20 MINUTES TO MASTER ... PILATES. Lesley Ackland
Pilates promises no quick fixes or sudden improvements. However, with concentration and commitment, the end result will be rewarding and nothing short of enhanced physical and mental well-being.
THE ORIGINS OF CLASSIC PILATES
The original concept of Pilates was the brainchild of a German, Josef Hubertus Pilates. He was extremely frail and weak as a child, but was determined to regain good health. This was the start of a life-long obsession with fitness and body building, and as a young man he excelled as a diver, skier and professional gymnast. Aged 32 he decided to move to England, where he made a living as a boxer, circus performer and self-defence instructor.
When the First World War broke out, his career was temporarily cut short. As a German, Pilates was interned in England for the duration of the war. He used this time, however, as an opportunity to re-think and develop his approach to fitness. The result was the first blueprint for a whole new regime, Pilates, which drew upon all the various disciplines with which he was involved. His basic philosophy concluded that the only way to achieve true fitness was through the integration of mind and body. Hence, all his techniques were based on a combination of physical and mental conditioning.
When Josef Pilates created his unique system of exercise during the early part of the twentieth century the lifestyle was, in many respects, healthier for the public at large. People walked far more, for instance, and were not subject to the repetitive movements inherent in using a computer or sitting in an office chair all day. For this reason I decided to expand and enhance the basic principles of Pilates.
BODY MAINTENANCE
In 1980 I began developing Body Maintenance, a balanced system of exercise, body shaping and tone combined with mental improvement and nutrition, based on Pilates. This unique bodywork system integrates methods from a wide variety of sources, including remedial massage, osteopathy and injury clinics. In my studio in London’s Covent Garden I use the system to treat people suffering from modern infirmities such as RSI, as well as giving classes for those whose focus is simply on gaining or maintaining fitness.
The Pilates-based exercises I teach in my studio often incorporate balls, ropes, springs and pulleys. However, the most important and long-lasting work takes place on the floor. Mat exercises, essential to body mobility and endurance, target weak, under-utilized muscles in the abdomen, lower back, arms and legs. The exercises in this book are based on mat work. They involve straightforward, concentrated movements that don’t require a gym or special equipment. What they do require is a little time, be it in the morning, during lunch time or later in the evening. This is a complete exercise regime devised for individuals who might not have the inclination or opportunity to seek out my studio, but who want to benefit from my tried and proven Pilates-based exercise programme.
CHAPTER 1
The main principle of Pilates is that exercise is essentially a mind–body technique. Therefore, when you exercise you mentally focus on the muscle groups that you are using. Pilates recognizes that it is only through the synchronizing of thought and action that an exercise is truly effective. In order to create a healthy and fit body you need to integrate the mental, physical and spiritual spheres.
MIND OVER MATTER
It has long been established that the mind has an enormous influence on the health of the body. Research shows that the mind has an infinite capacity to induce positive physiological effects. You may have noticed that when you’re in a good mood you automatically seem to look and feel better. Scientists ascribe this phenomenon to the activity of the billions of nerve cells in our brain, which transmit chemical messages to the rest of the body. Our thoughts and emotions play a vital role in influencing this intercellular communication.
Think for a moment how you feel when you are stressed. Not very pleasant. This is because your body produces an excess of ‘stress’ chemicals (e.g., adrenaline and cortisol), which causes your whole system to speed up. Your heart beats faster, your blood pressure goes up, your breathing becomes rapid and shallow. At times, this type of response is necessary. It is what motivates you when you are faced with a crisis. In large doses this type of reaction can, however, be extremely harmful and lead to all sorts of unpleasant symptoms such as dizziness, profuse sweating, insomnia and migraines. In contrast, positive feelings of calm and contentment have a much more beneficial effect, as they induce the body to produce health-enhancing, ‘feel-good’ chemicals (e.g., endorphins and serotonin) which are vital for well-being. They promote a sense of serenity – you breathe more easily and deeply, your heart rate is slower and your blood pressure lowers. The more relaxed you feel, the less tension you hold in the muscles throughout your body. This has a beneficial effect on your general bearing and posture. Tight, tense muscles make your body shrink and constrict. This stops the energy from flowing freely throughout the body, and in time this will be reflected in a weak, misshapen musculature.
MINDFUL EXERCISE
If thoughts are so powerful, it makes sense to try and harness your thinking to bring about positive changes in your body. This is, in fact, the very essence of Pilates. By learning to execute each exercise correctly you are also allowing your mind to exert a greater influence over your body. With Pilates you only do a limited number of repetitions. You do them slowly, so that you can concentrate more clearly on directing your energy towards what it is that you are trying to achieve. If you view your body in a negative way you will need to reverse your direction of thought. Positive thoughts bring about positive changes.
To ensure that an exercise can be of real benefit and will bring about the changes that you desire, for example a strong, straight back, it is necessary to complement each physical action with a mental focus. Painting a picture in your mind of what you want to achieve helps your body to respond in the right way. By practising creative visualization regularly, you will gradually develop the intellectual and emotional ability to internalize the physical changes that you wish to make. Once you’ve done this, the external changes will start to appear.
CREATIVE VISUALIZATION
Whatever we create in our lives begins as a basic image in our minds. Many of these images are unconscious. Through creative visualization it is possible to alter these thoughts and pictures. With Pilates, the idea is to create an image in your mind that will help you to focus on the area of the body that you are working. This requires a very deep level of concentration, which does become easier with practice. On a superficial level, many of the exercises appear quite simple. How you physically position your arms and legs, however, is only part of the process. Pilates, unlike many other disciplines, is actually much more complex, as with each movement you must be constantly aware of what your entire body is doing. You don’t concentrate only on the stomach, or the inner thigh, and exclude the rest of your body. Even when you are doing a series of movements specifically designed to work a certain group of muscles, such as your abdominals, you must always remember to be equally focused on the rest of your body. Where are your feet? Are you holding your head in exactly the right way? Is your body properly aligned?
Initially this can seem quite difficult, and using visualization techniques can be enormously helpful. By understanding how your body should be feeling it becomes easier to assume the correct position. Eventually, these images will arise naturally through association, without too much effort.
BASIC VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUES
Anyone can learn to visualize. It helps though if you can begin by feeling relaxed. A still mind is more conducive to conjuring up images.
Spend a few minutes gathering your thoughts. Try to forget about external influences such as work. Remember, this is your time.
Do some gentle stretches and focus on your breathing.