pilates

Reader’s Question: How Am I Supposed to Breathe & Keep My Abs Engaged?

I was emailed an important question the other day that I think a lot of people find confusing. The question is: If I’m supposed to keep my abdominal muscles engaged during Pilates or exercise, how do I do that and take a deep, full breath? Arguably, how do I breathe at all with my abs engaged?

The answer is you don’t. Not well anyway. When you breathe your abdominal muscles should move. They should not stay contracted, especially on a deep belly breath. Even on a lateral Pilates breathe it is not realistic to hold your abs in when you inhale.

Not sure you know what the lateral Pilates breath is? Check out this video before you continue reading:

So here are some tips to hopefully help you breathe, but remain connected with the abdominals (or take better advantage of how they should interact with your lungs and diaphragm):

On every inhale allow the abdominals to relax as you take in air. Use the exhale as a reminder and opportunity to reconnect with them. Very often, especially when you are new to Pilates you should hear an instructor cue you: “Inhale. Engage the abs, exhale and move.” That’s the order it should come. Our […]

Reader’s Question: How Am I Supposed to Breathe & Keep My Abs Engaged?Maggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:49-04:00

Secrets from a Pilates Instructor: I Just Make It Look Easy

Exercise isn’t easy. I am capable of doing advanced Pilates exercises (some, anyway, there are still some I haven’t conquered). Yet when I go to a beginner Pilates class, I find the exercises challenging. That speaks to how difficult Pilates can be. I often hear from clients that I make an exercise look easy. Trust me when I tell you it’s not easy. Here’s how I can pull off making something look easy:

You were never trained to see how I’m screwing up. That means I can make all sorts of errors and you’ll never know. Because trust me, when I take a class, I still need the reminder to engage my abs or legs. I need correction as much as you.
If I’m going to demonstrate something in front of the class, I know which side I’m stronger on to give you the best view. I’m not trying to hoodwink you, but it’s my job to try and show you proper form, so I try to give the best form I’ve got.
If I stay down on the mat for a few reps, I’m not giving it all I’ve got the way you are. When I’m teaching it’s not my workout. I’m […]

Secrets from a Pilates Instructor: I Just Make It Look EasyMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:12-04:00

Six Reasons to Slow Down Your Workout

We tend to think bigger is better. We have to work harder and faster or we aren’t getting a good enough workout. Sometimes we even use this as an excuse not to exercise. But research is showing we can chill out. You don’t have to go hard or go home. You can just move. Here are some research points in favor of a gentler workout:

Run Slow (10-min mile)

Running ten-minute miles and under 15-miles a week is more beneficial to your heart health than running faster for longer, which actually diminishes the gain for your heart. So slow down and enjoy the run. And stop calling yourself a jogger at a 10-minute mile. It’s not 1970. You’re out there running with everyone else. You’re a runner.

Pilates Good For Your Mind

A small study showed that 10-weeks of Pilates increases memory, cognitive function and neural network activity. You won’t be surprised if you’ve done Pilates. It’s basically the exercise for multi-taskers. There’s a lot going on at the same time.

Aerobic Exercises Creates New Neurons

That’s right. Exercise is one of the few things, if not the only thing, in life that creates and builds new neurons in the brain. This should be reason enough […]

Six Reasons to Slow Down Your WorkoutMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:49-04:00

Tips for New Pilates Students

So it’s 2015 and you just signed up for your first Pilates class (or your first Pilates class in a long time). Pilates can be a lot to take in all at once. It’s pretty overwhelming. Just remember no one learns it all the first day. I’ve been doing Pilates for over a decade and I’m still learning about it. Not helping?

Trust me. It’s worth learning.

Know that’s it’s okay to break it up into pieces. Learn the moves. Then learn the breathing.

And if there are a few things you’re stuck on like what is the different between neutral and imprint, check out this video.

Want a review of the basic principles (breathing, shoulder placement, ribcage placement, pelvic placement and neck alignment)? Watch this video.

Tips for New Pilates StudentsMaggie Downie2017-10-25T16:00:00-04:00

The Pilates Sexter

Ever heard of chicken sexting? It’s actually pretty fascinating. When chicks are hatched they need to be sorted between males and females, but there is no way to tell which are which, unless you are a professional chicken sexter.

You see, no one who sexes chickens can tell you how they determine the sex. They just know. You become a chicken sexter through the following training:

You pick up a chick

You look at it and say male or female

The chicken sexter who already knows how to tell says yes or no

You keep doing that until you always (or most always) get the answer right.

You are knighted Professional Chicken Sexter

Maggie AKA Pilates Sexter AKA Muscle Whisperer

After seeing enough of them, something in the subconscious can tell you whether a chick is male or female, but you can’t verbalize it. This is true or I am just very gullible. It’s one of those stories that is so good, I want to keep telling it. Either way, I’ve taught enough Pilates that sometimes I feel like the Pilates Sexter, or the Body Sexter, or the Muscle Sexter—call it what […]

The Pilates SexterMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:15-04:00