SCOOP OF THE WEEK: Pilates stuff I love
Rumor has it that Joseph Pilates' created the first Magic Circle with a metal ring from an old wooden beer keg. Talk about innovative, huh? Yes, innovative and brilliant. I love this versatile and portable prop! It's traveled with me on many tours while I was a professional dancer to create my own little "studio" in my hotel room or on the tour bus. Now I love incorporating it into sessions with my intermediate/advanced clients or in my mat classes to give them a kick butt workout.
While training with Bob Liekens, he offered such great insight and understanding on the use of the Magic Circle. He emphasized that it was designed to find a deeper connection to our powerhouse and to provide kinesthetic awareness; feedback as to where our body is in space and which
muscles are being used. Of course, a person's first instinct is to squeeze the circle as hard as they can. Instead, Bob made exercises with the Magic Circle all about:
- breath -- a forceful exhalation which naturally fires the deepest muscle of the powerhouse, the transverse abdominus
- the abdominals - focused intention on pulling your abdominals "in" (for stability) and "up" (for length)
- the magic circle - gently hug the circle toward your mid-line.
Try it!
Set Up: Stand with your feet parallel and together or in Pilates stance. Extend your arms in front of you with the magic circle framing your chest bone. Put a micro-bend in your elbows and lift them so they point toward the walls. Widen your collar bone. (see photo above)
Action: Exhale, pull your abdominals in and up and at the end of your exhale, gently press your hands toward the center of the circle. Hold for 3 seconds.
Next, increase the tempo by doing up to 20 pulses. Follow your breath.
Result: Your forceful exhale alone should fire your deep abdominals. But that gentle squeeze on the Magic Circle intensifies the abdominal connection. And did you notice how the Magic Circle even mimicked the action of your powerhouse? It, too, draws in and lengthens.
Now, try reversing the intention of the exercise by making it all about the "squeeze" of the Magic Circle. Feel the difference? It diminishes the work of the powerhouse.
Did you also notice that in this one "simple" exercise that you're using all 6 Pilates principles?
- centering/stabilization
- concentration
- control
- precision
- flow
- breath
In my mat classes, I'll often teach this exercise supine first. It gives students the opportunity to find their alignment without fighting the forces of gravity. I also do it against the wall (1 foot-length away from the wall with pelvis, rib cage and shoulder blades on the wall) to increase the challenge. But the wall gives them feedback as to whether or not they're maintaining their alignment. Ultimately, I progress them away from the wall.
Of course, this is just one of the many exercises you can do with the Magic Circle. It's incredibly versatile and can be incorporated into every exercise on the mat and even used in exercises on the apparatus. Whenever I use it, though, I try to ask myself "How is this helping me connect deeper to my powerhouse?"
Shari Berkowitz teaches an AWESOME workshop called Magic Circle Madness. She's presenting it at the Pilates Style Conference in LA this month. It will be offered on January 23rd from 3-5pm and January 25th from 9:45-12:15. Here's the class description:
Power Pilates® Magic Circle Madness, Workshop-Shari Berkowitz
This
workshop will focus on the Pilates Magic Circle™ and how to incorporate
it into traditional Mat workouts at every level. There will be a review
of techniques and teaching formulas that will provide an excellent
workout. Learn new ways of utilizing the Pilates Magic Circle™ while
increasing efficient flowing movement. You will have fun and get a good
workout!
Pre-requisite: Instructors and clients with intermediate Mat experience.
CEC: Power Pilates®: 2 CECs, POLESTAR® 2 CECs , PMA: 2 CEC's
I hope to see you at the conference. I'll be at Booth# 310 selling my collection of Pilates T-shirts from Joe's Pila-T-Shop, including the one pictured above.
Rock Your Powerhouse!
Kira
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