#PracticeWhatYouTeach: Happy Pilates Exercises

This week has been slightly busier than normal for me with my kiddos heading back to school, our new fall class schedule starting, a new class of teacher trainees starting and just general first of the month busyness at the studio. As I reflect back on my Pilates movement time this week I’ve realized that I did lots of Short Spine on the reformer, and two or three mini reformer workouts in between clients throughout my days. If you were wondering why Short Spine, why reformer…I was thinking the same thing.  Here’s what I came up with!

Generally on busy weeks I don’t think much about my workouts and tend to just do what fits in my schedule and what my body feels like it needs. This theory easily explains me doing lots of Short Spine on the reformer.  Short Spine on the reformer is one of my “happy Pilates exercises”.  I love how Short Spine makes my body feel long and stretched out but also makes me work and concentrate on what I’m doing.  If I’m feeling tired or tight throughout my day I can jump on a reformer and do 5 or 6 Short Spine repetitions and I feel happy and energized.  So I’ve decided clearly I used Short Spine this week as my happy pill as I was navigating a busy, chaotic week!

As for my mini reformer workouts, I’ve decided that my decision to do these workouts was subconsciously from my need to use my movement time to de-stress and reconnect to myself.  There is something absolutely genius about the design of the reformer and the sequence of exercises that helps me not only get a work out in but also refocus my brain! Even when I have 50 other things on my mind, I can lay on the reformer, start doing my footwork, and before long I am focused, concentrating on my movement and working my way through the sequence of exercises.  I almost always end up doing more than I had thought I would when I got on and I always feel better and more focused afterwards!  Much more than a workout this week my reformer time definitely was my refocus, reconnect to myself health tool!

Do you have exercises, or movements that you use not only to create strength, flexibility and balance in your body but to help you and your body deal with the stress of daily life? I would love to hear about your “happy Pilates exercises” or favorite workouts when life is busy!!