Contrary to what Instagram might be showing you, there are so many benefits to having a strong core that have nothing to do with “six pack abs”. A strong and stable midsection can help you avoid back pain, improve posture and balance, feel stronger, and become more agile.
Why our Core Strength is Important Abs are one of the most important groups of muscles in our whole body. Beyond aesthetics, strong abdominal muscles help us perform everyday tasks better and improve our overall fitness level. Think of your core muscles as a foundational link in a chain connecting your lower and upper body. Whether you’re vacuuming the house or practicing an advanced Pilates exercise, your core is working. No matter where the body motion starts, it travels through your core to your other muscles. This means that a weakness or imbalance in your abdominals can impair how well every other muscle in your body moves! Injury and Fall Prevention Correctly and consistently building a strong core enhances balance and stability, a fact that is increasingly important as we age. A strong core helps prevent falls and injuries during sports or other activities. Everyday Activities But a strong core is important for everyone, whether you are involved in sports or not. Having strength and flexibility in our core helps improve everyday acts like bending over to tie our shoes, picking up a child, turning to look behind us in traffic. Even showering, dressing, and sitting in a chair require use of your core! Any work or home task that involves lifting, twisting, and standing all rely on core muscles. For those who do office work, sitting at a desk for hours puts a lot of pressure on our spine and back. If you have a strong core, however, and keep your core engaged while sitting (which you’ll learn to do through Pilates), your back is much less likely to give seat-dwellers a problem. Posture and Mobility Strengthening your core is also imperative for our posture and mobility. Good posture not only projects confidence, it lessens the wear and tear on other parts of our bodies (like mentioned above), helps you take deeper fuller breaths, and helps you gain full benefits from the effort you put into exercising. No matter the reason, having a strong core is so important, and there truly is no better way to achieve this outside of Pilates. Pilates not only strengthens your core, it strengthens and lengthens your muscle simultaneously. The ultimate result is a more balanced and mobile body that can accomplish what you want it to with more ease!
0 Comments
We have many clients who come to us either preparing to get pregnant, are already pregnant, or are post pregnancy. You can DEFINITELY do Pilates during pregnancy- in fact, I strongly encourage you to do so! As always though, check with your doctor before adding exercises to your routine while you are pregnant.
Practicing Pilates during pregnancy can:
Here are my top tips for doing Pilates during pregnancy:
Some of life’s greatest partnerships:
A cold night and a warm fire Movies and Popcorn Fresh Sheets on a Soft Bed Pilates and Nutrition Wait, what? You read that right– Pilates and nutrition are one of life’s sweetest– and most rewarding– partnerships out there! You can’t out-exercise a bad diet, and you can’t only eat well despite being sedentary and hope for a wellness miracle. BOTH factors work together to create the greatest impact. A recent study highlights JUST how good these two are together. The study assessed data from almost 350,000 participants over 10 years. It found that people who ate a high-quality diet, which included at least 4.5 cups of vegetables and fruits a day, and also had regular physical activity had the greatest reductions in risk of deathly illnesses. Overall physical activity, including walking, was associated with benefits, but vigorous activity that led to sweating was particularly protective against cardiovascular disease risk, even at just 10 to 75 minutes per week! I recommend clients come in three times a week to get the most benefit from their Pilates routine, but you can see from the study that even if you can’t currently commit to three times a week, ANY movement is better than none. Follow these tips to get the most wellness bang for your buck!
Struggling to get enough fruits and veggies in your day? Here are some creative ways to get your 4.5 cups/day:
A good rule of thumb is to make vegetables and fruits the MAIN dish on your plate. Soon enough, you will see the changes in the way your body functions and your overall feelings of well being! Have you ever woke in your bed thinking about your email inbox and to-dos for the day and just felt a huge amount of anxiety?
We’ve all been there. In a 2021 survey of 1,500 U.S. workers, more than half said they were feeling burned out as a result of their job demands, and a whopping 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs last December in what has come to be known as the “great resignation.” Even with a “perfect life,” we can experience burnout. When people think of burnout, mental and emotional symptoms such as feelings of helplessness and cynicism often come to mind. But burnout can lead to physical symptoms as well, and make us more susceptible to disease. This makes it all the more important that we’re able to recognize the signs and know what to do about them. Along with things like chronic fatigue, cynicism, pessimism, and detachment, the following physical signs can be an indicator of burnout:
We’re often told the solution is to do more self-care or to add more positive practices to our routine. But sometimes….the solution is to just do less. The road to burnout is paved with over-committing yourself and overbooking your calendar–oftentimes with commitments you don’t really even want to do. Before you know it, your day is jammed with tasks and the need to be available at all times of the day and night. Take a look at all you’re committed to, and start to prioritize the things that you TRULY value and that bring your joy. It can be hard, but it's ok to say No to requests on your time that don’t fit in with your main priorities. Only you can turn the tide on burnout. But when you do, you’ll be so thankful that you did. As all the kids head back to school to dive into the books, I begin to reflect on the School of Pilates- specifically of what Pilates has taught me outside of the studio.
Pilates is a mind/body exercise meant to be practiced mindfully. It’s not the type of exercise you’d do, say, while watching TV or flipping through Facebook on your phone. It’s also not characterized by instructors yelling out moves and next steps through headset microphones while techno music blares in the background. Pilates is mindful, and it’s slow. Slow in the sense that every move is calculated. It takes concentration to make those tiny–but so important–muscles all work together to support your movements, and my best Pilates sessions are those where I take the time to slow down, tune in, and focus. It’s important that we slow down sometimes in life as well. We’re often so busy running from one errand to the next, checking off the next To Do List item, organizing that next party, serving our family, that we rarely take the time to slow down, to savor, to truly just enjoy the moment. Slowing down can take some discipline but the benefits are worth it.
The breath is SO important in Pilates. It’s not just a way to rid your body of CO2 and get more oxygen. The breath is used to time movements, to support you during transitions, and to help activate certain muscles. When I’m struggling in a Pilates class, I always return to my breath. Not only does it help me refocus on what’s happening inside my body, it calm me down and reduces stress levels. In the chaos of everyday life, we can always return again and again to the breath. Women are especially guilty of holding their breath during times of stress. Not only does this prevent our bodies from getting the oxygen we need, it tenses the body and puts the brain on high alert. When you begin to notice that you’re struggling in your day- whether it be because you’re stuck in traffic or late for an important meeting or can’t find your car keys- try to take a moment to just breathe. You might be surprised to find how quickly your mind and body responds!
Joseph Pilates himself said, “In 10 sessions you’ll feel the difference, in 20 sessions you’ll see the difference, and in 30 sessions you’ll have a whole new body.” A strong Pilates practice is all about consistency. Like anything that you want to last, Pilates thrives on consistency. I see this in other areas of my life as well. Whether it's being kind, or practicing forgiveness, or trying to start a new healthful habit, success is all about consistency. Doing something consistently makes it almost automatic- we no longer have to “try.” What about you? What life lessons have you gleaned from YOUR Pilates practice? Some of my clients come to me when they feel like they’ve “hit the wall” with Pilates. “Why does this not feel any easier? Aren’t I supposed to be getting better and better each time? Am I doing it wrong?” are all typical questions.
Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. We’re always pushing ourselves to do more and better, and we forget where we started. In sessions with my clients, I try to gently encourage while simultaneously honing in on form and increasing difficulty. Remember when you couldn’t roll up off the ground? Remember when you could only do this with one spring? Remember when you had to rest between every rep? As humans we tend to have a negativity bias where we remember more the negative (that haven’t “mastered” an exercise) versus the positive (how far we’ve come since we first started Pilates). It’s important to remember that Pilates is a Practice. Other times, Pilates can feel harder as we progress because the more Pilates you learn, the more you learn how to use the “right” muscles in each move. You learn how not to “cheat” on a tricky move by engaging the muscles you’re supposed to be using instead of cheating with some other stronger ones. Not only are these muscles not used to working so hard, they are now also working in conjunction with those other more dominant muscles, and so you DO need more precision, concentration, and strength to do these moves. Nevertheless, if you feel like your Pilates practice isn’t where you want it to be, here are my three recommendations:
Have you ever tried to build or change a habit by willpower alone? Your intentions are there– I want to attend three Pilates sessions a week– but for whatever reason, life gets in the way and it doesn’t happen. Research is showing that when we want to do something different– eat healthier, exercise more, spend less time on social media, etc.- relying on willpower alone isn’t the way to go about it. So if you DO have a habit you’re wanting to build, how do you do it?
What are habits, exactly? Habits are simply automatic behaviors that don’t require intention to perform. You execute the behavior–the habit–without even thinking about it. It becomes second nature to do whatever you’re doing. How do habits form? As humans, we are in some ways quite complex, and in other ways very simple! On balance, we like to feel good emotions like pleasure, happiness, and joy, and we like to avoid negative emotions like guilt, pain, and sadness. We are hardwired to do things–habits–that bring us those good emotions. When exposed to something enjoyable, our brains release dopamine, one of those feel good chemicals I previously wrote about. That dopamine rush makes us feel good, so we’re incentivized to repeat that behavior. Over time, our brain begins to associate a behavior with a dopamine rush and it stores that association so that we return to it again and again. Do it enough times, and it becomes hard to change– thus, a habit! How can you change habits? Let’s say your intention is to come to Pilates after work three times a week, but instead you find yourself surfing Netflix on the couch most evenings instead. The Netflix and Chill does bring you some feel-good feelings: relaxation, release, rest. So it’s no surprise that this becomes an easy habit. But if you’re looking to exercise more, how can you replace your Netflix with a different habit that better meets your goals? Make a new habit The BEST way to change a habit is to replace it with a new one. Instead of thinking about coming to Pilates, just go. You’ll come and experience all the feel-good chemicals that Pilates gives you, and you’ll feel better for it. You need to give your brain time to associate this new behavior, so in the beginning it might be difficult (see below for tips on that). But soon, this new habit will be stored where your old one was, and it will become second nature to hop in the car and head to the studio. Create a helpful environment Building a new habit can be challenging in the beginning, and one of the best ways to overcome that is to create an environment that makes the new behavior–in this case, coming to Pilates three times a week–easy and rewarding.
Once you understand how habits are built and kept, it’s easy to work with our brains instead of against them to meet our physical and mental health goals. What are you waiting for? Book your next session here or if you’re new to Pilates, give us a call at 817-737-2673 to get started today. With summer in full swing, many guys and gals are hitting the green for rounds of their favorite game- golf! Golfers both pro and amateur are passionate about their game and want to stay on top of the competition– whether they’re playing in a top tournament or just with a group of friends!
What many don’t realize is how much of a full body sport golf is. The swing is an incredibly dynamic movement that requires muscle strength, flexibility, timing, and engagement. When muscles are overly tight or weak, it can not only create injuries for the golfer but also have a major negative effect on your swing. You can have the fanciest golf equipment and lessons, practice on the green 6 nights a week, play countless rounds, but if your key muscles are weak or imbalanced, you’ll never reach your full potential as a golfer. Pilates strengthens and more importantly balances the key muscles that you use in golf. It also keeps you flexible to help prevent injury. Let’s look at some of the key muscles involved in the game of golf and how weakness or imbalance can hinder you. Key Muscles Used in the Golf Neck & Shoulders: A weakness or imbalance in the neck and shoulders causes a golfer to rely too heavily on their wrists for stabilization, causing wrist pain over time. Arms & Wrists: A bit of a no brainer! Grip strength and forearm endurance are both important in holding the club correctly. Wrist flexibility is imperative for accuracy. When wrist or arm muscles are tight, fatigued, or too weak, your accuracy really suffers. Hips & Glutes: Pelvic stability during the backswing comes from strong and balanced hip and glute muscles. The gluteus maximus especially has been shown to be key in both rotation–during the swing–and extension–in the follow through of the swing. When these muscles are imbalanced or weak, you tend to incorrectly shift your weight to your front foot, and not have as much power on your follow through, both negatively impacting your shot. Hamstrings: Tight hamstrings means short hamstrings, and short hamstrings cause lower back pain. This is because the tightness of the hamstrings pulls your pelvis under you, stretching the spine to compensate and causing back pain. If you feel lower back pain after a long round of golf, or get pain when you bend over to pick up the ball, you probably have tight hamstrings. Core: We can’t forget about the core. A strong core is what gives your swing power and distance. Ben Witter, who trained two time World Long Drive champion, Carl Wolter, focused on core training as a part of his training of all his golfers. Pilates and golf are a match made in heaven. Pilates trains each of the muscles above, teaches you how to efficiently use your breath, and helps all of your muscles work in concert together. It also keeps you flexible enough to be pain and injury free on the green! What are you waiting for? Call (817) 737-2673 today to book your appointment or book online here. One of the biggest misconceptions about exercise is that it’s only “working” if we are sweating. People think that sweating makes us more flexible and/or “detoxifies” our body. But this isn’t how the body works.
Why We Sweat The average person has a baseline core temperature of between 98 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. While our body has some flexibility with temperature, if we get too far to one end of the spectrum or the other, things can go badly. In order to keep us in range, our bodies thermoregulate--or maintain our core temperature--by heating us up or cooling us down.
How We Detoxify Despite popular belief, sweating itself doesn’t “detoxify” the body. While there are very small amounts of toxins released through our sweat, sweat is made almost entirely of salt and water, and its primary function is to cool the body. The liver and the kidneys are the true detoxers in the body, which filter and then release--through urine and feces--the harmful substances we encounter. In this way, exercise DOES detox the body, by maintaining liver and kidney health. It's all about taking care of your body's natural defenses and processes. The Mental Detox One form of detoxification that is often overlooked is a mental detox. A mental detox is like a vacation for our mind. Over the course of the day, we encounter countless stressors—at work, home, and personally. And when we’re running from one thing to the next as we so often are, these stressors can start to pile up, adding to our baseline levels of stress and anxiety. We might start at a relatively low baseline when we feel relaxed and calm, but each stressor we encounter “ups” our baseline to make us a little more stressed each time. We’ll continue this way, carrying all that extra stress, until the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back– some seemingly small stressor will set us off completely–because our levels are just too high. We need a mental detox- a chance to reset. Turns out exercise, especially mind-body exercise like Pilates, is an excellent way to mentally detox. While you are active, your body naturally releases feel good chemicals (remember I wrote about these last month?) called endorphins that relieve stress and elevate your mood. These endorphins, combined with the sense of accomplishment that often accompanies finishing a good Pilates workout, bring down our stress levels to a more healthy baseline. The Bottom Line The bottom line is you don’t have to sweat for Pilates to work wonders on your body (though you often will sweat!) When practiced regularly, Pilates DOES detox the body by maintaining both physical and mental health. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started! Ritual N. The established form for a ceremony. A way of doing something in which the same actions are done in the same way every time.
The transformative power of ritual can transform not just your health but your whole way of being. It’s about celebrating the habitual and making a ceremony out of the everyday. A ritual doesn’t have to be complicated, it could simply be a moment of pause, repeated daily or as often as you can. It could be a nightly bath, a walk through the park, or a daily Pilates session. In our busy, fast paced world, carving out pockets of pause and pleasure is a necessary act of self care. Joy is not a “nice to have '' but a key Ingredient to building resilience and good mental and physical health. Pilates is perfect for this, especially a one-on-one session, where it’s just you and the instructor. For that hour, you can shut out the rest of the world and focus only on what’s in front of you- the stretch and tone of your muscles, the deepness of your breath, the warmth of your body as you move from one transition to the next. This mind body exercise can become a meditation of sorts, a beautiful and peaceful ritual where you give your body and mind the message that you are worthy of love, worthy of self care, and worthy of the strength and resiliency you are building on the mat. Pilates restores. It gives me purpose, not just because I run the studio but because Pilates is a way of life, a way of moving with ease through the world with my head up and my posture strong. Pilates is just one of my rituals, but one I can't live without! Whenever you find something that is restorative and life-giving, set aside time for it whenever you can and return to it whenever you are feeling stressed, drained, burnt out, or in need of something more. Whether it's through movement, meditation or another form of self care, don't forget to prioritize yourself. You can only give others what you pour into yourself. How do you practice self-care on the regular? |
Heather GradkeI'm a BASI Certified Pilates Instructor by day, somewhat competent housewife by night. I used to have hobbies but then CHILDRENS. I am married to the love of my life and somewhat charismatic Rustin Gradke. I have 4 kids that are wonderful sometimes but mostly they just eat a lot. I'm a lover of God and movement and the occasional bowl of queso. Archives
March 2024
Categories |