ferrantepunto
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20 Posts Posted – 12/27/2002 : 05:07:47 Show Profile Email Poster Visit ferrantepunto’s Homepage Reply with Quote
Hi there,
I’m starting to practice Pilates regularly, and I have some questions about it. In my town there are no Pilates instructors or classes. I buyed a book from Alycea Ungaro and I’m following her instructions to perform the exercises, but I’m concerned about if I’m doing them correctly to avoid injuries, specially in the neck.I don’t have any special problems in my back or neck, but since I’m doing the exercises, I feel some strain and mild pain in the neck, but no in the torso or the back. Is this normal?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot.
tfloyd
Administrator
USA
79 Posts Posted – 12/27/2002 : 11:43:53 Show Profile Email Poster Reply with Quote
Hi Ferrantepunto,
No, it’s not normal to feel neck pain, strain, or any other discomfort. You need to learn how to correctly support your head.
I assume you feel the neck strain doing The Hundred. I’ll describe a modification for that exercise, which you should be able to apply to others that give you problems.
Basically, when lifting the head, don’t lift using the neck muscles. Here’s how:
First, practice by lying on the floor or mat with bent legs. Inhale into your ribcage, softening the belly down. On the exhalation, slide your shoulder blades toward your pelvis while simultaneously lengthening your spine through the dropping shoulder blades. This action creates tremendous internal muscular «connections» that will support you when you lift your head. Keep breathing that way throughout all exercises.
Now, prepare to lift your head by doing a few «cervical nods.» Without lifting your head, tilt your nose toward your chest, moving from the cranial base, or where the spine meets the skull. Then, tilt your nose up toward the ceiling. Repeat a few times, making sure that you are not moving your neck. Once sure, you are ready to lift your head.
To lift your head, inhale while nodding your nose toward your chest, as before. For practice, cup your hands behind your head for added support. On the exhalation, curl the torso up from the belly and the little flexion point you have at your sternum. Do not lift with the neck! Keep the neck in line with the spine.
Stay forward for a few breaths, letting your head go heavy into your hands on each inhalation, and then from the belly and sternum, curl further forward on each exhalation.
If you feel no strain in the neck, remove your hands, one at a time, reaching them forward to begin the pumping for The Hundred (you haven’t yet lifted your legs; let’s fix the neck first). You should now feel your head and neck supported by your abdominal muscles, feeling no strain.
After practicing that segmented approach to doing The Hundred, try putting it all together in a seamless action: Nod the nose toward the chest, curl forward from the belly and sternum, float the legs up, and begin pumping.
If you have problems with other specific exercises, please let me know. I hope this helps.
Thanks for posting,
Tom
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ferrantepunto
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20 Posts Posted – 12/27/2002 : 14:45:31 Show Profile Email Poster Visit ferrantepunto’s Homepage Reply with Quote
Hi Tom,
Thanks for your advice. I´m going to put your suggestions in action today. Just another question: It is normal to feel some pain (exercise related) in the back or the buttocks?
Thanks again.
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tfloyd
Administrator
USA
79 Posts Posted – 12/27/2002 : 15:33:23 Show Profile Email Poster Reply with Quote
Hi Ferrantepunto,
Again, I would say pain in the back or buttocks is not normal. Common, maybe, but not normal.
Are you experiencing these pains with Pilates for the first time? Or have these pains been present for a while with other activities?
Here’s two things to try for back/buttocks discomfort:
First, on all supine (lying on your back) exercises, maintain your spine’s normal curvture. Do not curl your tailbone and flatten the back. Your back and pelvis are in their normal, neutral position when your hip pointers are on the same plane as your pubic bone.
Second, on extension exercises (like Swan), be sure you lead with a lengthening spine. Don’t just push up with your arms and let the back sag. Reach through your heels as you extend, or lift, your spine through your dropping shoulder blades. Your head will simply float up effortlessly. Then, use your hands and arms to support the movement, rather than initiating it.
A general response to a general question, but I hope that helps.
Tom
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ferrantepunto
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20 Posts Posted – 12/31/2002 : 03:35:19 Show Profile Email Poster Visit ferrantepunto’s Homepage Reply with Quote
Hi Tom,
Thanks for your advice. Your suggestions have been great help. My neck doesn’t strain anymore, but I note some muscular disconfort on my left shoulder (the upper zone of my left «wing», or the clavicle zone). I suppose this is stress related (this zone is where stress strain accumulates on my body…), and I think it should disappear over time. Is this normal again?
Thanks and have a happy new year!
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tfloyd
Administrator
USA
79 Posts Posted – 01/01/2003 : 08:44:57 Show Profile Email Poster Reply with Quote
Hi Ferrantepunto,
Pain is never «normal.» Exercise is not supposed to hurt.
I can’t give you any specific recommendations about your shoulder pain because I don’t know your level of activity, what kind of stress you are under, and what your posture is like.
If the shoulder pain seems to be caused by exercise, first identify which exercises seem to aggravate it. Then determine what your arms are doing in relation to the shoulders.
The most common mistake people make in working their arms and shoulders is to work «from the joint,» without a sense of deep muscular support from the back muscles (traps, lats, rhomboids, etc.).
To see what I mean, try this: lie on your back and lift your arms straight up, fingers pointing toward the ceiling. Widen your back, and wrap your shoulders around and down, sliding the shoulder blades (clavicles) down toward your hip pockets. Then let your arms bones «fall into» the shoulder sockets. Your arms are still reaching for the ceiling, but the difference is they are «grounded» in the socket. Now try moving your arms behind your head and toward your legs, without losing the grounding in the socket. You should now notice that your arms and shoulders feel more supported. As you hinge your arms back and forth, notice that most of the work seems to come from the mid-trap and lat area of the back.
Once you understand the distinction of working your arms from the support of your back, and feel the difference, transfer that knowledge to every day activities. Before lifing something heavy, wrap those shoulders around and down, and seat the arm bones in their sockets. Before pulling open a sticking door, do the same.
Hopefully, by giving your shoulder support, you can eliminate the cause for the pain.
Hope that helps, and thanks again for writing.
Oh, and happy New Year!
Tom
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ferrantepunto
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20 Posts Posted – 01/10/2003 : 13:24:05 Show Profile Email Poster Visit ferrantepunto’s Homepage Reply with Quote
Hi again Tom,
I´ve been putting into practice your suggestions to avoid feeling strain or «sore muscles» with success.
I have two more questions about the exercises:
1. In the introductory program in the Alycea Ungaro´s book (the one that includes the following exercises: the hundred, roll down, single leg circles, rolling like a ball, single leg stretch, double leg stretch and spine stretch forward), I have some doubts about the rolling like a ball exercise. Do I have to use some backward momentum to reach the correct position? or simply follow the movement of my body until I reach the position when I can´t go further back?
2. According to the book, I should perform this introductory routine for 4 to 6 weeks before moving forward to the intermediate program. Is this correct? or there is another form to confirm that I´m «ready» to try more advanced exercises?
Thanks a lot for your help.
Cheers.
Edited by – ferrantepunto on 01/10/2003 13:25:29Go to Top of Page
tfloyd
Administrator
USA
79 Posts Posted – 01/10/2003 : 21:40:55 Show Profile Email Poster Reply with Quote
Hi Ferrantepunto,
It’s great to hear things are working for you. Pilates should be practiced from the perspective of «effort with ease.» Not that it should be «easy» or you shouldn’t work hard, but there should never be strain or pain. But with correct technique, there can and should be plenty of effort!
As for Rolling Like a Ball,
quote:
Do I have to use some backward momentum to reach the correct position? or simply follow the movement of my body until I reach the position when I can´t go further back?
Begin by sitting tall on your sit bones, while holding your ankles. Then, from the belly, curl forward, rounding your back. From there, carefully rock back and balance on your sacrum, hovering your feet an inch or two from the ground. This, then, is your beginning and ending position.
Because you are in a «precarious point of balance,» you need no momentum to roll back; just a slight tilt backward and you can’t help but to roll. For most people, the challenge is rolling back up.
So, to roll back up, follow this checklist:
Stay rounded. Flat things don’t roll!
Roll back only to your shoulder blades; not your neck.
When at your shoulder blades, don’t stop. You need a little momentum at the bottom, and quickly reversing directions gives you the momentum you need.
Remember the two goals of the exercise: Not changing your shape, and not grounding your feet each time you roll up.
Accomplishing those two goals requires control! And that kind of control comes from the use of your deep, core muscles, energized by breath.
quote:
According to the book, I should perform this introductory routine for 4 to 6 weeks before moving forward to the intermediate program. Is this correct? or there is another form to confirm that I´m «ready» to try more advanced exercises?
You should progress to the next level according to your individual ability, not some «progression schedule.» Some people are able to move to the next level as soon as they simply learn the introductory exercises; other people need extra weeks or months. The benchmark to go for is performing each exercise correctly without strain. If you can do that, move ahead.
But it’s the «correct» performance that is hard for an individual to assess, if there is no teacher. Ask your self these questions:
In the Hundred, do you feel comfortable curled forward, feeling your head and neck supported by your core muscles (esp. deep abs)?
In Roll Down do you curl through your pelvis and at least begin to feel vertebrae articulation?
With Single Leg Circles, have you learned to isolate your femur (thigh bone) from the hip socket so that circling the leg does not move the hip?
In Rolling Like a Ball do you make the movement without changing shape and without grounding your feet?
With Single and Double Leg Stretch do your limbs «float» from their respective joints, or do you feel gripping or jamming?
In Spine Stretch Forward do you at least begin feel each vertebra articulate as you stack up, or is it more like hinging up?
In all the exercises do you actively breathe into your ribcage, keeping your belly hollowed in?
Are you staying «out» of your shoulders by keeping your shoulder blades slid down toward your hip pockets?
There’s a lot more questions to ask than those, but they pretty well indicate whether you are ready to progress.
I hope you get a chance to get some formal instruction to quicken your learning. In the meantime, write away with your questions!
Good Luck,
Tom
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ferrantepunto
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20 Posts Posted – 01/16/2003 : 06:56:11 Show Profile Email Poster Visit ferrantepunto’s Homepage Reply with Quote
Hi Tom,
Thanks again for your advice. As usual (now), things are working better with your suggestions. I have some more questions:
1. Single Leg Circles: I think that I must be improving by now, but now that I’ve managed to keep my hip bone grounded when making the circles, I can’t stretch my legs quite enough to reach Pilates Stance. Any ideas to improve this?
2. In the double leg stretch, I have a similar problem. I can only put my legs in a 45 degrees angle when performing the exercise. Should I try to put them in Pilates stance instead?
3. In the book that I’m using (Alycea Ungaro’s), there are some exercises performed in the wall. They are located after the beginners section. Right now, I’m performing an introductory routine that includes the exercises mentioned in an earlier post. It is all right if I start practicing the wall exercises right now or should I wait until I reach that section?. Those exercises are not mat related, and looking at the book, they seem to be independent from the other contents.
Thanks again for your support.
Cheers.
Edited by – ferrantepunto on 01/16/2003 06:58:26Go to Top of Page
tfloyd
Administrator
USA
79 Posts Posted – 01/16/2003 : 14:01:50 Show Profile Email Poster Reply with Quote
Hi Ferrantepunto,
As to your first question, grounding the hip is of first importance. The hip of the grounded (lowered) leg stays down, and the femur (thigh bone) of the circling leg drops heavily in the socket. This heavy drop in the socket promotes uniform muscular usage, which helps to control the leg without moving the hip.
Think of extending your circling leg from the sit bone to the heel (emphasis on the back of the leg). That’s where you want to create length. As for the «Pilates stance,» are you just turning your foot out, or are you making the movement from the hip? To make the movement from the hip, reach the sit bone of the circling leg toward the opposite heel. The sit bone (obviously) won’t go far, but the effort of reaching it in that way causes your foot to rotate outward automatically. Voila, Pilates Stance from the hip. Read Alycea Ungaro’s explanation of the Pilates Stance in the early chapter before the exercises. She explains it in different words, but see if the essential point isn’t the same.
I’m not sure what you mean with your second question. The 45 degree angle you are now putting your legs in, do you mean 45 deg. rotation or 45 deg. elevation? For the beginning version of double leg stretch, send your arms and legs toward the ceiling, legs as close to 90 degrees (vertical) as possible without letting the tailbone come off the mat or floor. By reaching through the back of the legs (sit bones to heels) and pressing the backs of the femurs toward each other, your feet will automatically take care of themselves and turn out. As you get stronger in the exercise, progressively send arms and legs out at a lower angle, but not so low that you arch your back. Remember to work your abs by dropping your belly on the exhale as you circle your arms.
The wall exercises are fine to do any time, where ever you are in the program. In fact, one advantage of them is that you can literally do them anywhere, even at the office as a stress break.
Ferrantepunto, you’re really taking this seriously! Keep us posted with your progress, and send more questions any time.
Take care,
Tom
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ferrantepunto
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20 Posts Posted – 01/21/2003 : 10:01:26 Show Profile Email Poster Visit ferrantepunto’s Homepage Reply with Quote
Hi Tom,
Yesterday I began practicing the wall exercises. Reading my book, Alycea says that I must «lie» flat in the wall, not curving my lower back. I have some trouble with this, since I used to have a bad back posture (a hunch like posture) that arched a little my back. Then, when I «lie» flat on the wall, I feel my lower back somehow curved and lifted from the wall. Is there some way to correct this?
Thanks again for your suggestions. You are becoming my «virtual» pilates trainer!
Cheers.
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ferrantepunto
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20 Posts Posted – 01/23/2003 : 06:07:43 Show Profile Email Poster Visit ferrantepunto’s Homepage Reply with Quote
Hi again Tom,
I have another (yet) question about the «Rolling like a ball» exercise.
I’ve managed to control my movements and to conserve my posture during the exercise, but I’m feeling some mild pain in one of my lower back vertebras (Specifically, one of them very near my waist). It is like it is «hitting the floor» (not hard, of course) when I perform the exercise. I’m using a mat and a soft blanket to cushion my back. Should I curve more my back to avoid this? What I’m doing wrong?
Thanks again.
Cheers.
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tfloyd
Administrator
USA
79 Posts Posted – 01/25/2003 : 17:17:42 Show Profile Email Poster Reply with Quote
Hey Ferrantepunto,
Sorry for my long delay. Projects are deadlining on me so I’ve had less time.
As to your question about the wall exercises, I don’t personally feel that it is good to completely straighten your back along a wall or the mat. It is better to maintain the natural curvature of your lumbar (lower) spine, rather than forcing it to flatten. There will be times that a movement rolls you from arched to flat, but I would advise against holding it flat.
When you say that you feel your «lower back somehow curved and lifted from the wall,» it sounds like you are describing a pelvic tuck: curling your tailbone toward your feet and then curling it up. That would definitely flatten your back, but it would also curl your tailbone off the wall (or mat, if lying).
You should, though, lengthen the spine by dropping (not curling) the tailbone down. The drop of the tailbone will straighten your spine some without curling the pelvis off the wall. It’s difficult to do, but a simple prop will make it easier:
Get a Yoga block or some other thick, hard object about six inches wide. Stand (for now away from the wall) and place the block between your thighs, as high as possible. Inhale, and squeeze the block with the front of your inner thighs. Then, exhale, and squeeze with the back of your inner thighs. Without even thinking about it, your tailbone will go straight down.
Then try it on the wall, in the manner otherwise taught by the book (though my preference is for the feet to be parallel, not in the «V» Pilates stance). When you squeeze with the back of your inner thighs, you should feel your tailbone drop down the wall, and you may even get most of your back to straighten and come into contact with the wall. The important thing, though, is that you did not «tuck» and curl the tailbone off the wall.
Try it very gently and cautiously at first. Do not squeeze and drop to the point of pain or even discomfort. Work within what your body allows, and in time, it will adjust and allow you to go further. Think «effort with ease!»
As to your «Rolling Like a Ball» question, you are doing the right thing by padding your mat with a blanket. It could be that when you roll down, you are flattening your back, and thus «falling» on the same vertebra each time. So, you begin your roll with a rounded back, right? Focus on keeping it round as you roll back. Practice for a while not rolling back as far. Go back only as far as you are absolutely certain you are staying round. In a short time you should be able to make it back to your shoulder blades (no further) with a rounded back. If you still have pain, then it may be that you have a herniated disk or some other condition that a doctor should look it.
Hope that helps…
Tom
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ferrantepunto
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20 Posts Posted – 02/06/2003 : 10:59:20 Show Profile Email Poster Visit ferrantepunto’s Homepage Reply with Quote
Hi Tom,
I’ve been busy these days, but I have not stopped my daily Pilates routine. I have a question regarding the single leg circles:
As I said in an earlier message, I’ve managed to keep my hips anchored to the floor while rotating my legs, but I cannot reach the «perfect position», this is, I can’t lift my legs at an 90 degress angle from the floor. The most that I can do is to lift them about 50 or 60 degrees without feeling a lot of strain in the inner thighs or trying to bend my knees. I think this is all about flexibility and it should increase over time, but do you have any tips or advice to help improve the leg’s angle and try to reach the 90 degrees position?
Thanks again Tom.
Cheers.
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tfloyd
Administrator
USA
79 Posts Posted – 02/06/2003 : 14:31:08 Show Profile Email Poster Reply with Quote
Hi ferrantepunto!
I can see I misunderstood you in an earlier post. When you said you were having trouble with the «Pilates stance,» I thought you meant the lateral turnout, not the lift of your legs…
First, I don’t yet get my legs up to a perfect 90-degree angle. I’m close, though, and I’ve come a long way after more than three years of practice. So, practice through your range of motion without worrying too much about it. You don’t want to force your leg too high, because you would lose the grounding of your hip. Also, there’s nothing wrong with bending your leg while circling. Do whatever it takes to perform the movement, and gradually your form will improve.
Try also draping an elastic band around your circling foot and holding the ends at your belly. The band gives your foot something to press into, thus closing the «kinetic chain.» Your leg will ground more deeply in the hip socket, and you will probably get your leg to a higher angle with less effort. I’m specifically thinking of a Theraband, but other brands exist that are basically the same.
Later I’ll also post some hip stretches. Your hamstrings attach to the sit bones, so tight hips also mean tight hamstrings. By focusing on the hip, you’ll get more freedom in the leg.
Take care,
Tom