An Ideal Fit  Issue: June 2006

by Daniel Wilson

The low-impact, strengthening principles of Pilates make it a perfect exercise practice for most Baby Boomers.

Pilates continues to gain momentum as a form of exercise, and shows no signs of slowing down. According to the 2005 SGMA Topline Report, the number of Americans practicing Pilates between 2001 and 2004 has increased by an astounding 500%.1 The practice has also caught fire in the rehabilitation and physical therapy arenas. Many practitioners have discovered that its low-impact principles—core stabilization, breathing, muscle performance, and motor control—are the same concepts that form the basis of most rehabilitation and therapy. Pilates is also a versatile form of treatment, because the extensive exercise and movement repertoire can be adapted to fit the needs of each patient.

Today’s PTs use Pilates to treat a variety of ailments, from osteoporosis to neuromuscular disorders. Also, many PTs are also discovering that Pilates is an ideal form of rehab for one of the largest and most financially stable segments of the population—Baby Boomers.

BOOMERS IN AMERICA

According to a recent demographic profile featured on metlife.com, there are now approximately 77 million Baby Boomers in America. Loosely defined as those born between the years 1946 and 1964, these individuals represent nearly 27% of the entire population, and 32 million of them are over the age of 50. Baby Boomers have a combined spending power of $1.1 trillion and the lowest poverty rate of any US demographic, making them the single strongest economic segment in the country.

With a twofold perception nationwide that we are currently experiencing declines in both the quality of medical health care, as well as with insurance reimbursements, the Boomers are using their spending power to invest in their own wellness.

“The economic climate of the health care industry has forced the older population to become self-educated about their health,” says Sherri Betz, PT, who works with many older adults as owner of TheraPilates in Santa Cruz, Calif. “Modern technology—like the Internet—has given them the means to discover new wellness options, such as Pilates, which are outside the standard medical model.”

Pilates and Pregnancy: Safe Ab ExercisesPilates Ab exercise for pregnant women
 By Debbi Goodman, MSPT
Pilates is a wonderful form of exercise for pregnant women. Through Pilates, women can stay strong and fit throughout their pregnancies. Pilates can help women stay connected to their changing body, improve posture and reduce pregnancy aches and pains. However, Pilates instructors working with this population need to be knowledgeable about the anatomical and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy, as well as about the birth process. In addition, it is extremely important that Pilates instructors have a clear understanding of how pregnancy affects the abdominal muscles. 
Pregnancy: A Real Ab Stretch

During the course of pregnancy, the abdominal muscles will stretch by over 50 percent of their original length. Strengthening the abdominal muscles is critical during pregnancy to help support the growing uterus, decrease lumbar compression and reduce pelvic pressure. Women who practice safe abdominal strengthening during pregnancy have less low back pain, less pelvic pain, better mobility, easier deliveries and faster recoveries. 
During pregnancy, a hormone is present, called relaxin, which helps to increase laxity of all the muscles, joints, ligaments and joint capsules. The purpose of this hormone is to increase mobility of the tissues so that the body is able to accommodate the rapid fetal growth and prepare the body for delivery. The abdominal muscles are most directly affected by the growing fetus and have the ability to stretch significantly as the fetus grows. 
The Diastasis Recti

At about 20 weeks and often sooner for a second pregnancy, the rectus abdominus will begin to separate along the linea alba with the two rectus halves moving laterally. This is called a diastasis recti.

  
This is a normal occurrence during pregnancy, and this will occur in almost all women. However, when the diastasis recti occurs, there is less support for the lower back, which often results in an increase in low back pain or other discomforts. In addition, women who do not control the size of the diastasis may have difficulty closing it postpartum and may be at risk for an umbilical hernia, especially if there is a subsequent pregnancy without proper closure of the separation. 
Exercises to Avoid During Pregnancy

Pilates instructors working with pregnant women need to pay careful attention to making sure the chosen exercises are appropriate for this group. Exercises that make the diastasis worse are any movements that require the rectus abdominus to contract strongly against gravity. When the rectus is asked to contract strongly, if the integrity of the muscle is lost, the two halves of the muscle will shorten and contract as two separate units with each half moving laterally. This, in turn, opens the separation further. 
Precautions need to be taken during any supine exercises that involve lifting the head and shoulders off the ground or lifting both lower extremities off the ground, as well as during plank or push-up positions. 
This means that many of the traditional abdominal exercises in the Pilates repertoire are not going to be appropriate and may be potentially dangerous with respect to opening the diastasis. Therefore, the Pilates instructor must be skilled in the ability to modify the program and knowledgeable about safe choices for pregnancy. It is also valuable for Pilates instructors to have knowledge in how to palpate a diastasis so they can screen clients who might be at risk for this abdominal muscle issue. 
Safe Pregnancy Training

Safe abdominal strengthening during pregnancy should look deeper than the rectus and focus on training of the internal obliques and the transversus abdominus (TVA). Training of the TVA is particularly beneficial because contraction of the TVA directly supports the uterus, and a well toned TVA will help keep the rectus halves closer together and prevent the diastasis from opening excessively. Therefore, TVA training can reduce the size of the diastasis. In addition, training the TVA also helps women prepare for delivery, as one of the roles of this muscle is to assist during forceful expiration (i.e. pushing). 
Training of these muscles can occur in all positions, but pregnant women are often most comfortable in sitting and quadruped positions, especially as the pregnancy progresses.
Gentle supine abdominal exercises—such as knee folds, heel slides, pelvic tilts and head lifts—are acceptable and are often much more challenging than one would expect as the abdominal muscles are becoming increasingly weakened. 

Basic Abdominal Program for Pregnancy

Here are some examples of basic core exercises that should be included in every pregnant woman’s exercise program:
Seated or Quadruped Transversus Contraction

Helpful for minimizing diastasis, stabilizing spine and pelvis, and maintaining abdominal tone during pregnancy; essential after pregnancy. Transversus is easier to contract seated or on all fours versus lying down. Good position to begin training.
Seated Transversus: Start seated with body weight centered over pelvis and shoulders aligned over pelvis, practice pulling belly button to the spine without allowing ribcage to shear forward. 
1. 30-Second Hold: Begin with a belly breath and expand the body, then exhale and move the belly button toward the spine. Hold it here for 30 counts. End with a belly breath.
2. Contracting Transverse: Same position as above. Inhale and expand body. Exhale all the way to the spine, hold for one count and then repeat 50-100 reps. 
Quadruped: This position is beneficial as it takes weight off the pelvic floor and helps to increase perineum circulation. 
Start on hands and knees with hands lined up with shoulders and knees lined up with hips; the spine should be neutral. If wrists are a problem, use fists on the floor. Allow belly to sag toward floor (without changing spine alignment), then pull belly button to spine maintaining neutral spine. Repeat 50-100 reps.
Supine Transversus Contraction: This is the most difficult position in which to engage the transversus due to decreased proprioception. 
Start lying on the back with bent knees, feet on the floor hip-width apart. Begin exercise with a belly breath, then exhale belly to the spine without doing a posterior pelvic tilt. Exercise can be performed using the 30-second hold, contracting transversus, or use traditional abdominal stabilization techniques such as knee folds while keeping the trunk stabilized. 
Sample Prenatal Mat Workout 

Now that you know the basics, here’s an example of safe mat exercises for pregnant women:
Saw

Spine Twist

Modified Roll-Up/Roll-Down

Mermaid

Rowing 3,4,5,6

Spine Stretch Forward

Chest Expansion

Legs Against the Wall

Modified Hundred—kneeling or supine with one leg at a time in table top

Neck Roll—seated

Swimming—hands & knees

Shoulder Bridge
To Learn More

Working with pregnant women can be extremely rewarding, but this is a population that requires special attention. Instructors working with this population should take the time to learn about the process of pregnancy and how it affects the musculoskeletal system. Instructors need to understand the precautions of working with this group to insure that the exercise programs are meeting the needs of this unique population. See The Pilates Bookshelf: Top Pregnancy Resources for a list of my recommendations for quality books and resources about maternal fitness.
About the Author

Debbi Goodman, MSPT is a licensed manual physical therapist with specialties in women’s health, dance medicine and sports medicine. She has been a physical therapist for Westside Dance Physical Therapy, New York City Ballet, School of American Ballet and the Kane School of Core Integration. Debbi has had a private women’s health/orthopedic practice in New York City, and since moving to the Albany area in 2004, she has developed a private practice in the Capital District. Debbi is one of the few physical therapists trained in internal evaluation and treatment of the pelvic floor muscles. In addition, she is specifically skilled in treatment of pregnancy problems including: sciatica, back/neck pain, pelvic pain and rib pain, and postpartum problems including: cesarean section recovery, urinary incontinence, pelvic/vaginal pain and post-delivery scars. Debbi also teaches continuing education workshops for physical therapists, trainers and Pilates instructors focusing on educating professionals on exercise during pregnancy, and she is an instructor for prenatal and postpartum group fitness classes.
RELATED ARTICLES

The Pilates Bookshelf: Top Pregnancy Resources

Restoring the Floor While Integrating the Core: 6 Essential Moves for Postpartum Health, by Dawn-Marie Ickes

Studio Profile: Centered

Balanced Body COREterly
Spring/Summer 2015
COREterly Marketeer
Men: The X-Factor of Pilates
by Dan Wilson

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared in the 2015 Balanced Body catalog.

It’s no secret that most Pilates participants around the globe are women. But the frustrating question is why? When you look at the origin of Pilates it really seems that this is an exercise that men should flock to. It was designed by a man who was a former boxer and gymnast in order to rehabilitate wounded internees during World War 1. How manly is that?

So, how do you get your average guy to try Pilates? Well, just about every man wants to be an athlete, and Pilates can improve athletic ability. Runners can shave seconds off their times, baseball players and golfers hit the ball farther, etc. And they can do this with less chance of injury.

In fact, that the one sector of the male population that is using Pilates is a sector that most men would like to be part of — elite athletes. Many of Balanced Body’s clients are teams from the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as well as gold-medal winning Olympic athletes. Any studio who markets this point stands a good chance of increasing their male clientele.

One studio owner who realizes this is Page Sieffert, owner of Pilates Nosara in Nosara, Costa Rica. Page started a group classes specifically for men. “Their wives were all clients of mine and they were sick of hearing their husbands complaining about their backs, necks, etc. so they made them come to see me,” says Page. “There was some initial interest but also a bit of skepticism. One male client was a rugby player, and all of them were avid surfers. When I told them that this form of exercise could make them better surfers, I had their interest.”

Page designed the class a little differently than her other women’s classes. Cueing was a little more direct and verbal. And she chose exercises that had a more physicality and cardio elements. “I think men are under the misconception that Pilates doesn’t make you sweat and if you aren’t sweating you aren’t working out. Well, I can tell you, at the end of each of my sessions these are guys are dripping.”

The other dynamic that Page had to get used to was that when the men arrived they were ready to go. “There’s a bit more socializing with women,” she says. “The guys are focused on getting a good workout. I have their undivided attention for the entire hour. Teaching them is a lot of fun because they work hard, want to constantly take it to the next level with proper form, and are enjoying the results. Once they do several rigorous workouts with me they see the benefits, and intelligence in the Pilates Method, they’re hooked.”

Word has gotten around and now Page is scheduling even more men’s classes. “Other guys are seeing the results and they want in.”
Daniel Wilson is the Senior Communications Manager at Balanced Body.
What kind of results are they seeing?

Iain Ross is one of Page’s clients and is avid athlete. “I am an ex-junior international rugby player who suffered serious back trauma and was told I would never run again,” says Iann. “The last 10 years I have been so stiff and felt about 60 years old. During the last 10 months I have focused on rehabbing my body and mind. Page’s classes were the highlight of this, and now at 33 I surf better than I have ever before. Pilates will be part of my life forever.”

Adds Graham Swindell, another of Pages clients: “Because I surf 350 days out of the year, my back takes a beating. After any Pilates class on the Reformer my back gets aligned again, allowing me to move painlessly in everyday routines, as well as out in the water in the lineup. If I go a couple of weeks without doing a Pilates class the pain always comes back. So it has become a necessity if I want to continue my active lifestyle.”

“Pilates just makes so much sense for guy” says Page. “If you think about it men need this type of exercise just as much as women because they tend to have less flexibility, and often unknowingly choose workouts that may lead to injury. Luckily some of the guys around here on catching on!”

Balanced Body COREterly Spring/Summer 2015
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August 2005

Pilates Provides Effective Rehabilitation for Both Body and Mind

By Daniel Wilson

Pilates and the Elite Athlete:

Finding that Extra Competitive Edge

By KEN ENDELMAN

It’s that nth degree – a percentage point in increased power or a quarter second shaved off a qualifying time– that more often than not is the difference between victory and defeat, or between an excellent athlete and a truly elite one. But how to get that little bit of extra strength or balance when training top-level athletes?

For Joerg Chabowski, ACSM, the secret to that competitive edge is Pilates. He has helped train several world class athletes, including 2004 Olympic gold medalist boxer Andre Ward and U.S. junior champion figure skater Justin Dillon. Chabowski‘s the founder of Pro-Function, a company specializing in Pilates and strength and conditioning coaching. He’s also co-founder of the Working Body, a Pilates, personal training, massage and chiropractic studio, and Integrated Teacher Training, a Pilates certification and continuing education program that features curriculum for instructors wanting to train top level athletes. He’s in good company. Many trainers of top-level athletes are turning toward Pilates.

Originally a rehabilitation system devised by Joseph Pilates for WWI soldiers, it’s a form of exercise that emphasizes the balanced development of the body through core strength, flexibility, and awareness, in order to support efficient movement. The core consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine. Control of the core is achieved by integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle as a single unit. For Chabowski there’s no doubt that Pilates and core strength can give a top level athlete that extra surge or push to put them over the top:

“An excellent training tool…” “Pilates as a method is an excellent training tool for athletes because it addresses the body as a whole instead of focusing in one area. It integrates the core and the dynamic muscles that are used to perform an activity. This helps athletes tap into their deeper layers of muscles and really maximize their performance.”

When a trainer looks at an athlete – even top-tier athletes – they often find that strength can be lacking in the deep core muscles, despite being strong in the dynamic muscle areas such as biceps, triceps etc. “I find that athletes, more than any other type of person, have muscular imbalances. They are doing the same rigorous activity over and over again which leads to some muscles getting stronger while others weaken, “ says Chabowski. “Pilates, as a total body-conditioning tool, is great for correcting these imbalances. It brings everything together in the deep muscle layer, giving the body more stability so the outer or skeletal muscles can function better.” Chabowski also lauds the versatility of the Pilates method because the same exercises can be used for different outcomes depending on the sport and the athlete. “I use the techniques with the mind-set of intent. What exactly am I trying to accomplish here? You can do a Pilates exercise – the hundred, for example – but what is your intent for that client? That’s what your outcome is based on. For different clients you are going to have different outcomes even if it is the same exercise.” For the athletes he trains, Chabowski creates a tailored program designed to meet the best intention for each individual athlete. In that instance Pilates is the delivery method and the program he designs within the method’s parameters will provide the desired outcome. The first component in creating that program is evaluating the athlete.

Assessing the Athlete

When clients come to Chabowski, the first thing he does is give them a very thorough assessment, looking at flexibility, muscle firing, core integration, and muscular imbalances, and more. He then discusses the results with the athlete in the context of the client’s specific goals. “Again it’s all about the intent of what you are trying to accomplish. I can be looking at two shoulder imbalances, one on a cyclist and one on a boxer. Even though they may have a similar ailment, I‘ll have to address each very differently based on each athlete’s sport and what their goals are.

Examining the Sport

The second component is to look at that athlete’s particular sport in order to determine proper body mechanics, how the sport is structured in relation to that person’s particular body movement, where it could cause injury, and possible trigger points that could lead to a potential injury. “You assess the athlete, you discuss their goals, and then assess the sport. From that you can begin to design the program,“ says Chabowski.

Designing the Program

Stability In most of his programs, Chabowski first and foremost concentrates on core stability. “A stable body’s the center of all efficient movement,” says Chabowski. “Think of building a house, then think of the athlete as the house and a stable core as the foundation. With a weak core you going to end up with a beautiful looking house but it’s going to be shaky. It’s not going to have the substance it needs, and in the end you won’t get the results you want.” Stability is also absolutely critical for athletes, to maximize power transfer within each movement. For example, Chabowski says, take a high-end racing bike. On a stable bike the power that is transferred from the pedal into the wheel, and then from the wheel onto the road, is very direct and very strong. It’s done with maximum force without any loss of power because there is no wasted movement. It’s the same with the body; if it’s stable the power transfer for athletes will be much more efficient.

Strength and Balance Next up in the program is increasing strength: “This is where the versatility of Pilates really shows its value as a training tool. When I work with athletes on strength or increasing power I might use the same Pilates exercise as I did when we worked on stability. However, there ‘s a different emphasis, and the exercise may be modified for the best results within this emphasis.” Chabowski also makes sure to include various balance exercises as a complement to the strength and stability components of his programs.

Injury prevention Based on the nature of the sport and the degree of muscular imbalances (a primary cause of injury) an athlete might have, Chabowski adds exercises to diminish those imbalances. In fact, because Pilates stresses flexibility and an even musculature, it’s becoming a critical injury prevention tool for many teams in the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as it helps an athlete stay on the field and out of the trainer’s room.

Working with Ward To illustrate how his Pilates and stability program worked for a particular athlete, Chabowski references his experience working with boxer Andre Ward before the 2004 Olympics. “His trainer actually came in and took Pilates for himself first. He saw the benefits of core strength and stability and brought Andre in. He’s a tremendous physical specimen with an already successful strength and power development program in place. My piece of the puzzle was working with Ward on core integration and stability,” says Chabowski. As an elite boxer Ward had good core stability but wanted more – that little extra edge that would allow him to be the best he could be. “By just having a tiny bit more stability you can generate more power in a punch using the same amount of strength. He just needed to increase his core stability by a little to maximize that performance.” Chabowski had Ward go back to the basics: “I basically had him pretend that that he didn’t know anything about moving his body the right way. He was very patient in trying to re-learn how to get “into” his body in order to get even more out of it.” The goal of the program was for Ward to attain muscular co-contraction of the pelvic floor, the transverses and multifidi, by integrating their movements as a single unit, thus providing Ward with optimal stability. Incorporating work on the Reformer, Trapeze Table and mat, Chabowski had Ward start by doing small movements using basic Pilates exercises like bridging and pulling the navel down to the spine. The next step was working on exercises that focused on taking that “first engagement” of the core and transferring it out through the rest of the body.

The results speak for themselves. Ward won the gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympics and is currently undefeated as a professional. “Pilates flat out works,” says Chabowski, “and not just for top-level athletes. Everyone from teens to grandparents will benefit from that type of foundational work, whether the goal is increasing strength and flexibility, alleviating back pain, or any of the other numerous health advantages Pilates offers.”

Ken Endelman is the CEO and Founder of Balanced Body Inc.

Pilates on the Run

BY DANIEL WILSON

Pilates armwork exercises are great for this because they strengthen the mid back and the neck extensors so that a runner can hold up the head more easily.

Q: You’ve mentioned long distance running, what about sprinters? Can Pilates help?

A: Absolutely. Sprinters predominantly run on their toes. When you do that you tend to run more from your calf muscles as opposed to running from your heels and quads. That really shortens the calves. So sprinters need really strong and elongated soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. They can do things like lie supine and push off the Reformer jumpboard, or do heel drops on the footbar of the Reformer. This allows to them to stretch the calves in a non-weight-bearing position.

Q: Pilates is known as a mind-body exercise. How does the “mindbody” component help?

A: There is a natural mind-body relationship between Pilates and runners. Pilates can teach them to be more kinesthetically focused – how the head is balanced on the neck and spine, how the feet feel on the ground, whether they are running in the proper sequence, as well as breathing patterns. It is being aware of the body and how it moves in space. This can defi nitely improve performance.

Q: What kind of Pilates equipment do you recommend for trainers and coaches working with runners?

A: Most people associate Pilates with either a mat or the Reformer; both are great. But lately I’ve really been using the Pilates Chair. It provides an absolutely kick-butt strengthening workout for athletes. And now some Pilates manufacturers have redesigned the Chair to include attachments for resistance tubing. This allows runners to push and pull off the chair. It also expands the exercise repertoire to include work that could previously be done only on a Reformer. This is great for trainers who want to implement an equipment-based Pilates training program but may not have the space for Reformers.

Selected Pilates Exercises for Runners

An exercise on the Pilates Chair –  STEP DOWNS

Goal: Strengthen quads, hamstrings, glutes, abs, ankles and teach pelvic stability. Stand on the seat facing away from the pedal. Bend the front leg to 90 degrees, round the spine and place the back leg on the pedal. Press down the pedal with the back leg.

An exercise on the mat: SWIMMING

Goal: Strengthen back and hip extensors, including the erector spinae, hamstrings and gluteus maximus. Lie prone on the mat with the arms reaching overhead and legs straight. Reach one leg and the opposite arm out and up toward the ceiling. Switch the arm and leg quickly without losing the balance on the center of the torso.

Daniel Wilson is a freelance writer specializing in fitness articles.

Due to the repetitive nature of competitive running and the tremendous force put on the body, injuries to can be commonplace. The body works on a closed chain system when running. If the body is misaligned this chain can be interrupted or thrown out of balance, which can lead to injuries anywhere along that chain – from the ankles on up to the neck. Pilates is one method that trainers use to help athletes run more eff ectively. The core stabilizing principles of Pilates focus on creating an even musculature. An evenly developed body gets its power from the core and then transmits energy out to the extremities. The end result is a body that moves with maximum efficiency. And a body that moves            efficiently can not only shave valuable seconds off a time, but do it without getting hurt.

Barbara Wintroub is the owner of Retrofit Pilates Rx in Santa Monica, CA. She has worked in the medical field of Pain Management and is     certified through theAmerican Academy of Health, Fitness and Rehabilitation Professionals (AAHFRP) as a Medical Exercise Specialist. An avid marathoner who has competed all over the world, Wintroub has worked and trained with many competitive runners and feels Pilates is a phenomenal form of conditioning. Here’s what she had to say when asked how Pilates can help a runner.

Q: We all know that runners oft en get muscle-related pulls and tears. What other injuries do you commonly see in competitive runners and how can Pilates help?

A: Lately I’ve seen a lot of bad strains to the IT bands – particularly in cross-country or off -road runners. This can happen due to a variety of circumstances like a leg length discrepancy or running on a slanted surface, and end up causing major irritation on the lateral side of the kneecap. It’s extremely painful and can become chronic. Pilates has some incredible exercises – like side stretches over the short box on the Reformer- that can give a runner a fantastic stretch and elongation of the IT band. I’ve also seen a lot of shoulder injuries to long distance runners. Think about it – your arms weigh around 3 lbs. apiece, and your head weighs about 8 or 9 lbs. If that weight causes you to hunch forward – even slightly – you’ll have a tendency to let your head and arms hang which will greatly aff ect your neck and shoulders.

BalancedBody

A new year has begun and we continue to have fun in the studio!

Entering into November, we all realized we needed an incentive to stay on track over the holidays.  So what did we do you ask? The Hanging Back Challenge! This exercise is such a beautiful exercise in it’s purest form, but our focus was on the plank pull-up, for an incredible upper body exercise.  Everyone did a fabulous job and cheered each other on, which was by far the most rewarding aspect for me! Any guesses on how many pull-ups in plank were performed by 1 individual? 60!

January we kicked off another great exercise challenge for the lower extremities, the Wall-Sits. Sitting times ranged from 2-10 minutes. This once again was a huge eye opener for me. I learned not only are my clients rock-stars, but they have such incredible focus from class to class!

I’m sure you are wondering what I have up my sleeve for February? Well Core Stabilization of course! This is an exercise for your whole body!

Thank you for making my job so much fun! Claire

Pilates COREterly – Fall 2012

PILATES AND…PLAY: HOW WE LEARN TO MOVE AS ADULTS

By Deborah Marcus

From The Thinking Body, by Mabel Ellsworth Todd, 1937

• The mechanisms for breathing, locomotion and mechanical balance are deeply tied in all bodily tissues and structural adaptations for these functions are closely interrelated.
• The spine remains the fundamental basis of support and movement for all of the various vertebrate structures.

Definition of Ideokinesis as taught by Andre Bernard at NYU, 1985:

• Ideokinesis is a discipline that employs the use of images as a means of improving muscle patterns.

In 1985 I became familiar with the above while completing a Masters in Dance at NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Little did I know at the time that these words would have a profound effect on my work with students and on my own body as my dancing and Pilates practice evolved.

THE CORE

As Pilates entered popular culture, its primary benefit was distilled down to the strengthening of the abdominals, generally defined as the core. Thankfully, Pilates is much more than that. I find it interesting that the fitness seeking public latched onto this one aspect of the work when there is so much more to Pilates than simply, “the core.”

In The Thinking Body, Mabel Ellsworth Todd gives an eloquent description of the core:  “Developing the core is not a thing that stands alone, but a process of organizing many structures and systems that are tied together in one’s body through the breath.”

After 21 years of learning, practicing, and teaching Pilates, I find that this is the most challenging aspect of the work to teach, because understanding this process is dependent on each individual’s personal learning style, which changes over time.

THE ROLE OF “PLAY” IN THE PRACTICE OF PILATES

What is the role of “play” in a Pilates practice? From our earliest stage of development, we engage in movement play to make sense of our bodies. In Stuart Brown M.D.’s book entitled, Play, the function of body and movement play are illuminated: “Movement play lights up the brain and fosters learning, innovation, flexibility adaptability and resilience… Exploratory body movements…are done for their own sake; they are pleasurable and intrinsically playful. Yet they also help sculpt the brain.”¹ This connection with mind and body is, of course, a main component of Pilates. But as we age, the willingness to engage in play diminishes and it can be challenging to convince many adults of the efficacy of play in their quest for improved health and fitness.

As adults, movement play is the willingness to maintain a clear intention while pushing into the unknown. This can be done at any age with any number of structural or neurological limitations.

PILATES, PLAY, & THE OLDER ADULT

What exactly is “play?” A look into the Random House Webster’s College Dictionary will present you with 80 definitions. Here are a few of my favorites as they relate to the practice of Pilates: “action of a specified kind,” “to amuse oneself,” “to pretend to cooperate or concur,” and “to maneuver opposing groups in order to benefit oneself.”

How can we encourage and integrate the idea of play…and how do we keep learning when the brain loses adaptability and the body leans toward known movement patterns? Many of my students come to Pilates for the first time with fifty or sixty years of body history with which to contend, with while simultaneously trying to change a movement pattern. After 50+ years, the idea of engaging in play as a way to change a faulty or painful movement pattern may seem counter-intuitive.

The challenge of my job as a teacher is to communicate something that can only be understood by the student in the most personal of terms. Many components contribute to the experience of each exercise. How I order a movement sequence, the words I choose to use, the tone of my voice, where I am in the room, and any number of other variables will only be as effective as an individual’s learning style is keyed in to a specific moment.

As a student and as a teacher, to enter a room and know simply that “action of a specified kind” will occur is the nature of play. I believe a willingness to play is the perfect state of mind to adopt when taking, and to a certain degree teaching, a Pilates lesson.

Of course, familiarity with the Pilates choreography is also part of this process. Learning what to move, when to move it, etc. may be enough for a student to handle the first few months. But little by little, you can insert brief moments of “play” into your practice. Picture your hands like feathers floating on the ends of your arms when doing Swimming. It may alter your experience of your shoulders and of your “core.”  What once felt restricted may feel suddenly strong and free.