Over the last four weeks we’ve explored forward flexion, lateral flexion, rotation, and extension through the anatomical planes of motion.
Now, the next time you take Pilates, instead of saying something like “It hurts when I do this,” you now have the ability to say, “It hurts to extend my thoracic spine.” Imagine showing up to your massage therapist or chiropractor with this type of specificity! Your specificity helps maximize your time with all medical professionals. Think about it, your orthopedist only has 15 minutes to spend with you, so now you can communicate clearly and effectively.
We want Pilates to improve your life on and off the mat! We theme our classes to
equip you with the knowledge and language that helps you advocate for what your body needs.
Because repetition is key to learning, here’s a recap of what January’s classes taught us:
- Flexion happens in the sagittal plane and is defined as a joint angle decreasing. Example of flexion: spinal, hip, knee, and elbow flexion all occur in rolling like a ball
- Lateral flexion happens in the frontal plane. Lateral flexion is also defined as a joint angle decreasing but is specific to the lateral (side) aspect of your body.
Example of lateral flexion: getting into sidekicks kneeling requires lateral flexion - Rotation happens in the transverse plane and is defined as movements occurring about the longitudinal axis (vertical axis)
Example of rotation: we hold the hip joint in external rotation when we single leg circle - Extension also happens in the sagittal plane, much like flexion and is defined as a joint angle increasing.
Example of extension: spinal, hip, knee and elbow extension all occur in swan dive
So, where does this leave us for our final Monday class in January? Mollie has a treat for us all!
Monday, January 30th @12PM with Mollie:
This month we played with bending forwards and back, learned how to lean to the side, and swiveled our way through class. But what happens when an exercise requires multiple movements……at once!? When you have the right ingredients and a clear plan, complex exercises can be successfully executed.
This week, we’re going to use four basic exercises to cook something up a little bit more complicated.
A Recipe for Pilates
One heaping scoop of Rolling Like a Ball
Plenty of Sidekicks
A dash of Swan
The Twist to taste
On Monday, we’ll explore how to mix these exercises together to create a more cohesive mat experience!
Wednesday, February 1st @ 8AM with Destinie:
Grab Bag! Kick off the new month with vigor and strength! Wednesdays at 8AM are request-based. Learn something in Mollie’s Monday class that you want to revisit? Let Destinie know before class!
