Attending a classical Pilates exercise session can involve learning a new language that includes the terms coined by Joseph Pilates in his books from the 1930s and 1940s, "Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising that Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education," and "Return to Life Through Contrology." Learning these terms and how to perform them can help make your Pilates classes more effective. Consult with your doctor when choosing a new exercise program.
Square Your Box
Alignment is key to the proper execution of Pilates exercises. Each shoulder and each hip is one corner of your box. To square your box, place your hands on your hips and look in a mirror. Level your hips and notice how this affects your shoulders. Your shoulders should ride directly over your hips. Shifting a shoulder forward or backward can affect your hip alignment, and hiking a hip up can affect your shoulder alignment. Listen for the cue, "square your box," in Pilates classes -- this is a clue that your shoulders or hips are askew.
Pilates V
Borrowed from first position in ballet, the Pilates V-position engages your buttocks and inner thighs. Stand with your heels touching and open your toes out to create a 45-degree angle with your feet. Squeeze your seat and rotate your legs from your hips to your heels. Press your thighs firmly together; you should see no daylight between them. Expect to use the Pilates V-position while standing or lying down with your legs in the air.
Scoop
To scoop is to draw your navel toward your spine and actively move your abdomen inward. This action stabilizes your torso and supports your back during Pilates exercises. Beginners use their scoop to hollow their stomach when folding forward. As you progress in learning the classical Pilates repertoire, expect to use your scoop to help you maintain an upright posture, or to support your spine while performing exercises with a backbending component.
Powerhouse
Long before the term "core" became popular in modern personal training, Joseph Pilates coined the term "powerhouse" to refer to engaging your buttocks and abdominal muscles to create a natural girdle of strength. Building a strong center, or powerhouse, by performing Pilates exercise gives you an anchor of stability for all your daily movements.
References
- "Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising that Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education;" Joseph H. Pilates; 1934
- "Return to Life Through Contrology"; Joseph H. Pilates; 1945
- "The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning: Introduction to the Core Exercises"; Romana Kryzanowska, et al.; 1999
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