Day 35: April 2, 2008
Session: 16
Today I worked with a new instructor. She wasn’t new, I just hadn’t worked with her before. She was aware that I had taken on the 30-day Pilates Challange and that I had been coming 3x/week, but still she was surprised at how advanced I was. I was stronger than I looked (a well-known benefit of Pilates) and had mastered transitioning pretty much without any assistance. Another thing she said to me was that I was “connected”. I had to ask around what that meant.
In Pilates, being connected means having a mind-body connection. For example, the instructor verbally asks you to perform an exercise, then verbally asks you to adjust yourself to perform the exercise correctly. While performing an exercise, she may say all of the following:
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scoop your naval
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now exhale
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lift with your hips
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create separation between your ribs
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grow taller through the crown of your head
This sounds like a lot to keep in your head, especially while doing the exercise, but as you take more sessions, these things become more like reminders than instructions. Being “connected” helps because when an instructor says to engage your core, you know where it is and what to do with it. Same goes for your feet, hands, fingers, toes, inner thigh, glutes, etc. Knowing where your body parts are seems like a give-in, but it really isn’t.
Before I starting Pilates apparatus sessions, I was a clumsy person. I was forever stubbing my toes, jamming my fingers, knocking my knees into things, and so forth. I had always assumed that this was due to a high-center of gravity, my long limbs, or some other physiological scapegoat. But I’ve been living in this body for 24×7 for 28 years and I still haven’t gotten used to it! How long is the learning curve to compensate for whatever body-weirdnesses I have?
As it turns out, I just wasn’t connected. Getting connected doesn’t happen right away either. For example, during my first few sessions, the instructors would ask me to do something, perhaps scoop my navel (this was the toughest concept for me to grasp), and I would toughen my abs like I was about to take a punch. They would have to physically put their hands on me to get me to do what they were asking. Same with other exercises. If I were asked to create separation between my ribs, I’d try, and I’d think I was doing it, but I wasn’t. I needed tactile direction. It was like, “Okay Lissette, here are your ribs. I’m touching them. Separate them like this. Good. Now hold that and continue the exercise.” All along I’m thinking, “I know where my ribs are!”, while I clearly did not.
Some clients need a lot of tactile instruction, which is why private instruction is so important with Pilates. Going to Pilates mat classes are beneficial, but you can’t get all that you can out of them unless you know how to perform the exercises properly. Connection is needed for that. And I have it! And less bruises to prove it!
What I ate today:
1 tsp cod liver oil
2 hard-boiled eggs
Boston Market Meatloaf, creamed spinach, and green beans
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 oz Buffalo Jerky Sweet and Spicy
Miller High Life
Total Calories: 1,404
Fat - 57.8% (90 grams)
Protein - 21.5% (76 grams)
Carbohydrates - 19.4% (68 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 1.3%
Daily Sodium Intake - 2,421 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 19 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 668 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 46 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 9 grams
Except for the sugar intake, this is a pretty good day. My boyfriend has been out of town, and since I hate cooking for one, I have been eating Boston Market. The portions are large, so I eat half for lunch and half for dinner.
