Mat Pilates & Virtual Studio During COVID-19
COVID-19 has forced us all to make the best of staying home. Thank you everyone for your continued participation in our online, Virtual Studio mat Pilates classes and private sessions. We’ve seen amazing progress in our clients and ourselves!
In my experience “Mat Pilates” has gotten a bad rap. We meet people who say they don’t want to do Mat Pilates because it’s too hard, or that it’s too easy. When done correctly, the mat work leans more to the challenging side. We get excited when our clients grow to appreciate the mat work because it is the work!
…we’ve seen noticable, remarkable change” in everyone attending our online mat classes and private sessions two or three times a week.
When practiced often, the body will reorganize, adapt and change so that movement becomes fluid, effortless, fun and feels good! In his book “Return To Life Through Contrology”, Joseph Pilates says “If you will faithfully perform your Contrology (Mat) exercises regularly only four times a week for just three months, you will find your body development approaching the ideal, accompanied by renewed mental vigor and spiritual enhancement.”
In just the past three weeks, we’ve seen noticeable, remarkable change” in everyone attending our online mat classes and private sessions two or three times a week. We’re seeing improved, easy, back-opening roll-ups and roll-overs, and more success with the other inversion exercises. Better head-lifts in the Hundred and Ab-Series, and less muscling, and stress during movement.
“… health benefit credited to Joseph Pilate’s work, that is relevant to our situation today.”
We LOVE and miss the equipment, and cannot wait to return to the studio. Our deep immersion into the mat work will hopefully be thought of and remembered as a blessing in disguise. It will be fun to see everyone’s progress in the mat work show up on the equipment in the studio. There’s also the apparent immune system strengthening health benefit credited to Joseph Pilate’s work, that is relevant to our situation today.
The Internal Shower
During the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918, Joseph Pilates was in an internment camp on the Isle ‘Of Man. The Spanish Flu killed 50 million people world wide, but none of the men practicing his exercises got sick and died. In “Return To Life”, Joseph Pilates referred to breath and blood circulation as an “internal shower”. He said, “As a heavy rainstorm freshens the water of a sluggish or stagnant stream and whips it into immediate action, so Contrology exercises purify the blood in the bloodstream and whip it into instant action with the result that the organs of the body, receive the benefit of clean fresh blood carried to them by the rejuvenated bloodstream.” He also said that “lazy breathing converts the lungs, figuratively speaking, into a cemetery for the deposition of diseased, dying and dead germs as well as supplying an ideal haven for the multiplication of other harmful germs. Therefore above all, learn to breathe correctly.” Breath is a huge component of every Mat Pilates exercise!
Social distancing and other precautions are important for getting past COVID-19. Exercise has also been recommended on all fronts. Through Contrology, Joe’s intent was physical fitness and good health as a result of coordinated balance of body, mind and spirit. We hope that the results of teaching and practicing Mat exercises consistently, will play a part in strengthening immune systems and resistance to virus and disease. With good behavior, what a great, partial testament it will be if none of our clients and staff are physically affected.
Wishing continued good health to you and yours!
Click HERE to learn how to join our online classes and private sessions
References: Joseph H. Pilates: “Return To Life Through Contrology” -1945
Origins of Pilates: https://www.pilates.com/pilates/origins,
The First Pilates Studio Was An Internment Camp: https://www.ozy.com/true-and-stories/the-first-pilates-studio-was-an-internment-camp/259748/