- Flow as a principle of Pilates
- Sitting to standing squats
- Go for it
- Recipe with Flow Herbal Chai Tea coming soon
Author: Andrea Cooper, Owner and Founder of PILATEA®
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Flow as a Principle of Pilates
The ultimate goal for a Pilates practice is to meld the principles of Pilates (Breathing, Concentration, Center, Control, Precision) together until you Flow with ease through a class. Stoke the fire and seamlessly glide from shape to shape. When I see people achieve flow in their Pilates practice, I feel like I am watching a powerful river. Practicing and building up toward Flow builds stamina in mind, body and spirit.
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Sitting to Standing Squats
When you are still for long periods of time, the body cools down and stiffens up. Movement generates heat and flow in your joints, muscles, and all your internal body systems. If you have been sitting for a while, it’s time to stand up! Try some sitting to standing squats with me!
Start with your feet comfortably apart.
Move your toes underneath your knees.
Inhale, reach your arms forward.
Exhale, squeeze your glutes and stand up.
Inhale while you are there.
Exhale, slowly sit back down.
Again.
Inhale to prepare,
Exhale, stand up.
Inhale, look around at the view.
Exhale, slowly sit down.
One more time.
Inhale, arms reach forward.
Exhale, squeeze your glutes and stand up.
Big inhale tall and proud.
Exhale, sit back down.
Nice work!
Sitting to standing squats also gets your blood circulating, assists your lymph system, and gives you a burst of energy. Try these a few times throughout your workday and see how you feel.
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Go for it
Step 6. Flow: Go for it. Ignite momentum toward your evolution.
The actual execution of a plan takes some initial creativity and grit. Love yourself enough to step into and move through the unfamiliar.
I once had a goal to wake up earlier. To achieve this, I had a cup of coffee by my bed ready to chug immediately upon waking. I set my phone across the room so I had to get out of bed to turn off my alarm. When my alarm went off at 5 am I immediately streamed audio of navy seals yelling at me, or songs from Karate Kid, and I DID NOT GET BACK IN BED! I had a list of reasons why I was getting up earlier that I would read out loud. A few air punches and I was ready to face the day! My method was ridiculous, but it worked.
Whatever works and is healthy for your mind, body, and spirit, go for it. And if you skip one day and don’t take the action step, take the step the next day. If you slip and fall, missing more than one day, pick yourself back up. Choose yourself and choose to keep going. To continue is to fall forward, not backward.
“Change happens through movement and movement heals.” -Joseph Pilates-
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Next Up
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* The information included in this website is not to be construed as or substituted for medical or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.