Exercise Guidelines

Every once and a while someone comes out with some new research on how much time we should spend exercising a week. Pretty consistently this comes out to about 3 hours a week.

Exercise research

Fall is fast approaching

Hey everyone-
I have reorganized class to be a 10 week session. Plan is one fall, one spring, one summer.
Different classes in different locations will be on different schedules. Hopefully, I will have a web page up in the next few weeks with a general schedule for class. I will hand out the specific schedule to each class. Picture is for your contemplation- We're always working towards creating the most efficient and intentional posture possible- labeled above as "Ideal alignment"

Class reorganization

You may have noticed that I have missed a few weeks of posts.- I apologise- I'm working on restructuring class as a 10-12 week session. I'll keep up as much as I can.


Workshop! Shoulder blades

This week we are working on shoulder blades, and how when in a neutral position, they help us activate our lower backs. The most neutral position is pinned low down our backs

Welcome Schenectady!

New class on Tuesdays in Schenectady-
This is a closed class- please contact me if you are interested...

New Classes In Albany

Wednesday
Evening class has been moved from Alzheimer's Association to:

HeartSpace Holistic
747 Madison Ave.
4:45 PM Wed
Cost $10-$15 (see pricing)

Thursday

Honest Weight Food Coop
484 Central Ave
12-1 PM Thurs
Free- sign up for 20 min private sessions at Coop

Obliques and Legs

Hey All- Obliques last week. Legs this week.
See old posts to review cues.

Hips!

Hey All!
We have been working the last week and a half on Hips. We'll continue that for the rest of this week, and we might even work on Hips for another week. Please concentrate on stretching deep into your femur/hip socket- and also on stretching your lower back/upper hip attachment.


I have also been talking about pressing the balls of your feet into the floor. This is the meaty pad below you big toe and runs across your foot to below your pinky toe.


THE SNAKE- we have also been working on the snake- a down dog/ up dog combination. Nice work so far- keep it up!

NEW CLASS IN HUDSON ON SATURDAYS

If you attend the Hudson Health and Fitness Pilates class, you know that we have run out of room! Good News:

We are adding a new class on Saturdays- The two classes will be at 9:30 and 10:30 respectively, and the class will be slightly shorter 45 (probably 50) min. On Saturday, we'll kind of take stock and see who plans on coming when.

This Starts next week- 4/12

Classic Mat Routine

Hey All! This past week was a "test." Everyone performed the classic mat routine- You all did very well, and different classes need to work on different postures/positions. I use this test to direct our workshops. The first thing I think we will be working on is:

Scapular Retraction

- that's on the agenda for this week

JOINT HEALTH-

Here is a great image of various disc problems:Notice how a normal disc looks somewhat like a gummy life saver. All of the various disc problems can cause a limitation in movement-
First, there is the mechanical limitation that the bones don't move together properly- notice how the lower osteophyte (bone spur) formation might get in the way of a spine stretch or bend.
Second, also in this disc space of the spine are thousands of nerve fibers. If the discs are not in place to protect nerves, the are "crushed" by the bones. The herniation and bulging also place a stress on nervous tissue.

Facet joint arthritis makes lateral spinal movements (side bends/mermaids) more difficult.

Lumbar Stenosis causes a compression into the middle of the spinal column. This compresses nerves for lower back and limbs.




Arthritic conditions cause movement issues mechanically- Growth of bone (or loss of bone) on the moving, articulating facets can irritate nerves in the joint and will limit range of motion. This can occur anywhere there is a bone to bone connection. I've placed here mostly images of spinal bone connections, but this is also true for shoulders, knees, hips, wrists, ANY joint
Arthritis can be local due to specific injury- accidents etc. or from uneven pressures on the joints. Rheumatic arthritis- (See pic in prev post.) would be more systematic.

Stenosis is another way that nerves are compressed and irritated. I had always believed it to be more of a cartilage compression on the central nervous cord, but this image also makes it look like bone growth into the central canal may contribute.








Several of you have at least one of these conditions and have asked about them. Everyone has different genetics and different mechanical demands they have experienced in their different movement patterns. Any bone or cartilage that is changed or moved will translate to a change in movement. Know your limits- "Own" your limits (cheesy), but really... learn to be especially strong in areas where your body might be challenging you.- Don't be afraid to be strong in a modified position. This discussion is broad, but feel free to ask me about modifications specific to your situation.

ANY Movement is a great way to keep joints mobile and healthy- Use your core muscles to help alleviate mechanical stress on your spine. Use your leg muscles to alleviate stress on your hips and knees. Dance! Walk! Swim! Run!

Pilate!

Lower Back!

Hey All- We've been working on lower back this week. I think most everyone understands water out the front (anterior pelvic tilt) and water out the back (posterior pelvic tilt). I love the illustration of this in the seated position. It's very easy to dump water out the back in the seated position- (see previous lower back post).
We tend to spend a disproportionate amout of time in a posterior pelvic tilt- from sitting at our desks, in our cars, on our soft cushy couches, so in class this week we are spending a lot of time in the anterior (water out the front) position.

A reminder: If your back is stiff following class (or any time really) , please use child's pose to relax those muscles.

Why does it all matter?
Pilates gets our bones working in a more neutral position and with a better coordinated sequence of muscular activation. This relieves some of the mechanical stress on our cartilage by encouraging muscular support of our spines, taking away some of the gravitational "squishing." Any kind of uneven pressure, even down, on the "Teflon" coated bone-to-bone surfaces can cause localized osteo (wear and tear) arthritis.


Many of you have cartilage damage; arthritis, stenosis, disk degeneration and/or compression- and others of us still may develop these limitations. Pilates can help us to avoid arthritis or slow its progression by increasing and/or maintaining range of motion in our joints. Please be aware of your limitations- work to your ability- and maybe even check in with your physician.


More on Arthritis soon...

Torso Lengthening and Spine release

For this week, we will work on adding to the breathing from last week, by releasing your spine.
This involves relaxing your spine- we will work on imprinting (this is a sink into your back, wall, floor etc., not a press) your vertebrae into your mats in various Pilates positions.

Lengthening your torso (ribs to pelvis- front and back) and also lengthening from the top of your head through your feet helps to release your spine back into your torso.

Breathing!

Welcome new class in Greenville!

This week is breathing week. We will be practicing the breathing that we have been working on in the beginning of class.
Belly Breath
Front Rib Breath &
Upper Back Breath
This last Breath is the most important!
We will be practicing this breath standing, lying on our backs, against a wall, quadraped, in a seated (mermaid) position, and lying on our stomachs.

Breathing!

Hey Everyone! I have been slacking again on posts!

We are in the middle of LEG week- there may be an old post about it... yup just checked- LEGS

Anyway, the big difference for this round of legs, is that we will be doing the single leg stretch differently. We will be getting into the position as if we were doing a lunge hug on the floor.

The missed post from last week was OBLIQUES- no new post, check out the old oblique post for some interesting (somewhat technical) links to Oblique images.

NEW CLASSES STARTING!
In Greenville and at the Co-op in Albany!
I was thinking that breathing is a really good place for new people to start with Pilates. For the rest of you, breathing is a good review. We will be working a little with pelvic floors, breathing, and doing both of these things while doing some basic rollups, 100's and flights-

stay tuned...

Registration for Greenville Class!

New Class in Greenville-
Dates: March - May -Three Month course.
When: Thursdays at 3:30PM
Where: Greenville Elementary- Room 220
Cost: $75- (if you are a member of another class and are interested, sign up through Greenville School District and Speak to me- I will arrange for a reduced price for your other class.

Register through Greenville Continuing Ed.!! - Not Me
The form is on the Right side of the page- called Continuing Ed Flyer

Lower Abs & Belly Button Release

This week I want to take a break from Planking to concentrate on initiating leg movement from your lower abs. This is similar to scooping, hollowing and drawing back through the front of your pelvis.

I'm going to cue this differently as; "releasing (sinking, dropping) the front of your pelvis back"

If you get a better "drop" ("sink", etc) with your back flat, do it- the sink is more important than the neutral (walnut space) pelvis

Also, you may have a better "sink" with a smaller range of motion with your legs.

Planks

This week, we will be working on the second half of Joseph Pilates' classic mat routine. This involves a lot of Planking. We will be building up into the different plank positions going from easier to more difficult. Don't be a hero! Work at your own pace and in your own comfort level. The goal of this workshop is to present the different options in plank positions so that you can modify as you need/want to.


















Front Plank Progression-
1. Quadraped- We'll be working on "Bulldogging our elbows under" and Serratus (Armpit) engagement
2. Quadreped Bracing- New- I found it- looks good
3. Elbow Plank
4. Full Plank











Please remember to try to allocate you weight evenly between your hands and feet.
I'll try to get a post up about the other planks ASAP- looking for good images.















I call this a Supine Plank- we only do it for leg pulls to the front
The easier position is seated- then lift one leg- we did it last week with flexed and pointed feet.

Lower Back

This week we will be revisiting lower back. Be aware of the opposition of lower back activation with lower pelvis activation. Take a look at the seated position image I posted on the previous Lower Back post.

Legs 7/23-7/28

This week is going to be leg week. We will apply our concentration on Core Principles (Pelvic Floors, Pelvis Flattened- Ribs in and Open Upper Back) - to our legs.

Maintaining a stable and centered core will make our leg work more effective.


Notice in this image of Downward Dog (guess what we're doing this week) how the front of this person's pelvis is flat- even "hollowed out"- When bent over your Pelvis- in any position- keep your "pouch/pooch" IN-
Scoop your pooch! Do not let it pop or drop out.
Also notice his? front ribs appear to be buttoned into his chest -not popped out.

New Class in Norton Hill!

Thursdays at 6PM
Route 81 in Norton Hill- In the Carney Center behind the Church.

Also Notice the format change for the Class Schedule- You can click on the link for more details about each class- This format will also allow me to keep you all appraised of any class changes or cancellations (holidays, snow days etc.).

Coming Soon!- New Class in Greenville- March-May Thursday 3PM
Location TBA- Sign up through Greenville School District Continuing Education

Opening Your Upper Back

This week we have been building on last week's workshop of Flattening your Pelvis. The basic idea is that we flatten, scoop etc. on the exhale, THEN MAINTAIN- for the inhale. This is very tough as we have a tendency to want to breathe into our bellies. Think of expanding through your upper back- it also helps to think of the "path" the air takes on your inhale. Inhale directly into the back of your head, wide into your upperback.

Flattening the front of your Pelvis

This week we are working on flattening through the front of your pelvis. We did some work on this back in September (see "Scooping"). I think we are going to do a second week of this, as it is important.
Other cues besides "flattening from three to nine" are;
"pulling back your ovaries"
"feeling the smile from three to nine"
"scooping out your intestines" and
"hollowing out your pelvis"

THE SEQUENCE OF ACTIVATION-
1. lift your pelvic floors
2. draw back the smile (hollow, scoop, etc.)
3. exhale
4. move

Notice "move" is last. Please, please, please, the goal is not a huge range of motion- the activation of the front of your pelvis is so much more important. Smaller - read less difficult- range of motion enables you to place more concentration on your pelvis.

Happy New Year!

OK OK I know- I have been remiss in my blogging duties- Anyway Happy New Year Everyone! The last few months have been crazy- For the month of December, we were working on "torso lengthening."

This has to do with "being long torso to ribs" (the box from 3 and 9 up to your ribs)- without shortening the "ear to shoulder distance."
I have been really pleased with how this has improved everyone's rolling through their lower backs- Keep up the good work!

I have also been really pleased with the change we have made to Saws- Everyone is drawing in their organs much better- We will be continuing this "scooping" or "hollowing" by concentrating on the pullback accross 3, 6 and 9- the triangle that some people call the "powerhouse"