movement

Foam Roller

I’ll admit not everyone loves the foam roller as much as I do. It’s a great way to get a good work out and challenge your balance and stabilizer muscles, but more than that it can massage you and your achy fascia! But that is the part not everyone is a fan of sadly. One most people have never heard of fascia and then when they actually get down on to roller to massage the fascia, tendons, and muscles they don’t always love the way it feels.

It can feel a bit intense. Some people describe foam rolling like the feeling you have when you press on a bruise. Why would you want to do that? Because it’s good for you and it won’t leave a bruise. I think it hurts in a good way. But […]

Foam RollerMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:38-04:00

Wiggle Those Toes: A Good Foot Fetish

I’m sure I’ve said it on this blog before, but my main interests when it comes to the body lately are feet and fascia. Perhaps strange fetishes, but it’s not my fault; they are fascinating. I’ve been working on some great feet exercises and the nice thing is I see improvement. And working on them brings all this sensation (although not always pleasant sensation) to my feet.

I’ve been working on lifting all ten toes and then tapping just the big toe up and down. Then tapping just the pinkie up and down (much harder for me). Then I tap the big one then the pinkie and go back and forth between each.

It reminds me of when I was younger and I wanted to be able to do something with my body and I would practice until I could perfect it. When […]

Wiggle Those Toes: A Good Foot FetishMaggie Downie2018-02-14T15:58:28-05:00

Kids & Movement

Joe Pilates drew a lot of his ideas about movement and exercise by watching animals and infants move. In knowing that, I often watch my friends’ kids to see how they move. What do they do when they are first learning to crawl? How do they hold their head up? Why do they walk on their toes when they first learn to walk? How does their spine move? These are all things I look for to see what kids do naturally.

Kids also have a freedom to movement that I think we lose as we age. It’s mostly societal. An adult can’t get away with throwing their arms up in the air, spinning in circles or just jumping up and down on the middle of a sidewalk the way a kid can. Kids have more freedom to be silly.

And so when we had friends staying with us a few weekends ago and their 3-year old daughter started moving around in ways that made me chuckle (okay, I was laughing hard), I tried to catch it on camera. This was especially something I wanted to catch after I asked her what she was doing and she responded, […]

Kids & MovementMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:42-04:00

Back Extension–My Favorite Pilates

My favorite exercises change now and again. Lately, I’ve been enjoying any exercise that involves back extension—excluding the breast stroke prep. I’m not sure I’ll ever fall in love with that one. The exercises that have been feeling especially good in my body are the spread eagle, rocking, the full breast stroke, and even just lying over an arc barrel.

I’ve also been especially fond of anything that involves bending sideways lately—the aptly named side bend (both on the mat and the Cadillac), and almost every version of the mermaid.

Back Extension–My Favorite PilatesMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:55-04:00

Good Days

And somedays it all seems to come easily…

Monday, December 06, 2010

Feel great! Up again at 4:30ish, which I’m not thrilled about, but feel like I got a decent sleep. It helps that I took a nice hot bath and popped a melatonin before getting into bed, but I don’t know if the melatonin actually helped me much last night because I actually woke up a few times.

A hot bath is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle for me. Feels good on my body and mind and the relaxation is a must if I have any chance of maintaining my sanity.

This morning I did an hour pilates ball workout for myself—not too hard, but felt good. Tried working on a lot of different exercises I’d like to add to some classes. Then did a 20-min basic Tae Bo. Feel fabulous. I love workouts on days like this. I wish I knew what made my body feel so good.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Walked at the gym for 30 minutes […]

Good DaysMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:56-04:00