"May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and nothing but happiness come through your door" ~ An Irish Blessing
Hello!
I hope this finds you well! With the recent world events, my heart is heavy, and I'm finding it hard to stay focused/motivated. Perhaps many of you feel the same. It is in these times that community and routine can be beneficial. I have really enjoyed being back in the studio with many of you this week, and it has reminded me that we must continue to take care of ourselves and each other in an effort to inspire positivity and love. With that, I hope you enjoy this months newsletter. We talk about finding balance, both in life and movement, and celebrate March "MATness". Enjoy! ~ Julianne and the Morgan Hill Pilates Team
PILATES TOPICS, TIPS & EXERCISES:
BALANCE - a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work....
Balance in life is something I think we all strive for and something that constantly changes as the needs and desires of our lives change. This is also true of physical balance and is especially important as we age to help prevent falls and injury. Which is why its not surprising that improving balance is a goal that comes up for a lot of clients. Pilates is wonderful for aiding in balance as it helps to increase our mind body connection, encourages movement in all planes/directions, and strengthens our small stabilizing muscles as well as the large muscle groups. Working with the equipment can help to challenge and/or support our abilities while we continue to grow our strength and confidence.
Simple tricks to help improve balance:
1. Roll out your feet - this can awaken the provide a good base to stand on, grab a tennis ball or lacrosse ball and start rolling!
2. Widen your gaze or view - Find a focal point that is eye level or above, and then try to focus more on your peripheral vision, instead of a single point.
3. Use props to add challenge - Practice by standing on an unstable surface such as the carpet, a pillow, or foam pad.
4. Don't give up the fight! - when performing balance exercises, recovery/the wobbles can be just as beneficial as the actual movement. Think about how you use balance in every day life, and why balance is so important. Is it so you can stand on one foot for extended periods of time? Or perhaps its so you can catch yourself should you lose your footing or trip.
Give it a try:
**stand near a wall or have a chair handy to help support you should you need it
1. Heel lifts & Toes Lifts (3 sets of 10)
2. Squats with leg lift (10x each side)
3. Stand with one foot in front of the other heel to toe then add: head looks side to side; up & down; Switch feet and repeat.
4. Tight rope walking
5. Stand on one leg add torso rotation (or practice standing on one leg while brushing your teeth!)
March "MAT"ness
In the Pilates world, "March MATness" is an opportunity to celebrate the pilates mat repertoire, where each day one exercise from Joseph Pilates classical repertoire is highlighted. To be honest, is wasn't until I switched to online teaching, that I really fell in love with the Pilates Mat work. There is something so empowering and humbling about the work! The classical work can seem unattainable for some, so last year I highlighted each classical exercise, plus a modification, on my YouTube page, you can find them here or click on the image below. The goal is to work on mastering an exercises before moving onto the next, as each exercises builds on a previous one. This year, I invite you all to join me and follow along on Instagram or Facebook as I highlight a version of each exercise daily! Just click the icon below to be directed to our social media platform.
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