Pilates Principle: Movement Integration

We’ve made it to our last Pilates principle!  Hooray!  It is movement integration.

 

The best way to talk about movement integration is to talk about what happens when we try something new and suddenly we have about 27 more body parts than we know what to do with.  We can do whatever we are supposed to be doing with our arm, but then our knees and feet are doing something else entirely.  As we keep practicing and learning and paying attention, eventually our various body parts get with the program.  They integrate into a whole, all concentrated on the task at hand.

 

The mindful practice of Pilates helps us learn how to go through that integration process.  We start with simple exercises, work with the breath.  We refine separate parts of movements.  Then we add complexity.  As our brains and our bodies learn more, we can do more, until we can move with fluidity and grace.

 

Go play.