Porta-Pilates
Thursday, March 13th, 2008
A while back, I received the pretty little Pilates pose chart above (click here to download the PDF) from high-profile instructor Alycea Ungaro’s PR people. Kinda handy, no?
The Real Pilates Web site has a bunch of free, downloadable workouts, but this was my favorite. It’s something I’d like to pin to my bulletin board and choose from when I need to break up the monotony of sitting at my desk.
Now, if only I did Pilates. Or owned a bulletin board. (Making note: Must buy bulletin board. I wish I had somewhere to post this blasted note….)
But I do want to give Pilates a whirl. Experience Life published an article called “Pilates Power” in January/February 2007, and among the benefits listed are improved core strength, balance and flexibility. All desirable qualities in an athlete.
To wit, a 2003 article in USA Today touts the gains male professional athletes are experiencing from practicing Pilates. Dallas Mavericks basketball star Jason Kidd and Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling are big fans. (On a somewhat related note, did you know Kareem Abdul-Jabar is a devoted yoga practitioner?) From the USA Today article:
Hannah Gallagher, Schilling’s Pilates instructor, says, “He’s a man. He’s used to hard-core workouts, where you throw up afterward. Pilates is not that. It is an equal balance of stretch and strength.”
Substitute the word “athlete” for “man” and you’ve hit upon something many of us struggle with. Or, conversely, pride ourselves on. “Go hard or go home” or “No, pain, no gain” ring a bell? But that which destroys us doesn’t always strengthen us, and we might do better to occasionally foray into the softer side of training.
What do you guys do to achieve balance in your routine?
