BODY
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Morton’s Foot
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As a pilates instructor, I see a lot of feet. Feet come in all shapes, sizes, toe nail polish colors, tattoos, toe rings, low arches, high arches…. the list goes on. Feet also come in different levels of cleanliness, but that’s topic for a future post!
Another thing that separates one foot from another is toe […]
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Pilates Leg Work- Inner Thighs
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In pilates, your inner thighs really get a workout because they are actually part of your core. They are just as important to connecting to your midline as your abdominals are.
Here are some exercises on the mat and on the equipment, that can be easier, smoother, and felt more deeply when using and thinking about […]
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Pilates Leg Work- Back of the Legs
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A strong core is necessary to support your body through its daily movements and to help you excel at the other sports and activities you participate in. Of course, you also need strong legs to actually execute those activities! Thankfully, pilates works out your whole body, including your legs. In fact, there is a pilates […]
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The Layers of Your Core
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In order to really understand what it means to “connect your abdominals in”, you should know a bit about the abdominal muscles.
There are three layers of flat abdominal muscles, plus one pair of vertical muscle strips through the middle. In each of these segements, the muscles fibers run in a certain direction.
Rectus AbdominisThese muscles […]
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Hip Popping During Pilates
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During some pilates exercises, do you hear your hip popping, snapping, or “clunking” as your leg moves? It might not be painful, but don’t you just wonder what that sound is?
The sound of your hip popping during pilates is most likely your iliotibal band or iliopsoas, rubbing over a bone.
The bone that the IT […]
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Neutral Pelvis
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What is Neutral Pelvis and why do we use it in pilates?
Neutral pelvis is the positioning of your pelvis that is most natural and normal for proper body mechanics to take place. This position preserves the slight, natural curves of the spine, especially the low back, and allow your abdominals to engage properly.
How to Find […]
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Wrist Pain During Plank Positions
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Do you feel pain in your wrists during push ups or plank positions?
If you find yourself in wrist pain, or consider yourself to have weak wrists, the problem could actually be coming from your shoulders.
Kneeling on all fours, place your hands on the mat, slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Make sure your fingers […]
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A Cause of Foot Cramps
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If your feet cramp during exercises like Side Kicks, Footwork, or the Stomach Series, there may be a simple explanation for it. Its all in the way you point and flex your feet. Test yourself by doing this: Sit on your mat with your legs straight ahead of you. Point and flex your feet […]
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Where is Your Core?
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As soon as you begin practicing pilates on a regular basis, you realize that your core is not exactly where you may have thought it was. Often, when we’re told that a class is going to work our “core”, we assume its basically going to be an hour of ab work. Unfortunately, there are many […]
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Nocturnal Leg Cramps
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I can’t tell you how many people mention that they suffer from leg cramps, usually calf cramps, in bed at night. If you suffer from these nocturnal leg cramps, you aren’t alone at all.
In most cases, nighttime leg cramps are due to inactivity in the leg muscles during the day. Inactivity doesn’t just mean lack […]
