Pilates for Anxiety- A Personal Journey in Recruiting ...€¦ · Pilates has been the main...
Transcript of Pilates for Anxiety- A Personal Journey in Recruiting ...€¦ · Pilates has been the main...
PilatesforAnxiety:APersonalJourneyinRecruitingBreath
andMindBodyConnection
MorganEkegren
October6,2018
Aptos,2018
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Abstract:
Pilateshasbeenthemaintreatmentformeinbattlinganxiety.Afterhavingmy
childmylifewasconsumedwithdebilitatinganxiety.Iwasunabletoparticipateinthejoy
oflifebecausemymindandbodywassufferingfromanxiousthoughts.Iwasseekinga
nonmedicaltreatmentandfoundreliefthroughPilates.Pilateswasabletocalmmymind
andemotionsusingthebenefitsofmindfulmeditationforthebodyandmind.Pilates
specificallyencouragesthepowerofbreathandpostureandtheirimpactontheentire
body.Ithaspersonallyhelpedmetreatinsomnia,sharpenmymind,relievestress,and
reducenegativeemotions.It’shelpedmelearntoengagecertainmusclesanddeepcore
activationtocleansemynervoussystemandelevatethesymptomsofanxiety.Pilateshas
encouragedmetoconcentratemyattentionononething-mybody,andleavethenegative
behind.
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TableofContents:
Abstract-2
TableOfContents-3
Diagramofbreath-4
TheRespiratorySystem-6
Posture-7
ProgramPlanning-8
Conclusion-12
Sources-13
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Diagramofbreath:
ThepowerofbreathisessentialinPilates.Thebenefitsofconsciousdeepbreathing
arenecessaryinaddressingthemindbodyconnection,whichbreathencourages.Thisis
particularlytrueinthePilatespractice;accordingtoJosephPilates,“Pilatesisthecomplete
coordinationofthebody,mind,andspirit”(JosephPilates,ReturntoLife).Breathingfully,
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whenpayingattentiontointention,centersus.Ithelpsclamthemind,reducestress,and
encouragesagreaterholisticexperiencefortheclient.Workingcloselywithbreathalso
bringsanaturalrhythmtomovementthatgreatlyenhancestheexperienceofthesession.
InPilatesaneffortismadetoemphasizetheexpansionoftheribcage,and
thisiscalled“lateralbreathing”or“intercostalbreathing”(Isacowitz,10).Partofthe
reasonforusingthismethodofbreathistomaintainabdominalcontractionwhile
executingtheexercise,whichisparticularlyimportantduringtheinhalation.“Thenature
ofdiaphragmaticbreathingdemandsrelaxationsoftheabdominalsduringinhalation.In
anefforttomaintaintheabdominalwallpulledinward,emphasisisplacedonlateral
breathingwithconsistentinwardpulloftheabdominalwall”(Isacowitz,10).Themind
mustfocusonthebreathpatternduringtheexerciseinordertoexecutethemovement.
JosephPilates’attitudetowardholisticwholebodyhealthwaseverapparent,
specificallyincoordinatingbreathandmovement.“Pilatesisthecompletecoordinationof
body,mind,andsprit”(JosephPilates).Byapplyingthecoordinatingbreath,spine
stabilization,allwhilealsomovingyourlegsandarms,connectsthebraintoatotalmind
bodyworkout.ThebrainandphysicalbenefitstoPilatesincludecorrectedalignment,
improvedcognitiveability,stressrelief,musclestrength,andgreaterenhancedmood.
JosephPilatescontinuestosay,“Breathingisthefirstactoflifeandthelast,ourverylife
dependsonit.”
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Thehumanrespiratorysystemisaseriesoforgansresponsiblefortakinginoxygen
andreleasingcarbondioxide.Thelungsaretheprimaryorgansoftherespiratorysystem,
whichcarrythisexchangeofgasesaswebreathe.Theoxygenyoubreatheingoesinto
yourlungsandpassesintoyourbloodstreamandthentransportedtoallthosecells(Web,
MD).Pilateshelpsfilterthisprocessandencouragesthenewoxygeninandcarbondioxide
out.Itactsasadetoxifyingprocess,whichinternhelpsease,thesymptomsofanxietyby
filteringoutthenegativethroughbreath.Pilatesencouragesyoutomaintainthemind
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bodyconnectionbycontrollingyourbreathpatternsoyoucan’tfocusonanythingelse.
Thereisnooptionbuttostaywithintheexercise,movement,andbreathpatternorthe
exercisecannotbecompleted.
Posture:
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ProperpostureisahugepositiveoutcomefromPilates.WhendealingwithanxietyI
noticedthatmyposturewassuffering.Myshouldersandheadwereroundedforwardasif
inagriefposition,mylowerbackwouldhurt,andIwouldstrugglewithmuscle
engagement.ThroughPilates,IfoundthatIwasabletostandtallerandmychronicpain
startedtoease.Iwasabletofocusonbackextension,engagingmycoremuscles,and
lateralflexionwithrotationtohelpmypostureimprove.Iwasgainingmusclestrength
alongwithelevatingmymoodandoverallwellbeing.Pilatesisthesolereasonformy
postureimproving.
ProgramPlanning:
InbeginningofmyPilatesjourneyinsearchingforholisticrelieffromanxiety,I
beganworkingwithanamazinginstructortwiceaweek.Weworkedtogetherdesigninga
programthatwouldallowformindfulmindbodyconnectiontoachievesymptomrelief
fromanxiety.
WarmupontheMat:
Wealwaysbeganoursessionwithastandingrolldownandaseriesof6largeinhalesand
exhalestocalmtheheartandprepareforthesession.
Pelviccurl
SpineTwistSupine
Chestlift
Chestliftwithrotation
Therewasspecificfocusonbreathpatternandslowingthebreathdown.Onevery
overwhelmingsymptomfromanxietyisfastbreathingandracingheartrate.Startingthe
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sessionwiththestandingrolldownandthe6longbreathshelpedsignificantlyslowthe
breathdownandopenthemindforreceivingthemindbodyconnectionofPilates.
FootworkontheReformer:
Parallelheels
ParallelToes
V-Positiontoes
OpenV-positionheels
OpenV-positiontoes
Calfraises
Singlelegheel
Singlelegtoes
Thefootworkonthereformerwasimportanttoassociatebreathtomovement.My
instructorencouragedmetoletthisfeelasfreeflowingaspossible.Shewantedmetofeel
likemybreathwasmatchingmymovementandflow,whichencouragedanathleticflow
sequence.
AbdominalsontheReformer:
HundredPrep
Hundred
MyinstructoralwayshadmeworkonHundredPrepandHundredonthereformer
becauseshewantedtoencouragethecellrenewalthroughbringinginnewoxygenand
releasingcarbondioxide.TheHundredrequiredallmymentalandphysicalfocusto
performbecauseofthebreathsequence.Thisexercisetooksomuchoutofmementally
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thatittooktimetobuildtheendurancetocomplete.Ittookmeseveralweekstofeelthe
flowofthisexerciseandexecute.
HipWorkontheCadillac:
SupineLegSeries:
Frog
CirclesDown
CirclesUp
Walking
Bicycle
SpinalArticulation:
ShortSpineontheReformer
ShortSpinewouldhelpencouragetheexactbreathtomovementconnection,with
eachmovementcoordinatingsimultaneouslywithbreathpattern.
Stretches:
Standinglunge
FullBodyIntegration:
DownStretch
KneeStretchGroup:RoundBackandFlatBack
Theseweregreatexercisesformetoworkonbecausetheyrequiredanexactbreath
sequence.Theseexerciseswouldrequireatremendousamountoffocuswhileusingthe
breathpattern.
ArmWork:
ArmsStandingSeriesontheCadillac
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LegWork:
StandingSkaterwasafavoriteofourstoworkonbecausethestandingworkwould
requireextrafocus.Wewouldkeepthespringlightandfocusonbuildingtherepsup.
LateralFlexion/Rotation:
SideoverBox
BackExtension:
PullingStraps1and2
Thiswasaperfectexercisetoendonbecauseitrequiredmusclestrengthand
mentalfocus.Postureplayedahugeroleinthisexerciseandwesawamajorimprovement
inmyextensionovertheweeksofoursessionstocorrecttheroundedforwardshoulders
andpoorposture.
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Conclusion:
Thepowerofbreathandidealposturecreateahugepositiveimpactonreducingthe
symptomsofanxiety.IlearnedthatthroughPilatesIwasabletoreducestress,encourage
bettersleephabits,andreducethephysicalsymptomsofanxiety.Pilateshasimprovedmy
qualityoflifeandhelpedmeseethejoyoflifeagain.Breathiscrucialtocreatingmental
focusandcleansingthebody.PostureimprovesgreatlywiththepracticeofPilatesand
helpstorestorethesufferingposturethatcomeswithagrieflikeposture.Pilateshas
drasticallyhelpedmealleviatemysufferingsymptomsofanxietyandIamforevergrateful.
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Sources:
Isacowitz,Rael.StudyGuide:FoundationApparatusProgram.CostaMesa,California:Body
ArtsandScienceInternational,2016.
Pilates,JosephH,andWilliamJ.Miller.ReturntoLifeThroughContrology.1960.
“RespiratorySystem.”WebMD.Web.2005-2018.