Writer: Lucia Farina
Following on from the previous blog, this is about how the Pilates method can match your mood.
It’s that time of year where we are all a bit burnt out, apart from the draining topsy turvy weather, it’s been our first full year of action since the lockdowns and Xmas is always a bit of a weird time for many of us. Moods are all over the shop and Pilates is here for all of it!
A lot of people come to Pilates for strength or flexibility. However it can be pretty restorative too. Or chill, easy going. As you know from reading this series of blogs, we steer clear from brute force anyway, and that is even more applicable when we feel a bit tired, or off, flat mood or generally a bit ‘meh’.
There is an ideal pace / rhythm for all of the exercises, but really we can alter that on the day based on the mood we are in. If our energy is low or we are tired, we don’t need to push ourselves to stick to that rhythm, the movement at a slower place might just be more suitable for that moment.
I’m not saying that it’s not worth going for the full rhythm, even if tired, as it could well invigorate you. I’m more speaking to the mood you feel when you’re not really in the mood to workout but you turned up to do ‘something’ or to avoid losing the class to a late cancel. And good for you too, because there's ALWAYS something for you here.
This blog was really inspired by some of the sessions that have been done in the studio lately. We often ask how your bodies are feeling, not to be polite, but to actually know HOW YOUR BODIES ARE FEELING! It gives us a good guide and direction, and we can create a class more personalized to your needs. We are a boutique studio after all, not a commercial space offering a generic program. Even if we teach the mat or reformer sequence, knowing what we aim to get from it can put a different intention into each exercise by altering the cues slightly… (read previous blog if you haven’t already).
It’s so easy to stay home if you’re feeling a bit off ( i mean if you’re sick, please stay home, but more i speak of the tiredness or emotional woes of life that fester in our bodies) however i really want to make it very clear that Classical Pilates is appropriate for ANY mood.
Ok so at times, it can help to bring you say, from a 5 out of 10 to an 8 out of 10. Or a lot of the time you stay on the 5 out of 10 but you didn’t exert yourself in the workout, which is fab. You mobilized your joints and got some juices flowing, and possibly prevented yourself from feeling stagnant. I mean, everyone is different but we all benefit if we practice Pilates appropriately.
What I have been reminded of recently is again, the versatility of Classical Pilates. That can be for strength, or flexibility, or lengthening, or gently mobilizing, for any mood, for any injury. It’s just such a perfect practice once you have got the experience to use it to its full capacity (that’s down to us teachers).
So when we ask how your body feels, really tell us how you feel so we can get you the best the practice has to offer, for that day. Pilates is not solely about movement, it’s about wellness. It’s a holistic practice so your mood and how you feel absolutely comes into planning a session. Again, your body is not just a sack of bones and muscle.
It’s an intense time of year. Keep your body moving. Be gentle and kind with yourself, take deep or slow breaths. You’ve got this! And we and the practice have got you too!
See you soon, bring your mood with you and let's see what we can do! It’s not called a magic circle for nothing is it :)
*I mean that’s so cheesy LOL but cheese is good too. And so is wine :)
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