Sometime this summer it is my one year anniversary of doing pilates. As is appropriate for all kinds of anniversaries, I thought a reflection seemed most appropriate. When I first started, I learned (and was quizzed on!) all kinds of new terms and analogies - core, reformers, trapeze table, etc... Now most of those terms seem like second nature - when Jill, my awesome pilates instructor, tells me to go to the reformer and do "coordination" I usually, even at 6 AM, know exactly what to do. When she says, "How's your core?" - I immediately tighten it up. The pic below is of that particular exercise and I do believe my core could have used a bit of tightening. :)
Overall, I'm much stronger but the pilates exercises certainly don't become easier because Jill has this thing with springs. When she notices that something looks a little bit easier and I'm not sweating as much, she tightens or loosens the springs and my body suddenly switches to "work" mode. In the mountain climbing exercise below the springs are fairly loose so my "core" has to work that much harder to keep me up in the air.
The barrel is another example of how adaptable everything is. In the past, I've used a hand pull thingie (I obviously can't think of its name) on my left hand to help my body do the work. If this particular picture could talk, you'd hear some groaning and a few "Oh my gosh!" utterings.
I'm loving pilates - the physical strength and stamina I'm building, and the mental well being I feel are all so wonderful. There certainly aren't many things that can get me out of bed at 5:45 AM two mornings a week, but pilates and my pilates company certainly can!
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