Fri 31st January 2020

Feeling into February

(Once again in praise of Anula Maiberg)

‘Tis the time of year when all you feel like doing is duvet up and hanker down. And perhaps not feel like leaving the warm comfort of the sofa to go out and lie on a mat and wave your arms and legs around*.

But you do, you brilliant, sensible, totally-acing-2020-already person you! And we know, because we love Pilates, it is for a multitude of reasons, and not necessarily the reasons you came for in the first place…

QUESTION: Why did you first come to Pilates? (you may tick more than one box)

To:

  • Relax and switch off for an hour
  • Find a quick fix
  • Yoga was full
  • Tackle nagging, on-going back pain
  • An intro back to exercise that is not as scary as the gym
  • Get a flat tummy
  • Hurt
  • Alleviate stress
  • My wife/husband made me
  • Get back to the shape I was****
  • Exercise lying down – it looks way easier than going to the gym and I hate to sweat**
  • Get to know your body more***
  • Breathe***
  • Feel***

So, go on, let’s have a look at that feel word.

A question we often get asked is: Where should I be feeling this?’…

As (my fave guru in the world of Pilates nerds, see previous blog) Anula Maiberg stated recently on Instagram, this is a ‘tough question with an even tougher answer’. It can be answered on a ‘physical and spiritual level’. ‘Where should I be feeling this?’ suggests that you are not feeling it and therefore don’t think you are doing it right/it hasn’t any value/it’s a pointless exercise if it doesn’t hurt.  Our response as teachers can be “in your glutes/core/arms”, but Maiberg points out it can be addressed in a more philosophical way.

We can also ask: How do you feel doing Pilates?

Ooo, that’s a bit intrusive/weird isn’t it? We Brits haven’t got a good track record of talking those kind of feelings…and I might get it wrong…can we go back to talking about recruiting my lazy glutes please?

Nope. Come on, why did you come to Pilates today? To ask Liz or I to be your “causer of sensations”, to make your abs/legs/arms hurt/make you stand properly for 60minutes of your week?

Or, for us to give you permission to feel whatever you want to? To take a moment to put Pilates into your whole fabulous feely feeling life.

You come to tick whatever box you want, you chose to come through that door and we celebrate you for coming and investing in your present and future self. So, our Pilates classes will give you all kinds of opportunities to feel, but you can choose to go a bit Maiberg philosophical, and consider how you feel whilst feeling your body move.

And remember, Feeling is for life, not just for February.

 

*not the official description of Pilates, obvs!

**this was mine, honestly, in 1997

***didn’t realise this was the point, do now. 

****now don’t be daft, Pilates is amazing but we do not trade in time travel