageless Pilates, features the ABC system and covers beginning and intermediate matwork. Find it at www.Ageless-Pilates.com and on Amazon.

photo credit: Wendy LeBlanc Arbuckle Director of Pilates Center of Austin.

The psoas is not a hip flexor – okay, there I have said it!  Usually I warm my students to this idea before I spring it on them. However, I guess I am feeling bold.  Whether or not you agree with me that the psoas is something other then a flexor muscle, I invite you to test out my reasoning during your next practice.

The iliopsoas, fondly known as psoas (so-as), is the core muscle of the body and it is the only muscle to attach spine to leg.  The psoas is formally categorized as a hip flexor.  Flexors are defined as muscles that close a joint.  Major flexors are located in the front of the body. Because the psoas moves from the deepest core at the 12th thoracic (or 1st lumbar) vertebrae diagonally forward through the front of the body and over the hip sockets and then back into the lesser trocanter of the femur, it is classified as a hip flexor. This is the biomechanical story, however, there is another story.  This other story is embryonic; it is the story of how human life begins and develops in utero. It tells a story about an essential midline called the primitive streak from which everything emerges. Within this paradigm the psoas grows out of the human midline and is a messenger of the central nervous system; integral to primary reflexes, neurological proprioception, and personal integrity.

Even within the biomechanical model, it is worth noting that the psoas exerts an eccentric contraction, which is a confusing way of saying that the psoas doesn’t shorten.  Rather it falls back along the spine while lifting the legs, bringing knee to chest, curling the spine, or bending at the hips. During walking, the psoas moves like a pendulum through the core maintaining its full length as the leg swings forward and back.

The main reason why I believe redefining the psoas is so important is due to our behavior. If we think of this tissue as a muscle flexor then we will proceed in trying to stretch and strengthen it as we would any other flexor. However, if we think of the psoas primarily as neurological information, tender, supple, bio-intelligent tissue, we begin listening to it and recognizing it as a vital messenger. Although engaging the lower psoas as a flexor is definitely possible, doing so interferes with experiencing a deep, profound relaxation or neutrality within the core. Psoas muscles are not weak they are exhausted.  Ultimately it is a responsive psoas that helps free the hip flexors to function with just the right amount of exertion.

Test out my reasoning by starting your practice with constructive rest.  On your back, knees up, feet on the floor, (the width apart of your hip sockets).  This rest position lets gravity release tension from your psoas.  Roll to your side and get up slowly, take your time to sense the shifts and changes in weight through muscles, tendons and bones. Prepare for performing a runners lunge on the reformer.  When ready, notice how simply imaging your psoas neutral, rather than engaged (in both your hips), allows a deeper relaxation, which enhances your sense of skeletal weight. There is a major artery (and vein) directly on top of the lower psoas, thus a deeper sensation of relaxation in the psoas allows for increased blood circulation within the hip socket, pelvis, and leg.  Experiment in the same way while in the C curl.  It does not matter what direction the spine is moving, the psoas is responsive tissue, branching out, and sending proprioceptive information.  The spine or embryonic midline is always neutral – your core is the eye of the storm and your inner sanctuary does not react to every push or pull from external muscles, or life’s external demands for that matter.

It takes a quality of discernment to differentiate the psoas from the hip flexors.  If the quads are over developed or the tendons of the hip flexors excessively tense, it is necessary to first soften.  However once you do, I believe you will be amazed at what a paradigm shift can do to bring a deeper sense of and responsiveness from your sweet psoas.

For those who already sense their lower psoas soft and responsive, include your upper psoas by lifting one arm (on the same side as the straight thigh or in advanced lunges, the leg that is behind the pelvic basin), and place your hand on your head, turning slightly, look up towards your floating elbow. Psoas tissue moves spatially 360 degrees, but only when free to do so. Sensing your whole psoas spreading down towards the platform (earth) and freely up towards your heart (heaven) is simultaneously a feeling of fullness and emptiness. Experiencing complete core relaxation awakens a profound connection to breath and your heart’s desire.

The psoas is juicy, supple, and dynamic: a major player in full body orgasms.  It is the filet mignon, the finest cut of meat humans eat in other animals.  Chefs tell me the psoas tissue is a different color, texture, and quality from any other muscle meat.  This gets me thinking that perhaps the psoas is more like the tongue, an organ of perception… maybe it isn’t even a muscle!

What is Rolfing?

As with Pilates, there are many misconceptions out there about what the work really is (“You know, Pilates, that super-intense ab workout on medieval torture machines.”) Despite what you may have heard, Rolfing is not a massage that pulls the muscles off the bone or a procedure that makes people break down into crying piles of goo. Rolfing® Structural Integration (its formal name) is a collaborative process of hands-on manipulation and movement education developed over 50 years ago by Ida P. Rolf, PhD and is designed to reorganize a person’s relationship to gravity. Over a series of sessions (typically 10-12) the Rolfer uses his or her fingers, soft fists, and even elbows in concert with gentle client movements to lengthen and unwind the investing connective tissue of the body in a systematic way. It can be intense and yet can also be amazingly pleasurable and even relaxing.

Rolfing is not so much a technique, though it has developed and appropriated many over the years. It is an approach to finding and uncovering what can be called “the animal body” – that innate somatic intelligence inside each of us that knows how to sit, stand, and move with ease and dynamic strength. At the beginning of every session Rolfers do a “body reading,” analyzing and kinesthetically empathizing with the resources, asymmetries, restrictions, and inhibitions in a client’s structure and function. This process certainly involves input from the client as well as the practitioner asks open-ended questions about what the client is perceiving in their body or in the environment.

Generally, the work then moves to the massage table. Dr. Rolf taught a 10 Session Recipe that has specific goals and territories of the body for each session. The first session, for instance, traditionally has the goal of freeing the breath. The second: to improve the function of the feet, ankles, and legs in order to land and push off (sounds like footwork on the Reformer to us!) Many practitioners continue to use Dr. Rolf’s recipe which is amazingly brilliant, or versions of it. Others have developed more principle-based models for where and when to work. But all look for increased integration and balance at the end of every session and at the end of a Series as a whole.

The Rolfing community

Like Pilates, the Rolfing community has gone through sad personal, political and legal schisms over the years. The generic term for this approach is actually Structural Integration (or SI) and there are now many heirs of Dr. Rolf teaching and practicing in various lineages of the work. The Rolf Institute® in Boulder, Colorado holds the service mark for Rolfing and only their graduates can legally call themselves Certified Rolfers™. There is also a community of other reputable SI schools including but not limited to the Guild for Structural Integration, Kinesis Myofascial Integration, and Hellerwork International. SI even has its own PMA-like umbrella organization, the IASI, which works to promote standards and scientific research.

We are lucky enough at our studio to have three SI Practitioners on staff so there is a great cross-fertilization between the two disciplines. When a Pilates client has plateaued, reached an impasse, or is in pain, we frequently recommend that they see a Rolfer. Hands-on work has a level of specificity and precision that can open things up like nothing else. Likewise, our SI practitioners see so much value in the stability, strength, process ownership, and joy that Pilates engenders that they frequently refer clients to the Pilates side of the studio. It’s a win-win for everyone, especially the clients!

• Dead set on being negative
• Insistent upon speaking, through complaints or otherwise, throughout an entire class
• Convinced he or she does not or will not move beyond the comfort zone of familiarity

Any of the above situations can set the tone for a long 55 minutes. Running out the door isn’t an option when a client comes in with a huff and a, “I guess I’m ready for you to torture me now.”  This is where the instructor’s mind-body work begins.

Even when I stick to modified movements built in to a fluid exercise plan, not a week goes by when a client doesn’t call me a name.  A name not fit for print.  It took some time for me to realize that there are people out there who could be lying down getting a massage for an hour in the studio and would still complain.  I just assumed that everyone loved doing Pilates just as I do.  Not true.

To counter trying clients, implement the 3 Ps – being present, prepared and positive.  Rather than fall in to the frustration trap the client falls in to with, “I can’t do that”, “I don’t want to do that” or even “I’m NOT going to do that”, take a breath and refocus those people on the task at hand.  It is not enough to take the body on a journey through Pilates, we have to also take the mind with it – the instructor’s mind, that is.  Here are the three ways to mentally tackle those students who tax us, even if we don’t want to admit to being mentally strained.

1. Be present for each session. It’s easier to mentally check-out when a client’s complaining begins.  By staying focused you not only cue better, you may also change the atmosphere of the session.  When an instructor really is present, the opportunity arises to change a downbeat direction with positive reinforcement before the negativity starts. Praise the exercise performance before it’s delivered with a “You always do this one so nicely” to counteract the potential huff and sigh that usually accompanies the movement.
2. Be prepared for class, but not too prepared.  While instructors should go in to a session with at least an idea of where the hour will go, it never fails that you’ll veer off what you had designed.  The idea is to be prepared but not stringent in the preparations. By being willing to have “teachable moments” you just might make a breakthrough with a student. The series you wanted to tackle before the hour is up can take a backseat if you are working through a particularly difficult exercise for that person.  Take the moment and be open to the joy of that one exercise.  Peel it back and, for instance, show the student how the bridge can assist in the roll up and then practice it for the last five minutes.  You’ll both feel like you made positive progress.  All that work will result in more pride, less protesting.
3. Finally, share your excitement about movement with your clients and encourage them to find their own understanding of Pilates.  Use technical terms and invite the clients to own their workouts by using the “big words” themselves.  By fully understanding the exercise, why they are doing the exercise and how to perform it, students focus more on the why of the workout and less on the whine of the workout.  Be excited for them when they get past their sticking point in the Teaser and they will be more inclined to try harder and complain less.

By being present, prepared and positive, you’ll be more aware of what brings on the negativity and you’ll be able to stop it before it starts.  Here’s to positive Pilates!

Signs of boredom at work are fairly obvious:

• Not wanting to go in to the studio
• Experiencing general malaise
• Being snappy at co-workers or clients
• Repeating exercises that have become stale to you.

Before you decide to chuck your training out the window and become an accountant, try some of these motivating techniques on yourself.

1. Develop Exchange Students: Just as it is healthy for your clients to occasionally work with other instructors, it is just as beneficial for you to experience a new student.  Find an instructor you respect and with whom you have similar teaching backgrounds and do an “Exchange Week”.  For one week, take his or her clients and she will take your students.  The students will have the chance to hear new cues or experience a different flow and you will have the opportunity to work on new bodies.  Be sure to know the clients’ health histories before the exchange.
2. Train a new type of client: If you regularly work with dancers, see if you can train some athletes or seniors.
3. Get involved: How many times a week do you take a class from another instructor?  Do a few sessions with someone you trust to check your form and to push you the way you challenge your students.
4. Try a completely different form of exercise: Shake up your muscle memory.  Take something new to you like Belly dancing or try weight lifting.  Bring your perfect Pilates form and move your body in a whole new way.
5. Take a seminar or webinar: Cross-country conferences are wonderful, but expensive.  Online resources (see Kelley Ranaudo’s article on Pilates from the Comfort of Your Home) for some in-home webinar options.  There are also seminars within driving distance of most metropolitan areas.  Don’t be afraid if the seminar is from a differing certifying organization than your own.  Step outside your common knowledge and see what Polestar, West Coast, or Classical Pilates has to offer.  You’ll learn fresh perspectives and differing variations on exercise themes.

All instructors can use a gentle push to re-energize themselves.  If you can find a way to challenge your current Pilates regime or thought-process, you might find something new that excites you again.  You will benefit and your clients will as well.

X-iser Machine™, offered through Corrective Wellness, is a stepper that can be used to build both upper and lower body strength and endurance while saving you valuable time. The machine was used in a study conducted in part by Dr. Mark Smith, Ph.D. The study evaluated the effectiveness of Sprint Interval Training (High Intensity Interval “burst” training) versus Low- to Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (LMICT). The results of the study found that Sprint Interval Training is more effective at increasing cardiovascular health, reducing fat and increasing sports performance. The greatest advantage however is that the time investment to achieve these benefits is significantly lower than the prescribed 30-40 minutes, 3-4 times per week of cardiovascular exercise that we’ve heard about for so many years.

One of the most common excuses given about why people do not do cardiovascular work is the time investment. It has been drummed into us that in order to obtain and then maintain cardiovascular fitness, we must exercise for 30-40 minutes, 3-4 times per week at a level of 65% – 85% of maximum heart rate. That’s a minimum total weekly time commitment of 90 minutes. In his studies and research, Dr. Smith has found that the time investment for burst training is a whopping 12 minutes of cardio per week! Can you imagine? Only 12 minutes per week, that’s incredible. Who doesn’t have 12 minutes per week to invest in their cardiovascular health especially when it is incorporated into a Pilates routine?

Here is the breakdown of the 12 minutes per week. The intervals are performed on three different days. Each interval session consists of cardio blasts that can be 20, 30 or 60 seconds in duration. There are four segments of blasts, each of which have alternating periods of work and rest. It would look like this:

• 20 second Burst (stepping as quickly as you can for the entire time)
• 20 second rest
• 20 second Burst
• 20 second rest
• 20 second Burst
• 1 min, 40 seconds total of which 1 minute is cardio

You would then wait a minimum of 4 minutes between each cycle (during which time your clients can be doing their Pilates mat or equipment work) and repeat the cycle 4 times for a total of 4 minutes of cardio. If you choose to do the 30 or 60 second burst then the rest cycle would be of the same time duration as the burst; still waiting a minimum of 4 minutes between each cycle and repeating the cycle 4 times.

Using the X-iser Machine™ will complement the Pilates work you are doing with your clients because proper form in the stepping requires core engagement, breath control, balance and focus. Your clients will love you for helping them achieve the benefits of cardiovascular fitness while still seeing the benefits of their Pilates routines.

With a price tag around the $400 mark, the X-iser is a great piece of equipment to have particularly in studios which have limited space available for treadmills or elliptical machines. The X-iser folds up easily and can be stored under a Reformer or Cadillac or even under an office desk. Weighing only 14 lbs. it is portable too. Get your clients moving towards total fitness, the X-iser is an excellent tool to help you get them there.  For more information or to purchase the X-iser Machine™ visit the X-iser website today.

Dr. Smith’s full research article is available from his website as a PDF download at Corrective Wellness.

Kathy began her career with Pilates as a determined writer would – with in-depth study, many interviews and hands-on practice of the Method itself. What differentiated Kathy from others was her opportunity to do all this work with the original Master Teachers who taught with Joseph and Clara Pilates in their New York studio. As the Publicity Director and feature writer for the Institute for the Pilates Method, Kathy’s job was to interview, study with and take instruction from Ron Fletcher, Kathy Grant, Lolita San Miguel, Carola Trier, Eve Gentry and Bruce King and take workshops with Romana.

“My work is a synthesis of the Master Teachers’ work,” Kathy says over the phone from California where she lives. “I see myself as a disseminator of this incredible amount of knowledge I’ve been given.” She believes it is her responsibility to share the Master Teachers’ stories and techniques while continuing worldwide education efforts. In this last year alone, Kathy traveled to Prague, Columbia, Argentia, Western Europe and across the United States. One month Kathy will be educating the medical community in South America and the next month be found in Spain, working at Acala University outside of Madrid with an innovative group of educators creating a degreed program in Pilates.

Here at home, Kathy continues to cultivate a small, quality-driven instruction program that emphasizes education over certification. She is famous for insisting that is it is more important to teach the work correctly rather than to hand out certifications. Because of her stress on the importance of fully cultivating the student, the training program includes a solid foundation of the original vast vocabulary of exercises, the history, the philosophy and the principles of Pilates. Once that base is established, Kathy then instructs how to approach those exercises to teach the body in front of the instructor. Kathy Corey’s believes that “One size does not fit all.” With this theory in mind, the West Coast approach is to make each exercise fit the needs of the client. Through learning the original work as taught to the Master Teachers and handed down to Kathy, West Coast instructors are empowered to use their intellect, knowledge, skill and ability.

It’s hard to believe that between the travel, workshops and certification programs, that Kathy has had time to create a new series of DVDs to add to her repertoire of books and videos. The new West Coast Pilates DVDs are for both consumers and instructors alike. With detailed instruction from Kathy throughout each workout, students are exposed to Spine Corrector Choreography and feature her pioneering CORE BAND©. With strong transitions that emphasize the importance of flowing movement, the DVDs leave the user with a feeling of connectedness in mind, body and spirit.

Keep a look out for Kathy at upcoming conferences and workshops. But you better be quick, this is one woman on the move!

First of all it is so light (3.75 lbs.) you can pick it up with one hand. That feature is very different from my beautiful wood and upholstered and very heavy spine corrector that resides under my trap table. The price is nice too; $159 for the Pilates ARC vs. $310 for the heavier version.

The asymmetrical design with a gentle curve on one side and a steeper curve on the other makes it more comfortable for different body types. The step is detachable therefore making spine extension gentle for new clients. I learned that Joe used to custom make spine correctors for each client’s proportions so I appreciate the versatility of the curves when working with various body types.

The design of the new ARC is a fun aspect because it allows for the device to be flipped over so the curved side can be down. In this position you can lay sideways, prone or supine allowing for more exercises along with increased intensity. For example, when on your side (there is a nice spot where the trochanter fits comfortably) you can do the side leg series, which is quite challenging because of the instability! Turn the Arc so that the steeper curve is closest to you and you can lie lengthways to do the prone work—finding your balance point for swimming is not easy. Swan Dive is a delight, rocking back and forth—finally a Rocking Swan that really Rocks! Keep the ARC in this position and you will find the planks and push up series really challenging to scapular stability. Moving Arc is similar to Control Front on the Reformer. Another plus for plank and push up on the ARC is that if a client has difficulty extending their wrists, the Arc can help modify the wrist position—with the ARC flat side down; place the palms along the low slope to reduce wrist extension.

And there is a bonus use—the ARC has ribs or teeth on its bottom and it slides perfectly over the shoulder rests on many Reformers! This gives support for prenatal clients and it can replace the short box for variations on exercises such as Climb a Tree. Nora demonstrated side lying over the ARC on the Reformer with a hand strap in her top hand doing tricep extensions while simultaneously doing side leg lifts and kicks. That one really made me work!

So now that you know how many uses there are for the ARC, let me explain why it is the AB Killer Machine. There are infinite variations on the Abdominals; you can sit on the high slope, the low slope, on the step or in the well. Leg positions can be knees bent in parallel, turned out in wide 2nd or in a diamond position, or legs straight. Arms can be behind the head, arms forward or arms overhead. The ARC lets you feel the weight of the spine and the stabilization of the inner unit (TVA, PFM, lumbar multifidus, diaphragm) as you go through Hundreds, Single/Double Leg Stretch, Criss Cross and Teaser Forward and Reverse. My favorite series is the Teaser Oblique series: Teaser with upper body rotation and Teaser with lower body rotation. Golf clients love the variation in this series with the knees bent and the upper body rotating to one side as the hips roll to the opposite side.

The ARC is truly a fun and versatile new piece of equipment. Very portable and economical. It is perfect for adding variety to group mat classes, for Pilates trainers to challenge their clients or for home users. Give it a try, you will like it!

The Pilates Arc is available at Balanced Body or 1-800-PILATES (745-2837).

Think again of the word “position”. Consider it as the frame of reference for your client that they will use to orient themselves in space. As their position changes in space (supine, prone, side lying, seated, standing) cues must adapt because their reference point has changed. Where is “down” when supine? Is it towards the feet or under the back? Effective cueing must include more than the simple direction of “down”. It must complete the thought, “down towards your feet”.

Cueing is the key to transferring information from one person to another. The semantics is how we get there. According to Chambers Dictionary of Etymology ^[1], semantics is the study of the relationship between linguistic symbols (words) and their meaning. Cueing is dealing with the meanings of words in all their changing nuances and combining them into phrases with the goal of leading the client through a complex (or a simple) movement.

As trainers we interpret what our clients understand and adjust our communications based on their responses. We “read” or evaluate their performance and get their “slant” on it. We define the missing elements, explain, clarify, shed light upon, spell out, illuminate, translate and paraphrase in order to make our point.

Where does this all lead? It leads to structure. How will you organize your thoughts? What do you want your cues to accomplish? One important goal certainly includes being a trainer who can facilitate learning and physical improvements through communication with your clients. Your job is the elimination of barriers to movement that leads your client to the comfort of living inside their own skin.

What do you want your cues to do?

The first priority of your verbal cueing is the detailing or explanation of what is contained within the movement. Your client must first have an understanding of what you want them to do. You teach the pattern and combinations of movements that make up the exercise. This is part of the learning process but should not become the only method of teaching. You can offer so much more in your teaching of pilates so don’t get stuck only describing the exercises to your clients. Consider this, if you always tell your client what to do it is quite possible that they will not learn the exercises on their own but will be completely dependent on your voice to lead them. This is a mistake new teachers may make thinking that silence must be filled. Sometimes it is just fine to have silence and invite the client to experience the movement. If you don’t allow your client to be independent in choreography there won’t be any time for their practice to mature through guided self direction or for you to help them through feedback and observation.

The feedback that you provide helps the client refine their performance and is the second item on the list of what is important in cueing. You are the objective, outside set of eyes necessary for the development of a self aware, moving body. How many times have clients told you that they had previously taken classes, or worked out to a video but were unsure that they were performing the exercises correctly? The obvious reason is that we all have unconscious habits, postures, and movement patterns resulting from distracted actions and gravity. People are genuinely surprised to learn that they hold their head to one side or constantly keep their shoulders up in their ears. For many it is a new concept that they might have conscious control of what their shoulders do as they raise their arms overhead. You can offer your clients a choice about body awareness that will help them move with grace, ease and efficiency.

Third on the list is your cueing that guides the client’s thoughts and then their movements. The power of using images is well documented by authors such as Lulu Sweigard in Human Movement Potential ^[2]. Sweigard conducted studies using images involving musculoskeletal problems and posture. She called these images Lines-of-Movement and identified nine areas of the skeleton that influenced alignment of the overall structure. Her observations help guide the client using visualizations like “the empty suit”, “the soft collar”, and “the empty head”. Another look at Sweigard’s work is presented in Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery ^[3] by Eric Franklin. This book reviews Ideokinesis and expands the base with biomechanical / anatomical principles and outlines exercises to improve misalignments. Both recognize the power of using images to release blocks and allow the body’s wisdom to organize movement.

How much should you talk about at one time?

There is a lot to talk about when you teach movement and we’ve covered quite a bit already. It is also important to decide how much to talk about and when to introduce information during the workout. You can certainly overwhelm a client by firing multi level cues that compete for their attention. It is better to choose what area you want to work on and limit cueing in order to help the client focus.

Let’s make a plan of action. First things first, as they say. Clients need to know choreography, as previously mentioned. When you are sure they can move through the exercise you will begin to assess performance and give feedback. This is the time to remember to “look at the whole picture”. It is easy to miss rounded shoulders or a shortened neck if your entire focus is on leg circles. Our well chosen cues bring awareness and direct or redirect the client’s focus. We help provide conscious feedback between their brain and their body. Remember to use all cues available to you, both verbal and non-verbal. Demonstrate unfamiliar exercises to avoid keeping the client in an awkward position. Tactile cueing can be compelling or can cause a person discomfort. You must find your own comfort level when deciding to use touch. One brief point, be mindful in using those “tried and true” cues such as “saw off your baby toe” in the saw. It may become the goal of the exercise instead of a well thought out image that leads and directs the movement.

Have we answered the question of what cues do? The purpose of cues is:

• Communication!
• Convey information
• Transmit knowledge
• Disclose information
• Pass on expertise
• Interface with clients
• Reveal and empower
• Converse: It’s a two way street.
• Observe and report what we see
• Announce their success
• Proclaim their victory
• Relate to another human being

Teaching demands a great amount of energy and imagination on your part. How will you continue to be inspired as a teacher?

• Read
• Do
• Think
• Workshops
• Take classes
• Have a mentor
• Be a mentor
• Listen
• Explore
• Have fun

The art of cueing creates a relationship between you, the trainer, and your client. You serve as a non judgmental observer, a coach and an enthusiastic motivator interested in their success. What you say, how you say it and which words you choose to paint your picture have great power. Your words and images are repeated in your client’s mind after your appointment and have an impact on the rest of their day. It is important to remember this and create your script with that in mind.

References

1. Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, Editor Robert K. Barnhart, Larousse Kingfisher Chambers Inc. 95 Madison New York, NY 10016, 2006.
2. Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery, Franklin, Eric, Human Kinetics, Champaign, Il. 1996.
3. Human Movement Potential, Sweigard, Lulu E., University Press of America, Harper & Row Publishers, Inc., Lanham, MD. 1974.

When I say Postnatal Pilates, I am talking to all mothers. Many of these tips are important for those of us with new babies, but much of this applies to mothers with big boys and girls as well.

Before beginning a program after having a baby, you need to be released from the doctor. Instructors should not let you start without clearance from your doctor. It is usually six weeks before you can exercise and for good reason. Six weeks goes by fast and your body needs this time to begin the process of returning to normal. Once you have the physician’s release…get moving!

Cardiovascular exercise needs to be a part of your program

Find a mode of exercise that works for you. Walking is a great way to start. If you can put the baby in the stroller and start walking, you will feel great. Whether you are using your stroller for casual walking, power walking or jogging, be aware of your posture. Many moms round their shoulders forward while pushing the stroller which can lead to poor posture. As you push the stroller, work to bring the shoulders back and down to engage the muscles in your upper back. Feel the muscles surrounding your shoulder blades sliding the shoulder blades down the back into a “V”. These are the scapular stabilizers which are important for good posture.

Engaging the scapular stabilizers is an exercise you should practice throughout the day every day. Moms round their shoulders most of the time and don’t realize their posture is changing. They round over while breastfeeding, holding the baby, picking up the baby, playing with the baby and with toddlers as well. We round over when we go on the computer and when we are in the kitchen. It becomes such a comfortable position that this becomes how we sit and stand in every day situations. You can see the pattern and why we have to work consistently every day to change it. Pilates is a great place to start for improving your posture.

Pilates is amazing for so many reasons for moms, including posture, breathing, strengthening the pelvic floor and the deep core muscles. Posture is one of Pilates’ specialties. We work the scapular stabilizers in every exercise. When starting Pilates, it is beneficial to work privately with a well-trained instructor first. Optimally, most people continue private training, move into small group classes or work on their own with the guidance of their instructor periodically. The benefits of Pilates are much greater when a well-trained instructor is involved.

Two Pilates exercises on the foam roller for engaging the scapular stabilizers

Both exercises can be done on the floor without a foam roller as well.

Scapula Isolation Begin lying supine on the foam roller with your arms reaching to the ceiling, knees bent, feet hip-distance apart and pelvis in neutral. Inhale to reach farther and feel your shoulders leave the foam roller. As you exhale, feel as if your shoulder blades return to wrap around the roller. Repeat 5-8 times.

Elevation and Depression of Scapula Begin lying supine on the foam roller with your arms extended to the floor by your side, knees bent, feet hip-distance apart and pelvis in neutral. As you inhale, slide your shoulder blades up your back and bring your shoulders to your ears. As you exhale, slide your shoulder blades down your back and press your shoulders away from your ears. Repeat this 3-5 times.

Postnatal health with the Pilates Principles

Pilates focuses on engaging the pelvic floor muscles and deep core muscles throughout every exercise, which all mothers need, but especially moms that have carried and delivered a baby in the last few months. Once your instructor helps you find and engage the pelvic floor muscles and deep abdominal muscles, you can practice this at home as well. We are all familiar with Kegel exercises which engage the pelvic floor.

Breathing techniques are also amazing when added to your daily routine. These are principles you should learn in the first session with your instructor and continue throughout your Pilates training and daily life. Breathing helps relax you and reduce the tension in your neck and shoulders. Proper breathing during Pilates will teach you to engage the deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.

All moms know that our time is precious. To make the most of this time, start with an instructor for at least 3-5 sessions to learn the Pilates principles. Continue with private sessions if you are able. Once you have done the introductory sessions, the instructor will know if you need more guidance before entering a group class. Group classes are very beneficial when you are at a Pilates Studio because the classes should be small. You want to be in classes that are 4-6 people and taught by a professionally trained instructor. With a small foundation of private sessions, group classes are beneficial and fun.

You don’t want to completely be on your own until you feel that the Pilates principles and exercises are well understood. Practice on your own at least once/week while staying involved in private sessions or classes. Take questions and concerns to your instructor when either you are not feeling an exercise, or an exercise does not feel good for some reason.

Pilates instructors should not only teach Pilates principles and exercises, but also encourage a healthy lifestyle, without going outside of our expertise. As we all know, there is more to being healthy and losing weight than just exercise. If a client needs expertise outside of our field, we should refer them to a professional that can help them.

When trying to get that extra weight off and just feel a little more energized, water and nutrition are two important factors as well. As you run around, keep a bottle of water with you. Our body needs water for many reasons, but we don’t always think about our metabolism as one. Our cells are at least 90% water and need a continuous supply for healthy function. Breastfeeding moms especially need extra water to stay hydrated. Trade that soda for a cup of water or brewed green tea. It may take time, but try adding an extra cup each day to keep yourself hydrated.

Some basic nutrition tips can make a world of difference

If you feel you really do eat healthy, but you are not reaching your goals, it is great to seek the guidance of a nutritionist. Be honest with yourself first and look at what you are putting in your mouth. Here are general nutrition questions we ask our clients:

1. Are you drinking enough water?
2. Are you drinking soda (diet or regular)? How many? Neither is good.
3. Do you eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and healthy snacks? You should.
4. Do you eat real food or is it mostly snack bars, processed food or fast food? You need to eat whole foods. What are whole foods? Do the circle on the outside of the grocery store. Eat real vegetables, real fruits, and real meat. Avoid preservatives. Your body loves real food and you will notice the difference.
5. How much sugar do you eat?
6. Do you eat a lot of fried foods?

It is important to say one more time to be honest with yourself about what you are putting in your mouth.

It is hard to get sleep, I know. Try to just catch up at least once/week with a nap, going to bed early or sleeping in. This is hard, but you can make it happen.

Try to tackle one lifestyle change at a time. It doesn’t have to happen all at once. Every little bit helps lead to a healthier life and helps you to feel the best you can.

To accommodate our busy schedules, we tend to favor workouts that allow us to condition for cycling and our other favorite sports without injuring ourselves. It is with this experience in mind that I developed a program, Pilates for Athletes, to help cyclists become pedal powerhouses in no time flat.

Pilates’ integration of the trunk, pelvis, and shoulder girdle, as well as its emphasis on proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and smooth flowing movement, allows cyclists and athletes of all kinds to access each part of their body individually and become familiar with their functional mechanics.

A recent study of 15 competitive cyclists found that when abdominal, back, and oblique muscles fatigue, pedaling mechanics falter. Your core is the platform from which your legs push; when it cracks, so do you. The Pilates for Athletes program addresses this issue and helps keep your center rock-steady by following three Pilates concepts:

• Heel-to-Buttock Connection (ex. Footwork on the Reformer with heels on footbar)
• Rib-to-Scapula Connection (ex. Long Box on the Reformer Pulling Straps)
• Three Anchors: low abdominals, inner thighs, and gluteus/hamstrings
(ex. Using the Power Circle between the knees to engage and connect the three anchors)

Let’s not forget the mental part of sport. Once you have established the physical fitness you need to finish strong. Your mental fitness is what sets you apart as an athlete. By incorporating the elements of mind-body-spirit into the Pilates for Athletes program, clients are able to practice “keeping their cool” under workout stress by incorporating two Pilates principles: concentration and breathing.

Through concentration you can focus on the task at hand: pedaling your bike as fast as possible even when your legs are screaming.

Proper breathing avoids gasping by expanding your lungs using your diaphragm. Good breath technique will help you find your rhythm, rid yourself of undue stress, and increase energy and power output.

When you top your next climb, I hope you still have the energy to smile. Ride within yourself to be the best athlete you can be.

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” –Lance Armstrong

Toe Taps/Knee Lifts Bring legs to table-top and hands to the side. Alternate reaching each foot to the floor and returning to table-top, while maintaining stabilization in your torso, pelvis and lower back.
Ab Prep Lying on your back, inhale to prepare. Exhale, lift your head and chest, reaching your hands to the opposite wall, and scooping your deep abdominals as you lift. Inhale, stay and intensify the scoop and exhale to lower.
Single Arm Balance Alternate arms while both feet are table-top. Another option is to alternate reaching one or both arms off the floor while one leg is table-top and one foot is touching the floor.
Swan Place your forearms on the roller with feet apart and laterally rotated. Lift your head, chest and abdominals into the Swan as the roller moves toward you. Feel the energy reach out of your toes and head. Keep your abdominals engaged to support your lower back. You should not feel discomfort in your back. Stabilize your shoulder blades and keep the muscles surrounding your rib cage engaged.
Side Forearm Plank Start on your forearm on your side with the roller under the outside of your lower leg. Hold the plank first lifting in your side closest to the floor, keeping your hips stacked. Once you feel stable, try to lift the top leg and hold. Try this position on the floor without the roller first.
Scissors Begin with your feet extended directly toward the ceiling. Inhale to prepare, and exhale open the legs to a scissor position, keeping the lumbo-pelvis region stable and reaching the energy out of the toes. Inhale to bring the legs together, and exhale to control the scissor motion in the opposite direction.

This is a nice combination of balance, strength and stretch to give your clients that are ready for something new. Have fun and keep your Pilates principles in mind throughout each exercise. Start today and purchase your foam roller at Amazon.com.

It’s interesting to watch people breathe. As Pilates instructors we are keyed into it not only for ourselves but for our clients. We watch them and ask them to be aware of their breath because it will facilitate their ability to exercise and to maximize their exercise experience. It’s amazing how utterly unaware people are of their breath.

When a new client comes to you, it’s a good bet that one of the first things you do with them is observe their breathing patterns (whether they know it or not.) From my perspective, I believe that only a small percentage of humans take full, deep breaths. Most breathe very shallow, barely inflating their lungs at all. You can see their bellies or chests rise as they inhale and when they exhale you wait for them to expel all the air but it doesn’t seem to happen. One of the biggest challenges we face is getting our clients to breathe properly and efficiently and become fully aware of their breath. Accomplishing this will help them better understand each exercise and ultimately reap more benefits from doing Pilates (and any other exercise.)

So what is it about the breath that makes it so important?

The obvious answer is that it draws in oxygen on the inhale and eliminates carbon dioxide and other waste and impurities on the exhale. The breath can also be a reflection of one’s state of mind. When nervous or anxious, the breath shallows and speeds up and it may become difficult to focus. This is the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system kicking in. For those who recognize awareness and control of the breath, those symptoms can be reversed by consciously slowing the breath and fully inhaling. It is an excellent example of how breath can be the link between the mind and body.

Consciousness of breath during exercise helps clients better engage their abdominals while providing some sort of rhythm for movement. Lateral ribcage breathing facilitates engagement of the deeper abdominal muscles and intercostals because these muscles are recruited to help expel air from the lungs, sort of a squeezing or wringing of the lungs. By having the awareness, clients can more efficiently use this wringing to fully exhale which in turn can help them feel the activation of the deep abdominal muscles.

Sometimes getting a client to understand the linking of breath to movement can be one of the most daunting tasks we face. It can be frustrating for both of you but the payoff is certainly worth the effort. You can almost see it in their faces when they finally “get it.” Once that is accomplished they will most certainly get more out of their workouts both physically and mentally. One of the best compliments you’ll ever get is when a client tells you how aware they’ve become of their breath when they aren’t with you.