The power of Pilates

IF YOU THOUGHT PILATES WAS A BIT OF A TAME EXERCISE REGIME THAT DOESN’T DO MUCH, THEN THINK AGAIN. THERE ’ S A WHOLE WORLD OUT THERE ENJOYING ITS BENEFITS

Words: SALLY DIXON

I’LL APOLOGISE now if I’m a tad effusive about Pilates. Full disclosure: I’ve been a qualified comprehensive Pilates teacher for ten years and I love it!

Originally developed in the early 1900s by German circus performer and boxer, Joseph Pilates, it continues to grow in popularity to this day. The beauty of Pilates is that it can be done by all ages and fitness abilities. It can be the gentlest of exercise regimes and also one of the most challenging. It’s all in the execution of the movements.

During my time as a teacher, I’ve had many super-fit clients and gym-strong men be pleasantly surprised at how hard some of the exercises can be when performed correctly.

Joseph Pilates’ famous exercise programme was developed when he was interned on the Isle of Man during the First World War. While there, he created a rehabilitation routine for the injured prisoners of war, using the beds they were laying in and mattress springs. The modern-day version of this is the Pilates reformer, a unique machine that can support and challenge you at the same time, the machine that made me fall in love with this incredible wholebody exercise practice.

The key principles

Pilates works on integrating body, mind and spirit by focusing on nine principles, strengthening not only muscles but the connection between body and brain. Balance, coordination, flexibility, lengthening of muscles, strength and posture all come into play by working on these principles.

1. Breathing

2. Concentration

3. Control

4. Centering

5. Precision

6. Balanced muscle development

7. Rhythm/Flow

8. Whole body movement

9. Relaxation

Pilates is a great way to stay mobile in advancing years. As the man himself once said: “If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.”

Done in combination with other training regimes like running, tennis and weight-lifting, the improvements in performance are noticeable. It’s why many professional athletes consider it key to their training programmes.

Perhaps one of the best things about Pilates is you can do it anywhere – no fancy machines required (although there are some pretty fancy ones if you want the full equipment experience).

Mat Pilates involves your own body weight against gravity so can be equally, if not more challenging depending on how you execute the exercises. A good instructor will always check your limitations before the class and give you lower impact adaptations to each exercise.

Improved posture, core strength, flexibility, balance and a leaner body results: heck, I even used it to rehab an excruciatingly painful herniated disc when the back surgeon told me I’d need a steroid injection into my spine (no thank you!). Joseph Pilates famously said: “You will feel better in ten sessions, look better in 20 sessions and have a completely new body in 30 sessions.” What are you waiting for?

Places To Do Pilates In The Algarve

The Campus, Quinta do Lago thecampusqdl.com/pt/activities/fitness/47575/pilateshiit/Reformer

Pilates Algarve, Loulé reformerpilatesalgarve.com

Contrology Pilates, Almancil and Faro contrologypilates.pt

Studio 51 Pilates, Almancil Instagram: studio51pilates

Uno Pilates, Almàdena / unopilatesschool.com

5 Pilates exercises 1

All Fours Abdominals

On the mat, adopt a ‘tabletop’ position with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Imagine your back is a tabletop, keeping a long line from the crown of your head to the base of your spine. Tuck the toes and press palms firmly into the mat.

Keeping the arms straight, inhale. On the exhale, draw your belly button up towards your spine (without changing the shape of your back) to engage the abdominals and hover the knees 2 inches off the mat. Hold for 5 seconds and release. Repeat 10 times.

Pump the arms for 50 counts maintaining the breathing sequence of in for 5 and out for 5 then relax the head, neck and shoulders back to the mat. Repeat if you are able.

4Bridging

Lie on your back on the mat, knees bent and feet flat hip distance apart, arms resting on the mat either side of the body.

Inhale to prepare and on the exhale press your feet into the mat and start to curl the pubic bone towards the belly button to lift the lower spine off the mat. Engage through the glutes and hamstrings as you lift, lengthening through the thighs.

2

Marching Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, hip distance apart.

Reach your fingertips along the mat to bring the shoulders away from the ears.

Keeping the tailbone down, float one leg at a time to a 90-degree angle.

With both legs in the air bent at 90-degrees, inhale, then exhale and draw the belly button towards the mat as you tap one foot down on the floor. Inhale to bring the leg up and exhale to tap the opposite foot to the floor.

3The Hundred Lie on your back on the mat, knees bent and feet flat hip distance apart. Inhale and reach your arms up towards the ceiling with your wrists over your shoulders.

Exhale and engage the abdominals to float the head, neck and shoulders off the mat as you lower the arms by the side of the body until they are parallel with the mat.

Keeping the arms engaged and straight, inhale to pump your arms up and down for 5 counts maintaining a stable position with the torso. Exhale to deepen the abdominal connection and pump the arms for a further 5 counts.

As you come up into the bridge position try not to over arch the lower back. Pause at the top, take an inhale, then on the exhale start to lower the body back down to the mat starting with the upper back, mid-back and finally lower back. Stay reaching long through the thighs as you lower down one vertebrae at a time back to the start position. Repeat 6-10 times.

5Swan

Lie face down on the mat with legs outstretched, hands by the side of the rib cage, elbows pointing to the ceiling, pubic bone pressing into the mat. Inhale, then on the exhale press the hands in to the mat and imagine you’re rolling a marble with your nose towards the top of your mat, lifting the upper body into extension and gazing forward. Stay long through the back of the neck (like a swan!), shoulder blades drawing down the back and shoulders away from the ears. Come up only as far as you feel comfortable. Inhale, and on the exhale slowly lower the upper body back down to the mat. Repeat 4-6 times.

As always, be mindful of any pain and listen to your body for when to stop or if anything feels uncomfortable.