It is coming up on the one year marker since the in person studio sessions came to a halt on March 11 and online sessions began on March 12, 2020. I remember March 11 clearly and being in the studio. Three things in particular happened that day: the World Health Organization officially declared the pandemic, the first case of local spread and the rodeo was cancelled. (You know it’s serious when that happens in Texas!)
Obviously, a lot has changed in the world over the past year. While change is often challenging, there is good that can come from it as well. In particular, a positive trend has been the move online and being able to more easily learn from Master teachers and experts across the country and the globe.
You may not be aware but Yamuna is alive and active. She generally taught workshops in exotic locations like India, but since the pandemic she too has gone online.
If you need to de-stress due to the pandemic or due to the recent weather event here in Texas or perhaps you’ve always wondered what a class with Yamuna herself would be like…well, now you can do that! For the class schedule, check out Yamuna Live.
In addition to Yamuna, there is Yamuna Anytime or YBR® Anytime, started by Dianne Glass several years ago. You may not have heard of Dianne, but she is one of Yamuna’s trusted teacher trainers and has been with Yamuna since the beginning. I’ve had the pleasure of learning from Dianne on a number of occasions, and I’m grateful for her expertise and guidance in the Yamuna method.
Dianne had the innovative idea to hire a videographer and create classes online years before the pandemic. YBR® Anytime has professional quality filming, lighting etc, classes added regularly and a video library. It’s something worth checking out!
As times change, I hope you prioritize what is important, continue to practice good self-care, including Pilates and perhaps de-stressing with Yamuna too!
In Part 1 of this series, we covered how to choose the right mat for your body and your space. Continuing with Part 2, we are going to focus on some of the most requested and popular pieces of equipment for home, specifically, the Foam Roller and the SmartSpine.
The Foam Roller is hands down the most requested piece of home equipment. I get asked about the roller more than any other item. You might be surprised at the great variety of rollers to choose from, including one that can act similar to a Reformer!
The SmartSpine is also a frequently requested item. Though more of an investment than a Foam Roller, many students love the SmartSpine. This is the type of item that students put on their Holiday wish list and let family members know about it!
Though the Foam Roller and SmartSpine can be used in a variety of ways, such as seated or even standing, one of the main ways they are used is to align the spine while lying down. With the Foam Roller, the vertebrae are directly on the roller although there are some recent variations where the spine goes between two connected rollers. This more recent innovation on the Foam Roller is similar to the SmartSpine where the vertebrae rest in a groove and the equipment provides columns along each side of the spine.
With the SmartSpine, one of the wonderful benefits is that it can be heated, further facilitating the release of the spinal muscles and finding the core connection. Both the Foam Roller and the SmartSpine are used to release muscles, not only in the spine but also in other ways, such as releasing the Iliotibial (IT) Band on the roller.
The Foam Roller and the SmartSpine obviously present a challenge to balance even when lying down. Remaining balanced on either piece of equipment can bring to light imbalances in the spine or core, especially when a leg or arm is lifted. These pieces of equipment can stimulate and realign the spine while reawakening the core.
As a reminder, this series is concentrated on pieces that are accessible for home both financially and physically (easily fit into a small space). While there are other Pilates pieces that help with spinal alignment, some of which we’ll cover later in the series, the Foam Roller and SmartSpine are very home friendly.
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.
Foam Rollers:
The Foam Roller was not invented by Joseph Pilates but was actually developed by Moshe Feldenkrais. To learn more about how the Foam Roller made its’ way into the Pilates world and about the difference between rolling on foam versus a ball, click here to read a previous article on this topic.
There are a variety of Foam Rollers. There are rollers that are cut in half so that they have a flat, stable side and actually do not roll. There are short rollers that can be used for the feet. There are rollers that have knobs and grooves to dig in and release muscles. The list below is hardly exhaustive.
Tip: In order to insure that you get a Foam Roller long enough that you can rest your spine on it, look for 36 inches long. Also, look for full round (unless you want one split in half for more stability). Generally, the size you want to look for is 6” x 36”.
Foam Rollers come in 3 types of densities: hard, medium and soft. Most of you are probably familiar with the medium and some the firm Foam Rollers as these are the most common types of rollers in gyms and studios.
Hard: If you see terms like “high density” or “extra firm”, these are hard, durable foam rollers.
Medium: The medium density Foam Roller offers plenty of firmness and is more of a regular roller – not too hard or too soft.
Soft: What may not be as familiar is the soft version. Developed in more recent years, it offers the benefits of the original Foam Roller (spinal alignment, opening the chest…) but in a more gentle way. If you have arthritis or achy joints, you may really appreciate the soft variation.
Reform Roller!
Called MOTR® (Movement On The Roller), this device is like a Foam Roller and Reformer combined. Rather than foam it is a plastic tube with branches at the top where straps come out offering different levels of resistance. The branches and straps can be stored in the tube itself. Obviously, the MOTR® is more expensive than a Foam Roller (by roughly $300 dollars) but if you are missing the reformer and do not want to make an investment of thousands, this may be an alternative. The MOTR® also does not require much space and can be easily stored away, unlike a reformer.
SmartSpine:
The SmartSpine was developed by Marie-Jose Blom. It is designed with two grain filled columns that run along each side of the spine. The vertebrae rest in the groove between the two columns. The SmartSpine can be heated, helping the muscles that run along the spine to relax and the fascia covering these muscles to release. This release in back aids the abdominals in contracting more readily in front.
The SmartSpine fits the length of the spine and only comes in one size. The only variation is that there is a regular and lavender fragrance. If you have allergies, the unscented might be a better fit for you. If you do not have any allergies or sensitivities, the lavender can add to the relaxing element of the SmartSpine.
The last newsletter left off with the question, “What is the difference between Foam Rolling and Yamuna® Body Rolling (YBR)?” In case you missed the last edition, you can catch up on some fun and fundamental facts about YBR here. To answer the question more fully, this article is dedicated to comparing and contrasting the difference between these two ways to roll.
To start, the foam roller and the Yamuna® ball were invented by two different people and represent two separate modalities. The foam roller originates from a movement system called Feldenkrais and is named after the inventor of that method, Moshe Feldenkrais. He started with wood rollers in the the 1950’s and then in the 1970’s started using foam instead.* Sean Gallagher is credited with introducing the foam roller to the Pilates world in the 1980’s. The foam roller has also made it’s way into lots of other settings from the gym to Physical Therapy.
The Yamuna ball was developed by Yamuna Zake and based on her hands-on Body Logic method. YBR is Body Logic applied on the ball where the ball acts as a practitioner’s hands. Body Logic works with the natural order of the body and goes from the bone, to the tendon and then through the muscle.
Besides being invented by different people, the foam roller and the ball have some other differences. There are a variety of foam rollers, ranging in different lengths and textures. Some foam rollers have spikes and there are some made of softer foam. There are even some rollers with a flatter surface on one side. The surface of a foam roller is harder/denser than the ball.
Yamuna balls are obviously fully round and not long like the roller. YBR balls run 6-10 inches in size and are smooth (except for the half sphere footwakers)! They are filled with air and inflatable rather than solid all the way through. This makes the balls easier to transport and travel with as they can be deflated and packed more readily. Within the family of YBR balls, the silver is the harder and the pearl and gold balls a little softer density for more sensitive areas, for beginners and for petite sizes. Even though the Yamuna balls are a little “softer” than foam rollers that doesn’t make them easier. As they are smaller, the balls can be more specific and go even deeper.
While having some obvious structural differences between the foam roller and the ball, there are also different approaches to rolling. With foam rolling as it is used to release muscles, generally there are multiple passes/repetitions rolling along a muscle. With YBR, one pass through a muscle is sufficient and the focus is going slow to get deeper. It’s Yamuna’s belief that rolling too quickly can confuse the body’s nervous system.
Mr. Feldenkrais passed away in the 1980’s while Yamuna is still alive, vibrant and teaching today. As foam rolling has branched out into other modalities, so has the uses of the foam roller. Yamuna continues to add to her work and guides its’ development. As a creative force, she is still on a roll…
Foam rolling and YBR differ in their origin and structure. There are different ways to roll with varying effect. Both methods share common ground as positive ways to promote health and improve well-being.
As the newsletter is usually focused on Pilates and health & wellness topics, it only seemed right to share a little about Yamuna® Body Rolling. Here are some fun and interesting facts you may not know about Yamuna. Hope the following article is illuminating and inspires you to get rolling or stay on the ball with your fitness routine!
How do you pronounce Yamuna?
It is pronounced ya-mu-na like the river in India of the same name.
Why the unusual name?
Like Pilates, Yamuna is named after the person who developed the method, Yamuna Zake.
What is Yamuna® exactly?
“Yamuna® Body Rolling (YBR) is a completely orignal fitness and therapy practice that combines healing, wellness and injury prevention in a single, simple workout.”* YBR uses balls to release muscles from beginning to end. It also releases restrictions and fascia and is mild weight bearing exercise.
The Yamuna® work has grown and evolved. Originally, it began as hands-on work that was called Yamuna® Body Logic (YBL). Eventually, the principles from YBL were adapted to the ball and that become Yamuna® Body Rolling (YBR).
In addition to YBL and YBR, the method has expanded to the extremities of the body. There is Yamuna® Foot Fitness (YFF) that uses half spheres underneath the feet (and even the hands) and there are smaller balls specifically designed for the muscles of the face!
Is Yamuna® safe for everyone? What if you have a particular condition? Can you get hurt doing Yamuna?
Yamuna® is safe for most people to practice as long as you have the right ball, follow the routines as recommended, observe any cautions given and listen to your body. Similar to Pilates, there are routines that are appropriate for those rehabilitating and other routines that challenge the most advanced athlete. There are routines that can be done seated in a chair and Yamuna has even developed an “In Bed” series.
Is there an App for that?
Yes, actually, there is a Yamuna® app, called AnatomyU! Yamuna came out with the app a few years ago and it shows exactly where the ball goes to release different muscles throughout the body. It’s perfect if you would like to learn more about anatomy (and do something beneficial for your body at the same time)!
Is there anything the App can’t do?
As the app is focused on anatomy, if you have a special condition, Yamuna has other programs that may be more appropriate. For example, for low back issues, the app would only show muscles of the spine. However, the “Save Your Lower Back” download is a more holistic program that would address back concerns specifically.
What is the difference between Foam Rolling and Yamuna Body Rolling?
This is a good question. As both foam rolling and YBR release muscles, on the surface, they seem pretty similar. Besides the obvious difference (size and length of the equipment etc.), the answer to this question is a bit more complex and maybe even surprising. To appropriately address this topic, the next edition is going to be devoted to exploring this topic more in depth.
