Spring is coming, in fact it is ALMOST here, (I am choosing
to ignore tomorrow’s forecast, because denial is the best medicine) and our
lives are about to change for the season.
Instead of tea next to the fire, we’ll be drinking iced coffee. Instead of cozy conversations with
family, we’ll be playing Frisbee in the park across the street. Instead of layers and layers of
clothing we’ll be pulling out the shorts and tank tops! Yes the change of seasons is coming,
and Pilates is a great way to make the transition as smooth and injury free as
possible.
Injury Free????
Do injuries usually happen in the spring? I have never seen a statistic that proves it, but imagine how
your activities might change over the next few weeks. Are you going to be pulling out the running shoes? Will you begin cycling again? What about softball? Soccer? Tennis? Hiking? Swimming? Races? Golf? Yes, it is lighter in the day and there
is more warmth on the earth, and our bodies are going to become more
active. Why might we need to think
about injury prevention? Imagine
four months of cozy talks by the fireplace, and four months of sleeping curled
up to maintain body warmth.
Imagine your shoulders at your ears to keep your neck warm, and the
shortened stride in your gait as you’ve avoided falling on the ice. Now, what could possibly happen if you
take this body that has been curled up with shrugging shoulders for four months
onto the golf course without any preparation? SO while I have no statistic that I can point to, I always
consider it important to prepare for the spring. The following twelve ways will
be a great start! Have fun exploring these ideas, and if you have any questions
contact us at The Pilates Studio!
Feet – Our feet have been in snow boots and covered shoes
with lots of support for the past four months, as we prepare for the sandals of
the season it’s important to maintain the suppleness of your feet. Try this video to prepare for the hikes
that are coming.
Bridge – Spine articulation. Sitting with the body in one position for a long time, may
mean that we haven’t used the articulation of our spine for a while. Try these bridging exercises to
reintroduce movement to the spine.
Bent Knee Fallout-Time to start preparing our body for some
leg movement and lateral shift.
This exercise was great way to start.
Knee drops – And then we need to introduce some rotation to
the spine, and begin the process of preparing the low back for the rotational
forces of the golf and softball swings.
Chest Lift – And of course finding the length of the spine
in flexion! Be sure to get all of
the air out!
Psoas Stretch on Foam Roller – And now its time to lengthen that
stride!!!! Stretching the front of
the hips will help lengthen the stride and get you ready for that marathon
Foam Roller – Now that we don’t have to lift our shoulders
to keep our ears warm (I don’t know why our bodies do that) We can begin the
process of lengthening them away from our ears with the Foam Roller
Prone Extension – Getting ready to stretch in the sun,
continue opening your chest with this gem
Swan - And take
the prone extension to the next level lengthening the front of the body to
uncurl the winter spine!
Quadruped Turtle – Another great way to find the longest
spine and settle the shoulders away from the ears
Plank – Build weight-bearing strength with THE PLANK
Hips – Strengthening hips for balance and support of a
stabile pelvis - of course we haven't gotten to side lying exercises in the exercise of the day blog, but we do have a video about hip power for you!
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