One of the things I like
about Pilates is that it shows me where things get stuck. Different bodies get stuck in different
places, but Pilates tends to find wherever those spots are.
Some of us can extend our
spines with no problem (what non-Pilates people call “arching the back”) evenly
from the lower back to the neck. Others
of us run into issues in the upper back, or have good reasons why working to
extend the lumbar or cervical spine is a bad idea.
Or perhaps we find that
when we bend forward to touch our toes, the toes are farther away than they
used to be. This can be about how tight
our hamstrings are, how much mobility we have in our pelvis, or how much our
spines are willing to bend. Each
different issue requires a nuanced approach.
The Pilates repertoire offers
diagnostic and therapeutic tools (I am speaking metaphorically; actual
diagnosis and therapy is beyond the scope of my practice; I use the exercises
to see how people move and to help them move better.). All of us can use a little more mobility and flexibility
and grace.
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