Sarah's Approach to Pilates: Part 3

JPD Method of Bodyworks: the Synthesis
excerpt from JPD Method of Bodyworks: Practitioner's Primer
© 2003 Sarah Gagnon

The following post is a continuation from the first 2 articles by this same title. This is the 3rd part of the article effectively completing the chapter of the book.

The Mind-Body Connection
The brain is connected to the body via a complex web of neurological pathways in the nervous system. All movement begins with a thought in the mind, leading to the creation of a set of neurons. These neurons travel through the nervous system until they reach the muscles that must activate to fulfill the movement. Hypertonic muscles can create blockage in these neuropathways if the fibers impinge a nerve thus preventing the neurons from completing their mission. Over the years, such blockages will lead to movement restriction as certain muscle fibers no longer activate, thereby reducing range of motion of the joints and/or area of the spine associated with the blocked neuropathways. It is for this reason that the JPD Method incorporates muscular release in the training sessions, as this work helps to release the blocked neuropathways, which will ultimately permit the participant to recruit and activate all the available muscle fibers during movement. This will dramatically reduce the amount of localized muscular effort as the energy spreads freely throughout the body during movement, a far less tiresome approach to physical activity. As the participants practice releasing excess muscular tension and connecting inactive fibers during each training session, the newly established neuropathways become stronger and more available for future use, resulting in healthier muscular recruitment patterns over the course of a long-term program. As such, the body slowly begins to translate these patterns during every day movement thus reintegrating long-time inactive muscle fibers and consequently utilizing more of the body’s total muscle mass during movement. As a result, far less energy is expended during the daily routine and the energy that is required, can flow freely and easily throughout the body.

The success of the JPD Method approach to physical exercise hinges on the practitioner’s ability to develop an awareness of both under and overutilized muscle fibers in a participant. The power of the mind over the body cannot be overemphasized; as such, the mind must be diligently trained. Intention must be practiced with each breath of each exercise and, coupled with visualization, has the tremendous power to transform the body. Even such statements as, ‘I can’t do this’ or, ‘My body won’t move that way’ are very powerful thought forms; if repeated often enough, they will produce the intended result, movement restriction. Consequently, it is of utmost importance to only allow the mind’s energy to be expended in a constructive manner such as visualizing total body movements, maintaining ideal joint alignment, releasing excess muscular tension, activating weakened, ‘lazy’ fibers, sequencing the flow of energy from the center of gravity outwards to the extremities via a geometry of straight lines and other such positive thought forms, during each training session. Ultimately, the process of change in the physical form begins with intention in the mind.

The ATM chart was developed to address the need for evolving a deep awareness of the body’s form and function. Though it is difficult to recruit long-time inactive muscle fibers, it is often even more challenging to become aware of, and eventually release muscular tension. The simple, gentle exercises of the ATM chart can be performed slowly, allowing the participant the time and space needed to intend deep muscular release; the body learns that movement is not necessarily accompanied by extreme muscular contraction patterns. In fact, the JPD Method strongly advocates the least amount of muscular effort to produce the greatest amount of movement. In this minimalist scenario, neuromuscular patterns are established whereby movement is accomplished without excessive muscular effort thus allowing weakened fibers to be more easily recruited, a necessary precursor to restoring complete muscular balance and full range of motion to the spine and extremities.

In my humble opinion, intention and visualization is key to achieving long-term success in all forms of bodyworks. Where the mind goes, attention follows and where attention goes, energy follows. If the mind is busy instructing the body on the most anatomically correct recruitment patterns, the body will soon comply. Alternately, if the mind is constantly focused on the impossibility of changing the body, this belief will be confirmed and no amount of passive or active treatments for pain will bring long-term relief, nor will any movement restrictions be corrected.

The Training Session
The long-term program strives to establish and strengthen neuromuscular pathways which, when utilized in consistent training sessions, lead to joint/spine alignment, muscular balance and free-flowing, efficient movement. Each session must apply these crucial JPD principles:
1. Breath moves the body.

2. Establish spinal and joints alignment before beginning movement.

3. Visualize the shapes created by the spine and extremities as the movement is performed. In the mind’s eye, see the straight lines that connect each joint as well as the lines that connect the extremities to the center of gravity.

4. Intention must be applied to each breath of every movement (i.e. intend to lengthen the spine, or reach to increase the kinesphere, or release excess muscular tension during exercise).

5. Incorporate movement in three planes, transverse, coronal and sagittal in each training session. Furthermore, three-dimensional movement of the spine and joints is integrated into each training session.

6. Concentrate on quality of movement, as per the JPD approach to applying the Laban and Bartenieff movement concepts, before challenging strength and/or coordination/speed.

7. Training sessions must be functional and address the participants’ physical needs as well as wants. For instance, post-rehabilitation individuals may need to work at slow speeds, strengthening weak muscle fibers gently, while elite athletes must be challenged in strength and speed soon into the beginning of their program.

8. Excess tension in the muscle fibers should be released as much as possible in order to access and strengthen underutilized fibers. If required, this release work will generally precede any resistance exercise.

9. All involved, whether they are participants or practitioners, must have the faith and know that all movement is possible and anything can be changed and restored in time. The exception to this rule occurs where there are physical limitations caused by surgically implanted reconstruction tools such as metal screws, plates, pins and so on.

10. In order to restore spinal and joint alignment, a certain amount of muscular fatigue must be experienced during each training session. Though the muscle must be fatigued in order to strengthen, the practitioner must take care to prevent excessive work that will result in stiff, compromised movement the following day.

11. A minimum amount of effort should be expended to achieve a maximum amount movement.

A typical JPD Method training session for an individual with no particular special needs usually begins with tension release, especially in the superficial muscle fibers as well as the deep postural muscles. This can be accomplished via stretching and/or executing gentle exercises from either the Ball or ATM exercise charts (see Appendix B). The session would then progress into toning and strengthening the deep skeletal muscles, focusing on fibers that are weak relative to the surrounding tissue. The spine and joints connected to the trunk (shoulder and hip) must experience three-dimensional movement with every training session including, diagonals or cross-lateral connections, unless there are post-rehabilitation considerations at the time. It is necessary to fatigue the muscles to a certain extent in order to strengthen the weakened fibers however, this will be balanced with the need to release excess tension in the hypertonic fibers. Since the Pilates portion of the training session will induce subtle shifts in joint/spine alignments, it is highly recommended to end with either breath-based stretches, or ATM exercises which allow the participant to experience and feel the neuromuscular connections associated with this new alignment. Finally, the JPD Method practitioner must always remember to plan a training session that reflects the daily requirements placed upon the individual’s body.