“Hello. Welcome to your Pilates session at Elevate. We hope you enjoy your time here. Please note that we demand perfection from you.”
No. No, we don’t.
Instead, we insist on progressively developing true good form and we’ll tell you why.
At Elevate we take Pilates fundamentals seriously. These are founded on anatomical and bio-mechanical principles that all instructors should adhere to. By cueing the correct placement of the different parts of the body during a movement or exercise and giving tips on muscular exertion and joint stabilization, we help clients with their particular issues. This then should result in achieving the optimal and most efficient way a body should move right? Yes and no.
See, it’s not enough for you to know what position makes good form. To make it truly worth the effort and beneficial to yourselves, one should understand the WHY and HOW. For example, when we cue clients to be in a supported or imprinted position (usually given when the abdominals aren’t the strongest and if there is a possibility of lower back strain in an exercise) we should see a slight posterior tilt in the pelvis. Is that good form? Sure… (There’s some kind of pun coming, brace yourselves.) But, it isn’t. WHY? If the buttocks or gluteus maximus are used to facilitate getting the position, then it is incorrect. HOW then? One must focus instead on creating the posterior tilt by engaging the abdominals. Do that, and it is truly good form.
Have you heard of the saying, “Monkey see, monkey do”? Unfortunately, this is a reality for many people engaged in physical activity. People copy a movement, and they learn that way. It’s a very superficial and shallow method of learning Pilates, yoga, ballet, etc. Some dancers who learn this way develop bad habits that cause serious injury later on. It’s so very important to us at Elevate that we go beyond this and stimulate the body AND the mind as well by making sure that you are all the time thinking while you move in the classes and sessions.
Imagine being at Elevate and learning all the time how your body can move whilst maintaining truly good form. As time goes on, your brain will remember to signal the body to perform tasks efficiently with more stability, strength, and, for some, without pain. You will start developing good movement habits through being mindful. That’s when you know that coming to the studio is worth it.
Yes, we insist on good form. TRUE good form.
See you in good form at the studio!
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