The Clarity of Vision

When one first begins to learn Pilates, to coordinate breath with movement, it seems very complex. Furthermore, if you are my client, you will also learn all the correct neuro-muscular patterns required for ideal efficiency and economy of motion. Though daunting at first, muscle memory soon awakens and the workout begins to flow smoothly as one is less concerned with what comes next. At this point, the mind should then turn to monitoring hypertonic muscles that tend to overwork; relaxing these tissues is quite challenging!

Here is where thoughts can have a great impact. If the inner dialogue states, 'I can't do that!', 'That's too hard for me!', 'My body doesn't do that!' or any other statement which effectively negates that which you are trying to achieve, then progress will be slow indeed! On the other hand, if the inner dialogue is more favorable to allowing the body to change its present state of being, progress will be considerably quicker. Why? It's because the body is a machine that responds to the literal meaning of a thought; what you say, will be! As such, it is important to monitor your thoughts during a workout.

In the case of hypertonic muscle tissue, thoughts can also effect considerable change. Five minutes daily is all it takes to establish a connection between the thought or command, 'Release' and the muscle which needs to relax. Bartenieff Fundamentals are a fantastic set of gentle movements which set the stage for establishing this connection. Slow, relaxed execution of these movements while focusing the mind on one word will eventually result in the release of excess tension from the hypertonic areas. To start, the hands could be placed on the area that is hypertonic; in my work experience, I have found this almost always produces an immediate release in the hypertonic muscle tissue. In that case, the instructor's hands rest lightly on the client's body and both individuals continuously send the thought, 'Release'. However, if you are working alone, this may not always be feasible. In such a case, use mental imagery and simple words; visualize the area of the body that is tight, quiet the mind, then continually send one word, 'Release'. The first time I did this mental exercise, I had no palpable results. I persisted however, devoting five minutes daily to my practice; on the 21st day, my upper trapezius completely released and the perpetual headaches and shoulder pain immediately disappeared. Persistence and consistence always pays! Once the first experience of muscular release takes place, it is easier for the mind to reproduce this effect with other areas of the body.

Of course, it may be far easier to accomplish if one is working with a Certified Movement Analyst trained at the Laban Institute for Movement Studies and in fact, if one is injured, such a therapist will be very instrumental in the recovery process. For those who are not dealing with injury, simply following exercises found in books combined with a strong, clear vision can still provide great results with far-reaching implications in daily activities and overall stamina.