Congratulations!

Congratulations to Sara Bartlett for passing her Pilates Core Integration Comprehensive Teacher Training test-out. Way to go Sara! We're so excited to have you as part of our team.

Congratulations!

Lead Pilates, Saskatoon, Canada opens their doors with the newest, best Pilates Studio in Saskatchewan. As a Pilates Core Integration Teacher Training Affiliate, we send our best wishes for your continued success. Way to go!

Planes of Movement

Understanding basic anatomy and physiology are essential to teaching Pilates properly. Pilates is a movement system based on utilizing the joints in all planes of movement. When we move the joints in all planes of movement, the body feels refreshed, alive, and ready for the activities necessary for a happy life.

Movement in the sagittal plane are called flexion and extension. Examples of this are the Roll Up and the Swan.

Movements in the frontal plane (coronal) are called lateral flexion or side bending. Examples of this are Mermaid, Seated Side Stretch, and Side Lift.

Movements in the transverse plane are called rotation. Examples of this include Spine Twist, Saw, and Short Box Series Twist and Tilt (obliques).

Think about working in all planes of movement when designing a class. Pilates is a form of exercise that stresses joint release, and freedom of movement in the joints without stressing the joints.

Focus on moving the joints in all their planes of motion. This includes flexion, extension, rotation, lateral flexion, and rolling.

Joint stabilization as well as joint mobilization are an important part of every Pilates work-out. In Pilates we focus on multiple joint movements with every exercise.

As clients progress, the advanced exercises include more multi-planar and multi-joint movements as well as increased difficulty and need for stability.

Utilizing the Reformer, Wunda Chair, Spine Corrector, Trapeze Table, and Magic Circle help provide improved functional fitness in new and varied planes of movement.

Check out our Trapeze Table dvd sample at www.youtube.com/pilates2358.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Erin Johnson and Ranelle Berens for successfully passing the Reformer performance for Pilates Core Integration. Way to go girls!

The Ankle

The ankle is the bridge between the foot and lower leg. The surface below the foot is constantly changing, and the feet need to adapt immediately on contact to any surface, be it the foot bar of the Reformer, the pedal of the Wunda Chair, or the floor. Normal activity of the ankle includes flexion and extension, with other movements happening in the joints of the feet. The action of the feet directly affect the ankle and lower leg.

The ankle is composed of the distal tibia, distal fibula and the top of the talus. Inversion and eversion (winging in and out) of the foot influence the ankle and lower leg, with the muscles of the lower leg affecting the foot and ankle.

Pronation and suppination (rolling in and out) occur in the subtalar joint, not in the foot. However, many of the movements of the foot and ankle happen in conjunction with one another.

As we age, the ankle joint looses flexibility and strength. It is our job to improve mobility, while increasing strength to promote proprioception, balance, and better gait patterns.

Try these exercises to strengthen and improve flexibility in your feet and ankles:

Standing Exercises

Releve Heel Lowers (rising up to the toes, and lowering the heels) with Straight Legs.* This exercise strengthens the gastrocnemius (plantar flexor).
Releve Heel Lowers with Bent Legs.*
Releve Heel Lowers on One Leg.*
* Plantar Flexion and Extension.
Toe Raises: Dorsi Flexion with digital flexion.

Wunda Chair

Sitting on the Wunda Chair with feet on the pedal. Execute the footwork on the heels, arches, toes, wide on the heels, and finally with flexion and extension of the ankle while the legs are held still at 90 degrees of flexion at the hip and knee.

Footwork: Plantar and Dorsi Flexion.

Ankle Flexion and Extension Footwork: this exercises strengthens the soleus muscle (plantar flexor). The gastrocnemius is loose at the knee during this exercise and is unable to assist.

Magic Circle

Sit on a chair or stool with knees bent, feet on floor. Place the magic circle in three positions in between the legs.

Legs (above knee, below knee, above ankles): This assists with inversion and eversion.

Congratulations to Canadians!

8 Pilates Core Integration Mat Certification students successfully passed their Mat Certification this last week. Congratulations to all!

Five of those students have moved on to take the Level I teacher training. You are all awesome. Nice work this last weekend.

See you in October. Thanks to Jana Danielson and Lead Pilates.