Blog
Common Pilates Cues Explained
There’s some common lingo you’ll hear in Pilates classes. Regardless of whether your next class is your first or hundredth, let’s deepen our practice by reviewing some fundamental Pilates cues together.
Planks, Planks, Planks
Planks are a truly great exercise. In fact, research has shown that planks are one of the best exercises for training spinal stability. Who doesn’t want to feel more stable in their lives? Join us for some planks!
However, since planks are very challenging exercises, there are some pretty common places where we see clients experiencing difficulty maintaining their optimal alignment. Without proper alignment, we, at best, don’t get the most out of our exercise and, at worst, risk injury.
To get the most out of your workout, and to protect yourself from possible injury, let’s review these common misalignments and how to address them.
How Do We Counter Computer Poster?
Have you found yourself at a computer lately? Thank goodness for technology’s ability to keep us connected, but if you’re feeling an achy upper back, tight shoulders, neck stiffness, or maybe even a headache - you may be feeling the effects of “computer posture.” As we look at the computer for hours on end, our head tends to creep forward, shoulders round, chest sink, and upper back hunch. These postural changes are often exaggerated when sitting, because the position of our pelvis impacts the position of our upper backs and necks. We’ve been calling this position “computer posture” in class as most people instinctively understand the meaning. However, it has an official term: Upper Crossed Syndrome.
Anatomy Moment: the shoulder girdle
Shoulders have been on my mind lately. Sometimes in the rehab and movement world we see themes in our clients, and lately our clients have been bringing us lots of shoulder puzzles. So thank you all — you know who you are! — for the inspiration of this Anatomy Moment.
Client Spotlight: Meet Dave!
First met Dave – entrepreneur, dad, and avid biker – almost two years ago when he started Pilates sessions. This weekend, Dave will be biking from San Francisco to Sonoma as part of the Bike MS: Waves to Wine ride to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Way to go, Dave!