What do the Elephant, Swan, Crab and Snake all have in common?
Yes they’re all animals.
But they are also exercises from the Pilates Repertoire.
Joseph Pilates, the guy who created this whole movement methodology, was well ahead of his time for the 1920’s. I mean, he had no access to the technology of today, yet created a movement methodology that, in my opinion, is the bees knees. Hmmmm actually, strangely enough, there is no exercise called The Bee- maybe I’ll invent one for healthy knees or something!
Mr Pilates took inspiration from many modalities such as Zen Buddhism, ancient greek fitness, martial arts and also, the study of animals. He says in his book ‘Return To Life’, “True rhythm and control is observed both in domestic pets and wild animals – without exception.”
“True rhythm and control is observed both in domestic pets and wild animals – without exception.”
And it’s true, there’s something majestic and graceful about watching animals flow and move through their natural habitats. There’s a sense of confidence and ease with using their bodies the way they were designed to be used. It’s a beautiful thing to encounter an animal doing its thang, and it’s that beauty that Joseph Pilates wanted to bring back to the human experience of movement. After all, he did write, “Your body will be as supple as a cat.”
It’s no secret that Pilates was derived from and inspired by natural movement, including the development stages of a baby/toddler, nature, and animals. Depending on what you believe in, animals are said to be our true ancestors, so there is an element of their movement running through us all.
So what has happened over time? Why do we struggle to move with flow, ease, strength and grace?
Civilisation, that’s what.
Look, the world is awesome. I am definitely not biting the hand that feeds me. But with every positive the human race has gained, something has had to be sacrificed. Take technology. Bloody epic invention right?! It’s so clever that we can now access anything at any moment, from the screen the size of a watch face. But in exchange, we hunch over more, we move our bodies less, and our posture suffers. When our posture suffers, we lose some of our body’s natural alignment, we lose muscle tension, we lose functionality of joints, tissues, muscles and organs, we gain weight, we lose mobility, we get stiffer, we get sicker.
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
It’s never too late to do something about it. No matter your age, gender, occupation or physical restrictions, some movement is always better than no movement. We were born to move. And the more we do it, the more we want to move. Dr James DiNicolantonio put it like this -
“The less you move the less you feel like moving.
The more you move, the more you feel like moving.
Energy feeds off energy.
A body at rest will remain at rest.
A body in motion will stay in motion.
Newton’s laws apply to human psychology”
What makes Pilates so special, other than it uses animals to frame some of its foundational exercises, is that it caters for every body. A good Pilates instructor will be able to tailor classes to specific injuries, ailments and goals. Pilates is a type of strength training exercise that encourages you to identify and work within the limits of your body. There's also an inherent mindfulness to it and a focus on breath work, which can help to relieve tension and stress, making Pilates an excellent, whole body regime. It is guaranteed to get you channeling your inner panther!
The beauty of animal movement is something that every one of us has surely admired in some way at some point. Whether it is the gait of a dog chasing a truck, the breadth of the blue heron’s wings, or the precision of a swimming penguin. Marveling in the movements of animals is not new to us. However, being open to the notion that we are animals too, and imagining that we can be animals that move with the same agility, precision, and stealth of our very favorite animal heroes, might be an interesting way of exploring movement. And something I hope you take with you into your exercise endeavors in 2023.
Something else I hope you explore in 2023 is my Pilates and Wellness series.
It’s 5 workshops spread out over the year, where you will be exploring how a Pilates practice helps to support you in creating an all over healthier you. We’ll dive into the Physical, Stress Management, Nutrition, Intellectual and Connection/Social pillars of wellness. Expect movement, learning, guest speakers, food, drink and fun times! You can check out more about the series and buy your tickets through the link below.