Updating The Script: Why You Know Your Body Better Than Anyone

I am 40 years into living with a hypermobile body and I’m still learning foundational truths. Just two weeks ago in fact, I re-learned a truth; more like deepened and solidified my knowledge around it. I had been in pain for long enough this time that I had a physical therapist evaluate me. I was told my glutes and core are weak. That didn’t sit right with me. Mainly because I have been working on those specific areas for 2+ years since the last physical therapist told me that. I had been working smart and with guidance and the declaration was frustrating. I sat with it for a few days. Followed the guidance given (which I know well), scale back range of motion, flexion, and keep more aware of my lowest abdominal engagement in standing and movement.  

As an admitted over-achiever, I may have been a little enthusiastic on the ab engagement (almost immobilizing my lumbar articulation from what I had been doing) and as a result, my upper cervicals and surrounding muscles were in almost unbearable pain. My thoracic spine wasn’t happy either. Another lesson. Reminder. I know it’s a segmental issue for me. I also know what has worked over the last 2+ years and some of the prescription has changed.  

The updated script:

1.     Lessen range of motion- this will always be a go-to for a hypermobile body. As I once was told and now tell myself often and my clients: just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

2.     Lessen flexion where able- with very mobile SI joints, I will always need to be aware of this and how I go about flexion not just in exercise but all movement.

3.     (And this is the update to the script) no more protective engagement/tuck of the pelvis but instead work those deep back muscles in the neutral position with support from the low abs.

It’s that last one that got me into trouble this time. The advice was sound but how that manifests in my body now is very different from when I was rehabbing my back and pelvis years ago. Which leads me to that truth I started out with. I can continue to gain strength and feel really strong in my body but the reality is, I will always be hyper mobile in certain joints. No amount of strength changes that. Can it support and help? Without a doubt. Does it, “fix” it? No. So, do I think my glutes and core can get stronger? Always but I do not consider them weak.

 Be your own advocate.

 Get to know your body.

 Trust what you know about yourself

 Remember to update the script.

Pilates Principles

All the Pilates Principles weave together to support a complete movement practice but today, I’ve got a few in mind. I’m thinking about how they relate and have a push/pull with each other and how that translates into whole movement.

Flowing Motion. 

This is one of the Pilates Principles identified by Joseph Pilates and the term us Fletcher Pilates teachers refer to. I’ve been thinking about this one a lot lately and by lately I’d say a few years. Essentially, we are looking for continuous movement with smoothness/ease. Much information is sent via the nervous system through Flowing Motion to help make this so. This is often an easy organization for people but often, it is not. I can tell you that for me, it is something I have to be thoughtful about. As a self-admitted over-thinker, it is not so easy to integrate thought and movement. As a result, I have spent many hours thinking on the subject, finding practitioners that teach to this, and then applying my process to movement. I easily recognize this in others now and happily teach to it. In these moments, I’m not teaching to a client’s physical outcome of form but to their mental intentions first. 

Balance.

I want to get into Balance but first, perfection. A perfectionist mindset (aka over-thinking) gets people into that whole, “analysis paralysis” situation. We understand that dynamic for actions we want to take in our daily lives but it also applies to movement. Perfection promotes stuttered thinking and in turn stuttered movement. I strive to be precise in my movement not perfect. Precision (another principle) is paramount but not in a vacuum. There must be Balance (principle). Now, Balance refers to uniform stability through weight distribution, muscular symmetry/development, and aesthetic organization; a physical definition. I am also very keen to include the mind in that. 

I want my movement to be precise but I want it to flow. I want to think about all the pieces all at once while feeling the whole movement. Balance in body but balance in mind to bring flowing motion and precision together. This is how we LEARN. I need to experience a full, free flowing movement to truly understand what it should be. Even if that movement isn’t perfect, I now understand the scope of what the movement is and will be in my body over time. I understand what my body is capable of for the movement right now. We often hear in life, it’s not what we do but how we do things. I don’t think that always applies but here, when we are talking Pilates, you bet. 

“A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balance sequence, are worth hours of doing sloppy calisthenics or forced contortion.” – Joseph Pilates, Return to Life

Quality not quantity. 

To be continued…