Hope you are staying cool and beating the Texas heat!
After the last Newsletter on the 5 Exercises You Need To Be Doing, I thought it would be helpful to build on that and address two of the most common concerns that come up – balance and Osteoporosis.
If you have questions on these topics, then be sure to check out the articles below. These posts might be review for some of you and a chance to catch up for others.
Also, coming up on July 29, it is the 6 year Anniversary since starting the business! Thank you for joining me on this adventure! I appreciate you taking care of yourself through a regular practice and in turn sharing your best self with those around you and making our community and the world a brighter place!
Wishing you and your loved ones continued excellent health, joy and peace!
Many Blessings to You & Yours,
Shannon
Core Connection for Better Balance
In addition to the Abdominals, what are the other core muscles that contribute to balance? Some of the answers may surprise you. Find out here.
Pilates for Strong Bones
To learn how to build strength down to the bone and even down to a cellular level, then check out this article.
Like diet fads, there are lots of exercise trends out there. Sometimes it can be confusing to know what you need to be doing and not doing.
To help, here are the exercises that you want to focus on. If you aren’t already doing these exercises or if you’ve just recovered from a health condition or surgery, this gives you something to mindfully aim towards.
1 – Moderate to vigorous aerobic activity
*Recommended:
150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate activity weekly or
75 minutes (1.25 hour) of intense activity weekly or
A combination of the above
Walking 30 minutes 5 days a week would meet this goal. It’s preferable that the activity is spread throughout the week in at least 10 minute segments. You could break up that 30 minutes into 10 minute segments 3x a day or 15 minutes 2x a day. Going for a 15-20 minute walk in the morning and then parking far from an entrance or taking the stairs could help fill in the last few minutes.
Other activities, like biking, dancing, swimming could fulfill the aerobic activity requirement.
If you have chronic conditions or joint issues that have kept you from engaging in aerobic activity, don’t overdo it. You can begin in the pool or go for a walk. Go at your own pace. Start walking slowly for a few minutes every other day. The goal might be at first to just build up to a 10 minute walk without pain or discomfort. It’s ok – begin where you are. Take care of yourself and listen to your body. Your doctor and/or physical therapist can help direct you on the best approach for your unique situation.
2 – Strength
*Recommended:
Strength training 2x weekly
There is not a specific amount of time/minutes for strength training. You just want to cover all the major muscle groups and engage them more than you normally would. “…any muscle-strengthening activity counts…(including) done as part of a therapy or rehabilitation program…”**
3 – Stretch
Stretching is recommended, especially for maintaining flexibility with age.*** Again, there is not a certain amount of time recommended but it’s probably a good idea to follow the strength guideline of 2x weekly and to stretch all the major muscle groups.
4 – Balance
*Recommended:
3x or more weekly
An effective program in reducing falls is a combination of strength training for 90 minutes weekly, walking for 60 minutes weekly and incorporating balance 3 or more days weekly.****
If you are walking, strengthen training and stretching as recommended, just add a few minutes of balance exercises before or after your daily walk.
5 – Spinal extension
Though spinal extension is not on the list from Physical Activity Guidelines from the U.S Health and Human Services, it is something most people need to be doing. If you have osteoporosis concerns, spinal extension is going to be important. If you sit, spend time on a computer, cell phone or tablet, a spinal extension program is going to benefit you too.
There is not a set amount of time you need to devote to this exercise but it is something you probably want to incorporate into your workouts. It would also be good to sprinkle in a few spinal extension exercises throughout the day if you find yourself sitting for periods of time.
Summary:
The good news is that your Pilates practice can incorporate all these exercises – aerobic activity, strength, stretching, balance and spinal extension. Yes, even a little cardio (hello 100s)! A Pilates program will often have a few minutes of each exercise woven into the session. If you practice Pilates for an hour 2x a week, walk a little bit and practice some personal exercises based on your needs, you’ll be well on your way to your best health.
If you thought there was a wide variety of Foam Rollers to choose from in the last issue, you are going to have a ball with this edition. To keep it more manageable, we are going to focus on 3 types: toning/weighted balls, fitness balls and Yamuna® balls. Beyond these, please see Balanced Body where you can check out more than a dozen different varieties including “pinky”, spiked, Franklin, posture balls and more…
As a reminder, this series is concentrated on pieces that are accessible for home both financially and physically (easily fits into a small space). The Pilates balls chosen for this edition are the ones I thought would be most helpful for the majority of those reading this newsletter. There are many other great Pilates balls too.
Since Pilates and other reputable manufacturers’ may not be as commonly known, this series will direct you to recognized names in the industry, but similar products may be found on Amazon or through other retailers. This is not an endorsement of any particular company or product.
Pilates Balls:
Toning/Weighted Balls: Small
Toning balls, like the name implies, are weighted balls. They are small and easy to hold like dumbells. They generally come in 1-3 pounds in weight.
Merrithew does have 2 & 3 lbs available as well but do watch as some are sold individually and others as sets. Also, this company is in Canada so shipping to the U.S. can sometimes be an issue.
Please note these balls are sold individually. So if you want a set of 2lbs, it looks like you will need to purchase 2 balls.
Fitness Balls: Large
Fitness balls are the large size that can support a persons body weight. You can sit or stretch your back or front with your full weight on the ball.
Finding the right fitness ball is based on your height. When seated, you want knees in line with hips or even hips a little higher than knees. But you do not want your knees higher than your hips (like trying to sit in a kindergartner’s chair!)
Tip: Since people have been at home and sitting more, try sitting on a fitness ball at your desk rather than a regular chair. This will stimulate your core, improve your balance and be a good posture reminder. Begin sitting on the ball for short periods of time (20-30 minutes) and then gradually increase as feels right for your body.
These balls are also burst resistant and free of latex, PVC, etc. Unfortunately, it looks like they only have the small and large size available. If you are really short or tall, this could be a fit for you.
Yamuna® Balls:
Technically, we are stepping outside of the Pilates realm when we talk about Yamuna. Yamuna® Body Rolling (YBR) is a method all on its’ own, but since there are so many other kinds of balls for myofascial release, I wanted to go ahead and include YBR in this newsletter. If you would like to learn a little more about YBR and compare to other kinds of rolling, please see these previous articles on the topics: “On The ‘Yamuna’ Ball” and “On A Roll”.
Whether you are looking for gold, silver, pearl or black, you will find it all and more on the link below. In addition, you can learn more about each kind of ball when you click on its link on Yamuna’s website and find what is right for you!
These images show the body systems from the anatomical position – standing with palms facing forward.
The last newsletter introduced the Pilates Principles. In case you missed it, you can catch-up by clicking here. This edition is going define and clarify two of the Pilates principles, specifically focusing on centering and balanced muscle development.
Centering is to fix around a center.* Physcially, a human being’s center of gravity is on average two inches below the navel and a few inches inside the abdominal cavity. Or if looking at it from the back, a few inches in front of the spine approximately at the level of the second sacral vertebrae. This is all assuming the human is in the anatomical position.** That said, this center of gravity shifts with movement.
As a Pilates principle and set out by the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA), “the body is organized by centering.”*** Though not specifically mentioned as a principle, the core muscles are used to help center and stabilize the body.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, there are many kinds of balance. There is the “stand on one leg” kind of balance. While Pilates does help improve balance, proper muscle development has a special role as a principle.
Though balanced muscle development might sound vague at first, it is this principle that I believe holds a key for students in being able to understand their Pilates experience. Balanced muscle development means that the muscles around a joint are developed in a balanced way. There isn’t one muscle overworking or another underworking. This is why some exercises can look so easy and yet be so much harder to perform than it would appear.
Pilates often calls into action the weaker, undeveloped areas as opposed to the stronger, overdeveloped places. In his book Return to Life, Joseph Pilates described this as “uniform muscle development”. As language evolves and the word uniform is not as commonly used today in the way Mr. Pilates meant it, the PMA decided to update to the use of “balanced” rather “uniform” to convey the meaning of this principle.
Balancing muscle development helps students not only grow strong but also improves their well being as they move with proper mechanics and more efficiency. Balancing the development of muscles around the core, enables student to move more effectively from the center. Each of the Pilates Principles has a unique definition and role. Centering and balanced muscle development are some of the key movement principles that take the Pilates experience beyond exercises and into empowerment.
The theme for this month is balance. In the last newsletter, we saw that it takes more than muscle to have good balance and we reviewed the systems that impact balance. If you missed the article, you can find it here. For this segment, we are going to look at the most important muscles for balance and focus specifically on the core.
When it comes to daily activities and especially to athletic activities, strong arms and legs are important but you need a strong core to hold it all together. The Core is – well, the core. Even when you simply lift an arm, the abdominals are recruited to some extent. A strong core is needed otherwise movements at the hip, knee and ankle are going to be more challenging which makes balance more difficult.
Most people think of the abdominals as the core. There are four muscles that make the abdominals group. They are the Rectus Abdominis (the six-pack), the Internal and External Obliques and the Transversus Abdominis. The muscles are layered on top of each other and the Transversus Abdominis (TA) is the deepest layer. The TA runs horizontally (like a belt) around the waistline and attaches to fascia in the back.
While the abdominals are part of the core, what may not be as widely known is that other muscles also make up the core group. Surprisingly, the Psoas muscle can be considered part of the core as it attaches on each side of the front of the spine. When thinking three dimensionally and looking not just at the front but around to the back, there are Erector Spinae muscles along each side of the spine. The Quadratus Lumborum and the Gluteals in back can also be considered part of the core.
In addition, depending on how the core is defined, muscles such as the diaphragm and pelvic floor may be included. The diaphragm is sometimes thought of as the roof to the core muscles and pelvic floor as obviously the floor to the core.
The core is central when it comes to good balance. The abdominal and erector muscles support the front and back of the spine. The psoas and the gluteals impact movement at the hips and low back. Internally, the diaphragm and pelvic floor help create stability and a deeper core connection. Multiple muscles make up the core and multiple systems coordinate together for good balance.
With the start of a New Year, it is a good time to consider the topic of balance. The word balance can have lots of different meanings from work/life balance to balancing a checkbook. We are going to focus on physical balance.
One of the primary concerns of clients as they age is balance. And with good reason, a quarter of those 65 and older have a fall annually. Even if a fall is personally avoided, it is likely that one will still be impacted by a family member or friend who has a fall. Falls are the leading cause of injury, both fatal and non-fatal, for older Americans.* Balance is even more of a concern for those with osteoporosis as was discussed in a previous post which you can find here.
A common question at the studio is “what muscle needs to be strong to have good balance?”. The answer is more complex than one muscle. It actually involves multiple systems that coordinate together. It’s a beautiful balancing act in itself!
The three main systems involved in balance are vestibular, visual and proprioceptive. These systems works together with the brain and nervous system for balance. If one system is impaired, it obviously makes balance more challenging. In addition to these systems, muscle strength (especially in the legs), good reaction time and flexibility in the joints are also important for good balance.
Of the systems relating to balance, Pilates can especially benefit the proprioceptive system. The proprioceptive system has sensory receptors throughout the body (muscles, joints, even skin) and gives the brain the information it needs to determine where the body is in space. For example, it’s how you can bring your finger to your nose with your eyes closed. The sensory information from the neck and from the ankles is especially valuable in knowing where the head is turned and where the feet are placed in relation to the floor (and if the floor is uneven).**
The Pilates reformer with the sliding carriage invites all the systems into play. The spring loaded machines stimulates the student’s brain and proprioceptive system as his or her body moves through space.
Pilates obviously builds strength in the core and legs. As Pilates focuses not only on strength but also flexibility, this can be helpful in maintaining mobility in the joints. With the mind-body connection, this could potentially aid in reaction time.
Pilates stimulates the systems related to balance while it strengthens and stretches the body. A regular Pilates practice builds not only physical strength but also develops body awareness that is valuable both inside and outside of class, especially for those with balance concerns. As a fresh New Year begins, I hope it brings you better balance in every definition – body, mind and spirit!
