Power House: Pilates Combines Mind and Movement
BCHD Pilates instructor Debbie Aragona says that for most people Pilates stays on the mind once class has ended. “People who practice Pilates become very mindful of the way they move in everyday life and may evaluate how they sit in their car, work at their computer, move during sports or pick up their children,” she says.
This is just what Joseph Pilates intended when in the early 20th century he developed the method of controlled movements that teach awareness of breath and focus the mind on the core postural muscles that support the spine.
Pilates students learn to move mindfully from the abdominal, low back, hip and gluteal muscles that make up what their instructors call the core or powerhouse. Full inhalations and exhalations of breath help replenish the body with fresh air, bringing it energy and vitality, Aragona explains.
“The focus on core postural muscles helps to maintain balance, alignment and joint mobility so that the limbs move with more ease and efficiency,” says Aragona who believes the practice is helpful in injury prevention and recovery.
