The Road to Self Improvement is Paved with Conscious Movement
Gini Martinez
“Relax your shoulders."
“Stretch your leg long.”
“Drop your hip.”
“Lift your head up.”
“Lower your chin.”
“Point your toes.”
If you’ve taken a Pilates class, you’ve heard any one of these cues emanating from your instructor’s lips at one time or another. Your instructor combines visual feedback, their years of experience, and comprehensive training to deduce what’s happening in your body and give appropriate cues to guide and correct your movement.
But what if you’re working without an instructor present?
One of the benefits of the age of the internet is gaining access to a variety of instructors from all over the world via video. Unfortunately, the downside to video is that cues are broad, designed for the general population and not to your unique body or movement patterns. When working out on your own, the onus is solely on you to monitor your movement and self correct when necessary.
At first glance, it might seem that you’re at a disadvantage, not having an in-person instructor. After all, they have specific training in anatomy and biomechanics. Also, they have a bird’s eye view of your movement. The truth is, though, you actually have an advantage over an in-person instructor because you have exclusive access to your own brain.
See, your brain is constantly monitoring all the systems of your body to make sure they’re functioning well. When you move your body, information is continually being exchanged between your parts {arms, legs, spine, abs, etc.} and brain to insure that they keep moving appropriately. This process often occurs on auto-pilot, subjecting you to your default movement patterns, which is why it feels necessary to rely on an in-person instructor - an external eye - to see what’s happening and give corrections.
It doesn’t have to be that way, though.
By developing skills of self awareness, you can move more consciously and improve your body’s strength, coordination, and flexibility in ways your in-person instructor could never access as an outsider.
Tips for becoming more self aware for conscious movement:
Before Movement :
Gets hands on. Self touch by means of palpating or tapping the joint area or limb you’re going to move stimulates your nerves endings, which in turn sends proprioceptive information to your brain increasing its control of the moving area. You can turn up the volume on your brain-body conversation by touching yourself. {Stop giggling.}
During Movement :
Check-in and notice if/where you’re holding tension unnecessarily. Excessive muscle tension is the enemy of movement. If your muscles are gripping to hold your bony structure in {mis}alignment, they’re no longer able to power your movement and you’ll find your range of motion diminished.
Also, notice you’re breathing. If you’re holding your breath, you’re definitely embodying tension.
After Movement :
Notice any positive changes in your overall balance, joint coordination, and muscle tension. The more often you practice seeking out positive feedback, the more easily your brain will be able to discern between efficient and inefficient movement patterns empowering you to choose between the two.
Practice Pays Off
Developing a consistent practice of consciously tuning into the conversation already playing out between your brain and body empowers you with valuable information to guide and correct your own movement making YOU your best in-person Pilates instructor.
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