A Wundaful Life: Powerhouse

Showing posts with label Powerhouse. Show all posts

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Donna 11:05 PM 0

How Pilates Helps Your Yoga Practice: Part 2

Next up on the mat, Yoga with a side of Pilates. Downward Dog, Warrior Two, Crescent Lunge, followed by the Pilates 100 and 10 repetitions of each exercise in the Abdominal Series. That's what your Pilates teacher has ordered.

So if you didn't catch on yesterday I really believe adding Pilates to your workout can be a total game changer to your Yoga practice. (And if I'm being honest vice versa ... I found Pilates and then Yoga. I've found Yoga has helped increase my flexibility, which was hindering me in my Pilates practice, but that's another story for another day.)

4. Understand how to Engage Muscles While Stretching.

To the hyper flexible Yogis: this reason is for you! (Not this girl) All jokes aside, if you are hyper flexible, so many Yoga postures may seem really easy for your body to get into because you are so bendy. However, I assure you, there is even more you can get out of the pose by finding the strength coupled with the stretch. Pilates will help you find this.

Pictured below is Single Straight Leg Stretch from the Pilates Abdominal Series done on the Mat. I like to think of this exercise as the "dessert" of the Abdominal Series. I love the stretch I get in the hamstrings while working on my core.

5. Increased Range of Motion for Backbends.

Pilates will certainly teach you where your powerhouse muscles are - which, by the way, if you do not feel your abdominals during the Abdominal Series then you'll be the first person I've heard say so (its a dozy!). So often to get into a backbend, Yogis will push their hips forward rather than lifting up out of the pelvis by turning on the core muscles. Maintaining length in the torso by activating your Pilates powerhouse and avoiding "crunching" into the back will help prevent low back injuries and pain as you go into a slight backbend in Peaceful Warrior for example. This same concept also applies to poses such as Cobra.

Pictured below is Swan Dive on the Wunda Chair. Swan Dive is also found in the Pilates Mat Series. This exercise is very similar to Cobra. To begin this exercise, you start in a Cobra-like form then the arms lift up off of the mat and you rock back and forth between the arms lifting up overhead and the legs reaching towards the ceiling.

6. Improved Body Alignment and Posture.
"Never slouch as doing so compresses the lungs, overcrowds vital organs, rounds the back, and throws you off balance"- Joseph Pilates. Every time I find myself slouching I imagine Joseph Pilates giving me the stink eye. Seriously though, if this doesn't give you reason to stop slouching then I don't know what will.

A majority of the Pilates mat is done lying down on your back. By having a sensation of the spine pressed into the floor, you can easily become familiar with correct alignment. Are your shoulders open and pressed into the mat? Can you feel the back of your rib cage become wider? Is your chin relaxed into your chest? Is your navel sinking back into your spine? These are alignment cues that your Pilates teacher will help you to be mindful of and assist you with finding in your body. Take a Pilates mat class, and I'm sure you'll feel at least 5 inches taller when you walk out the door. An awareness of your alignment will help you take you further along in your Yoga journey because you will begin to initiate adjustments on your own, rather than solely relying on your Yoga teacher for feedback.

A Pilates Mat class is a great place for Yoga lovers to expand their mat practice. See you on the mat!

(For this post I am linking up with Ilkasblog and Marathons and Motivations for Sunday Fitness & Food Link-Up.)

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Saturday, January 28, 2017

Donna 6:19 PM 0

How Pilates Helps Your Yoga Practice: Part 1

In college, I was introduced to several mind-body modalities including both Pilates and Yoga. I found that both methods together helped me find the flexibility and core strength that I needed to improve as a dancer.

Since my college years, I have continued to enjoy both Pilates and Yoga. While I might not dance as often now, I do Pilates and Yoga because it keeps my body happy and feeling good. Needless to say, I do not think one practice is better than the other. I believe Pilates and Yoga compliment one another.

If you're looking to grow your Yoga practice or even feel a little stuck with Yoga, I would really suggest giving Pilates a try. Here's what you'll find if you do:

1. Boosted Stamina for Holding Yoga Poses Longer.

Ever been asked to hold High Plank for 5 deep breaths? Here's a hint: If you take Long Slow & Deep Yoga, you'll be holding poses for at least two minutes. In a recent Yoga class I took, I relied on my core, activating the deepest layers of the abdominals we often don't acknowledge- such as the transversus abdomininis. Think of the transversus abdominis as if you were putting on a corset (this layer of the abdominals wraps horizontally around the torso.) We often think of only activating the abdominals we can see- the rectus abdominis (think 6 pack abs). Pilates matwork will train you to engage all layers of your abdominals to fuel and power your body's movement. Pilates practice will give you the core strength you need to hold High Plank, Side Plank, and even Airplane to name a few.

Pictured above is Single Leg Stretch from the Abdominal Series. Learn the Pilates Abdominal Series and integrate it into your personal Yoga Practice. (Even if I do not get in a full workout everyday, I make sure to do the Abdominal Series daily. It takes less than 5 minutes!) I guarantee Pilates will feel help you feel stronger and less unstable in your Yoga practice.

2. Increased Stability for Yoga Poses.

One of the lessons both Pilates and Yoga have taught me is finding my balance. I talked about this recently here. Pilates has helped me find what it means to "use my core." Pilates keeps you honest and shows rather if you a truly using the powerhouse muscles. There is no cheating!

In the exercise pictured about- The Roll-Up- there is NO WAY you are going to be able to roll up to into a seated position while keeping your feet or heels (depending on the modification used) glued to the floor without relying on your core. I think about activating my core in this exercise by pulling my belly back as I stretch forward- this creates an opposition.

Stronger core helps you maintain your balance. It is as simple as that. By the way, did you know that your core or Powerhouse muscles as we refer to in Pilates includes your gluts! Tip: Next time you do Tree, think about activating and squeezing your glut muscles. So the real question is: do you ever feel wobbly in Yoga poses such as Airplane, Eagle, and Tree. If you do, then Pilates is most definitely for you.

3. Relieved Pressure in the Joints, such as the Wrists and Knees.

As we hold Yoga poses such as Plank, Pointer, Chaturanga sometimes the wrists can become aggrevated, especially if you have carpal tunnel syndrome. For individuals with knee issues, Hero Pose or various versions of Pigeon might not feel the best on the knees. While there are numerous modifications to help relieve pressure in the joints, one thing I have found is by ultizing my core strength (Thank you Pilates!) I take tension out of the joints.

Pictured here is the first exercise in the Pilates Mat- The 100. This exercise is perfect for warming up the body (it really gets the blood flowing!) AND turning on the powerhouse (think abs, gluts, hips, pelvic floor).

For example, in Heros Pose, I think about lifting up out of my Pelvis (using the abdominals of course!) to take pressure out of the knees. In Down Dog, I think about lifting the belly in and up to turn on the core muscles, deepen the stretch, and take the tension out of my wrists.

So my fellow Yogis, if you still are not convinced that Pilates will help you grow your Yoga practice- I'll be talking more about this tomorrow, as well. You'll especially want to join me back for this post if you are a hyperflexible Yogi. I'll be giving you some insight to help you grow your Yoga practice.

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Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Donna 4:17 PM 0

Finding Balance: Part 1

The Pilates method has taught me so much not only on the Reformer or mat, but in my personal life as well. One of the most important lessons that I have learned from delving into Pilates is the importance of balance. In my Pilates equipment class at Applachian State, I remember learning what is now one of my favorite exercises on the Reformer- Side Splits (found in both the Intermediate and Advanced Classical Pilates Repertoire). When instructed to stand on top of the Reformer to do this exercise, at the time I thought what if I fall and loose my balance? A topic for another day, but fear is often our own worst enemy.

More about Side Splits- Side Splits are down towards the end of a Reformer workout. Use 1-2 Springs (2 when learning the exercise. This is a great place to use a 1/2 spring if your Reformer has this option). A platform and/or sticky pad are great options to use with this exercise. Come to standing carefully on the Reformer, making sure to always first place one foot on the frame before heel toeing the opposite foot towards the shoulder pad. Make sure that both feet are in line with one another. Find your balance before you begin the exercise. Be careful not to get too carried away when you pressing the carriage out- the challenge in this exercise comes when you squeeze the inner thighs and lift up out of the torso (activating the Powerhouse) to bring the carriage back in. When you bring the carriage in, hold for 3 counts before beginning the next rep. Personally, I like to do 3 reps on each side. To switch sides, always bring the foot on the carriage towards the foot on the frame (heel toe again) before stepping back on the Reformer to switch sides.

How do you find balance in Pilates? By using your powerhouse! The muscle group Joseph Pilates referred to as the "Powerhouse"or commonly known as the core is a large muscle groups that essentially connect the upper portion of the body to the lower portion of the body. So we're talking about more muscles than just the abdominals. Without getting too technical, the powerhouse includes the gluts, muscles surrounding the hips, pelvic floor, and of course the abdominals.

Often you'll hear your Pilates teacher, cue you to engage and activate your powerhouse by saying "pull your rib cage together" or "sink your navel into your spine." By activating your powerhouse, you are placing the control of movement to the center of your body and gaining stability. This gives you the strength, energy, and stability to stand on top of the Reformer for example and do those Side Splits.

I'll be sharing later how to find balance with the Rolling Exercises in the Pilates mat sequence, how I integrate the theme of balance in my daily life, and much more.

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