Movements Afoot’s Blog
A BodyMind Think Tank – Taking fitness to the next levelArchive for December, 2007
Franklin Balls for release, new alignment and tone
by Lesley Powell, Director of Movements Afoot
This is a series that I learned when I was doing the Franklin Method training. Eric Franklin’s Books
Rolling on the balls is like giving yourself a massage. Tight muscles are poorly functioning muscles. Tight muscles hold the bones in positions that are not always the design of how the body works. Getting bones to move in their normal range is another way to release tight muscles.
The Wrong Fork in the Road…some more thoughts
by Kimberly Fielding, teacher at Movements Afoot
Some thoughts…in reponse to my first blog
Obesity: The Connection of BodyMind Spirit and Pilates
I first wanted to thank everyone for their support. I was so surprised and deeply touched with all the outpouring of sweet, compassionate, loving messages. It means so much to me.
After I wrote the last blog, I realized I never felt good about my body. Even when I was 80 – 100 pounds less, I always felt fat and not good enough. No one else knew those feelings plagued me…I knew, but I always thought they were natural.
Now as I work with so many clients, so many bodies I see they are all so beautiful. There is not one person whom I have worked with where I have not seen their mind and body as a piece of exquisite art. I wonder why I never appreciated my body as I danced, moved, lived and functioned in this world? Probably others saw me as I saw them. That’s when I started to wonder why I felt that way.
With all the response I received to The Wrong Fork in the Road, I want to start a class which would focus on weight and body image. Which would include Pilates and movement exercise movement, in a safe, non-judgemental environment. Please let me know if there is any interest in this type of class.
Kim
Mat I- Deceptively Simple, Deceptively Hard
by Lesley Powell, Director of Movements Afoot
How do you teach a Mat class for a multi-level enrollment of students?
One of the biggest mistakes of a beginner teacher is to rush into advanced material. Level I Pilates repertory is the foundation for all the advanced work. Without the foundations, clients will throw themselves into the exercises. Level I is a fantastic workout in itself. I practice Level I a lot.
So how do you challenge your clients and keep the mat class flowing
while you have a client with osteoporsis of the spine (no spinal flexion) and a dancer?
Let’s take Single leg stretch I
This version makes me concentrate how my lower abdominals connect. First do it slowly.
Make the client aware during the exercise;
- Are they hollowing or bulging the abdominals in the exersise?
- Do they feel their hip flexors easy? If not , are they substituting this for their core support?
- Is their back long? Do they feel the exercise in the back? Again if the back is working, the abdominals are not doing their job!
Then add Single leg stretch II for the advanced students. Do not allow the clients with osteoporsis to flex the spine.
Keep the class moving and holding positions longer. As they hold a position, keep them focusing on the essential concepts. Remember the mind connection is what will bring profound change in the body.
Start the exercise in level I. Then add a challenge in the exercise for your advanced movers.
- Flex the spine deeper
- Bring the legs lower in single leg stretch
- Repeat longer reps
- Throw the responsibility back to them. I.E. are they hollowing the abdominals in?
Pregnancy & Pilates
by Lesley Powell, Director of Movements Afoot
Our clients, who did Pilates through their pregnancy, believed it help with a more comfortable pregnancy and the childbirth. The workout should be supportive of the changes that happen to the body in pregnancy. The goals of the workout should not be progressive in making new gains in strengthen, endurance and mobility. A client should have permission from her doctor about her exercise program.
Pregnancy demands a different design of the workout. The following concepts should be intertwined through the workout:
- After 3 months, lying supine is contraindicated for long periods of time.
- It is important that the workout does not push flexibility.
- Stability training is important for the pressures of the growing baby on the spine.
- Do not overheat a pregnant client.
The weight of the growing baby in the supine position puts pressure on vessels that bring the blood supply to the baby. Possible variations for Pilates repertory.
- Footwork on the reformer, one could add a prop to have the clients half sitting (like she is in a lounge chair).
- Use of the long box to do a modified Stomach massage.
- Variations of Chest Expansion, sitting on the box or reformer, to help train the back and arms like in pulling the straps, the hundreds.
Pregnancy produces hormones that bring a new flexibility to a woman. This is preparing her body for childbirth. The pelvis needs to open to allow the head of the baby to pass through. Overstretching can affect the ligaments. This could affect the stability of the body long term. Once ligaments are overstretched, they do not return to the original length. Ligaments are not like muscles. Flexibility will return back to prior condition before the pregnancy. What is helpful is stretching the lower back due to the weight of the baby pulling the pelvis forward.
- Mermaid on the reformer or on the tower.
- Side stretches over the barrel or step barrel are wonderful.
- Cat and camel
Stability training is important. A lot of women have problems with back pain and sciatic pain. The baby puts a lot of pressure on the organs, pelvis, spine and muscles of the the hips. The psoas and the back muscles get tight with the changes in the woman’s body. Remember stability is dynamic. Alignment is changing due to the pregnancy.
- Pelvic floor training is important. It is a route to get to the transverse abdominal training.
- Training the legs to help support the spine.
- Training of the back muscles. Quadruped Exercises are great.
Ideas for training:
- Wunda Chair – leg pumps, side stretch
- Side leg springs
- Physioball
View Lesley Powell's profile
