GETTING
STARTED
This instruction is intended for those
of you who have been discouraged by traditional exercise classes.
You don't need special clothing and won't have to buy special
equipment. You will need a chair, some wall space and
fifteen minutes in the morning or evening.
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Some of
the Benefits of Pilates
Better posture, alignment
and balance
Increased flexibility and
freedom of motion
Strength and balance of
the deep muscles that support the back,
abdomen, pelvis, hips and shoulders
Relief from chronic pain
conditions
Reduction in mental and
physical stress
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A
Little About the Routine
Discover small movements. Early in the routine, you
will do small movements while you are learning to locate and
control the small, deep "Core" muscles that surround and
stabilize the joints of the spine, pelvis, hips and shoulders.
These muscles are generally underdeveloped in even the very fit.
The goal of these small exercises is to learn to stabilize the
spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle so you can gain full mobility
and better functionality of the joints of the upper and lower
limbs (hips, shoulders, knees, ankles).
Developing minor muscles naturally helps to strengthen
major muscles. As small bricks are employed to build large
buildings, so will the development of small muscles help develop
large muscles.
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For
the routine, you will need two sturdy, straight-backed
chairs (preferably with no arm), two firm pillows, and
a kitchen or bath towel |
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Posture
Place a chair in an open area that will allow enough space
to reach your arms and legs to the front and out to the sides.
Sit on the chair with at least half of each thigh supported on the
seat.
Place your feet flat on the floor about six inches apart,
toes pointing straight ahead. It is best to have your thighs
parallel to the floor. Make sure you are able to rest your
whole foot (including your heel) comfortably on the ground.
If you can't reach the ground with your feet, place a phone book
under your feet.
Center your knees over your ankles in line with your
second toe to bring your lower legs parallel to one another (this
may require a slight activation of the muscles around your hips to
keep your knees from falling in toward one another or out to the
side). If you have a difficult time keeping your knees in
place, roll up a towel and place it in between your knees as a
spacer.
Make sure your pelvis and shoulders are parallel to the
wall in front of you. Imagine your hip bones are headlights
and your lights are shining forward. Many people maintain a
slight rotation of their rib cage or shoulders, so take a moment
to look down the front of your body and line up your rib cage and
shoulders with your pelvis.
Bring your pelvis upright by sitting tall on your
"sitting bones." Then rock slightly forward onto
the front edge of your sitting bones. This position of your
pelvis (a little forward of your sitting bones) and low spine (a
concave curve) is NEUTRAL SPINE when you are sitting upright, and
you will start most exercises from this position. Support
your low back and pelvis by placing firm pillows in the space
between the back of the chair and the curve of your low back
(particularly important if you experience back strain or tension
or have a history of low back pain). Even if you have a
healthy back, the pillows will provide useful postural feedback as
you practice the exercises. Your sitting bones are the bony
projections at the base of your pelvis that serve as attachments
for several important muscle groups including the hamstring
muscles.
Breathe in. Feel your breastbone lift gently and
your ribs open out and up to the sides (imagine bucket handles
lifting away from the sides of a bucket). Elongate your
spine down through your tailbone and reach the crown of your head
up toward the ceiling to bring your rib cage upright and on top of
your pelvis. Exhale to relax your rib cage. Let your
air all the ways out and feel your stomach muscles tighten, a slow
and small burn.
Roll your shoulders up and back to open the front of your
chest (avoid squeezing your shoulder blades together). Let
your arms relax at your sides.
Lengthen your neck by reaching the tips of your ears up to
the ceiling. Imagine a string attached to the back top of
your head pulling it gently upward from the base of your skull,
bringing your face parallel to the wall in front of you.
Feel your neck as a natural extension of your spine. Imagine
your head floating freely.
Sitting correctly using your postural muscles will feel
like work if you normally tend to slump or fall back into an easy
chair...think of how much time you spend sitting (driving a car,
eating, working at a desk, sitting at a computer, watching TV, and
reading). If you normally sit using poor posture, don't
underestimate the work involved in a simply sitting upright on a
chair for a period of time. Sitting correctly is one of the
most important skills to learn and practice as you adopt better
postural habits and it may be the single most important exercise
your will ever do!
