There are more than two basic principles of Pilates. Here is the whole list:
1. breathing
2. alignment/weight bearing of the extremities
3. axial elongation and core control
4. spinal articulation
5. head/neck/shoulder organization
6. movement integration
If you want to know more or experience Pilates in action, you know how to find me.
Exercises you might want to include in your weight workout:
1. squats
2. lunges
3. deadlifts
4. bench press
5. flies
6. rows
7. curls
8. kickbacks
9. ab work
There are any number of ways to get cardio exercise in. Here are a few:
1. Take a ten minute walk after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
2. If you watch something with commercials, do jacks (or the exercise of your choice that gets your heart rate up) until the show comes back.
3. Variation on 2: If you don’t watch TV with commercials, every time the main character says That Thing They Say, do jacks. Kind of like a drinking game, but better for you!
4. Dance. This can range from going out with friends to taking a Zumba class to cranking the tunes in the kitchen and boogie-ing down while sauteeing the spinach.
5. Borrow a kid. Play tag, any variation. Climb on the play structure at the park. Try to get your phone back from the little booger. Take them swimming or hiking or biking.
6. Challenge a friend to a game. No, not chess, unless you play full-contact chess. I’m thinking basketball or soccer or pickleball or ultimate frisbee.
7. Hubba hubba. But no just lying there thinking of England.
A few more favorite ways to rest, recover, and regenerate:
1. massage/foam rolling
2. bath (bonus points: Epsom salts)
3. nap (just not too long!)
4. drink some water
5. eat a vegetable
6. sing or blow bubbles—they help us breathe!
7. go outside
8. connect with someone you love
Other favorite Pilates mat exercises include:
1. chest lift
2. arm arcs
3. side to side
4. swan
5. leg circles
6. dart
7. roll down
8. push up
9. twist
10. mermaid
More strength favorites? I got you:
1. pushups
2. deadlifts
3. pretty princesses
4. rows
And some un-favorites that I do because they’re so good for me:
1. lunges
2. burpees
3. YTA
4. single leg anything for balance
I admit: I have a hard time picking a favorite cardio exercise. Here are some other of my favorites, but feel free to add more!
1. pickleball
2. ballet and other dance
3. elliptical trainers
4. skiing
5. hiking
6. roller skating
More possible interdependencies to explore:
1. Yoga and stress reduction
2. Cardio exercise and anxiety management
3. Exercise/movement and general mental health
4. Outdoor time/movement/sun exposure
5. Hydration and mood
6. Sleep and performance
7. Pilates and balance work
8. Social interaction and movement
Independence vs. Interdependence
1. “I want to win.” vs. “We can win together.”
2. “I can do it myself.” vs. “No human is an island.”
3. “I want to be strong.” vs. “I use my strength to help.”
4. “I want to be fit.” vs. “My fitness allows me to take care of people I love.”
Things we are free from and for, a list of affirmations:
1. We are free to be healthy.
2. We are free to be happy.
3. We are free to choose our own goals.
4. We are free to set our own ideals.
5. We are free from the expectations of others.
6. We are free to work out in the way that works best for us.
7. We are free to be strong, fit, and fabulous, however we define those terms.
Some ideals we can declare independence from:
1. Cultural body image
2. Ableist ideas of what we should do
3. Fanatical adherence to rubrics about exercise and nutrition
4. “Healthy” stuff that makes us feel bad
While working on fitness tends to enable our pursuit of happiness, sometimes the fitness work itself can be happy. Here are some happy workouts:
1. Dance
2. Yoga
3. Pickleball
4. Swimming
5. Tag with the kids
6. That sport you love
7. That hike that inspires you
8. That thing you do with friends and you end up laughing until your abs hurt
9. Add your own
A rainbow to eat!
1. Red bell pepper.
2. Oranges.
3. Yellow squash.
4. Green beans (or broccoli, or spinach, or asparagus, or any of the other million green veggies)
5. Blueberries.
6. Eggplant.
Things that will help us sleep well:
1. Turn off the blue light. That means the tv and all the devices. At least a half hour before bed time.
2. Keep it dark. Either keep the room dark or get a sleep mask. (I love mine!)
3. Keep it cool. Lower temperatures help us get and stay asleep.
4. Relax. Some gentle breathing or meditation can help.
5. Get exercise. Some people get amped up after exercise, so if this is you, schedule your workout earlier in the day.
6. Watch the caffeine and alcohol. Moderation or abstention can help.
More ways to encourage recovery and regeneration!
1. Corrective and low-intensity movement: Think yoga, Pilates, stretching.
2. Breathing: deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, cuing our bodies to rest and recover.
3. Massage, foam rolling, percussion: feels good and is good!
4. Epsom salt baths.
5. Fun.
Sometimes we need a little nudge to get moving. Here are some possible “rules” to help us out:
1. Microwave time is stretching time.
2. The pause between episodes is lap-around-the-house time. (Bonus points: change the laundry!)
3. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
4. On the phone? Talk and walk.
We made it to the end of the month! Hooray for us! But there is one last permission I’m granting: permission to rest. Here are some ways to incorporate rest:
1. Between sets.
2. Between rounds.
3. On vacation.
4. On rest days.
5. When we’re sick/tired.
Rest is where we heal and get stronger!
When we’re kids, people bribe us to do stuff. Behave at the doctor? Get a sucker. Good report card? Pizza for you. Now that we’re adults, we get to set our own rewards for working out. May I suggest:
1. Massage. Or a hot bath. Or anything that makes your body feel fabulous.
2. Milestone treats. Chop up that big goal and reward yourself for each segment. This could be a scale number, a distance reached, a weight lifted, or whatever else you’re measuring. Make it small enough to be manageable but big enough to be meaningful.
3. New gear. Who doesn’t love getting new workout clothes? Or comfy shoes? Or a cool new thingamajig for that activity we love?
