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How to improve flexibility?
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Hello Geekalicious,
As a classically trained pilates student and teacher for 10 years I have attributed my "flexibility" to Pilates. I would recommend that you invest the time to find a Classical trained Pilates studio in your area. Pilates is a form of excercise that provides both an eccentric and concentric contraction on the muscle thus causing an even lengthened toned muscle. As well the joint where the muscle either crosses or inserts to will become more supple thus allowing for more ROM (range of motion). Studio Veena's flexibility lessons incorporate much of the Pilates principles and would be an excellent start for you. Sometimes the reason(s) for not being able to do the "splits" is not because our "hamstrings" aren't stretchy enough. It can be either a tighter low back, hip joint, tight quads, shortened psoas on one side etc. The body is very intricate and integrated and to just focus on one muscle group is not always the answer. I hope this helps and by no means do I claim to be an expert at Pilates. I just know the Pilates method works and have seen many people's bodies become supple through time.
I am and always will be a "learning student" of the Pilates work and of the pole work now. What is so interesting is when you try a more advanced move whether it be in Pilates or on the pole we may find ourselves with work to do. Why? Because the body is a whole and must work together concisely and accurately to execute these moves with flow, strength and agility. And that challenge is what brings many of us back to that damn pole time and time again! Thank goodness though;)
c
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Hi again,
I will add that the "Genius of Flexibility" book by Bob Cooley is a great resource as many of the shapes he creates for the stretches are the shapes our body makes while using the Pilates apparatuses. I will suggest this book if people cannot afford to take equipment classes at a Pilates studio. Another resource I recommend is by my teacher Brooke Siler "The Pilates Body".
Enjoy.
c
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Yeah dustbunny, I hear a lot of good reviews about those Alethea Austin DVD's, think I should invest on one of them for a start, see how that goes. 😀 And as soon as I get my pole I am going to get a month of Veena's lessons……Veena, you make it look so easy!!!
WOW, it took you just 5 months to get your splits with the book Ly?? So amazing, hope I can do that, thanks for the advice. Going to read a bit about that book, 😀
Oh and I am also going to see about that app, it could come on handy on my phone.
Oh and thanks CCRockstar, I'll start with veena's lessons and progress from there, and if i get really into it ill start pilates. I was also thinking about yoga, is there much difference?
Thanks again….https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_heart1.gif
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Hi Geekalicious,
I personally practice Moksha Yoga (in canada) it is yoga done in a heated room. I practice it atleast 2-3 a week.
People ask me that question all the time.
The long of the short is this…
While yoga and traditional Pilates both aim toward developing a healthy connection between the body, mind and spirit, the two disciplines originate from distinct pedagogical models (teaching). How these disciplines develop the mind-body benefits differs greatly in the philosophy and method of each. Basically it becomes down to comparing one point within the two disciplines. There are many differences so I'll only speak on the "flexibility" point as this is where the dialogue has begun.
Traditional Pilates emphasizes flowing movement and smooth transitions, almost with a gymnast like energy; yoga most often holds specific physical poses for developing mental concentration and physical conditioning. Traditional Pilates includes specifically designed apparatuses to lend support, alignment and structure to the body when practicing exercises; yoga does not conventionally included apparatuses, although know a days yoga is lending itself to more "accesories". To an untrained eye many pilates exercises resemble yoga poses, but ultimately pure classical pilates aims to strengthen the mind, body and sprirt while consistently emphasizing control, precision, concentration within the physical conditioning of the body. It is this point that I believe practicing Pilates lends itself beautifully to the art of pole work. In pole, the body is demanded to flow with control, precision and ultimately with amazing strength and flexibility.
But I still practice my yoga:)
c
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Oh thanks for explaining it so clearly CCRockstar, so I think I would enjoy pilates a lot more than yoga. Im not really into staying in one place for too long. 🙂 Thank you.
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Hi Geekalicious,
Yes, I do think the Pilates lends itself well to poling. I have often translated my body shapes (espeially inverted) to what I know in Pilates. Veena speaks to this with a hollow back, arched back, hip lifted, where you look is important etc. Body awareness in space is a huge bonus to poling and understanding how to create levers in the body with arms, the legs, hips etc is very helpful.
All the best.
cc
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I have been trying to get my splits flat for a while. I started stretching with my foam roller for oversplits and this had helped more than anything!!! My thinking was that you had to flat splits before working on oversplits, but you don’t! Try it and you will see!!!
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thanks everyone! 🙂
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