Sounds crazy? Apparently it’s not. I’ve been reading a lot about the pelvic floor lately. The pelvic floor are those all important muscles that we do kegel exercises with. They support our pelvis and are probably more important then we generally give them credit for.

In all that they do–reduce incontinence, act as a sling for the bladder and uterus (in women), help with childbirth, enhance sexual pleasure–they also enable you to wag your tail. Our tailbone or coccyx is very small and so is it’s range of motion, but you can make it move by contracting and relaxing your pelvic floor. It may take a little experimenting, and you’ll have to place a finger on your coccyx to feel if it’s moving, but it can be done.

As with most things, if we haven’t been wagging our tail all along (and I suspect most of us haven’t been) it might be harder to learn it–the old dog, new tricks philosophy. However, with practice anyone can do it.

When I read this was possible, I thought it was ridiculous, but when I tried, I could actually feel my tailbone […]

You all take Pilates, which at some point was something new to you. This weekend if you have any free time try to do or discover something new. Visit a place in Connecticut you’ve never been, go for a hike at a new location, try canoeing or kayaking if you’ve never done that. Try letter boxing, which seems to be an interesting way to see Connecticut. You might find a new hobby you love or you might discover a quaint local town. Think of it as an adventure that will create a new story to tell.

While you’re discovering new places you’ll be finding a new way to engage your core and consider your posture.

Of course, if you’re looking for something familiar, I’ll be teaching a free class at Lucy in West Hartford (11am Sunday morning). You’re more then welcome to join us.

I can’t take credit for the statement “exercise is the best medicine” although I wish I could. It was a comment a new client of mine made this week, and it is utterly true. I wish I thought of it myself. Granted exercise isn’t a cure all for everything that ails us, but the benefits of exercise are endless.

From stress reduction to a lower resting heart rate, diet and exercise can be a cure for many diseases and some chronic pain. It doesn’t mean you should stop taking medications you are on when you start an exercise program, but you should remain in contact with your doctor. My Grandma started dieting and exercising. After losing 20 pounds, her doctor took her off one medication and reduced the quantity of another.

There is even a discussion about doctors proscribing diet and exercise. It is certainly something to think about. Almost every pill has a list of arguably negative side effects. The side effects of exercise, when you work at your level and don’t push yourself beyond your current capabilities, are only positive.

I have two relatives […]

We tend to assume people are watching us do every exercise. It must be human nature. The great thing about Pilates is that everyone is so focused on all the intense and specific muscle control required that no one has the time or ability to be watching other people. Sure people will steal a quick look if they aren’t sure whether they are doing an exercise right, but then they are watching not to compare, but to learn.

Admittedly, some of the exercises in Pilates put people in awkward positions and clients often ask, “Is this a real exercise?” It always is real, but it’s another time that no one is watching. Those sometimes seemingly bizarre positions are usually quite challenging and no one has the time to compare then either.

Even if people were trying to compare each other–like in life–it would be nearly impossible. People do not know each other’s challenges and what they have to overcome. Leg circles could be easy for someone with no hip problems, but an individual who has had a hip replacement may always try the beginner version of leg circles.

So anyone […]