Editorials

Have just been asked to do an Editorial for a newsletter by Well Fit based
 here in Cornwall....on Pilates (what else?) ...so this is a trial run

http://www.getwellfit.co.uk/

 Peace, Prosperity & Pilates

The 8 principles of Pilates include precision, focus, concentration, routine..as you move with precision, you focus on each muscles you are using, as you concentrate and work through the class you may feel muscles you never knew you had, and as you embrace Pilates in your daily routine as well as weekly classes, your body shape changes, friends notice your shape changes, you may look taller as your spine lengthens, neck lengthens, shoulders  are drawn away from your ears.  Anyone who has been practicing Pilates for a while knows all this to be true, and knows the deep stabilising  abdominal muscle is just the start of it, as the whole body is retrained to be balanced throughout .
So as you relax(hopefully!) throughout Christmas & the New Year, maybe starting Pilates and changing your body is going to be a New Years Resolution for you, if so, welcome aboard! Its not just for Rehab and bad backs, its for everyone.

Abs, back, maintaining a strong back for life..if you have back pain or not!

  
maintaining a mild contraction of the abdominal wall can help ensure sufficient spinal stability, but for some its not as straight forward as it sounds..as some tend to push the abs out..lie on your side, rest your head on a pillow/cushion,place your flat palm against your lower abs, just below your navel, push the abs out, now draw them away from your hand, do it again..now start to tie your breath it, exhale as you draw the abs in inhale as your release, have another go...try about 8 times, now do it seated and standing, dont squeeze your glutes though (bottom muscles!) as this is deep work, the deep ab muscle thet strengthens your back is attached to your spine and is below 3 other muscles, keep the work deep..

take time to look at your hip bones, are they level? is one higher than the other?
Stand up, look at yourself in a full length mirror, is your bum tucked underneath you, or is it pushed away from you?  have you never looked before? start from now, and look everyday..you look at the TV everyday so why not take a few mins and look at your body everyday..dare you!

To reduce your back pain tuck your tailbone under, then push it away from you, s-l-o-w-l-y..repeat 5 times...then stop halfway between these 2 positions...your pubic bone (dont be shy!) and your hip bones are all on the same level arent they?? check! if not make the adjustment, even if its a centimetre.
2 basic things to put you on the road to a stronger back for life, now all you have to do is remember and use this all the time, 24/7, at work and play..always..as back injuries usually happen when you are distracted, when you are lifting something at work and not concentrating, when you take the washing out of the machine , bending and rotating the torso as you pull the washing out..focus on your position until it becomes 2nd nature, take care of yourself!

Level 3 Pilates Instructor..ooeerr..responsibility...

yes, I passed, at last...I was as nervous as a nervy thing...thanks to everyone for their kind words and the cards..very kind as always..but anyway...back to reality..now I'm concentrating on classes and 1:1's..its getting busy folks ..!

Im going to scan some attachments later, not now as about to wander off to teach. These attachments are pics from Stuart McGills back care book, Ive been back on it, reading up about disorders and how we move from day to day.. its about distinguishing hip flexion from lumbar flexion..sounds technical..maintaining a mild contraction can help ensure sufficient spine stability too.

try this...take a broom or a feather duster, and imagine  a big nasty cobweb in one of the top corners of the lounge...get rid of it, (maybe theres one there already!) but stop before you lift your arm, look at your pelvis, your back, as you reach are you in neutral or are you sticking your tailbone too far out, arching your back? even a simple task like this will cause your back to twinge...

Neutral vs Tucking

Ive attached a link...have a read..it will take 5 mins of your valuable time and your abs, back and whole body will love you for it..this is why we dont TUCK the pelvis underneath...as I was taught for a couple of years....Neutral pelvis ..please...if you go to a Pilates class and the teacher tells you in the first 5 mins to tuck your pelvis under and doesnt then go on to say ..now go into neutral.. then leave the class...take your valuable Pelvis our of there pronto kiddo...its not rocket science..and it take seconds to say in a class..no excuse really...

http://pilates.about.com/od/technique/ss/pelvic-alignment-exercise.htm