Improvisation in Pilates

Improvisation in Pilates

Whatever could a Classical Pilates fanatic mean by the title “Improvisation in Pilates”? Isn’t Classical Pilates by definition the strict adherence to the exercises and order of exercises created by Joseph Pilates? Isn’t Improvisation by definition unplanned and creative expression? How could these two words go together?

It is an absolute misnomer that Classical Pilates is not improvisational. Great Classical Pilates teaching and practice is completely improvisational. All art and life, not to mention artful life, relies on a framework and vocabulary by which it can be interpreted and understood. When we think of improvisation, we often think of music. The jazz musician creates music on his instrument or instruments of choice based on what he is feeling in the moment; what the space, audience (which can be many or none) and day means to him. But he is working in a tonal framework with instruments that make sound in a space that we recognize. He is still a human making sound with an instrument in a space. This improvisation works within a structure and has a vocabulary. A fine artist may have no preconceived notion of what she will put on the canvas before the brush hits it, but there she is with canvas, easel (or none) and tool to deliver medium (perhaps a brush and paint or maybe a leaf and berry juice)…she is still working in a visual medium not matter how spur of the moment. This improvisation works within a structure and has a vocabulary.

Here we are in the world of Pilates. Is it that different from the world of music or art? We have a structure and vocabulary within which we work. We go to a physical space, we have clients who want joyful exercise, a teacher prepared to train, apparatus as our tools or instruments and the method of Classical Pilates. The method of Classical Pilates has a set group of exercises on a set group of apparatus. Even the reformer and mat work have set orders of exercises, but we face the beautiful ability and opportunity for improvisation every second of the session (let alone our entire lives).

First, you…the teacher. You come to each day with new experiences and feelings. Your approach to each moment of each day is never the same as any other. It’s not possible to have same-ness. It doesn’t exist. If you remove the idea of “identical” from your lexicon, you’ll see quite clearly that “identical” days, exercises, experiences don’t exist. So, your approach to every moment of life is an improvisation. I should hope, too, that you are practicing Pilates on yourself, too. With that practice comes your personal growth within this method. Every bit of growth you experience you share with your clients. (There’s my ubiquitous plug for going and taking sessions, continuing education and doing a lot of self-practice!!!)

Then, your client. Your client comes to the session with any number of new variables each day. One day he is energized, the very next day he is sick. One day her back aches, the very next day her back is fine, but her elbow is sore. One day she is present and mindful, the very next day she is distracted and disconnected. Your approach to your client is based on who your client is that day. I mean the same exact person is very different from day to day.

With that, you teach many different clients each day. No two clients are the same. Even in a semi-private session or group class, while you are teaching the same exercise to multiple people, no two people do it exactly the same way. No two clients even interpret your words in the same way.

With both you and your clients, you have to improvise constantly. Based on what you and they bring to the day, you must adjust what you say and how you say it…even in the seeming confines of The Classical Method of Pilates. That means that while you might teach the same exercises, maybe you have to pick a different modification or variation based on your clients’ needs for the day. Maybe, today, you choose to quite your tone for the session because your client has been sick and has low energy. Maybe you give one verbal cue that doesn’t work. You’ve got to think on your feet and give a different verbal cue or an image or go hands-on instead. That’s improvisation! You’ll find that the wonderful image you gave to one client for Spine Stretch Forward absolutely does not work for another client! You improvise and pick another and another until you find that one that does work!

You don’t reinvent the method to find creativity! You work within the construct and create! You bring out your personality and work with yourself, the client, the way of the day…of the moment. That means, yes, yes, you start the mat work with The Hundred every single time! It’s up to you to find the beautiful newness in the moment! That means the technique of the exercise stays the same, but with who you are today and who the client is today, you create the cues and teach in the moment!

Life is improvisation! The Classical Method of Pilates gives us an ingenious framework within which to improvise. If you can see the art in life all around you, then you can be creative anywhere no matter what the structure!

Look at each session as an opportunity for free expression. Use the vocabulary of Classical Pilates to express the moment! Improvise!

****If you have any comments, please share them here! If you have a topic that you’d like me to blog about, I would be thrilled to do so! Again, comment here or write to me directly at info@TheVerticalWorkshop.com and let me know what you’d like to discuss! Enjoy!!!!!!****

Heart Starter

Heart Starter

 Are you a Pilates Teacher or Personal Trainer or Yoga Instructor or human being who works around other human beings? And are you CPR and AED certified? If you’re one of those beings I mention in the first sentence, then you must consider the value of being CPR and AED certified. Please.

We take so many things for granted in Life. That is a beautiful privilege. People seem so strong; able to live through incredible traumas. Then sometimes people seem so fragile; the unexpected twist can change everything. In order to survive each day well without being nervous that every move we make might be the end of our days, we must compartmentalize the fragility of Life and live strongly. We must. However, if we are truly wise, we prepare ourselves for Trouble especially when we step in Trouble’s path many times a day.

If you are a Pilates Teacher, Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor or human being who works around other human beings, then learn how to manually pump a heart (CPR) and re-start a heart (AED). If you are a trainer of any sort, then you must keep a defibrillator in your studio or gym.

Your client, Mr. Green, is 70 years old. He plays golf, swims and you think he is in generally good health. However, when he does more strenuous exercises (Pilates: The Hundred, The Abdominal Series) you notice he gets red in the face. Hmmm…you cue him with breath because you recognize this strain and that he’s not exhaling. Mr. Green had angioplasty 10 years ago and didn’t even think to mention it to you because it was so long ago. Don’t you think you need to know CPR and AED?

Your client, Mrs. Rogers, is 76 years old. She has emphysema, heart disease, diabetes, a chronically sore lower back and depression.  Don’t you think you need to know CPR and AED?

What exactly is CPR and AED?

 CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation):  This is the technique to manually pump oxygenated blood through a body whose heart and lungs have stopped. You manually pump the heart and breathe into the person until the paramedics come. You cannot start a heart that has stopped this way. If the person suddenly pops up awake and alive while you’re administering CPR, then that person didn’t actually need CPR. Lucky! You cannot actually restart a heart without an appropriate electric shock.

AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Training:   This is the technique of combining CPR and electric shock to a stopped heart. With a proper portable defibrillator, you can check to see if your client/patient’s heart has actually stopped and administer the appropriate electric shock as well as CPR. It’s incredible! And…your responsibility.

In both cases, with CPR and AED, you absolutely must call 911 and get the paramedics to come to you immediately. Still, wouldn’t it be great for you to both be able to manually pump a heart and start a heart if ever needed?

I pray you will never need to use your CPR and AED skills. I pray you will never have to use your defibrillator, but you must have one.

Did you know that by law in Los Angeles, you must have a defibrillator in your studio or gym? BY LAW. Yes, they are expensive, but do you know what’s more expensive? Not being able to save a person’s life in your studio or gym.

You don’t own your own fitness facility? You’re renting space or an independent contractor or employee? Great! Get your training in CPR and AED! And strongly encourage the studio or gym owner to get their portable defibrillator! Remember: It’s the law!

I believe that absolutely everyone ought to be properly trained in CPR and AED. Everyone. Why should it only be doctors, nurses, paramedic, firemen, policemen (and Pilates Teachers, Personal Trainers and Yoga Instructors). Will there always be one of these fellows around when one is needed? Have you noticed as you go through the airport there are defibrillators in compartments in the walls just like fire extinguishers nowadays. Wherever there are people, there are hearts. Those hearts need to be cared for in so many ways.

Please get your certification and get it renewed appropriately and make sure your fitness facility has a portably defibrillator!

Here are a few resources for your certification and purchasing of defibrillators:

American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/aed.html

American Heart Association: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3011764

Philips Automatic External Defibrillator: http://shop.medical.philips.com/phstore/catalog/redcross.asp?origin=5_us_en

***As always:  If you would like to make a comment, please do so!  If you have a request of a topic you would like me to write about, please let me know!  Thank you for reading!  Enjoy!***

Entropy has no place in Pilates

entropy

Dictionary: en·tro·py   (ĕn‘trə-pē)

 (Symbol S) For a closed thermodynamic system, a quantitative measure of the amount of thermal energy not available to do work.

1. A measure of the disorder or randomness in a closed system.
2. A measure of the loss of information in a transmitted message.
3. The tendency for all matter and energy in the universe to evolve toward a state of inert uniformity.
4. Inevitable and steady deterioration of a system or society.

Here is my quest.  (I hope you will join me on the journey):

I recognize that in the transmission of information, a lot of information is lost.  Remember the old telephone game?  You’d sit around the table with 10 of your little 5-year-old friends at the birthday party and one person would start off with a sentence.  Each little 5-year-old would whisper that sentence in to the next person’s ear and pass it around the table.  By the time it got back to the first person…the sentence was completely different.  Information was lost, changed…this is entropy. 

So…we teach Pilates.  We pass information from one person to another.  We must have the least amount of lost information as possible.  We must not lose information or mutate it.  We need to have the least amount of entropy as possible. 

Why?  Because what Joseph Pilates created was ideal.  We’re to use and adapt it for the individual in front of us, but it’s his Method that worked.  When you start putting your own versions of exercises and orders of exercises in to the workout; when you start to use your less than appropriate apparatus and less than brilliant tools in to the studio, then you lose the integrity of what makes Pilates/Contrology work. 

Look…I’m a pretty creative person.  I write poetry and essays (and blogs, apparently), I paint on big canvases and small, I play the piano, I design and make jewelry, I make my own clothing (wow…I do a lot) and more…so I’m not saying don’t be creative…just use it appropriately!  Be creative in other venues.  Be creative with the use of your personality when you teach; with the sound of your voice (but always use Joseph Pilates’ rhythms!), with the metaphors and images you use, but don’t go creating your own exercises and call it “Pilates”.  Then that means that you have to make sure that you’re teaching and transmitting the appropriate information with the least amount of entropy!

So, what do you do?  You guessed it!  You study with the most educated teachers you can.  And if you’re the educator…keep studying and stay true.

I got an e-mail from a teacher the other day who wants to study with me.  It was lovely.  I asked her if she is already trained classically.  She didn’t know.  That’s a problem.  You need to know what it is that you’re teaching.  And not just because your teacher told you so, but because you’ve done some searching.  You’ve read Joseph Pilates’ books, you’ve seen his film (on video), you’ve spoken to and worked with the most classical teachers who are educated in these ways and directly from Joseph Pilates himself. 

Let entropy happen where entropy does: 

1 – When you have a glass of ice water in a hot room, the water warms up and the air around it cools down, condensation occurs and beads of water form on the glass.  Energy is lost in this seeming transmission of heat.  Energy is lost in the energy it takes to heat the water and glass and cool the air and water in the air.  Entropy.

2 – The amount of energy Southern California Edison pumps out to light one little light bulb in your house is faaaaaaaaaaaaar more than actually reaches your cute little bedside lamp.  The loss of energy in resistance and transmission…entropy.

3 – You are told that you need to show up at 7:30 p.m. sharp, but you were very busy when that information was relayed to you, you show up at 8:30 p.m. and are sure you’re correct.  That loss of information (that got you in trouble)…entropy.

Let’s have entropy where entropy belongs.  It has no place in Pilates.

 

****Please, oh, please, comment on this and all other blogs if you wish!  I’d love to have active conversations and not just a monologue!  And, as always, if you have a topic you’d like me to blog about…please let me know!****

Taking the Mystery Out of Pilates

Is it acceptable that I’m going to post a link to my latest Pilates article as my blog, right now? 

http://www.yespilates.com/2009/06/02/taking-the-mystery-out-of-pilates/

It’s important that the public receive information/education about Pilates.  I hope that they get it continually from great Pilates sessions, but to some, it’s still a mystery.

Please read the article and then share any comments you may have on that yespilates.com site or right here!  I would love more dialogue…so bring on the questions and comments!

I’m in Osaka, Japan teaching Power Pilates Teacher Training courses.  I will be in Kyoto and Tokyo, next.  I promise to blog about it all!

Enjoy!

- Shari

The Value of the Entire Method of Pilates

I’m writing on the flight back to LA from Zagreb, Croatia.  I went there to present  at the 3^rd International Pilates & Bodymind Convention.  It was wonderful!  Such inquisitive minds!  That’s what I love about conventions:   people who go to conventions are passionate about learning more about what they do!  They choose to go.  They don’t have to make themselves students again, but they do!   It’s great!

Pilates is gaining in popularity in Croatia, but there were people there from all over Eastern Europe.  Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bosnia it was quite diverse.   Most of the participants do only mat.  Here is where the limitations began. 

These wonderful instructors with inquisitive minds are limited to the mat.  The mat portion of Pilates is just that…a portion of Pilates.  Perhaps it’s only 1/8 of the Pilates method.  Is it valuable?  Yes, of course!  Precious!  But it is not everything.  It’s only part of it!  So, I was disappointed at the need for more and more exercises.  Sure, they need more exercises because they have only be exposed to part of Pilates!

I spent a considerable amount of time discussing the need for the entire Method of Pilates.  Of course the instructors are getting bored.  They don’t have enough material to work with and the wrong tools.  And they’re getting frustrated because they are working hard to create classes working outside of The Method.  Not always even using the Classical Order. 

It kind of broke my heart.  Here are these wonderful women and men!  Wonderful!  And they have only part of what they are passionate about. 

So, what to do?  Offer more!  So, I hope that I will have that opportunity!  Yes, it’s expensive to have apparatus and it’s expensive for clients to take, but the value of it is beyond the monetary expense.

What else did I note?  There are plenty of exercises and new tools being taught, but not enough cueing and teaching.  I see it here in the states, too.  The technique of the exercise is important, but it’s only one part.  It’s the first repetition!  Then we must cue for Stability and Precision!  And not all stabilizer cues at once!  No!  Just one per session…thematically…for 5-10 sessions on that theme alone!  This was a foreign concept I was pleased to share.

Which makes me write this:  Are you remembering to teach thematically to your Intermediate classes and sessions?  Humans learn by repetition.  Repeat and don’t be afraid to do so!  It’s important that your clients get to practice these new actions over and over again in many different scenarios so that they can apply them without hesitation in the future and use these stabilizing actions in the rest of their lives!

All in all, it was a great week in Zagreb.  The people were great!  The city is wonderful!  The Adriatic coast is very special!  Perhaps if I’m invited again, you will join me, too!

***As always, if you have a subject you would like me to Blog on, please let me know.  You can ask by commenting on this piece or e-mail me at info@TheVerticalWorkshop.com  ****

Enjoy!!!!

Go to what scares you the most!

Go to what scares you the most. 

You’re not alone.  Life is scary at times.  And, yes, we have options:

We can cower

We can put up walls.

We can open up. 

All three are viable options.  But only one helps you in teaching. 

Open up.  Go to what scares you the most. 

Are you afraid to teach a certain exercise?  Practice it.  Teach it and do it.  Learn to love it because you worked to overcome your fear of it. 

Are you afraid to teach a certain population?  Do our seniors scare you?  Are you afraid you’ll hurt them?  Educate yourself not just by reading books, but by asking more senior teachers than you, by asking doctors about what you don’t know and then go and teach  seniors!  You’ll enjoy because you will be prepared. 

Are you afraid to teach on a certain apparatus?  Does the wunda-chair scare you?  Take a session with your senior teachers and learn more about it.   Then make it your mission to teach it more often! 

Go to what scares you the most.  Then you once you’ve met this fear head on and educated yourself, you will no longer fear it, but love it! 

***As always, if you have any topics you’d like me to blog on, please feel free to let me know! ***

 

Those Pesky Ribs – Poppin out all over the place!

Those pesky ribs.  They poke out of your client! And what do you tell them?  You say “Close your ribs”.  I don’t mind saying that that is simply bad cueing.

What?!  How rude of me!  How terrible!  What an insult!  I just told you that you cue badly! 

It’s just that it’s mindless cueing.  You were taught to say that, but whoever taught you didn’t understand well enough.  It’s time you understood so you can progress.  Your think your clients’ ribs are open, but there’s nothing to close.  Consider what’s really going on: 

You see ribs poking out of the front of your client’s body.  Do you also see the tight middle back?  Do you understand why the ribs are poking out of the front? 

Ribs poke out because abdominals are weak and back muscles are tight (and weak) and the breath is incomplete.  Yup. 

So, what needs to happen? 

We must remember that abdominals run around from the spine all around to the front of the body.  They also run up and down and criss-cross from the pubic bone and pelvis all the way in to the lower ribs.  Ah ha!  The lower ribs!  We have abdominals there…in those ribs! 

So, we need to cue our clients to connect in to their abdominals all the way in to their lower ribs. 

And… 

That middle back.  What do we do with that?  We have to cue our client to breathe in to their backs!  If they stay strong in the front, then they can use their lungs to stretch their backs and sides from the inside out!  It takes breath to open the back like this!  Yes…it’s a coordination that takes strength of body and mind.  It takes time to develop. 

So, connect in the abdominals all the way in to the lower ribs, breathe in to the middle back and…lengthen up!  Yes…always lengthen.  Another action to coordinate. 

There are 3 actions!  (More, actually, but 3 that are easy to see!)  Connect in your upper abdominals, breathe in to your middle back and lengthen your spine up! 

Wow!  That’s what I call “an expensive cue”.  It’s a cue that takes effort and understanding on the part of the teacher and effort from the client.  It takes time for your client to accept the cue and make changes, but that’s why it works. 

“Close your ribs” doesn’t work.  All it does is reverse the incorrect curve in to another incorrect curve.  Instead…take time to understand what the pathology of the imbalance is and give corrective cues that work.  You will not see immediate changes to the ideal spine.  Of course not.  It takes time.  They will approach the ideal over time. 

Be patient.  Cue wisely.  Allow your client to develop. 

With that…there is no need to even cue this rib/back/breath connection until your client has a really good command of her/her abdominals already.  Without this connection will just suffer in confusion and frustration…and so will you.  This is a solid intermediate cue.  It’s multi-tasking and demands a great amount of coordination, concentration and abdominal strength to achieve. 

I highly recommend coming in for a session and feeling what it is that I’m talking about.  I will gladly teach you this with my words and hands.  This works.  Not just for the short term, but for the long term, balancing your client’s body when the client is ready for this complex cue. 

It’s all about the long term.  No one gets the ideal of any exercise or cue immediately.  No one.  Give quality cues that as a team you and your client will work with to develop over time. 

***As always, if you wish to have a dialogue about this subject or any other, e-mail me or comment on this blog!  Thank you for reading!  I clearly enjoy writing!***

Expectations: It’s About Growth – Not Perfection

Expectations:  It’s About Growth – Not Perfection 

Our expectations when we teach are everything.  Everything.  If we expect our clients to be able to achieve more than they are able, then we have set our client and ourselves up for destruction.  The Pilates session has to be about achieving growth and positive change, not about attaining perfection. 

Perfection is unattainable.  Have you ever been perfect at anything?  Have you?  No.  You have not.  You can bash yourself all you want for not being perfect and work within that cycle for the rest of your life or you can choose to stop it now.  Hence, if we as teachers expect this unattainable perfection from our clients, then we are remarkably rude asking for the impossible.  Nothing can ever be perfect.   

It absolutely makes me laugh at the absurdity when I see a teacher asking too much of her client!  It cracks me up!  Your client comes to the studio 1 -3 times a week for a mere 55 minutes and you’re expecting perfection or anything close to it?  Please!  Your client is not a “Pilates Professional”!  Your client just wants to work out and make positive changes in her body.  And you are working on this material all of the time and can’t seem to get it perfect (because it’s impossible to attain perfection), but you expect your client to be able?  You’re asking for the impossible.  It’s unkind. 

While nothing can ever be perfect; striving towards growth and greater achievement is absolutely attainable.  It’s even greatly challenging.   

Then striving towards growth and greater achievement…that’s our goal!  Striving to make positive changes within an exercise and therefore throughout the entire workout is our goal.  From repetition 1 to repetition 5 we must see a positive change!  So, it is our job to figure out what is the most important and appropriate cue to give to make the appropriate change! 

How do you do that?  You have to understand this work better than you already do.  You have to keep studying it.  Keep your mind alive when you teach.  Observe your client’s body as a whole.  See what works and what doesn’t work.  Try to figure out the goal of each exercise.  Find the through line challenge of the entire workout; the one missing link that is showing up in most exercise.  Find the root of this challenge.  That root is where you have to look to help your client grow; progress. 

We’ve got 3 to 5, sometimes 10 repetitions to make a positive change in each exercise.  Look carefully at repetition 1 of an exercise, support it with the information you’ve gotten from the exercises that have preceded and then cue appropriately.  Use your words; try different words if needed; if that doesn’t work, get your hands on and then get out and let your client do it on her own! 

Help your client attain positive physical growth.  This is what it’s all about! 

***As always, if you would like to share your thoughts and/or comments, please do!  And if you have any requests or ideas for a blog from me, please let me know!  All the best!  Enjoy!*** 

What is one thing you learned today?

Years ago, at 1 p.m. every day, Romana Kryzanowska would sign our apprentice hour sheets, but wouldn’t hand them back to us until we answered this question, “What is one thing you learned today?”

I remember feeling nervous when she’d ask me that.  Why would I get nervous?  Because it made me take responsibility for the hours that I spent observing, practicing, teaching, etc.

Every day, I ask my own apprentices, “What is one thing you learned today?” when I sign their sheets.  And they say, “I learned so many things”.  I ask them to tell me one specific thing.  Because when they think about one thing, then those hours become clear.  Just one thing is plenty, though they may have learned many things.  One thing that is clear now and makes sense.  What more can we ask?

And you…what is one thing you have learned today?  You…a teacher…are you a student? 

I learned many things today, of course.  Even though I didn’t teach today, I learned many things.  When I pause to think of just one thing, my dance lesson comes to mind.  I recognize something that I know and believe already, but learned even more truly:  The value of teaching technique first before we get in to nuances or rhythm.

Every day, at the end of the day, I contemplate what one thing I learned that day.  How fortunate for me that I am reminded to ask myself this because of my apprentices.  But we don’t need apprentices to remind ourselves to be students.  You have clients every hour!  You have a moment a day to pause and query, “What is one thing I learned today?”

Enjoy being a student!

***As always, if you have an comments you’d like to share, topics you’d like me to blog on, please send them my way!  Enjoy!***

4 Pilates Stances – Deeper discussion on parallel vs. external rotation

Hi, Everyone!  My blog is extended to www.powerpilates.com as well and I got a wonderful e-mail from Colin in Scotland asking some questions about parallel legs vs. external rotation and asking that I explain the 4 Pilates stances (thank you, Courtney, for asking for the same).  With that, here is the e-mail Colin wrote to me and my response!  Let’s keep chatting about it.  It’s important to question what we’ve been taught, etc.!  I love these conversations!

Here it is (Colin’s e-mail first, followed by my response): 

Dear Shari:

 

I have seen your article posed on the Power Pilates website abut EXTERNAL ROTATION VS PARALLEL which I found very interesting indeed.

 

I live in the west coast of Scotland, and am a devotee of the Classical Mat work, in that I want to fully understand, interpret and do each exercise correctly! A challenge!

You have raised many questions in your article which I have been asking about for sometime so may I seek your guidance please:

 

1. Standing in Parallel as I understand it is considered standing in neutral or standard alignment. In this position weight bearing through the lower extremities should be even. When the legs are in optimal position for weight bearing the hips and knees and ankles align in neutral. Feet hip width apart? Do you concur?

2. Knee caps align with the second toe and feet are approximately three to four inches apart. Do you concur?

3. Pilates Stance: You mention that there are 4 Pilates Stance?  Can you explain the four different types please?

4. You seem to blame Romana for this misunderstanding…can you explain more please?

 

I have tried to get clarity about the feet position in say for example the 100, or, the Teasers. If you look at Peter Fiasca’s Classical Mat DVD he appears to have his foot softly pointed with the “arch” in the foot……as though emphasizing this connection. The heels are together and the toes, that is the distance between the two big toes is minimal, say maybe 2 inches from what can be observed from the DVD. This connection in my body is important for the Teaser, so maybe you would explain what is correct? Without this connection my Teaser suffers if you follow my explanation?

 

On the other hand I have seen it demonstrated with what appears like the feet in parallel, inner edges together and softly turned out emphasis on the arch of the foot?

 

A Romana trained Teacher described the turnout as a natural turnout, as though you were hanging by yours hand from a bar, this is the natural rotation your feet would find. Do you concur?

 

Have you any photo-images of the correct positions?

 

I really look forward to hearing from you.

 

Thank you.

 

Colin H.

 

(My response)

Colin, 

 

Thank you for reading the blog and then reaching out with your questions.  I will try to answer them as comprehensively as I can in e-mail.

 

1st, let’s just remember that Pilates is a method of exercise designed to balance our body’s imbalances.  We must not feed in to our imbalances.  Our external rotators of our legs are powerful and meant to be, but we must not neglect our adductors.  They are all too often weak and forgotten.  Making a heel-to-heel connection in our legs connects us in to our adductors/inner thighs.  We must strengthen that connection.  Ideally, that connection ought to be with parallel and together feet and legs.  So that in Pilates we are working to strengthen those adductors.

 

Our “core” is more than just our abdominals, but everything that supports the centerline of our bodies.  Our abdominals, spinal erectors/back extensors, hip flexors, adductors of the legs…and more.  These are a good start.  So, with that, that heel-to-heel connection with parallel and together feet and legs is vital to develop.

 

Develop is the operative word.  If there is a needed modification of heels together, toes slightly apart (no more then 2 fingertip widths so we go as least-modified as possible), then great!  Then remember to close up the rotation over time to parallel and together.  Over time might take weeks, months, years.  But always try to get to the ideal version.

 

When standing in parallel, there are 2 versions of parallel:

1 – Parallel and together (heels and big toe knuckles together) – This I consider a “false parallel” meaning that it’s not really parallel at all…it’s just all the way together.  But this is the way that we work towards often.

2 – Parallel and hip width apart (hip socket width).  That’s 2nd toe knuckle in line with the middle of the heel.  Big toe knuckles the client’s fist width apart.  

 

4 PILATES STANCES:

These stances are used in different ways lying down, sitting, kneeling, standing.

1 – Parallel and together – Again, what I consider a “false parallel” – Heels together, big toe knuckles together.  When standing, this provides and rather small amount of surface area to stand on which requires great ability for stability. (Any exercise where the knees do not bend out to the shoulders, this is the ideal position of the feet i.e. The Hundred, The Roll Up, Footwork Arches and Heels, Footwork Tendon Stretch and so many more)

2- Heels together, big toe knuckles 2 finger tip widths apart – This is a modification of Parallel and together.  The heel connection may be easier to achieve.  And there is a little great surface area for balance. (This is a great tool in exercises like Footwork Tendon Stretch until the ankles and adductors strengthen.)

3 – Military Stance – Heels together, one fist width apart  between the big toe knuckles.  This is what most people commonly refer to as “Pilates Stance” or “Pilates First”.  From what I have learned from many of the great teachers and Mr. Pilates clients, Mr. Pilates never used these phrases.  He said, “Military Stance”.  This stance provides both greater surface area to balance on and a strong heel connection.  (This is the foot position for Footwork Toes, Stomach Massage and other exercises that require the knees to bend and be shoulder width apart.  This is also an appropriate position to learn standing exercises such as Standing Arm Springs, The Wall, Ped-O-Pul Arm Circles, Knee Bends, Centering)

4 – Parallel and hip socket width apart – 2nd toe joint in line with the middle of the heel and 1 fist width apart between the big toe knuckles.  This provides a wide base of support, but without the heel connection…so…there must be great strength in the abdominals and adducturs.  (This position is seen in exercises like Wunda Chair’s Table, High Chair’s Pumping Parallel and Hip Width, Standing Arm Springs’ Squats)

 

Yes, Romana became very attached to external rotation/turn out.  I am not shy to say that she seemed to tire of refining and helping her apprentices understand what we do in Pilates and why.  It’s ok…but we must work to discover the answers to the questions that we never got.  We must ask our other elders, we must investigate, we must challenge ourselves and our teachers and get answers!  So…I do believe that Romana dropped the ball on the through-line of education.  She was a great teacher to me in many ways and now as I run this training program, I see how exhausting it is and what an enormous responsibility it is.  As a Teacher Trainer, we have to reiterate the same things over and over again for each group.  It is essential to make sure we don’t assume that they understand.  We must make sure that every group gets the information from the most basic to the most intricate…in a fashion that they can understand.  We must not neglect something so basic and important as:  If knees do not bend out to the shoulders, then the ideal placement of the feet is parallel.

 

Again, I honor Romana in my teaching as only few of us can, but I see her faults and humanity.  And it’s our job to understand and improve.

 

Now, you mention, Peter Fiasca’s Classical Pilates videos.  Peter uses an external rotation in his Teaser.  If you need it now as a tool to connect your legs.  Use it, but then lose it.  Start to get deeper in to your abdominals and work to lift your spine.  TIghten that heel connection and begin to rotate it parallel as I hope you begin to do to all of your work over time.  Over time, remember.  If you’re used to working in external rotation, you will find it more difficult to do this work in the ideal manner.  Of course you will.  And you will grip in your hip flexors because you are all too used to working in a modification.  Practice.  Try it out.  Strengthen in this manner and you will see and feel enormous changes over time.  Over time.  

 

And come take a session.  Sure, Scotland is very far away…but L.A. is lovely!   People travel all over the world to come take a session…it would be great to have you be part of that community!

 

One more thing…if, as you wondered, I was hanging from a bar by my hands, would my legs naturally rotate outwards…yes.  I should hope so.  My glutes and other external rotators and abductors of the leg need to be strong, but my adductors must be remarkably strong to balance them out in the way our body ought to work.  That is why in Pilates we work to strengthen in this false parallel, so that in life we have a balanced natural rotation.

 

I’ve enjoyed writing this response!  Please ask me more if you need!

 

All the best!

- Shari

Power Pilates,

Director of West Coast Education, Teacher Trainer

www.powerpilates.com 

 

The Vertical Workshop, Owner

9012 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite 200

Beverly Hills, CA 90211

ph: 310.271.4741

www.TheVerticalWorkshop.com