I sit writing this after completion of an amazing private session with Brett on the barrels on Sunday, Part 2 of a workshop with Blossom on Friday, and with my mind set for participation in #MarchMatness2016 on Tuesday. Lots of images, lots of media and lots of Pilates to share.There are just too, too much too many ‘takeaways’ to enumerate, yet I will try to share a few gold nuggets I found.
My intention is to put the work from Blossom’s workshop to immediate use in the appropriate mat practice posts for #MarchMatness2016, thereby using the month to make good on my own promise of daily Pilates practice and hopefully, maybe soon, be able to look half as good as Blossom did in demonstration.
The workshop featured so much creativity from the genius and spirit of Kathy Grant and the expertise of Blossom Leilani Crawford, a protégé thereof and master teacher in her own right, that it had to be broken down into two parts.
Breaking down the connectedness of our arms, shoulders and torso and all the joints, facia, complexity of movement and myriads of exercises that are used through the method, on the mat and all the apparatus, is how we spent our time at “play” in the work. I will be integrating these Pilates training golden nuggets for sometime to come.
What’s Happening on The Inside
What’s happening on the inside and how it reflects itself on the outside is one phrase Blossom used that caused me to think deeper, dig deeper and find the oppositional work the movements. It was a phrase she used to setup an exercise. I first heard it from her with one of the KSG cat postures, so while it wasn’t stated as such, I believe it came from Kathy. Clearly, it is the way to approach every exercise. Setting up the engagement of the powerhouse, whether it’s a zipper, a belt, a corset or vest that you visualize using to wrap that stuff ‘in and up.”
For in the absence of the inside setup, the outer mirror of that engagement will likely fall apart and fail to hold up to three breaths of scrutiny. ‘What’s happening on the outside’ will not be so pretty without the inside initiation. The framing of the connection – as if it is a private conversation with yourself – was a good nugget.
Using External Resistance
Love, love, LOVED the use of toys, tools and external resistance such as ankle weights, balls, hand weights, the weighted bar, etc on the ‘outside’ to challenge, fire up and recruit the use of ‘inside’ body to work deeper and more fully. Kathy was a big proponent of tools and I almost felt like I was now ‘given permission’ to more fully explore the method with students and the use of the external resistance ‘toys and tools.’
In fact, turns out Joseph Pilates created a pair of weighted inserts for ballet slipper shoes through which all the mat work was performed. The weights were at least 1/4 inch thick and felt like 8-10 pounds! They definitely assisted one in finding the ‘oppositional resistance’ with a roll up, but performing teaser or jackknife with the shoes was another feat to be mastered.
They made however, the thought and prospect of doing mat with 2.5 lb ankle weights a damn good and challenging idea. And that is, in fact, the plan for #MarchMatness2016.
Angle of Adjustment
One angle of adjustment that gave me pause and a few “ah-ha’s” were the difference in Romana’s and KSG’s foot placement for sidekicks; 45-degree angled vs hip-aligned. The latter, as Blossom said was KSG’s preference and provided greater challenge, giggles and fun to Side Kicks into fan kicks. I will be practicing it quite a bit – with or without the use of the Gondola bar. More details on that practice during the weeks ahead.
Another series and “change of perspective” was the Rowing series (shown in the featured image to this post). It actually wasn’t foreign to me, as I was taught the series by Juliet at Power Pilates, back in the day. It’s just that it isn’t typically used in the classical order and the entire series is such a great arm, shoulder and stability series that could be utilized for petite, pregnant or those rebuilding upper body strength.
So I repeat, I will be integrating these golden nuggets for sometime to come.
Related Posts:
Bridge Pilates, Brooklyn and Blossom
- Precision is the Art of Pilates
- Pilates Is
- Pilates Series of Five
- First Five Days of March
- Decisions & Inspiration
Gina Jackson, is a classically trained Pilates Teacher and has been teaching along the Gold Coast of Hudson and Bergen County, NJ for the past fifteen+ years.
Certified by Power Pilates of New York, Gina has trained with Master Teachers Bob Liekens, Susan Moran and Brett Howard; loved workshop training with Cary Regan and Blossom Leilani-Crawford and has particularly enjoyed listening to the personal stories as told by Pilates Elders, Kathy Grant and Lolita San Miguel.
An active teacher and blogger, Gina manages a private personal training business supporting a myriad of clients, teaching all to honor their health, strength and life with the principles of Pilates at its core.