Posts Tagged ‘Pilates Stomach series’

Breakin’ Down the Pilates Stomach Series: The Stairway to Heaven Criss Cross Style

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010


Here it is the final exercise of the Pilates Stomach Series, Criss Cross.  We have been building strength in the abs, hips, booty, legs, shoulders, arms, and low back while improving flexibility in the hips, knees, back of the legs, low back, and shoulders with the previous four exercises.  Criss Cross will complete the series by challenging strength, flexibility, and stamina with a twist.  Criss Cross is the final step in the Pilates Stomach Series stairway to freedom.       

Let’s take a look at each of the exercises to reveal the steps that led us to Criss Cross.  We start with the first step, single leg stretch.  This exercise starts to stretch and strengthen the body to prepare for the remainder of the stomach series.  It works the abs and hips with the least amount of strain by stretching one leg out at a time.  When you move through a bent leg position, you lighten the load or strength required to maintain the integrity of the position.  This is also done by stretching one leg at a time.  The body can start to build the strength and flexibility needed to progress to the next step up the stairway, Double Leg Stretch. 

Double Leg Stretch continues to stretch the body while adding a new challenge of strength.  The load is more challenging because both legs and arms are stretching out at the same time.  We still move through the bent leg position; however, we extend both legs and arms out requiring a step up in strength.  This increase of strength is needed to prepare us for the third step on the stairway, Scissors. 

Similar to Single Leg Stretch we start with a motion that moves the legs one at a time.  Yet, more flexibility and strength is needed to keep the legs straight through the entire movement.  It requires a particular level of flexibility in the back of the legs, low back, and front of the hips to maintain a straight leg throughout the entire motions.  As well, the straight legs are the next load challenge.  The further you lengthen away from the body in the movements, the more strength is needed to maintain the integrity of the exercise.  You can consider this a lever.  As the lever gets longer, the more strength it requires to hold.  By utilizing one leg at a time you lighten the load on the longer lever.  This helps prepare us to take the next step, Double Leg Lower and Lift.  The same flexibility is needed as in Scissors; however, the load is heavier by moving both legs at the same time.  The lever is the same while the increase in load challenges the body to keep the integrity of the exercise.  It is important to master each of the steps one at a time because the exercise previous prepares you for the next. It is more challenging to jump up two or three steps than to take one at a time; however, you are more likely to perform the exercises improperly and/or with excess strain.  The key to succeeding upward on the Pilates stairway is to master one step at a time.    

The final step on our Pilates Stomach Series stairway is Criss Cross; however, there are a few struggles that can thwart your climb.  First, concern is the head and neck.  Too many times clients pull on their head and neck to create the twisting motion.  Or many will reach their elbow for their knee causing a pull on the head and neck.  This will strain the neck and limit the benefit of the twist.  The goal is to twist your entire spine.  You can think of twisting your spine like a spiral staircase.  The spiral starts from the bottom and stretches all the way to the top.  Rather than pull on the head or neck, try to twist your navel to start the action and finish the twist with your neck.  As well, reach your shoulder for your knee instead of the elbow to allow your chest to remain open while gazing at your back elbow.  You should feel a deeper twist with more muscle contraction than pulling on the head and neck. 

Second, problem area is the hips and legs.  People will focus so much on the twist they forget about keeping the legs engaged.  The legs will be just as engaged as they are in Single Leg Stretch.  In Single Leg Stretch, you use your arms to pull the knee in tightly.  In Criss Cross, you are using the strength of the hips and legs to create the same feeling.  This will also help you anchor for stability.  Many students will lift their opposite hip when twisting, which avoids their tightness and/or weakness.  The key is to reach the opposite hip to help stabilize the hips to twist deeper while bending the other knee into the shoulder.  Last concern is the lift in the upper body curl.  Because we may lack strength to stay lifted in the curl or are tired by time we hit this exercise, we tend to get lazy and rest as we twist.  The goal is to stay lifted in the upper body curl while twisting.  You can think about trying to keep the upper ribcage and armpit of the side you are twisting towards lifted off the mat as you twist.  It is easy to rest as you twist, but the real strength comes as you learn to keep a lift.    

Master Criss Cross adding a new challenge to your strength, flexibility, and stamina.  But more importantly, master each of the steps needed to reach the top of the Pilates Stomach Series stairway.

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Breakin’ Down the Pilates Stomach Series: Scoring a Touchdown with Scissors

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

 

In the previous two articles, we learned how to perform the first two exercises of the Pilates Stomach Series, Single Leg Stretch and Double Leg Stretch.  In this article, I will break down Scissors, the next exercise of the series.  Scissors will require many of the same skills needed in Single and Double Leg Stretch.  However, Scissors will challenge the flexibility and strength you gained with the other two exercises.  In Single and Double Leg Stretch, the legs moved through a series of movements extending the legs out straight and bending the legs into the shoulder.  In Scissors, the legs are kept straight requiring more flexibility and strength to maintain the position.  Scissors will continue to improve coordination and strengthen with flexibility the abs, hips, gluts, shoulders, arms, and low back while pushing your flexibility and strength as a team to score a Pilates touchdown.    

All Pilates exercises build from several fundamental skills.  Basically, all Pilates exercises are the same.  It is not uncommon to see the same exercise flipped upside down or performed slightly different creating a new exercise.  The more you can see how the exercises are interlinked, the more you can understand how to rise to the challenge of a more advanced exercise.  Sometimes trying a more advanced exercise may illustrate where you need more flexibility or strength.  You will be able to go back to another exercise that works that strength and flexibility in a less challenging way.  It is important to understand this concept especially with Scissors.       

Scissors is awesome for stretching the back of your legs and low back as well as strengthening the hip.  However, many students try to avoid the challenge inherent in Scissors.  The use of a straight leg through the entire motion is more challenging than Single or Double Leg Stretch where the knee bends and then straightens.  It is more difficult to keep a straight leg because the back side of the body needs to be flexible as well as the hips to maintain a straight leg throughout the entire motion.  Students will bend their knee as they lift their legs avoiding the tightness especially when pulling the leg closer.  This will avoid the tightness rather than improve the flexibility. 

As well, the strength of the hip will come more into play in this exercise.  The hip needs to support the straight leg to lift it up without excess strain or using momentum.  Students will try to lift up higher in their upper body curl to reach their leg rather than using the strength of the hips to lift the leg to your hands.  It is important to use the strength of the hips especially the hip flexors.  Hip flexors tend to be tight from sitting for long periods of time and are typically not used properly.  The straight legs in Scissors help work the hip flexors more efficiently and effectively if performed properly.  If you continue to avoid your tightness or strengthening the hip, you will not prepare your body for the more advance exercises that are to come.  You may get some benefit from the exercise, but you won’t be scoring a touchdown.           

In a football game, you rely on the skills of your players to make plays.  However, the players need to understand the basics of the game.  Each player has a position that requires a particular set of skills.  If you are a wide receiver, you need to be able to run, catch the ball, and many other fundamental skills.  If you can’t catch the ball, all the juking is a waste of energy.  This is similar to Pilates exercises.  In the previous exercises, you started to build the fundamental skills needed to progress to the next exercise.  If your hip pops when you perform Single Leg Stretch, your hips are probably going to pop with Scissors.  You will not get the most out of your Scissors because you are continuing to avoid your weakness or tightness.  As you master the skill of Single Leg Stretch you start to gain more strength and flexibility.  Scissors will be more accessible to you when that strength and flexibility improves.  Soon all the juking will be worth it as you catch the deep ball to score a touchdown.                  

Now let’s say you have a set of players that possess the fundamental skills to play the game.  Each of them have a set of talents, but it doesn’t mean that these talents will work together as a team.  This is similar to the body.  Your body has certain tightness, weakness, strength, and flexibility.  The back of your leg may be flexible while the low back is tight.  This will affect how the body moves.  You will create more flexibility in your back by working specific exercises that focus on this fundamental.  This is the same for your weakness.  Now imagine a team that only requires the quarterback to make plays.  The team is not going to move the chains when there aren’t players catching the ball.  The quarterback can throw a thousand balls and only a few will be caught by chance.  If you incorporate other players into the game, you start to create a more balanced offense.  That is when the team walks the ball in for a touchdown.    

Just as the previous skills in Single Leg Stretch are needed in Scissors, the skills in Scissors will be used in more advanced exercises, such as High Scissors and Control Balance.  Each of these more advanced exercises requires the same skills, but adds a new challenge.  You will be able to meet the new challenges by juking your way into the end zone to catch a perfectly thrown ball for a touchdown.  

Master Scissors to improve coordination and strengthening with flexibility the abs, hips, gluts, shoulders, arms, and low back.  But more importantly, master the fundamental skills as a team to score a touchdown.  When you master your Scissors, give yourself a high five…You are a ROCKSTAR!

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Breakin’ Down the Pilates Stomach Series: Hitting the Bullseye with Double Leg Stretch

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

In the previous article, “The Juiciness of Single Leg Stretch,” I explained the first exercise of the Pilates Stomach Series, Single Leg Stretch. In this article, I will break down the next exercise called Double Leg Stretch. Double Leg Stretch will improve coordination and strengthen with flexibility the abs, hips, gluts, shoulders, arms, knees, and low back similar to Single Leg Stretch. However, this exercise provides a better illustration of why Pilates works by coordinating the body, mind, and spirit. As you master Double Leg Stretch, you will learn to hit the Pilates bullseye.

Double Leg Stretch is another great full body exercise balancing the body with strength and flexibility. Yet, many students miss the target when performing this exercise. Students will haphazardly kick their legs out, reach their arms beyond working level, and put excessive strain on their back in hopes to strengthen the abs. The abs are important, but that will only get you onto the outer ring of the target. Focusing on the abs may get you closer to your six pack abs; however, it won’t get you to the bullseye. The Pilates bullseye is hit when the exercise coordinates the body, mind, and spirit.

So, how will mastering this exercise get you to hit the Pilates bullseye? Let’s imagine a bow and arrow. The bow is made out of materials that are strong but have flexibility. If the bow is strong without flexibility, it breaks not allowing the shot to release smoothly. If the bow is weak with a lot of flexibility, it will not create enough energy to hit the target. To hit the bullseye, the bow needs to have the right amount of strength with flexibility throughout the entire piece of equipment. Once you have a bow that is balanced strength with flexibility, it is important to have an archer who can skillfully draw it with the right amount of tension. This is Pilates and specifically in this instance Double Leg Stretch.

On a physical level, Double Leg Stretch is the bow. As you stretch your arms and legs out from the center, you are creating a bow shape. The energy radiates from the center stretching out of the head and finger tips. As well, the energy radiates from the center out of the feet. The energy flows through the entire body to create the right amount of energy to release the arrow smoothly to hit the target. Many students will reach their arms without engagement or beyond their range of motion, which causes the upper body curl to open or rock. This will put excessive strain on the abs as well as the back blocking the flow of energy. The key is to keep the arms engaged in your range of motion to create a flow of energy without undue strain to release the arrow smoothly. Make sure to keep your legs engaged as they stretch out at your working level. If the legs are too low, the low back will arch and hips will tighten to maintain the position causing excessive strain and energy blockage. The bow needs to be balanced to release the arrow smoothly and hit the target.

Once you stretch the body, you return to a released position. In this position, you create a circular oppositional energy to prepare for the next shot. As you reach the sacrum down, top of your booty crack, the knees pull in tightly creating a circular energy. Many students will lift their tail and avoid the stretch in their hips. Create the oppositional energy to get more release in the hips and a more energetic stretch when drawing the bow again. As well, this series of contractions and releases builds strength with flexibility. Physically this is one of the main reasons Pilates works. You are not in constant strain to release the muscles but rather a series of contractions and releases to build the flexibility. Or you are stretching the muscles while they are contracted creating a more dynamic stretch. In addition, it works the strength of these muscles without undue force on the body. Rather it utilizes a series on contractions to build the strength challenging it each time you perform the exercise. As you build more strength and flexibility in areas that are weak or tight, you start to create a better bow that will hit the bullseye every time.

On a mental level, the archer has to learn how to use the bow. You must play with different tensions and releases in your body to determine what will create the optimal bow. The mind needs to make new neuropaths to the muscles so that you can control each of the muscles. Many times I find that students need to learn how to release muscles rather than engage muscles. We are so focused on engagement that we forget to release the muscles that do extra work. This does not allow the smaller deeper muscles to help in the motion creating weaknesses. If the archer pulls the bow back with excess force in hopes to gain more force, he may break it or create an excess of energy in one area. If the archer pulls the bow back with the right amount of energy, the arrow smoothly releases towards the bullseye. Many times when you are focused on only engagement you lock out other muscles that need to help. Release the muscle and you will create a deeper feeling of connection by allowing the smaller deeper muscles to work. You will be one more ring closer to hitting the bullseye.

On a spiritual level, the archer needs to figure out how to create a natural rhythm when releasing. If the archer tries too hard to hit the target, he will struggle to find the bullseye. He may hit it every now and then, but he will be frustrated and continue to struggle. If the archer lets go of always trying to hit the target and becomes in tune with his own natural rhythm, he will hit the target every time. He will hit the bullseye every time whether the arrow hits the target or not. At some point, you have to trust in yourself and let the exercises happen. As you balance the body with strength and flexibility and create new neuropaths to the muscles, you create your own natural rhythm. Your Pilates will not be perfect every time; however, you try to find a connection in every moment whether it is there or not. If you lose it, you accept and try to find it again knowing that it is perfect just as it is. You release any connection to what it has to be and accept what it is. When you can coordinate the body, mind, and spirit in this way, you are hitting the Pilates bullseye.

Analysis
Before mastering Double Leg Stretch, you need to check in with your current thought patterns about Pilates. Is it just a physical practice for me? How can I build a better mind-body connection? Do I only focus on engagement or can I release certain muscles? Do I create my own rhythm when performing the exercises or do I just follow what I’m told? Once you understand what Pilates is to you, you can focus on improving your connection to Double Leg Stretch to learn the keys needed in the other Pilates exercises. You just may start to hit the Pilates bullseye.

Master Double Leg Stretch to improve coordination and strengthening with flexibility the abs, hips, gluts, shoulders, arms, knees, and low back. But more importantly, coordinate the body, mind, and spirit to hit the Pilates bullseye.

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Breakin’ Down the Pilates Stomach Series: The Juiciness of Single Leg Stretch

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

The Pilates Stomach Series is a great 5 minute workout that will energize you when in a pinch. It includes 5 exercises that will flow together while maintaining your upper body curl to create a full body exercise that strengthens and builds flexibility. In this article, I will break down the first of the series named Single Leg Stretch. Single Leg Stretch initially may be a challenge with the coordination; however, it will be extremely rewarding if you find the juiciness of the exercise. Not only will coordination be improved, but it will also strengthen the abs, hips, gluts, shoulders, and arms while improving flexibility in the abs, hips, knees, and low back.

Single Leg Stretch is a great full body exercise offering a balance between strength and flexibility. However, students perform this exercise avoiding weaknesses that need to be strengthened and/or tightness that need to be stretched. Usually students don’t even realize that they are missing the juiciest part of the exercise. The first area that students avoid is pulling the leg into the shoulder. They will lightly place their hands on the leg and barely pull the knee into the shoulder. They look to find speed in the exercise without addressing the juiciness of the exercise.

One of the keys is pulling the knee tight into the shoulder and foot into the booty while extending the opposite leg. This creates oppositional energy or a flow of energy in two opposing directions. On a physical level, this creates strength and flexibility in both hips at the same time. The leg that is pulled into the shoulder releases the hip as well as the knee. Make sure to not aggravate the knee if you have problems, but continue to stretch the knee at your comfort. If you avoid pulling the knee into the shoulder, you will keep the hip engaged creating more tension in the hip. This can contribute to tightness in the front of your body and hips. This can pull the upper body forward, and may cause tightness in the chest, shoulders, and over round the upper back. The forward pull can start to limit movement and affect the spine.

On a psychological level, the pooling of energy in the abs creates a protection from vulnerability. Judith Lasater, Ph.D , says “We want to control our feelings, so we make our bellies hard, trying to keep it together.” However, this control can lead to a hardening of the mind. You avoid the ability to be open to the possibilities of your own mind and intuition. Various practices, such as yoga and Tai Chi, view the belly as the center of energy and consciousness. Break down the layers and find the energy flow through to build a connection to the real inner you. That’s when you find the real juiciness of Pilates.

Another area students avoid is the shoulders and arms. Some Pilates classes will incorporate weights to add the arm toning aspect. Yet, the juiciness of the exercise will create the arm toning you need. In Single Leg Stretch, arm engagement is just as important as the ab work. Not only do the arms pull the leg into the shoulder, they also help open and strengthen the chest and shoulders. The juiciness of the arms creates strength in the chest, arms, and shoulders while opening the chest and releasing tension in the upper back.

Analysis
Before mastering Single Leg Stretch, you need to check in with your current ab and hip strength and flexibility. Are your shoulders rounded forwarded? Is your chest closed and do you avoid breathing into your upper chest? Do you struggle to hold your leg up in Single Leg Circle? Are your hips tight? Do your hips pop when performing Single Leg Circle? Do your bottom ribs pop off the mat when reaching your hands over your head? Once you know the strength and flexibility of your abs and hips, you can focus on improving them in Single Leg Stretch. You just may find the juiciness of Pilates.

Master Single Leg Stretch to improve coordination, strengthen the abs, hips, gluts, shoulders, and arms, and improve flexibility in the abs, hips, knees, and low back.

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