Health & Wellness
Applying Core Strength: Pilates Workbook
Sep
EnVibe Life is excited to offer the second in an exclusive two-part series of excerpts from Stephen and Cheryl Dunn’s book, Retrain the Brain to Solve Back Pain.
I am Cheryl Dunn, co-owner of CORE Therapy & Pilates, as well as the co-owner here at EnVibe Life. I want to talk to you a little bit about how I got into teaching Pilates and GYROTONIC® exercise, the process and the steps that I took to get to where I am today. I was working a desk job and going to the gym every evening and enjoying the movement. I thought I should get paid to do these classes and exercise because I enjoy it. So I went through a personal training certification through ACE to be able to do that and was able to teach a few classes. Then I started hearing about Pilates a lot. So I started taking some Pilates classes and found some books on it and was doing a little bit here and there. And then Stephen comes to me and asked “What’s Pilates?"
So I tell him what I know and how I like it and what it’s doing for me. He then gets the opportunity to go through a Pilates teacher training and was thinking this is something to do. We talked to the Instructor and she said of course. I go through the training with him and was able to start teaching Pilates. I eventually decided to teach Pilates exclusively.
Our Own Studio
I worked with Stephen part-time in Burbank and part-time for a chiropractor in Beverly Hills. I was teaching their patients Pilates and helping them with what I knew. The major motivator was to show how much Pilates has helped me. Then Stephen and I got married and we moved to Sonoma. The studio I worked at offered Gyrotonic exercise and I was able to go through my Gyrotonic teacher training program. Briefly, that led me to teaching both Pilates and Gyrotonic exercise. And I really loved the two systems and how they meshed together and complemented each other. Finally, this led me to where I am today, opening up and running our own studio.
Now I want to teach you some Pilates exercises…
When one is reintroducing movement into their life after a bout with back pain they want to do it with caution and mindfulness. There are 6 main principles of Pilates that need to be addressed in every exercise. Listed below are the 6 Principles and a list of questions to ask yourself to insure you are implementing each principle.
1. Centering – Where am I moving from? (ie. Did I initiate this movement from my feet or do I initiate this from my CORE?)
2. Breathing – Is my breath supporting me or hindering me?
3. Precision – Is my body moving where and how it’s supposed to be?
4. Control – Could I stop without jerking in any part of this exercise?
5. Concentration – Am I present or is my mind elsewhere?
6. Dynamic Movement – Am I enjoying the movement? (ie. Too much control inhibits the movement.)
PREPERATION FOR PILATES MAT WORK
PELVIC CLOCKS
Objective: Bring awareness to the deep abdominals and the pelvic mobility. This exercise will also release the lumbar spine and teach rotation initiated in the pelvis and hip joint.
Starting Position: Supine Home Position - Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your arms next to you with your palms on the floor.
Movement for 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock:
- Inhale to prepare.
- Exhale, co-contract while curling the pubic bone towards the belly button (12 o’clock). The weight will come off of the tailbone and the PSIS (Posterior Superior Iliac Spine) will become heavy into the floor as you tilt your pelvis posteriorly. The PSIS is the bony part of the SI joint where the sacrum and ilium bones connect. This area is also known by the two dimples on either side of the top of the sacrum. Inhale and allow the pelvis to relax back into your resting position.
- Exhale, co-contract while making the tailbone heavy and allowing the PSIS to come off the floor (6 o’clock) as you tilt your pelvis forward.
- Inhale and allow the pelvis to relax back into a neutral position. Repeat both directions, 6 o’clock and 12 o’clock, 4 to 5 times.
Movement for 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock:
- Inhale to prepare.
- Exhale, co-contract while drawing the (L) PSIS down to the floor while the (R) PSIS rises towards the ceiling (3 o’clock).
- Inhale allowing the pelvis to relax back into your resting position.
- Exhale, co-contract while drawing the (R) PSIS down to the floor while the (L) PSIS rises towards the ceiling (9 o’clock).
- Inhale allowing the pelvis to relax back into your resting position and repeat both directions, 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, 4 to 5 times.
SCAPULAR STABILITY AND MOBILITY
Coronal Scapula Circles
Objective: Awareness of the shoulder blades(scapula) moving on the ribcage.
Starting Position: Sit upright on top of the sits bones with the spine lifted, ribcage and head directly over the pelvis. Shoulders abducted to the side at 90 degrees and elbows bent to 90 degree in scapula plane.
- Inhale, squeeze the shoulder blades together (adduct) and elevate the scapulas.
- Exhale and spread the blades apart (abduct) and then lower them. Repeat this motion again, 4 to 5 times.
Scapular Reaches
Objective: Awareness of the shoulder (humeral head) and scapula in a neutral position. Movement awareness of the shoulder rotating in and out (internal and external rotation), and scapular movement on the ribcage.
Starting Position: Supine Home Position with hands raised above your chest, fingertips reaching up to the ceiling and your palms facing each other.
- Inhale, reach the right arm toward the ceiling with scapula wide on the back, and externally rotate the arm. Your pinky fingers will rotate towards your midline, palms up.
- Exhale then internally rotate right arm as if you are unscrewing a light bulb as your shoulder and blade return to the starting position.
- Repeat the entire movement on the left arm.
HEAD MOVEMENT
Head Float
Objective: Preparation for Pilates exercises that begin with neck flexion. Strengthen the deep neck flexors, the deep abdominals and obliques.
Starting Position: Supine home position with hands clasped behind the neck. The pinky fingers are under the occiput and elbows/shoulders are relaxed.
- Inhale to prepare.
- Exhale, co-contract and begin the skull bowl flexion. Curl around the cervical spine and continue to curl up sequentially to your scapular anchor points (lower tips of the scapula).
- Hold the position for 3 full breaths then exhale and deepen the co-contraction.
- On the last exhale, sequentially roll back to home position and repeat this exercise 4-5 times.
PILATES MAT EXERCISES
Perform 4-5 reps of each with focus on form and breathing properly.
The Roll Up
Starting Position: Lie on your back with your hands overhead. The arms can only go over the head as far as you can keep your lower back rib attached to the floor and your arms may not be touching the floor.
Movement Sequence:
- Inhale: Flex your feet, co-contract and reach the arms to the ceiling.
- Exhale the peel the head and upper body off of the mat. Continue peeling your torso off the mat until you are sitting up on your sits bones. The upper body is curved over and reaching toward the feet as if you are wrapping your body over a giant beach ball.
- Inhale, expanding the back of the ribs while still reaching over your imaginary beach ball.
- Exhale, co-contract and tuck your tailbone under while reaching your sits bones towards your heels and begin rolling down. Maintain the curve in your spine and complete the roll down by reaching the arms over your head returning to the starting position.
Need Extra Help: Place a rolled up hand towel at the small of your back. Push your spine into the towel as you are rolling up and down.
Precautions: Bend your knees slightly if you are unable to get your back flat on the floor to start.
Rolling Like A Ball
Starting Position: Sit up on top of the sits bones, knees tucked into the body and arms wrapped around your shin bones. Take your feet off the floor while balancing between the sit bones and tailbone. Relax the shoulders away from the ears, keep the elbows wide and focus your eyes at your mid-thigh and keep the upper body rounded.
Movement Sequence:
- Inhale then co-contract pulling the abdominals back towards the spine to begin rolling backwards. Roll only to the top of the shoulder blades.
- Exhale and squeeze the abdominals to begin rolling back up to your starting position. Balance in this position before beginning again.
Precautions: If you strike the ground firmly and are unable to round your lower back enough to perform this exercise, release your hip flexors first and then try again.
Swan
Starting Position: Lie on your stomach with your elbows bent and palms on the mat next to your shoulders. Your legs are as close together as possible for the comfort of your lower back.
Movement Sequence:
- Inhale, co-contract and slide the shoulders blades down the back. Press into the palms while floating the head off the mat. Continue to extend your spine while pressing the top of the thighs into the mat. Rise up only as far as the lower back is comfortable and keep the head in line with the spine.
- Exhale, with control, lower the body back down to the mat returning to your starting position.
Need Extra Help: Press into the forearms during extension rather than the palms.
Precautions: Don’t forget to co-contract your deep abdominals and pelvic floor as you perform this exercise. If your shoulder blades are elevating toward your ears, push down into your elbows as you extend into a prone on elbows position. Try a few of these and then re-visit the original swan and pay attention to your shoulder blades.
Spine Stretch Side
Starting Position: Sit tall on top of the sits bones, legs straight and open shoulder width apart. Reach the arms out to your sides level with your shoulders and palms down.
Movement Sequence:
- Inhale, co-contract and reach the arms out while side-bending the body and placing one hand on the floor. The other arm will be reaching towards the ceiling and the thumb will be facing towards the back of your body. Keep the body facing forward as you lean over.
- Exhale, co-contact and stack the spine on top of the pelvis returning to your starting position.
- Inhale and repeat the first movement on the other side of the body.
- Exhale, co-contact and stack the spine on top of the pelvis returning to your starting position.
Need Extra Help: If you are unable to sit on top of your sits bones roll your mat up and sit on top of it. Also, you may slightly bend your knees.
Precautions: If you feel your lower ribs making contact with your pelvis, stop and do not push further. Start over and create length in your spine as you perform this exercise. However, pay attention to see if you can go further without the contact.
Spine Twist
Starting Position: Sit tall on the sits bones, legs straight and glued together. Then, reach the arms out to your sides level with your shoulders and palms down.
Movement Sequence:
- Inhale, co-contract and root the sits bones into the mat. Then rotate the spine left pulsing twice with a sniffing breath.
- Exhale, return to the starting position with the weight centered on the sits bones.
- Inhale, rotate the spine to the right, pulsing the spine twice with a sniffing breath.
- Exhale and return to the starting position with the weight centered on the sit bones.
Need Extra Help: If you are unable to sit on top of your sits bones roll your mat up and sit on top of it and you may also slightly bend your knees.
Precautions: It is important to create stability in the core with the co-contraction in this exercise. Maintain length in your spine in the mid-range neural position as you twist.
Side Leg Lifts
Starting Position: Lie on your side with the torso and head along the back edge of the mat. Flex the hips to bring the feet in line with the front of the mat and place your head on your lower arm as a pillow. Reach the top foot out so that it lines up with the bottom foot. This will create a small opening under the waistline that is touching the mat.
Movement Sequence:
- Inhale and lift the top leg up towards the ceiling creasing at the top of the thigh. Reach the leg only as high as you can keep the waist line long and the hips bones and shoulders stacked.
- Exhale and lower the leg back to the starting position.
- Turn over and perform the same exercise with the other leg.
Need Extra Help: Try bending the bottom leg for extra support.
Precautions: Keep your pelvis stable and do not pivot forward or backwards. You can start this exercise with your back against the wall.
Swimming
Starting Position: Lie on your stomach with arms reaching overhead and legs straight.
Movement Sequence:
- Inhale, prepare mentally.
- Exhale, co-contract, float both arms and leg slightly off the floor. Keep your eyes at the floor and draw your scapulas down your back. Begin with one arm and the opposite leg higher than the other arm and leg.
- Inhale and exhale, switch the arm and leg quickly without losing balance on the center of the torso. Inhale for two strokes and exhale for two strokes.
Need Extra Help: Just move the arms or just move the legs.
Precautions: Engage your deep abdominals and pull your belly button away from the floor to avoid arching your lower back.
Cheryl graduated with a Marketing degree from Louisiana State University. She is co-founder of EnVibe Life and CORE Therapy and Pilates. Cheryl's interest include mindful movement, educational travel, psychology of business and healthy food. She lives in Austin, TX with her husband and two sons.
- Applying Core Strength: Pilates Workbook - September 29, 2020
- Applying Core Strength to your Day to Day Life, Sports, and Recreation - September 22, 2020
