Peta's A-Z of Pilates: K is for...

K is for...

Kinaesthetic

Kinaesthetic awareness refers to our ability to navigate space and our awareness of how we move. Different people have different levels of kinaesthetic awareness, but it is an ability that can be lost if it is not used.

When we perform a new exercise for the first time, it may feel that we don't have complete control of the movement. However, with practice our body learns the movement more efficiently, and we train our muscles gradually - reducing extraneous movements to perfect the movement.

Standing posture is a good example of how use our kinaesthetic awareness. If your head is too far forwards, realigning it so it's in line with your spine will improve your head position and realign your posture over time.

Peta's A-Z of Pilates: J is for...

J is for...

Joint Mobility

Joint mobility is at the heart of Pilates. Painful joints are a common problem in today’s world; sedentary lifestyles mean that our joints are not moving the way they should be.

When we are not using our joints they stiffen up and can cause referred pain to other parts of the body. When we exercise our joints are flooded with synovial fluid which lubricates the joint, making movement easier and more efficient.

When we concentrate on mobilising a joint we improve its range of movement, releasing tight muscles and helping to realign it to its optimum position.

Creating mobility in joints improves our ability to do every day activities and preserves the health and longevity of the joint.

Peta's A-Z of Pilates: I is for...

I is for...

Isolation

Isolating a movement helps us to truly focus on the action and control the movement more efficiently.

Learning new movement patterns which correct poor postural alignments is done by isolating the movement from others, so that you concentrate on the muscle that needs to fire up.

This is seen when we try to realign the upper spine from a curved slouched position to a lengthened and supported position. When we focus on lifting the breast-bone upwards in isolation, it has the desired effect: shifting the shoulders backwards, and lengthening and lifting the upper back to immediately improve posture when standing or sitting.

Peta's A-Z of Pilates: H is for ...

H is for ...

Holding

Holding a movement in space allows us to intensify the muscle action.

This should not be confused with holding your breath, which is not helpful because it restricts the amount of oxygen reaching the muscles. And we don't want you to pass out!

Holding a movement for a few counts concentrates the contraction or the lengthening of a muscle and is very beneficial. It works the muscles at a deeper level and stimulates them to fire-up and strengthen.

This also applies to stretching movements, if they are performed slowly and with care we can benefit from holding the end range movement for a few counts before returning to the starting position.

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Peta's A-Z of Pilates: G is for ...

In Peta's A-Z of Pilates, G is for ...

Goals

Setting yourself achievable goals will help focus your mind on what you want to get from your Pilates. Make your goals "SMART": Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed.

Specific: We all want to 'get fitter', but it's more useful to know what particular aspects of fitness you are you going to work on. This also helps to keep your goals measurable...

Measurable: Giving yourself a goal that can be quantified with time, reps, or distance is ideal. This could be as simple as being able to touch your toes in a forward bend! When you can measure your progress towards your goal, you will be motivated to keep working at it.

Achievable: Get help from your Pilates teacher to identify goals that are important for you, and how to reach them within your range of abilities and within your budget.

Realistic: If your goal is measurable and achievable it is also likely to be realistic - you need to be able to get there as the person you are today, not as an imaginary perfect version of yourself.

Timed: Without a deadline you are less likely to succeed. Thinking about when you want to achieve your goal will also help you plan how you will fit your Pilates practice into your life.

7 Top Tips for Pilates Day

7 Top Tips for Pilates Day ...that you can do right now!

1. Stretch your spine out. Reach your arms above your head, and lift your ribs up away from your hips ... feels lovely. Try and do this every day.

2. Correct your posture. Stand with your shoulders and bottom against a wall, just touching it but not leaning. Now gently press the back of your head towards the wall.

3. Squeeze your pelvic floor by rocking your hips forwards, backwards, and side to side.

4. Walk tall! Look straight ahead not at the ground.

5. Support your back by placing a rolled up towel or lumbar support behind your lower back.

6. Reduce joint stiffness by circling your ankles, wrists, and shoulders.

7. Ease stress by breathing deeply into your lungs. Place your hands on your rib-cage, and inhale so that your hands move away from one another as your ribs expand.

Have a happy and relaxing Pilates Day!

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Peta's A-Z of Pilates: F is for ...

In Peta's A-Z of Pilates, F is for ...

Flow

Flowing moves are achieved when the body is balanced. With practice extraneous movements can be eliminated from our movement patterns, which in turn allows for a more smooth and graceful movement to develop.

We should strive to perform exercises with precision and care and let our movements flow naturally from one exercise to the next.

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