Classical Pilates for Modern Life
(A Harmonious Pilates, Inc. Original Publication)
by Joanna Telacka
Classical Pilates Teacher
Business Owner
Triathlete
April 13th, 2024
Shining light on Pilates truths, honoring Joseph Pilates,
and supporting you in your Pilates journey.
Sitting Is the New Smoking...
"Sitting is the new smoking" is a phrase coined by Dr. James Levine of the Mayo Clinic in 2018. He used smoking as a metaphor to highlight the dangers that prolonged sitting poses to our health—and we definitely do too much sitting!
For those who transitioned to working from home, commuting is no longer part of the day, leading to less movement.
Remote workers, in general, may find themselves sitting even more, with additional meetings, consultations, and virtual gatherings. When we add up the time spent browsing the internet, scrolling through social media, online shopping, or searching for "how-to" advice on YouTube, the number of hours is staggering—it can feel like there’s no escape!
Or is there?
Since sitting is inevitable (but too much can be harmful to our health), we should aim to spend more time standing and moving.
The Heart Foundation's August 10th, 2019 publication offers practical solutions:
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Set a Timer: Get up every hour and move—stand, walk around, stretch. You can even download apps to remind you!
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Watch Your Posture: Poor posture can lead to bone damage, decreased blood circulation, fatigue, and loss of muscle strength. If you must sit, keep your shoulders back, chin tucked, and stomach pulled toward your spine to engage your muscles, align your bones, and keep circulation flowing.
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Take a Stand: If possible, opt for a standing desk. Not only will your heart thank you, but standing desks have been shown to boost brain function, creativity, and productivity.
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Work It Out: Commit to daily exercise. Take a walk during lunch, attend a fitness class, or park farther away. Every minute of physical activity counts!
Joseph Pilates on his Method of Contrology
“Standing also is very important and should be practiced at all times until mastered. First, assume the correct posture, then when tired, shift the weight on the body from one side to the other while resting on the ”idle” side. Do not push your hips out or lock your knees."
"Never slouch, as doing so compresses the lungs, overcrowds other vital organs, rounds the back, and throws you off the balance created by poising the weight of your body on the balls of your feet".
"Return To Life"
My Two Cents
Arthur Schopenhauer said, "To neglect one's body is the greatest of follies."
It truly is easy to avoid the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle—much easier than dealing with the consequences of neglecting oneself.
Yet, we’re often guilty of doing just that, even though now, more than ever, we have an abundance of "how-to" information at our fingertips.
The hardest part is getting started, but once you do, the rest becomes easy. So, take action!
- Set a timer to get up every hour... or every 45 minutes.
- Get a standing desk.
- Engage regularly in a classical Pilates routine.
- Try some Arm Circles on a foam roller—the "how-to" video is below. Just don’t sit while watching it! :)
- Correct your posture—follow the video posted below.
Classical Pilates is the perfect remedy for the pitfalls of sitting too much. It strengthens your abs, back, every single muscle and joint, arms, and legs, while also improving flexibility and stamina.
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Sincerely,
Joanna 😊
