I’m a Piston (and a Pistol ☺)

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Do you want to know why a car uses a piston? To drive the crank shaft. Do you know why this rotational motion is good? Because we want to use the energy to turn the wheels.

Do you know what works like a piston in the body? The diaphragm. Do you know what it influences? The lungs.

Archival photos of the piston of the body used on the reformer from sternum to toes.

In our bodies we have an internal combustion engine as well. Our diaphragm works very much like a piston and interestingly enough the crank shaft comes from the very unique use of the bones of the rib cage.

The fancy name for the muscles that do this work on inhalation are the Levatores costarum and they look like shoe laces that crisscross down the spine. They are very tiny but numerous and as a whole they form a large contractile zone. There is a crank action these muscles exert on the ribs that lift and torque when you inhale into the entire circumference of the rib cage; front, sides and back. To get a feel for the action of these muscles, lie down in rest position (fetal position) and place the hands on the middle of the back and breathe in by opening the ribs in the back and breathe out fully and forcefully while pulling the ribs down, you will start to get a sense of the crank action in the back.

The diaphragm is a muscle that looks like an upside down bowl, parachute, or a jellyfish with fibers that extend longer in the back than in the front. In the front it is slightly higher than the base of the sternum and in the back it begins between the shoulder blades and ends at the back of the waist. The base of the lungs rests on the diaphragm and a thin layer of tissue called the pleura encases the lungs and is the only thing that separates the two. Any deformation of the diaphragm will be transmitted to the lungs. The heart, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, abdominal aorta and flexures of the large intestine all have direct contact with the diaphragm. The stomach and the liver have indirect contact with the diaphragm. Are you starting to get the picture of how important this muscle is to move?

The diaphragm however, does not have many nerves in it. So even though diaphragmatic breathing is the most efficient and most common, it is not easily felt.

When teaching I suggest that people imagine that the piston begins at the sternum and extends all the way down to the toes. Unlike a car engine, as the big muscle groups of the buttocks, legs, and abdomen act together; this piston both creates and delivers energy to the body. I guess to extend the analogy the engine that it is really driving is the heart.

You already know the most effective exercise for the diaphragm if you study Pilates. It is the Roll up. If you don’t, stop missing out and Click here.

Inspired by breath

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Rolling will help to stretch the diaphragm

One of my favorite parts of Pilates is that it is a technique that is fully about the physicality of the body. The way Pilates was taught to me in New York City there was an absolute concentration on the intent of the position of the body and that is all.

There were however some exercises where the breath was “choreographed.” These exercises became the most difficult in some respects because there were of course that many more things to think about. However, once again when the motion was mastered the breathing just became an extension of the motion.

That was pre-two kids and business ownership when it was easier to involve myself in the whole focus of my purpose in life to master the Pilates concepts in my body. In my current-day lifestyle I have been seeing the message and hearing the idea about meditating more. My first thought, “Boring!” But last November when I was packing for my trip to India, I came across a meditation CD that I had been given years ago as a gift and never listened to and never threw out. I thought, “What better time to give it a try than when I am in India and I get to take a respite from my responsibilities of motherhood, and business ownership and get back to thinking about mastering my own body.

So what I realized in the three guided meditation was that it was very easy for me to meditate thinking only of my breath going in and out, because to me is felt like movement—something I have always loved to fully involve myself in.

In my studies of yoga with Jodi Blumstein, I learned that “in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga- breath and movement are linked together in a flow. The concentration on the breath and its relationship to each movement helps to focus the mind and makes then entire practice a moving meditation on the breath and the movement of subtle energy in the body; a meditative dance.”

In the M.E.L.T. classes taught here at the studio with Claudia Brown, I learned that what she called the six-sided breath could help you to unlock all parts of the body that are used in breathing and that “3d breath opens up your breathing. It helps release chronic holding patterns as it opens up the diaphragm, and works to re-balance the reflexive and rooted core.”

And with the help of some corrections on my posture that I received from my studies with Vintage Pilates, I became interested in the muscles and bones that are used for breathing. I felt that by taking a deeper look at how the muscles and the bones that are used in breathing would also give me a better understanding of movement in the body. Of course most of these structures have more functions in the body than just breathing, and they can be accessed by using our movements. The diaphragm which is used as the pump that physically drives the air out of the lungs is a collection of muscle and fibrous tissue and looks like an upside down bowl whose edges that attach to the ribs is shorter than the edges that attach to the back of the waist. It takes up a large amount of real estate in the body.

Joe Pilates said that, “Contrology offers another method of purging your lungs of impurities. Many Contrology exercises require “rolling”. This is a very precise action worth explaining in detail. When rolling is called for in the routines, be sure to hold your chin pressed tightly against your chest and, when you lie down or when you rise, roll and unroll your spine exactly in imitation as a wheel rolling forward and backward. Vertebrae by vertebrae try to roll and unroll as suggested. This action of rolling and unrolling cleanses your lungs so effectively by driving out the impure air and forcing in the pure air as you roll and unroll.”

We often think of the rolling exercises as strengthening our abdominal muscles and stretching our backs, which is accomplished in these exercises. Additionally these exercises stretch the diaphragm in a way that allows it to force more air out of the lungs once the stretch is released. Additionally a well-conditioned diaphragm could have been what your mother was really talking about when she was asking you to roll your shoulders back. When this muscle is extended from origin to insertion, it gives the torso the length needed to lift the body from the core and allows the upper torso to relax down and back.

So I did not have to give up my beloved joy of movement to start thinking about how these other processes of the body help me in my health and well-being. I discovered that they can be one in the same.

These discoveries and more are what I will present in my workshop, “Now that you are advanced, breathe!” at re:AB in New York, NY on April 14th and later in the year at my studio in Los Angeles, CA.

Humble Pie

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Humble Pie

I am still learning more about Pilates.But after twenty years of practicing this technique I have repeatedly learned that when I am learning and making new connections that is the best place to be.

I took at lesson a few weeks ago with Karen Frischman, actually an assessment to qualify me for Vintage Pilates Teacher Program, The Work.I got several corrections.At first I was really frustrated that I did not already know what she wanted me to know.I felt like I should perform everything perfectly.Since then I have attended more of the teacher workshops and had a few of my own lessons and I am appreciating learning new things so much more.My body feels great.I am adding mat work to my morning jump rope routine and my body is changing quickly.

And thank goodness I had a small taste of humility before I had to take a big gulp.I learned after my first workout on Pilates Anytime had been up for a few weeks that the Add-On-Mat ™ was in fact trademarked by Kathy Ross-Nash, a woman I admire and respect.She called me to let me know this.To her absolute credit and to attest to the beauty of this woman, she taught me another powerful and gentle lesson.The whole thing taught me that going forward I will always double check the source from where I learn a technique to teach Pilates.I understood erroneously that Kathy was taught the Add-On-Mat ™ from Romana and I acted on that understanding.In the future I will always contact the source (in this case Kathy) and ask to be sure that I have my facts right.She has a post on Pilates Anytime and you can read more about how she developed the Add-On-Mat ™ there.

All of these lessons were tough ones for me to learn.I wanted to know all of the information that I did not know and gave myself a hard time at first for not knowing it.But this is what I see clients do too and it is the way a lot of us run our lives.Again another thing I love about practicing Pilates is that it allows me to practice how to learn and apply my learning to other aspects of my life.

I am grateful for the lovely women who taught me so much in this past month, Karen Frischman, Kristi Cooper White, and Kathy Ross-Nash.May I always surround myself with women who give their knowledge so freely and allow me to learn more.

P.S. Another woman I am grateful for: Monique Carbajal, www.moniquecarbajal.com, my graphic designer for the Tesseractive Mat Flashcards and App.

Some men I am grateful for: Ken Torimaru, www.torimaru.com, my app designer.

Robert Berg, my video creator, www.digirob.com, check it out on the first page of my new website.Ramesh Chetty for his tenacity in building me a gorgeous website.

Tesseractive Power

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“The Tesseract was the jewel of Odin’s trophy room.” I gave my friend a nudge with my elbow upon hearing this line in the recent movie, Captain America. Whether you are a fan of Marvel Comics or not, I love the image of this “Cosmic Cube” having special powers that can make the possessor of it, the most powerful being in the Universe.

I also like the timing that the Tesseract may end up being a plot line in next summer’s The Avengers.

Before that however, the Tesseractive Beginner Mat Flashcards will be available at the L.A. Pilates Intensive this weekend in Culver City, California (and from www.karawilypilates.com).

I created this line of flashcards because I am becoming such a huge proponent of exercising not only properly but also frequently. And life moves fast. Not only do we need to train ourselves for it, we need to make exercise convenient enough that we do not avoid it. The flashcards were my answer to people who decided that they could not exercise by themselves because they were afraid of doing it wrong. Additionally, I know that I learned the most about Pilates the year that I went to Vienna, Austria to teach at Performing Arts Studios, Vienna. It was there that I was the only expert around and I had to really learn my own lessons. It was about getting quiet and getting in touch with what my body told me when I did the exercises and what I needed to tell it as well.

Moreover, the Pilates Mat work is the beginning and the end of the work. It is where people are first going to be challenged to gain control and mastery over the body. With the Plates equipment the body is challenged to learn more about how to engage and stretch and then those lessons are put to the test with the more advanced mat work.

Another important point that Siri Galliano, the creator of the L.A. Pilates Intensive, wanted me to make clear to my class on Friday August 26th at 3:00 is, that the mat is done most effectively on the raised mats. The intermediate and advanced series of Tesseractive cards due out for the New Year will be photographed on these apparatus. With the help of the straps and wooden bars, a strong body can gain even more flexibility and a flexible body will can more strength and anyone can milk a little more work out of his or her body. Gratz Industries makes this piece of equipment and it is the best investment for someone who wants to add a piece to a home gym.

For those out there whose iPhones are their Cosmic Cube, the cards will be available digitally September 13th from iTunes as Tesseractive Pilates Mat 1.

The possessor of this series of flashcards and/or apps will have a tool available for self-study. In my opinion this in combination with study from a trusted teacher is the best way to create that internal power that comes from self-reliance.

Each of us has a potential that the world needs us to deliver. Exercise will give you the power and conditioning that we need to continue to persevere and get done what needs to be accomplished.

If you need some motivation, check out the L.A. Intensive. If you are motivated, grab some tools available and get moving. The Tesseract, or 4-dimensional cube is a symbol of energy that exists beyond our understanding; the way to comprehend its existence is to feel the power of your own potential.

To “C” or not to “C”, that is the question?

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I need a doctor’s note to put Emergen-C in my daughter’s lunch.

That’s right folks. That ever immunity building substance, vitamin C, cannot go into my daughter’s lunch at school unless her pediatrician writes a prescription for it and the school has it on file.

Okay, I could go into the fact that she can have Cheetos and “fruit” snacks and the whole bit–but I would rather focus on the fact that something that really does help her body to fight off infection and gives her the ability to rid her own body of toxins is not permitted.

I’m on the detox kick you know from my posts about ridding my diet of sugar. Moreover, I do not want to add toxins unnecessarily to my body. I am also on a kick about ridding my body and mind (more on that later) of toxins through exercise.

I was turned on to a fabulous resource for all things detoxifying last week when I visited The Detox Market on Abbot Kinney in Venice, California. I was speaking to Valerie Grandury, creator of Odacité, and partner of the store about how she and I are in the same business. She is presenting products to the world so that people can keep their immediate environments free of toxins and I am keeping people in motion to rid their bodies of the toxins already ingested. She dared to have the audacity to create the first freshly-made organic skin care line. Similiary, I created the Tesseractive Line of Flash Cards for mat so that I could offer people a way to have “an internal shower,” as Joe Pilates put it; at home, vacation, and every day. I am so proud to announce the first set in this series, the Tesseractive Beginner Mat series will be on sale at The Detox Market and at our store. And Kara Wily Pilates will carry Odacité. We will both be able to branch out to offer our clients more ways to avoid and release toxins for his or her internal environment.

I have a strong conviction that it is my job to stay healthy and operating at my full potential so that I put my best effort forward for my clients. I feel I need to do the same at home. As fast as the pace of the world is, it is not going to get any slower. I am taking extra Vitamin C, using my Odacité products and practicing my “C” curve every day in order to heed this call.

And oh yeah, did have a the audacity to call my pediatrician? Sure did.

Odacité will be sold at Kara Wily Pilates

Great Recipes from the Web

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by Kate Hackett for Clicker.com

I love eating healthy — it makes me feel good and it’s so, so easy. I also love sharing my healthy habits, so I’ve made up a fun list of some awesome recipes for you to watch and use! Feel free to interpret them (add chicken! add nuts! etc.) as your diet requires.

The Martha Stewart Show: “Body and Soul Show”
http://www.clicker.com/tv/the-martha-stewart-show/body-and-soul-show-36078/
Martha gives you some kid-friendly dishes (Chicken Salad and Baked Chicken) that are sure to please you and your family!

Cook Yourself Thin: “Ultimate Supreme Quesadillas”
http://www.clicker.com/tv/cook-yourself-thin/new-mom-makeovers-ultimate-supreme-quesadillas-1360188/
I love Mexican food, but it’s generally not terribly healthy. If you follow this recipe for quesadillas and peppers, though, you’re in the clear! Bonus: she also teaches you how to make spring rolls and biscotti! Yum.

Broadcast Exchange: “Healthy Summer Recipes with South African Grapefruit”
http://www.clicker.com/web/broadcast-exchange/healthy-summer-recipes-with-south-african-grapefruit-1883674/
Nothing screams summer more than fruit and this dish is full of it. Enjoy some yummy grapefruit in a new way- what a great dessert!

Eating Smart: “Season’s Best: Slow Cooker Tips”
http://www.clicker.com/web/eating-smart/season-s-best-slow-cooker-tips-1002409/
Does your slow cooker just sit there? No more! Learn how to use it, and use it well, for super easy home cooked healthy meals.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution: “Feed Them Healthy with 77 Cents”
http://www.clicker.com/tv/jamie-olivers-food-revolution/feed-them-healthy-food-with-77-cents-1892784/
I’m definitely on a budget and I bet you might be too! Jamie Lee Curtis helps point out ways to eat well cheaply.

Fine Cooking: Author Interviews: “Tony Rosenfeld: 150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken”
http://www.clicker.com/web/fine-cooking-author-interviews/tony-rosenfeld-150-things-to-make-with-roast-chicken-283142/
I love chicken; it’s healthy and delicious. But after a while, baked or roasted chicken gets old. So how can you spice it up? Try some of these interesting new techniques!

GMA Recipes: “Healthy and Affordable Recipes for Kids”
http://www.clicker.com/tv/gma-recipes/healthy-and-affordable-recipes-for-kids-1707201/
On a budget with kids? Let this clip give you some inspiration for kid-friendly, wallet-friendly food.

About.com Food & Drink: “How to Make Lentil Salad”
http://www.clicker.com/web/food-drink-videos/how-to-make-lentil-salad-1613257/
If you’ve never tried lentils, now is a great time to start! They’re very filling, very healthy, and you can shove every vegetable ever into this delicious lentil salad.

How2: Vegetables: “Stuffed Acorn Squash”
http://www.clicker.com/web/how2-vegetables/stuffed-acorn-squash-288960/
Squash gets pretty overlooked at the grocery store, but there’s no reason! Learn how to utilize this under-loved little guy and stuff it full of yummy!

I hope you enjoy some of these recipes; as always, play with them! Find new loves and test things out.

Pilates Alone – Getting Started

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My intermediate to advanced Pilates chair routine with a perfect workout buddy have been sidelined as a result of a back injury. In its place is slow, thoughtful, conscious movement – alone.

It took a few hours over several short visits to the studio to overcome my fears.  Would I hurt myself on the equipment? What is the order? What about the springs? I was laying on the reformer trying to visualize the movements. I read my body from head to toe.  I laid heavy on the mat breathing my spine into position. I slowed way down.

Repetitive slow deep exhalations helped me shift my attention towards my musculoskeletal system. In my calm moments I could feel everything.

If you are craving just a little more time in the studio, here’s how to start working out on Your Own Time:

1. Just get there, let someone at the desk know you are new to working out alone and what your concerns are.
   
   
2. Have a session goal in mind (stretch, strengthen, sweat, relax).
   
   
3. Consider using exercise cards or lists to remember the sequence.
   
   
4. Slow down.
   
   
5. Concentrate on breathing, visualize and imagine your instructor’s voice and cues.
   
   
6. Have fun.

M.E.L.T. Your Core

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Join Claudia Brown, certified MELT instructor, for a tour through the secrets of the Core System. Learn how to tap into the two subsystems that create core stability that are unaddressed by traditional abdominal exercises.

If you have a lower belly paunch that won’t budge, low back pain, or a sense of imbalance, MELT Core is your solution! Discover tools to re-balance the spine, stabilize the pelvis, give the organs integrity for proper digestive functioning as well as prevent lower back pain.

The session introduces a progression of highly-specialized MELT Core Treatment techniques that are vital to long-term health and wellness. Gain the benefits of this remarkable technique to self-treat the autopilot system of the body that keeps us balanced over our lifetime.

Date: Tuesday May 24, 2011

Time: 6:30-8:00 PM

Fee: $35

Sign up for the class here.

Location: Kara Wily Pilates

Right is not a Destination

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I have said this or some form of it to a few client’s this week. While I do think that the thought can be applied to live in general, I feel much more comfortable applying the idea in terms of Pilates practice and you can expand the idea yourself, if so desired.

What I mean by “right” is not a destination is that in the Pilates practice we do not achieve some position that is some absolute idea of perfect. Likewise once you become stagnant in a position, that position ceases to be correct. A body in motion stays in motion until acted on by another force. This is Newton’s 2nd Law. Once we put our body in motion to achieve a position or exercise the act of becoming stagnant is actually adding an effort of resistance to the continuation of work. All of this is meant to say that if you think you are “right” and stop working hard–you have done just that.

Once you feel fairly confident that you have achieved a good understanding of an exercise, don’t get too comfortable and stop. Stay in motion. Right is not a destination.

Sugar and Fancy Free for three weeks

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A new offering at Denny's, The Bacon Maple Sundae, no joke.

My sugar detox began on March 15th. Knowing what it would entail from my days of dance, I started the weekend prior to cut back on anything that I deemed too sugary knowing that the last time I went through a sugar detox, it about laid me flat. This one, thank goodness was not as bad. I think I have to thank an avocado, a half-cup of raw almonds, and all the fresh vegetables that I wanted in addition to my three meals and a snack every day.
What I did not plan for is how sensitive I have become to where sugar is hidden in our meals. I bought hormone and nitrate free turkey and ham for snacks for the week too, and I realized there was sugar added to those! All the sugar and cream that I would have added to my decaf coffee was gone. The yogurt, granted again always low fat and always organic, gone for the added sugar. Not even a sweet potato—a “go to” lunch when I need something quick to bring for my day. What I did add was greens, a ton of them. For breakfast I am eating greens with eggs or sausage (chicken or turkey, never been a huge pork fan) or sometimes a little bit of both. At lunch and dinner the greens are usually raw and mostly unadulterated. However, the sauces whipped up by chef James at Wholesome2go were delightful. And the last thing that was a surprise was the taste of fresh herbs. Fresh tarragon is a new favorite, fresh fennel thinly sliced into salad, fresh cilantro, basil and oregano, all long time favorites; I re-kindled my taste buds.

As I was preparing for the detox I also became sensitive to my kids diet. I even told Margaret Floyd, my nutritionist (eatnakednow.com), that one of the things I wished to clean up in addition to my own eating habits was those I teach my kids. My four- year-old has snacked on raw almonds now instead of cereal bars. She is also asking for more asparagus at the dinner table. My son, a really good eater anyway, has also been drinking more water and also asks for seconds on fresh spinach with no dressing.
I have had so much energy and felt very free inside my own body that I decided to pretty much stay on the same diet. I have incorporated a whole serving of fruit a day over the ½ serving recommended during the detox (of either berries or ½ an apple). But I have not yet had any dairy. Margaret suggests raw milk and cream from her favorite company Organic Pastures (organicpastures.com), but I have yet to buy any.
I did achieve all of my goals of the detox. I wanted to shed a few pounds without losing too much, change my habits for my life, and reset my body for the spring. And like Nina Simone, I’m Feeling Goo-hood!