Videos

Uploading videos today. I'm one of those people who really doesn't like my picture being taken, so this process has been quite a personal battle. I am also a bit of a perfectionist, so I've filmed many video segments and deleted them because they 'aren't right.' But, I am trying to grow... So I've reminded myself that I'm not a professional videographer, nor do I have one. I have filmed home videos. I also comfort myself with the fact that many of the exercise videos I've seen on YouTube are, in fact, home videos - even those produced by experienced instructors. Maybe it will be a good thing that people see I live in a tiny place and can still make exercising in it work. Plus, it's the instructional content that matters anyway, right, not the background?

Pilates Breathing

Pilates breathing can be difficult to get the hang of. And there seems to be different and evolving ideas as to what Pilates breathing is and how to do it. It takes a lot of practice! If you've been trying to get it down, here are some pointers... To begin with, the breathing is easier to do laying on your back with feet flat on the floor rather than sitting up. Place the hands on the lower belly, just below the navel. Breathe in while completely relaxed, then breathe out thinking of pulling that lower belly in. After a few breathes, hold the lower belly in and move to directing the breath into the rib cage. This can be hard because so many of us are tight in the intercostal muscles, those tiny muscles between the ribs. To get a deep thoracic, or rib cage, breath, you have to think about breathing into your sides and upper back. Place the hands on the sides of the lower ribs and breathe into them expanding the rib cage wide to the sides as much as possible before raising your chest. Imagery can help. Imagine the rib cage to be a balloon that expands in ALL directions when inflated. Imagine filling the lungs with air from the bottom to the top. To hold the lower belly in, you can imagine you have a tight pair of pants or that you really have to pee and are holding it in. (The 'holding it in' one does really work well.) There are lots of ideas about when to breathe through the mouth and nose; do what seems natural to you. Just focus on expelling as much air as possible on each exhale. A video tutorial will be posted at http://www.pilatesbyphyllys.com/ soon!

Escaping

We all want to escape, whether it be from dull jobs, cranky children, or just too much to do. Unfortunately, it's not so practical for most of us to buy a deserted island and set up house on it. I think we get to the point of wanting this deserted island, though, because we neglect our daily need to get away. I once heard that for us to be healthy we need to "divert daily, withdraw weekly, and abandon annually." Time away from all of our commitments and responsibilities is needed so we can actually fulfill those commitments and responsibilities effectively. We need to take care of ourselves in order to take care of others. What do you do daily to take care of yourself? And I don't mean showering and brushing your teeth. What type of daily recreation do you engage in that truly re-creates you? If you can't think of anything, I challenge you now to commit to a "daily diversion." Could it be Pilates? A great physical workout that's mentally refreshing and challenging, that will revive you to face the next challenge. Pilates could be just the perscription...

The Essential Balance

This blog has been created to bring some sanity back to the health and fitness industry. "Fitness" nowadays is too complicated! We're told not to eat something -maybe eggs- because it's not good for us only to be told the next year that it's actually good! We're told we must have structured exercise regimens only to be told recently that more constant movement is better for us! (More on this one later.) I believe, and my experiences have revealed, that moderation is the key to staying healthy. Hence, "The Essential Balance." In this blog we'll get to the essence of what we need to stay healthy and happy. We'll look at current trends in diet and exercise, but we'll examine them reasonably before we jump on the wagon. And I'll always discuss Pilates not just as a form of exercise, but as a way of life. The way Joseph Pilates advocated we live. (And if you find a picture of him when he was 70, you'll definite want what he has to offer!) So I hope you'll join in with comments and questions and invite your friends to join in too!