Your Spine
“A man is as young as his spinal column. If your spine is stiff at 30, you are old. If it is flexible at 60 you are young.” Joseph Pilates
The spine is uniquely emphasized in the Pilates method. Each exercise has a specific spinal movement or stability to it. In each lesson you will go through most and ideally all of them: flexion, extension, side bending and twisting.
No matter which way or ways the exercise asks you to move your spine, you always want to have it as long as possible. Why? If it is shortened, some vertebrae are not able to move much, if at all. Shortened can also mean “stuck” as in can’t or doesn’t move.
As you continue to practice looking for length in each movement, you will find that overtime your spine will become very supple. A “supple spine” refers to a flexible and mobile spine, which allows for a full range of motion and helps to ease strain on the back by distributing pressure evenly across the vertebrae, leading to improved posture, reduced risk of pain, and better overall body movement. A “supple spine”gives you a flexible and mobile spine, which allows for a full range of motion and helps to ease strain on the back by distributing pressure evenly across the vertebrae, distributes the muscle load evenly, leading to improved posture, reduced risk of pain, and more efficient and free body movement.
Exercises to Know
Here are a few exercises you know along with their type of spinal movement. Each time you practice these exercises look for the length in your spine! Besides the benefits above, you will get MORE out of each rep because when you lengthen your spine guess what happens? More of your muscles turn on and work more in balance. And that is always a good thing!
Flexion – rolling like a ball
Extension – swan
Side Bend – side kicks on forearm or elbow
Twist – saw