PILATES SPOTLIGHT, May 2014 Scoop

PILATES SPOTLIGHT, May 2014 Scoop

by Vicki 

Excel Pilates Annapolis client since 2012

 I no longer think of Pilates as another way to exercise, 

but rather as another way to live.

I have been working with the instructors at Excel Pilates Annapolis for two years.  I had always been curious about Pilates, but it wasn’t until I had lower back surgery that I decided to eradicate my curiosity and give Pilates a try.  My surgeon recommended an extended recovery plan that would strengthen the muscles around my lower back which, consequently, would significantly reduce my chances of ever having lower back surgery again.  So, heeding his advice, I began to explore Pilates studios in and around Annapolis.  Before Pilates (and before back surgery for that matter), I guess you could say I worked out a lot.  I ran, did group strength and spin classes, and hiked about seven days/week.  Though, none of it made me strong.  None of it made me toned.  And, most certainly, none of it made me aware.  Yes, I worked up a sweat and burned calories.  Though, I always had this feeling like I was “cheating”, like I was on autopilot, not thinking about the exercise, but rather just getting myself into “the zone” to get it over with; to check it off the daily list.  

Enter Pilates.  Pilates gave me the mindfulness in my overall wellness plan that had been missing.  It helped me to recognize, respect, and listen to every part of my body.  I discovered areas that had been ignored for years (like my inner thighs) and others that I had come to rely on far more than they were ever intended (like my lower back).  For example, I discovered that I carried my weight in my waste and lower back.  Everything I did, whether it was walking, driving, mingling at parties, or even working out at the gym, came from my waist and lower back.  This posture weighed me down as if I were constantly wearing a body builder’s weight belt and I only came to notice it through Pilates.  I soon became aware of a similar posture in my mother and my sisters suggesting we had settled this way for quite some time.  Through my work with Kerry and Amanda, I learned to lift out of my waist and instead, focus on my core and the dynamic opposition which invites us to simultaneously reach down through our legs and up through our core.   This seemingly small adjustment in my alignment has been remarkable.  It’s as if a weight (no pun intended) has been lifted.  The best part is the awareness I’ve gained that’s allowed me to take this small adjustment beyond the studio and into my daily life.  I incorporate it everywhere - when I walk, when I sit, when I get in and out of my car, and even when I work out at the gym.  It’s truly changed my life.  

Another Pilates discovery involves, again, my posture and my neck.  For years, I got lightheaded just about every time I stood up or sat up from lying down.  It only lasted for a few seconds, but was nonetheless frustrating as ever.  Additionally, through Pilates, I noticed a similar lightheadedness when extending my head back.  Could the two be related?  I ruled out potential causes such as allergies, vertigo, and even postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (aka POTS).  Then, with the help of Kerry and Amanda, I came to learn that I had been overextending my neck, not only in various exercises, but in daily routine tasks which likely caused decreased blood flow and thus, lightheadedness.  For example, when I would bend down to pick something up, I did so in a way that extended my neck out and my head back.  When I ascended stairs, I did so with a similar alignment of my neck jutted out and my head extended back.  Before Pilates, I was completely unaware of this, though upon further consideration, I soon realized that most of the movements that were causing the lightheadedness where done so with a similar alignment.  Through Pilates, Kerry and Amanda helped me to modify my alignment.  We repeatedly practiced movements that kept my head and neck in line with my spine.  They encouraged me to find the strength of the movement from my powerhouse.  Again, this seemingly obvious awareness and simple adjustment has made a profound difference in my life.  The lightheadedness has significantly diminished affording me more freedom and confidence in my movement.  I can do things with ease that I could never do before.  I’ve learned so much through Pilates that has spilled over into my daily life.  I no longer think of Pilates as another way to exercise, but rather as another way to live.  In two years, Pilates with Kerry and Amanda has already helped me discover so many things about myself.  Amanda once explained to me that Pilates is not the kind of activity you learn, master, check off your list, and then move on to something else.  Instead, it is the kind of activity that grows with you.  After all, we are ever-evolving beings; learning, developing, and growing in mind, body, and spirit.  Every day that we come into the studio, we are different.  I love that Pilates helps me to recognize and respect this difference and then work through it mindfully with compassion and integrity.  I call it “Pilates Mindfulness” and I carry it with me always.