Hi Deborah, I could be wrong but i think much of what you are bringing to the work is work with Irene Dowd? Following how anatomy really works changes how we need to move in our bodies, including the spine. I love all the ideas you are integrating into the work. The kernal of many exercises can be found in these tutorials.
What Deborah said when about flexion was something I did a double take on too. Having said that, and having tried what she says, not to mention allow for my own common sense to kick in, I must admit I am free once again and feeling my body in more natural ways than ever.
Niedra Gabriel gave a little gasp as well when Deborah asked her raise her tail bone in the hundred. The flexion in the low back in this position does help to hollow out the belly. Just have to make sure that students don't overdo it and pin themselves to the floor at the back of the waist like bugs on their backs.
Thank you .The last two comments are helpful.I hate the way there can be a certain 'snobbery' around what is right and what is wrong in Pilates..As a teacher who entered this profession on 'retirement'I am eager to keep learning and go beyond the 'rules' of my training.Listening to one's own body is important advice.
First! Great tutorial and great comments!! ...I too get confused with this as well. But what I've recently discovered for myself (in my body) is that if I position my pelvis just as Deborah mentioned I feel the work more in my abs! I needed to do this so my low back did not take over, so by lifting my tailbone slightly I’m deepening my abdominal work and stabilizing my low spine. Instructed to do so by my physiotherapist, I too felt it went against my Pilates training! My lumbar spine is quite lordotic and I’ve recently developed some hyper mobility in it. I suspect my body started to cheat again and my abs checked out!! Interestingly I don't look lordotic from a visual assessment, but you would notice if you ran your finger down my spine! I love watching different genres of Pilates. I believe each was created to accommodate the individual’s issues at the time Thank you Deborah Lesson and to Pilates Anytime!
Michele, you get the door prize!! The original intent of Hundred is deep abdominal work. Mr Pilates design was to achieve this by working in flexion. And this is how it was taught to me by Carola. I can't speak to why it is taught any other way. Cheers!
To the Owners of PilatesAnytime! Given the interest in Ms Deborah Lessen's "Mat" videos, would it be possible to have her do an entire Workshop, on the complete MATWORK series of exercises in the near future? This would permit her the time necessary to cover all the details. In hopeful anticipation.