Master class
Get down, get back up: Big change of posture requires big self-control.
Although Pilates was created nearly a century ago, this unique form of exercise has only achieved widespread popularity in the past 25 years. These days, it’s rare not to find at least one Pilates class on the group exercise schedule of large fitness centers.
This week, I’ll present some of the benefits of Pilates and introduce an exercise that was developed using it as the foundation.
The basic Pilates movements are built upon core stability, proper breathing, enhanced flexibility and engagement of the mind. Unlike other forms of activity that elevate the heart rate and respiration rate purposefully, Pilates focuses on controlling one’s movements in slow, deliberate patterns.
Beyond body weight and gravity, the amount of external resistance used in Pilates is minimal.
My take is that Pilates can benefit anyone. The development of core endurance, control and stability can help to prevent injury, increase athletic performance, enhance activities of daily living and increase muscle tone. Adding Pilates to one’s workout routine will encourage self-awareness, as Pilates can only be done correctly with complete mindfulness and focus.
One of its most challenging aspects is developing the discipline to move deliberately while matching one’s breathing pattern to a movement. Most of today’s fitness trends center on moving explosively while optimizing heart rate and maximizing caloric expenditure. Pilates is everything that today’s trends are not, in the sense that it’s done in a very controlled, calm fashion.
That’s not to say that Pilates isn’t difficult. Anyone who has taken a Pilates class knows that flexibility and core endurance are constantly challenged. It’s just not a form of exercise that will cause the physical manifestations of exhaustion (perspiring, panting, flushed skin, etc.).
This week’s exercise is not Pilates, but it’s inspired by a Pilates exercise known as the Roll-up, done while lying supine.
The Roll-up Leap adds the element of explosiveness while addressing leg strength and elevating heart rate.
1. Lie flat on your back on the floor.
2. Pull your knees to your chest and roll backward slightly, then forcefully roll forward — gain enough momentum to get on your feet.
3. As you roll to your feet, explosively jump upward.
4. As you land, bend the hips and knees.
5. Sit back down on the ground and roll back into your next repetition.
6. Continue this pattern, one after the other. Start with as many repetitions as you can manage without getting so out of breath you become clumsy. Work toward two sets of 12.
If rolling to your feet from the floor is too challenging or awkward, try starting the exercise on a bench instead of the floor.
The Roll-up Leap can be used in a variety of circumstances. It’s a great warmup before an athletic activity such as basketball, softball or any sport that involves bursts of quick movement with the lower body and core. It can also be used as part of an interval training circuit (think of it as a station) that’s designed to keep the heart rate elevated while challenging the core strength and balance.
In either case, the Roll-up Leap is a fun way to address core/lower body strength while coordinating movement patterns.
Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master’s in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine. vballtop@aol.com