A Deep Dive Into Pilates Part Five: Control

“The Pilates Method teaches you to be in control of your body and not at its mercy.”

~ Joseph Pilates ~

The synthesis of the first three Pilates principles - Breath, Concentration, and Centering is what allows us to arrive at the fourth principle of Control. I often joke with my clients that while we are required to take drivers education to drive a motorized vehicle, we all seem to lack sufficient education and control to drive our own bodies well. Yes, we took health class, physical education, and anatomy in high school but that’s about it. I suppose you could add internet searches and dinner party medical advice to the list as well. Considering the complexity of the human body and the fact that we can’t live without it, I would argue that we could all certainly learn more.

Joseph Pilates originally called his work “Contrology” and he placed great emphasis on the importance of complete muscular control of each body part and movement when performing the Pilates repertoire. This is the emphasis that any well educated Pilates teacher will place on the work, taking you through the repertoire slowly, and teaching you how to activate and release the right muscles and move the right way. The ability of a participant to achieve complete control is further challenged through the unique design of the Pilates equipment (Reformer, Chair, Trapeze, Ladder Barrel, etc) which integrates unstable platforms, springs, and pulleys into the execution of each exercise. The body should not be left to its own devices when performing Pilates. It is a process of achieving control of the mind in order to execute conscious and deliberate movement through the mind body connection.

In the physical therapy world we refer to this as “Motor Control”.  Motor control is a complex process involving the coordinated contraction of muscles as the result of transmitted impulses sent from the central nervous system. It is, “the process of initiating, directing, and grading purposeful voluntary movement”. (physiopedia) 

As a movement pattern is continued and practiced, our nervous system will assess and make adjustments to the pattern based on the sensory information it is receiving.  This information is then stored for future performance of the same task.  With repetition a learned pattern is formed resulting in what is called “Motor Learning”. This process creates our movement habits so that we can preserve energy by reducing the conscious demand of performing all of our activities of daily life. 

Motor control and movement quality can be permanently altered by injury, pain, repetitive stress, and life changes. When we experience pain, even low levels of it, we will adapt how we move to avoid it. Sometimes the changes are consciously made but more commonly they are subconscious. While a change in movement may be necessary in the early protective phases of an injury or after surgery, if maintained, this altered movement can contribute to poor recovery, continued disability, chronic pain, and decreased quality of life. Many clients assume that if the pain goes away then the motor patterns will return to normal. Unfortunately, in most cases, these changes have become learned responses that will require conscious awareness and correction to reset. For these reasons, I encourage everyone to avoid ignoring small warning signs and to consider movement assessment, education, and retraining as a necessary component of their self care protocol. These compensatory patterns and their negative impact are much easier to reverse when they are caught early.

In our studio, Sakash Health and Wellness, education regarding the Pilates principle “Control” is a key component of each client's experience. Through our unique method that fuses together physical therapy, pilates, and movement education they become much more aware of their moving life, learn how to move better, and as a result feel better.  Our clients deepen their understanding of themselves, which offers them a sense of awareness and connection that many come to realize they had lost. This is especially important for those clients who might feel their bodies are out of their control due to injury, illness, pregnancy, years of inactivity, or years of repetitive stress.  The practice of reconnecting your mind and body not only gives you more control of your body but also helps you feel more in control of your life.

Expect nothing less than feeling  your best. 

Sincerely, 

Shellie
 

**Over the past few months we have been covering the foundations and underlying principles of Pilates in these monthly “A Moment to Share” emails. We have covered the history of Pilates and the principles of breath, concentration, and centering. Feel free to click on the links if you want to review or if you are just joining us and would like to start at the beginning.