Last week, I shared with you the story of the Swan stick figures on the whiteboard in my studio. If you missed it, you can read about it here:)
Over the past few months, I have drawn many more stick figures to illustrate different Pilates concepts. I have now gathered some of them for you to review.
I hope one of these drawings gives you a useful way to see or understand something in your own body that words alone may not have made clear.
And now, as promised, let me introduce you to Kathy Grant’s “Song”:
“Zip up.”
“Belly button to the lowest part of your waistline.”
“Belt.”
“Vest.”
“Tape measure.”
“And then, float—or imagine that you are sitting on hot sand.”
Kathy Grant was a first-generation Pilates teacher who studied with Joseph and Clara Pilates. She used this series of images in her teaching to direct attention to different areas of the body and help organize the trunk for movement.
By the way: this is my whiteboard interpretation of Kathy’s “Song,” which is hanging in the studio this month.
A funny thing happened: I forgot to put the word Song in quotation marks, so more than one person asked if I could sing it for them.
At first, I did not understand why they were asking me that. Then I looked at the whiteboard and realized what I had done.
The missing quotation marks almost added singing to my teaching repertoire. 🙂
But here is the real treat:
Watch Kathy Grant explain her “Song” in conversation with Ron Fletcher.
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After you listen to Kathy explain her “Song,” do not leave it as an interesting piece of the Pilates method history. Try it in your own body.:)
Try Kathy’s “Song” During Your Next Pilates Practice
Before you begin an exercise, move through the entire “Song” in order:
Zip up.
Draw your belly button toward the lowest part of your waistline.
Put on your belt.
Put on your vest.
Add the tape measure.
Then, float, or imagine that you are sitting on hot sand.
Now perform one Pilates exercise while keeping your body organized.
Can you maintain that organization as you move?
To Your Health!
Joanna
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