To celebrate, the newsletter is highlighting a couple of articles about “Pilates: The Man and The Method” and some of his inventions that you may never have heard of.
Wishing you a Happy Pilates Day ~
Every Day!
Pilates: The Man and The Method
Did you know that Pilates didn’t call his exercises Pilates? To find out what Mr. Pilates called his system, check out the article here.
Mr. Pilates thought his work was 50 years ahead of its time. And that proved to be true.
Pilates Day and the Lost Equipment
Even if you have practiced Pilates for a while, you may not have ever used a “breath-a-cizer” or a head harness.
Did you know Pilates even invented a bed!
If you would like to check out some of the more rare pieces of equipment, please read this short article here.
“The use of a good stiff brush…stimulates circulation, thoroughly cleans OUT the pores of the skin and removes dead skin too.”*
~ Joseph Pilates
The first way Pilates likes to detox is of course with breathing.
You may be familiar with his quote “to ‘squeeze’ every atom of impure air from your lungs.”**
But besides breathing, I want to focus on something Pilates taught that you may not have heard before.
Pilates was actually into brushing the skin.
We brush our teeth and our hair. Why not our skin? It is our biggest organ.
A few of the purported benefits of skin brushing are:
Stimulates circulation
Improves Lymphatic flow
Softens skin
Helps with cellulite
If we can give our skin a little brush, makes sense that might help our overall health too.
Pilates was pretty serious about brushing and there are stories that he would even enter into the showers at the studio and make sure everyone was brushing. Yikes!
And as you can imagine, everyone was sure to diligently brush.
Pilates recommended a brush without a handle so you would have to contort to reach all the places.
And with a “good stiff brush” he did call it a “‘Spartan-like’ treatment”. ***
The practice of skin brushing dates back thousands of years to the Egyptians.
But other cultures practiced brushing as well including the Greeks, Chinese and Indian (who developed Ayurvedic medicine).
I’m not sure if Pilates picked up the idea for skin brushing from the ancient Indian practice or from the Greeks or Chinese. Or perhaps they all influenced him.
While you don’t have to do a Spartan treatment, here are a few tips:
Skin brushing can be done wet or dry.
Dry brushing is considered to have more benefits or be more effective than wet brushing.
Try brushing in shower before you turn on the water. Then the shower can rinse off the dead skin cells.
Use gentle pressure or light strokes.
Lots of information is available online about skin brushing. If you would like a specific recommendation you might check out – this youtube channel by a Lymphedema Physical Therapist to learn more about how to properly skin brush for your health.
One more important tip:
Despite Mr. Pilates advice of a good stiff brush…
if you have sensitive skin or mature skin (skin does get thinner with age and more susceptible to tearing and bleeding), you can use a washcloth instead of a stiff brush.
If you have a wound, blood clot, rash, sunburn, psoriasis, eczema, area of active cancer or other skin condition, obviously you would not want to skin brush.
As always, please be sure to check with your medical professional before starting any new health routine.
Hope you have fun detoxing the Pilates way and practicing a little spring cleaning for the body!
Happy Spring!
With Best Wishes Always,
Shannon
*Pilates, Joseph H. and William John Miller. Return to Life Through Contrology. Pilates’ Primer: The Millennium Edition. Presentation Dynamics, republished 1998, p 20.
**Pilates, Joseph H. and William John Miller. Return to Life Through Contrology. Pilates’ Primer: The Millennium Edition. Presentation Dynamics, republished 1998, p 12.
***Pilates, Joseph H. and William John Miller. Return to Life Through Contrology. Pilates’ Primer: The Millennium Edition. Presentation Dynamics, republished 1998, p 21.
This is a full month and here are a couple of events that are coming up:
February is American Heart Month and this Friday, February 3 is National Wear Red Day®! For more information on heart health, please check out the NIH. Most importantly, take care of yourself and the ones you love by practicing self-care for your heart.
In addition, February 22 is World Encephalitis Day. If you would like to get involved, here are some ways you can show your support.
Happy Valentine’s to you and yours! Wishing you much love and joy!
Now onto today’s featured article…
For the Love of Pilates
It’s been said that Joe was a genius. The equipment especially highlighted his brilliance. He was known to invent equipment for clients with specific needs.
Pilates’ creativity and spirit of invention lives on today. His innovative ideas sparked other thinkers and inventors who created their own pieces of equipment. Joe’s work carries on in new and exciting ways.
Whether to help a specific student with a need or to adapt to the environment when traditional equipment wasn’t available, here are three newer pieces of equipment that have been developed for the love of Pilates!
If you’ve ever rested your spine on the warmed columns of the SS, then you know the bliss. Created by Marie-Jose Blom, the SS is the main star in the full system which includes the arch tubbies, globe, cervical head disc, sacral wedges, and posture pillow.
Developed by longtime student of Pilates, Ron Fletcher came up with the towel. It was created out of necessity, working with what he had at his disposal.
When Mr. Fletcher would teach classes at his California studio, he noticed students were having trouble moving their arms evenly. One arm would be higher and the other arm would be lower etc.
So he grabbed a towel to give the students a visual aid to help them see their arms were uneven as they moved. That’s how the Fletcher Towel was born. I think Mr. Pilates would appreciate the ingenuity of making use of what was on hand.
Similar to Joe’s equipment that can look like a rack out of the middle ages, the CoreAlign® is a large, interesting, even intimidating looking piece of equipment! I suspect it would meet with Joe’s approval;) And this equipment delivers on its name – to get the core aligned!
Developed by physical therapist Jonathan Hoffman and produced by Balanced Body equipment manufacturer, the CoreAlign® is two moveable platforms (like the carriage on the reformer but smaller) with elastic resistance tubes that act like springs and a tall ladder to hold. As you might imagine there are a multitude of exercises that can be performed in different positions on the CoreAlign®.
So there you have it – just a few of the many inventions that have been created for the love of Pilates!
Now I’m curious – if you could invent a piece of equipment, what would that be?
Just respond in the comments if you have an idea you would like to share.
“The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They’d be happier” Joseph Pilates
In developing his method, Joseph Pilates’ goal wasn’t just to make people strong physically. He wanted people whole and at their best in every way – body, mind and spirit. He believed that if everyone practiced his method that they would not only be stronger, they would also be happier. The goal wasn’t just about six-pack abs, but joy and fulfillment.
He thought if people were happier the world would be a better place. A little Pilates practice might lead to world peace? Or so Mr. Pilates believed. An idealist, a dreamer and visionary, Mr. Pilates wanted the full development of each individual and the proper development for the planet.
As you carve you some time for self-care through the holiday season and through out the year, may you experience all the benefits Pilates has to offer – body, mind and spirit! May you find yourself strengthen and refreshed – even a little happier! May you have peace and joy and may that overflow to those closest to you.
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, beautiful season!
“Movement should be approached like life – with enthusiasm, joy and gratitude – for movement is life, and life is movement, and we get out of it what we put into it.”
~ Ron Fletcher First Generation Master Pilates Teacher
An entire day is devoted to “Thanksgiving” later this month. Rather than limiting “thanks” to one day, consider practicing gratitude every day.
To fuel inspiration – here are some interesting facts about the amazing human body…
One person is composed of –
206 bones1
over 600 muscles2
4,000 tendons3
900 ligaments4
79 organs5
30 trillion cells6
Exercise benefits the body and mind and gratitude benefits the mind and body too.
So before the Thanksgiving Holiday officially begins, you can start celebrating early and continue through the Holiday season.
As Joseph Pilates said –
“Every moment of our life can be the beginning of great things.”7
It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since starting the Newsletter and blog. The website now has nearly 60 articles on over 20 different Pilates and Yamuna related categories. If there is something you want to look up, you have a free Pilates library at your fingertips 24/7!
You can find information on a variety of topics including…
If you have a question about Anatomy, the blog has a number of articles on the topic. To get you started, you’ll find the articles Anatomy 101 and 201 below.
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.
For a listing of events around the country and the world, please check out the schedule here.
The Lost Equipment
In honor of Pilates Day, I’m highlighting some of his inventions that are being lost to time.
You don’t see these pieces of equipment in too many studios.
You may never have even heard or seen some of this equipment before.
Though these pieces may not be well-known, you’ll be reminded of Joe’s creativity. He thought of everything! A genius ~
Breath-A-Cizer
As if there weren’t enough breathing exercises in Pilates already, Joe invented a gadget for breathing!
You blow through a straw and try to keep the metal pinwheel at the end turning. This device alone improves breathing but it could also be combined with exercises. For example, you could perform a standing roll down and up “one vertebrae at a time” while keeping the pinwheel turning during the movement.
Oddly, this equipment seems similar to a modern day spirometer. Though there aren’t measurements on the Breath-A-Cizer, the potential for improving breathing capacity appears similar.
The head harness wraps around the head and there is a spring attached. Depending on the placement of the head in the harness, the neck muscles on the front, back or side are strengthened. That’s one way to get your head on straight!
Yes, just like it sounds! Joe invented a bed to sleep in. The bed has two angles like a wide V-shape. It’s ingenious – if you sleep on your side you wouldn’t need to put a pillow between your knees as you could rest your leg on the angle of the bed.
