Over ten years ago, In February 2009 I started a blog project called the MindBodyModerate. It lasted until summer of 2011. Initially the thought was to parallel wellness and movement to physics lessons, after all, life is the ultimate balancing act. Here’s one of the first entries from the project.
From the archives of The Mind Body Moderate, February 6, 2009 (edited)
There is no better place to take on the universe than from the center. And finding your own sense of center can be a big undertaking, but infinitely beneficial.
Have you ever known someone who was fiercely dedicated to yoga or exercise, only to find that after years of practice, they have back problems or pain? This can happen when we overdo any activity or repeat certain patterns, mental or physical, without knowledge of ourselves and awareness of a sense of center from which to balance, work outwards, and be flexible.
We need an anchor. A place to ground. A point of stability. Depending on where you are in relation to your activity, gravity, and the environment, this point moves around. It is stable, but also must equally be flexible. Finding ways to connect to such points is a unique challenge for each individual, both advanced athletes and embodiment novices.
To begin exploring concepts of stability points and moving from the center for Pilates, here’s an exercise called ‘Dead Bug’.
Lying on your back. Keeping the spine feeling long and heavy like iron from the base of the neck all the way through to the tailbone. lift the right knee (in a table top position) and the left arm up towards the ceiling, while keeping both shoulders and hips firmly down and even. Over a slow count of 5, take one long deep breath and simultaneously (and SLOWLY) switch arms and legs, while maintaining complete stillness and stability in the spine. That means, no tensing of the neck and shoulders or glutes. The belly pulls down to the back, and the spine stays long and stretched out, but does not move. Did I mention the slower you do this, the better? Again, the main arc is moving the arms and legs freely but not moving the torso, head, and neck AT ALL. Let your breath help move your arms and legs. Inhale to prepare to move, and slowly exhale as you switch the arms and legs. Let the exhale carry away the neck and shoulder tension. Also, allow the exhale to help tack your belly and spine to the mat. This exercise takes time and patience. Slow, soft, and small is key. If you are unable to keep your lower back down, or it hurts your lower back, prop your hips up with a pillow.
If you look at the 3 skeletons below. Your position should be similar to skeleton A (pillow under your hips will curve you slightly, which is ok for now). Skeleton B & C are what not to do. These tilts and shifts happen when the abdominal muscles are weak or unaware.
Lying on your back. Keeping the spine feeling long and heavy like iron from the base of the neck all the way through to the tailbone. lift the right knee (in a table top position) and the left arm up towards the ceiling, while keeping both shoulders and hips firmly down and even. Over a slow count of 5, take one long deep breath and simultaneously (and SLOWLY) switch arms and legs, while maintaining complete stillness and stability in the spine. That means, no tensing of the neck and shoulders or gluts. The belly pulls down to the back, the spine stays super long and stretched out, but does not move. Did I mention the slower you do this the better? Again the main arc: moving the arms and legs freely, but not moving the torso head and neck AT ALL. Let your breath help move your arms and legs. Inhale to prepare to move, and slowly exhale as you switch the arms and legs. Let the exhale carry away the neck and shoulder tension. Also allow the exhale to help tack you belly and spine to the mat. This exercise takes time and patience. If you are unable to keep your low back down, or it hurts your low back, prop your hips up with a pillow.
If you look at the 3 skeletons below. Your position should be similar to skeleton A (pillow under your hips will curve you slightly, which is ok for now). Skeleton B & C are what not to do. These tilts and shifts happen when the abdominal muscles are weak or unaware.
If you can do the dead bug exercise well - with smooth control and no neck, hip, or back strain, feeling the belly scooping connection, and coordinating your breath with the movement - then you are well on your way to understanding a substantial piece of the Pilates exercise puzzle.