Four Lengthening Exercises

I have a really fun client, Pat, and she is helping me demonstrate these four lengthening exercises. We are starting with a warm-up exercise that stretches the body, then we move on to Single Straight Leg Stretch, Roll Over, and Balance Control. Before you say anything about not being able to do one or more of these, please take note that Pat is a septuagenarian. (I really hope she doesn't mind me saying that!)

For our warm-up exercise, we are starting lying on our backs in neutral spine, with the knees bent, feet in line with hips.

 

 



From here, on an inhale we extend our right leg and left arm, keeping the foot flexed and on the floor, and the arm just hovering above of the ear. (Taking the arm to the floor tends to pop the ribs upward.) This should feel (I try not to say that since we all "feel" things differently, but I'm saying it anyway *wink*) very lengthening, with the energy flowing out the fingertips overhead and the extended heel. The oppositional stretch is elongating the middle of the body.

 

We return to the original position on the exhale by floating the arm down and dragging the heel back into place.

 

 

Then, we do the same thing on with the right arm and left leg...

 

 

... holding for the stretch, then returning it back to the starting position.

 

 After repeating this 2-3 times per side, we will transition into moving both arms and legs at the same time, being careful not to take the lower back out of neutral position as we do so. Repeat 2-3 times.

 

The second exercise Pat is demonstrating for us is the Single Straight Leg Stretch. Starting on our backs, we raise the left leg up toward the sky with the right leg pressing into the floor. On an exhale, we lift our head, neck and shoulders off the mat, inhaling to grab hold of the shin or ankle, making sure the lower back is imprinting into the mat. On the exhale, we are gently drawing the leg closer towards our bodies for a soft double-pulse.

 

 

Inhaling to switch legs, we exhale to do a double-pulse on the right leg with the left leg securely pressing into the floor. Note that the body does not change position as the legs switch.

 

 

Notice that Pat's feet are reaching through the arches without pointing the toes, which makes for less foot cramping. This also feels great with flexed feet for even more stretch in the hamstrings!

 

**The next two exercises should not be done if there are shoulder or neck injuries.**

 

The third exercise is Roll Over. This is one of those exercises that requires a good deal of lower back flexibility. Make sure to stay off the neck at all times, and allow the triceps to help out a good deal when learning this exercise. With these inverted exercises, the focus isn't necessarily how far back the legs are going, but how much the spine is being supported in flexion. So, keep pulling the abdominals toward the spine at all times! We are not simply folding the body!

 

Starting with both feet aiming toward the sky, we lower the legs down just below 90 degrees, then pressing the sits bones (or sitz bones, if you prefer) up towards the sky as the legs swing overhead, feet reaching toward the back wall on the inhale.

 

 

We need to remember in this position (I repeat) to stay off the neck and stay on the shoulder blades. We can either keep the legs parallel to the floor, or as Pat is showing, touching the toes to the floor behind our head.  *wow*

 

On the exhale, we roll through the spine, articulating so that we feel each vertebra coming down, increasing the mobility of the spine. Here too, the triceps can engage to keep the roll down from speeding up and the hips from crashing to the mat. The tricep work will decrease as this exercise becomes easier over time. This exercise can be repeated 3-6 times.

 

The last exercise begins the same as the Roll Over. To transition into the Balance Control, as our feet are behind our heads, the arms swim around to the sides and reach back to the feet.

 

 

Holding on to one of the ankles, the other foot floats up as high as we can make it go as we complete an exhale. The tendency here is to roll back down onto the hips. One hint to making this exercise fly is to extend the arms away from the top of the head, reaching the held ankle as far away from the head as possible.

 

 

Inhaling to switch legs (reaching the arms overhead along the floor)...

 

 

And exhaling to switch legs.  Repeat 4-6 times, or 2-3 sets total.

 

 

Finishing with both legs back, we roll through the spine, just like in the Roll Over.

 

 

So there we have it! These exercises are all great for making the spine feel more mobile and elongated. Thanks so much to Pat for letting me photograph her (Check out her awesome hand-knit socks!) and for demonstrating these wonderful exercises. I want to be like Pat in 30 years: young at heart and young in spine!

 

"The art of contrology proves that the only real guide to your true age lies not in years or how you THINK you feel but as you ACTUALLY are as infallibly indicated by the degree of natural and normal flexibility enjoyed by your spine throughout life."

~ Joseph Pilates in Return to Life Through Contrology

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 





Deeper Roots - Not So Pilates Related

     OK, so this doesn't really have much to do with Pilates, but it is certainly noteworthy. Emma and I went to the ballet tonight, the pas de deux evening, at the amphitheater in Chautauqua, NY. I had heard from a new acquaintance that Cynthia Gregory, a famous ballerina from American Ballet Theatre in the '70's and '80's was going to be visiting a friend in Chautauqua today. I carried my camera to the ballet studios where the kids took classes this afternoon in hopes of seeing her there, but she was nowhere to be found. After that I sort of forgot about the whole thing... A lost cause. Then, during intermission at the ballet performance tonight, I spot her. No doubt it's her. None. This is a woman who was one of THE ABT ballerinas of my formative years. What an icon. And here she was, in view. I prodded Emma to go get her autograph, then promptly kicked myself for not going and getting a grainy picture of her with Emma with my cell phone camera. I then texted Mark, he sent Charlie down to the amp with my real camera, and we moved our seats a few rows behind hers to catch her at the end of the show. I was so giddy and nervous my plan wouldn't work. All the little Workshop II girls streamed by her as everyone exited, not knowing who they were passing, and I was swimming against the flow, desperately trying to get to her without looking like I was stalking her. I was star struck, to say the least, and a couple hours later as I am writing this, I am still a bit jumpy. But she was so lovely, so beautiful, so sweet, and was happy to take a picture with us. I look like a deer in headlights because I just couldn't believe my eyes. There she was. And we were with her. It was a moment I won't forget.

The lovely Cynthia Gregory with Emma and me in Chautauqua, NY.

Roots

Yesterday I returned to my roots and took my annual ballet class, ballet being the thing that led me to Pilates. The special thing about it was that I took class standing at the barre next to my lovely 11 year-old daughter, Emma. This was the first time we've taken class together as students, not as teacher and student. It was fun cheering each other on silently as we executed the combinations in different groups. As Emma is trying so hard to create the muscle memory needed for ballet technique, my muscle memory kicked in, in overdrive, while the muscles didn't really have the capacity to follow through. Thankfully, I had enough of it left because of all my Pilates and Booty Barre work to get through most of class. I even surprised myself with some things, like the height of my arabesque which I am certain came from keeping my spinal muscles strong and healthy with Pilates. It is truly amazing how the body remembers movement when you have had enough repetition. It just hit home to me that even when we don't have as much time to practice Pilates as we would like, there are always benefits that we are receiving, and the body is slowly but surely filing the information for us, either in our brains or muscles. Let's not psych ourselves out by saying we are not in good enough shape to take a Pilates class, but come as you are, be smart, use modifications where necessary, and accept where you are today, making it a stepping stone for what's to come tomorrow!
                              



Emma, with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. Emma just completed her first summer ballet workshop at the Chautauqua Ballet School. JP and Patty are the directors of the Chautauqua Ballet School and Company in the summers, North Carolina Dance Theatre during the year, as well as former stars of the New York City Ballet.

The Booty Barre!

I just got word this morning that I am now officially a certified Booty Barre instructor! I'm really excited to be adding this to my repertoire. Check out the website (www.thebootybarre.com) for more information on this full-body workout that is so intense, one of my clients has said it is tougher than P90X! And this particular (female) client flies Black Hawks! So there!

Booty Barre incorporates Pilates, yoga, and a bit of dance to make for a great hour where you don't waste a second. And this workout is not limited to females. Men are fully welcome to join in the fun. I will be teaching the Plus class as well as the Flex N Flow class at Evangelical Fitness Center at 210 JPM Rd, Lewisburg, PA starting the last week of August. (I'm teaching Pilates in Chautauqua, NY until then.) The Fitness Center's phone number is 570.524.2600 and the website is http://www.evanhospital.com/health-and-wellness/fitness.

Second Generation

I just went to orientation with my daughter for her first summer ballet "camp." I felt like a teenager again looking with anxiety at all the other future ballerinas and remember wondering if I was going to match up. Being on the mother/teacher end of it is even worse, in my opinion. Any others who have experienced this? Any advice?

On the good side of this, it is exciting to see all the bright-eyed, unjaded young ladies as they are already so determined in life. I remember being there, in that state of mind. So much to look forward to. So much ahead. What an exciting time! Somehow I feel it was appropriate to be doing this on my 40th birthday. Milestones all around! I'm still young. I still have lots to look forward to. That's what I tell my clients in Pilates and I believe it for them. Why should I think any differently for myself?

School of American Ballet, 1989

Happy to Share! 2012

Sad Goodbyes...

       
     This is a photo of me from about 23 years ago at the beautiful school where I studied ballet with amazing teachers and dancers. This is the Orcutt-Botsford School of Dance (otherwise known as the Enid Knapp Botsford School of  Dance) in East Rochester, NY. After Mr. Orcutt's death, the school was purchased by St. John Fisher College, which you can see on the right side of this photo. Sadly, the college chose to dismiss Enid Knapp Botsford's wishes of keeping this amazing spot in the world for world-class ballet training. Instead, the college is moments away from demolishing it to create space for a new school of business.  My heart breaks every time I think of this happening. How fortunate I was to be one of the last generations to learn the art of ballet here from esteemed teachers such as Luba Gulyaeva, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jurgen Schneider. At the time, I took the facility for granted, not realizing that most young aspiring dancers do not get to set foot in a place like this. After having a career as a professional ballet dancer as well as a ballet teacher, I now know how special, rare, and irreplaceable this place is. I am saddened that art is once again disregarded. Two others who have graduated from the school have written this lovely article: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120517/OPINION02/120516005/Remembering-Enid-Knapp-Botsford-School-Dance
Many memories go along with this school, and those can't be demolished so easily.

Barre Certification DVD

Flex N Flow Biceps

Flex N Flow Stretch

Post Booty Barre Plus class - Nice and sweaty!

Two very gracious friends, Erin and Joce, donated time, sweat, and lots of energy to help me create my certification DVD for the Booty Barre, an amazing workout that stems from the Lotte Berk method and incorporates Pilates, dance and yoga. I know my teaching wasn't perfect due to a bit of nerves on my part, but they were the best models ever! I got nervous after completing the arm section that I hadn't actually pressed "play" properly since there wasn't a recording light on the front of the camera. So I ran over quickly to check that before we completed the remainder of the hourlong class to check that it was all OK, which, of course, it was! I could only imagine what Erin and Joce would have done to me if I had put them through a whole class only to not have it record properly! Haha! Then, during the ball section, I dropped the ball as I reached to grab it from behind my knee, and had to run chasing after it like a 2 year-old. I hope the lovely people (and I say that with all honesty as I got to meet two of them at training) at the Booty Barre will be able to see that I've studied and studied and studied for the last three weeks to teach the two types of classes with the integrity that they are seeking. I'm very excited to hear what they think!

Barre Addict

So my first barre class (yesterday) was a moderate success.  This week all I did was eat, sleep, and breathe with my Booty Barre manual just so I didn't completely draw a blank in front of a roomful of people.  The studio at Evangelical Community Hospital's Fitness Center was packed... I mean packed.  It just so happened to be all women, but I heard that some men at the gym just might be curious enough to try it.  We moved to the beat as everyone sweat buckets.  Most people loved it, or so they told me, yet some people may have tried to shoot me with eye-daggers.  I hope to have lots of returning Barre devotees!  I think the women who especially want something more cardio than Pilates thought this was a great combination of the principles of Pilates while really getting their heart rate up.  Once I get my video in and have it reviewed, I will officially be certified as a Booty Barre instructor, so keep an eye out for it at Evan's Fitness Center!  (210 JPM Rd., Lewisburg, 570.524.2600) These classes will be free with membership, which is a great deal if you investigate similar classes across the country!

Booty Barre Certification Training

I'm currently in Maryland at a weekend-long training session for Tracey Mallett's Booty Barre method. So far, I can still walk, but it's a tough workout and I really prepared ahead of time to make sure I could get through this. Thankfully! If you haven't heard of all the barre methods out there that are quickly becoming mainstream in the fitness world, they stem from the old Lotte Berk method. It's described as a combination of Pilates, yoga, and dance, and it's a full-body workout, so don't let the name fool you. (No dance experience required.) This particular method, The Booty Barre, is the one I chose after researching oodles of them. It's a lot peppier than some of them. You get to groove to a good beat for the whole class. The movements and positioning are very specific and modifications are provided for many physical issues such as plantar fasciitis, knee pain and back pain. The exercises are taught and executed with integrity. The thing I really love about The Booty Barre is the cardio intervals. Each class has at least two cardio intervals and let me tell you, you feel it! Besides the barre work, the method also includes arm, ab, back extension and flexibility sections in every class. So watch for The Booty Barre coming soon to Evangelical Community Hospital's Fitness Center in Lewisburg, PA! Join me in some serious fun that will make you feel awesome and keep you coming back again and again!

Pilates on Huffington Post

My husband is a Huffington Post addict and every once in a while I will get sucked into the endless abyss of useful and not so useful information. There are some pretty interesting articles about Pilates on there, and this one, I thought was handy for those on the fence about whether or not to jump into Pilates. The journalists write of the benefits of a single session, and the downside of the cost of getting into a routine of apparatus classes. But the mat classes, they determine, are financially doable. So take a look, and then jump on in to a Pilates class if it strikes your fancy! "We Tried It: Reformer Pilates" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meredith-melnick/pilates-reformer_b_1452732.html

I am so inspired and excited this week! I am not taking the credit for this because my client did all the work, but this particular client (and you know who you are) has been taking duet and group classes with me for almost a year and a half. She reported to me that she is over an inch taller than she was a year ago! Where the cervical and thoracic spinal areas meet has straightened (which a doctor told her could never change) and she looks fabulous! She walks with better posture and has so much more body awareness than when she began this Pilates journey. Thank you Joseph Pilates! And to all my clients who would like to run with this and grow to be 6 feet tall, well, I guess everyone is allowed her own dreams. I'm off to having sweet dreams myself now. Ciao!