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Classical Pilates for Modern Life

(Harmonious Pilates, Inc. original publication)

by Joanna Telacka

Classical Pilates Teacher

 Business Owner

Triathlete

October 12th, 2023

Shining light on Pilates truths, honoring Joseph Pilates,

and supporting you in your Pilates journey. 

 Joseph Pilates' Method Of Exercising:

Your Path to a Strong & Healthy Spine

Spine health is the ability to function every day without pain and stiffness in any part of the spinal column. It is the comfort of living life without neck pain, upper back pain, or lower back pain.

A healthy spine is the foundation of our body's overall mobility and proper posture.

Joseph Pilates' movement technique, also known as Classical Pilates, is a proven and effective method to heal an unhealthy spine and prevent a healthy spine from injury.

He built his method on the scientifically proven fact that movement is the foundation of health and longevity. That is why the exercises he designed include spine movement in all directions: flexion (bending forward), extension (bending backward), rotation (twisting), and lateral bending (bending to the side).

As teachers of his method, we introduce these movements gradually and in a specific order to ensure that the body and mind can handle the intrinsic aspects of these carefully executed, precise movements.

  
 

 

Flexion: When we bend forward, the abdominal muscles contract, pulling the spine forward, while the muscles of the back relax to allow the movement to occur. We spend a good part of our day performing activities that involve bending forward—whether it’s reaching for an object, tying our shoes, or petting our four-legged friend.

Extension: When we extend the spine, the muscles of the back contract and counteract the effects of spinal flexion, helping us return to the upright position and maintain the natural curvature of the spine. Spinal extension occurs when we look up at the ceiling or the sky, when we lean back to have our hair washed, or even when we remember to stand up straight.

Rotation: Rotating the spine involves the muscles of the trunk, such as the obliques and multifidus muscles. These muscles contract and pull on different parts of the spine, causing it to twist to the left or right. We rotate the spine all day long—whether it's looking over our shoulder while driving, playing sports, or turning to talk to a friend or neighbor.

Rotation with Flexion: The spine rotates and flexes at the same time. During this complex movement, the muscles on one side of the spine engage to create rotation, while the muscles around the front of the spine (abdominals) pull the spine forward into flexion. Reaching for a pepper shaker across the Thanksgiving dinner table is a classic example of this kind of spine movement. 😊

Lateral Bending: In the action of lateral bending of the spine, the muscles on one side contract while simultaneously the muscles on the opposite side stretch. The effect is that the spine flexes to one side. This motion is surprisingly essential for various daily activities, such as reaching for something on a shelf or even tying our shoes.

My Two Cents 

Movement in all directions with utmost precision and control promotes mobility and strength in the spine, which in turn reduces the risk of musculoskeletal problems and improves overall physical well-being.

Having made all of those positive statements about the importance of spine movement in all directions, I cannot emphasize enough what I know is true:

To effectively maintain or achieve spine health, one must follow the exercises, and the order of them, that Joseph Pilates designed and taught to his own clients, adhering to the guidelines he laid out in detail in his book Return to Life.

 

If you know someone who can benefit from the content of my newsletter, please share it with them. My goal is to reach as many people as I can to help them have a better quality of life.

If you need a copy of the previous newsletters to browse though or if you are new to our community and want to catch up here is a link to the Newsletter Library.

https://www.harmoniouspilates.com/Newsletter.html

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Joanna 😊

 

Start your Pilates journey today!
Look inside my Facebook group: "Classical Pilates for Modern Life" and on the Instagram page "Pilates Knowhow" where I explain and demonstrate one Pilates exercise at a time.
                     


Please reach out if you need more guidance or encouragement!

Let's share our Pilates journey together 😊