As a cyclist I have to say I am a bit passionate on how I can not only improve my form, but also share my experience with my clients and other cyclists. This has inspired me to put together a few videos with exercises that I like to use with bicyclists, but this is only a part of their program. The exercises I videotaped reinforce the correct posture for cyclists, but the antagonist muscles also need to be addressed to create balance within the body. With balance the cyclist will also gain endurance in holding the postures when on longer rides.

The typical workout will start with a warm-up - Bridging or Pelvic Curls, Spine Twist laying on the back, Chest Lifts and Chest Lifts with Rotation. To this I would add a shoulder bridge prep to help with low back strengthening:

Peel the spine from the mat and come up the the junction between the lower and the upper back, stabilizing the pelvis shift the weight to one leg and lift the other doing a toe tap for 10 reps, then alternate to the other leg.

Foot work can be performed on any piece of equipment however to address postural issues the Wunda Chair may be one of the more challenging and effective apparatus for the foot work. The Wunda Chair will reinforce the engagement of the upper back extensors.

For Abdominal work I like the positioning of the Seated Pike / teaser sitting at the Wunda chair as this does reinforce the rounded spine in cycling. In this position it is important to focus on the engagement of the abdominals and the relaxation of the hip flexors. Of course I always do a set of Hundreds in the Pilates Session here with an extra emphasis on the rib cage breathing. One of the biggest issues I see with any of my athletes is not understanding the concept of Rib Cage Breathing - this really needs to be addressed in all sessions. Huffing and puffing will not get you up a hill - or through a sprint.

For hip work either working on the reformer with the feet in the straps - Frog, Leg Circles in both directions and Openings, again focusing on the stabilization of the pelvis and how the legs can move efficiently inside the hip sockets.

For spinal articulation Short Spine is a great exercise to strengthen the deep muscles of the spine and Long Spine to strengthen the hip and back extensors.

Stretching: here you want to do as much stretching as possible, especially the Quads and the front of the shoulders.

For a great full body integration workout Stomach Massage reinforces the cycling position again teaching abdominal recruitment, pelvic stabilization and the correct movement of the legs in the hip sockets. By adding the Stomach Massage flat back and arms up the back extensors work in a co-contraction with the abdominals for great stabilization.

Arm Work: A Seated Arm Series on the reformer: Chest Expansion, Arm Curls, Rhomboids, Hug A Tree and Salute give a well rounded arm workout. These exercises also encourage postural work, sitting erect on the reformer with the legs straight in front of you providing a challenge by itself.

Leg work: Forward Lunge reinforces the use of the hip extensors as well as balance. Also you can get a little creative here. I have an infinity foot rest on my reformer and I like to move the foot rest toward the risers. Sitting on the foot rest with the heels against the shoulder rest you can perform a leg curl by pulling the carriage toward you. This will teach the client to engage the hamstrings replicating the pulling back of the pedal stroke.

Another Full body integration exercise can be the Push Through Sitting Back for the shoulder stretch and abdominal work. Also I like to see a set of Push Ups in some form.

As the workout comes to a close I like to do some lateral abdominal work - Step Barrel, Ladder Barrel or Short Box followed by the Mermaid either on the reformer or seated on the table. For a change try doing the Mermaid standing at the table with the Push Through Bar off the end.

Finally back extension. Here again anything working the Upper Back Extensors is valuable for the cyclist. Swan on the Wunda Chair, Swan over the step Barrel or Ladder Barrel and for a wonderful beel in the back - Hanging Back on the Cadillac.

Pilates is a great cross training tool for any sport. I hope you see the value in what you can bring to clients and patrons who are athletes.

Enjoy you daily set of 100’s

At the PMA Conference a few years ago first generation teacher Mary Bowen stated that Joe Pilates did the Double Leg Stretch (mat work exercise) with his legs in the Diamond position. Once I returned to my studio I decided to explore this position and how it could help with the exercises. I really found the contribution to the work invaluable.

I will attempt to describe the position in words, but the image gallery will say a lot more. Basically I hold the feet together engaging the adductors (inner thighs) which I find are a good segue into the abdominals, enhancing the deep abdominal work in the double leg stretch.

I have applied this position to other exercises including Coordination, Abdominal Work with Abs in Straps, Stomach Massage as well as several of the Mat Work Exercises and found that it really helped clients find/keep their focus as well as better understand the exercise.

I talk about the Diamond Position briefly in the following video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n__8A1oCg9s

In your next Pilates Workout give this position a try, I will be curious to hear what you think!

How Pilates Has Helped Me With My Cycling

Pilates has a misnomer of being the exercise favored mostly by women and dancers (and rightfully so as it is), however I have found that Pilates is a huge help in other endeavors as well as for men. Today I was on one of the more challenging rides in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Alpine Dam Loop: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/cf0f/9a72/4bf8/61d1/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100612-0759.kml A challenging ride in it’s own rite.

During the entire ride I keep thinking about the principles of Pilates and the applicable exercises that keep me on the road and working efficiently.

1. Most importantly is Breathing (BASI Tenant Principle). In Pilates we focus on the breath into the ribcage and not the diaphragm. “Rib Cage Breathing”. Within the breathing Principle is a FULL Inhale and a Full Exhale. Riding up hill I tend to start panting and getting short of breath. The full breath that is taught in Pilates quiets the mind, relaxes the body and oxygenates the blood making the climb much more bearable.

I also experimented with Percussive Breathing and found in a certain form – slower than the Ron Fletcher method teaches and not so sharp – that it also was a help.

The exercise that I think about when working on my breathing is the Hundred’s – a classic Pilates Exercises and hands down one of the most useful exercises taught in the repertoire.

2. Efficiency and Precision in the movement. You may think that there is not that much involved in pedaling a bicycle, but this is untrue. You have to maintain your posture, constantly reposition your hands and yes there is a right and wrong way to pedal.

Keeping the deep abdominals engaged is key for more efficient use of the muscles around the hip – overuse the hip flexors and you get the equivalent of a shin splint in the iliopsoas muscle. It hurts. Also a key muscle is the Hamstring, or the Hip Extensors. Many people try to lean into the bike and push into the pedals to drive their bike forward. It is more efficient to pull on the pedals with the back of the leg and do what I call “Running Up The Hill”. By working in the hip extensors / Knee Flexors, and taking pressure off the Hip Flexors / Knee Extensors – The Quads – you are able to distribute the work more evenly.

Exercises that help with this include (but are not limited too):
Mat Work: Knee Changes,
Roll-Up
Rolling Like A Ball
Shoulder Bridge

Reformer Foot Work
The Hundred’s
Stomach Massage
Knee Stretch Series

Cadillac Foot Work
Shoulder Stretch

Wunda Chair Foot Work
Pike or Teaser
Standing Leg Press –
Forward Lunge
Backward step down or Mountain Climber.

This should not discount the importance of a thorough Pilates Workout that focuses on body movement in all planes of motion, flexion, extension and lateral flexion. The total body workout is important for balance in the postural muscles.

3. Finally I want to talk about Concentration of Focus. This is also a key especially for longer bike rides where you may get tired. In the Pilates Studio I insist on a quiet and minimal environment so that the client can focus on their exercises without distraction. I don’t play music or have artwork in the studio. I only wish I could block out the distractions of the out doors. Concentrating on the exercises in The Studio is practice for concentration while on the road.

So remember your Pilates routines while cycling and most importantly be safe. I tend to worry about other traffic while on the road, but while riding up the back of Mt. Tamalpais through the Red Woods one fell across the road. Thankfully no one was hurt however an awareness of your environment will insure that you do not get hurt.

I also found this great tool to monitor my bike rides, the Cyclemeter application for the iPhone. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cyclemeter-gps-cycling-computer/id330595774?mt=8 The Cyclemeter uses GPS tracking to measure your ride and give you your splits. This is a great tool to check and measure your progress. Abvio: http://www.abvio.com/ also has applications for Running and Walking. I did find some issues with battery life and accurate tracking, but an email to the developer and these issues were resolved.

Safe riding and – Tailwinds.

Kathleen Stanford Grant used to express dissatisfaction in how the masculinity of Pilates is not as prevalent in the work today as it has been in the past. Pilates was created by Joseph H. Pilates, a man – and there was a masculinity and beauty in the work. In recent years Pilates has been used by dancers and as many dancers have found their place as a Pilates Teacher it has greatly influenced the work.

Originally called Contrology, Pilates has been a training tool and secret weapon for elite athletes, both men and women. Many of my own clients are professional athletes – Basketball, Cycling and Olympic medalists. Pilates often gives the athlete that extra edge to win their competition – often where a fraction of a second matters.

Why does Pilates work? We have to look at the 6 core principles of Pilates: Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breath and Flow. So long as these principles are present in every session the workout will be very relevant for a Men’s Fitness Programs. These core principles once practiced, and learned also become second nature to the client, they will find that these principles apply in their sport as well as daily activates. I will talk about my view of the principles in another article.

Using the equipment as well as mat Pilates, even for someone who is not well versed in intermediate or advanced work a pace can be maintained. As much as some of the more “dancy” movements can be a joy to perform it is also easy to adapt the equipment for a more masculine / stronger workout which will have the same affects on the body as working out in the gym. For example, Prone Pull Ups with the Long Box using the risers at the end of the reformer. Supine Pull Ups with the Infinity Bar moved up the reformer, as well as some of the more classical exercises – Kneeling Arms Side Series, Forward Lunges on the Wunda Chair, Planks and Push Ups. More and more I find myself playing on the equipment to find new ways to challenge these exercises.

So guys, I hope this takes some of the preconception that Pilates is for women. Once you lower your golf score or start to get ahead of your running mates you will just have to confess that Pilates is what helped with the improvement.

All this talk about Pilates for men - it is time for my own workout.

Larry Hall
The Center Studio
300 Sanchez Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
415-861-3932

Recently I have been having a lot of people coming in for Pilates with various issues in their backs. These issues include Herniated Discs, Bulging Discs and Spinal Stenosis. It is important to address these issues as Pilates can be a  great alternative to surgery.

I have modified the exercises in the Sequences that we use at The Center Studio to directly address the problem. Most likely the client will not be able to perform forward flexion at the affected area of the back, and as well will not be able to do spinal sequencing (bridging or more advanced Pilates Exercises.

Before I will even do a warm up I like to review the correct way to sit and stand from a chair (leaning forward to weight the feet and letting the momentum bring the body up), as well as the correct way to lay down (the Log Roll, laying on the side and rolling onto the back.

Then in their warm-up I perform the following exercises.
Single Leg Lifts / Leg Changes
Chest Lift while maintaining a neutral pelvis
Chest Lift with Rotation - again maintaining a neutral pelvis
Possibly, depending on the client, I may do the chest lift and chest lift with rotation over the Step Barrel to facilitate ab strengthening.

Exercises I would perform include:
Foot work on the reformer, or
Foot work on the Wunda Chair
100’s prep or the 100 while holding neutral. The client will need to be strong enough to hold the legs up for the full hundred.
For Hip Work - Standing leg press on the Wunda chair - this will facilitate balance as well as engaging the muscles for Gait.
Stretching - Either standing lunge on the reformer or utilize the Ladder Barrel for Stretch - Stretching is important, but over stretching (in the case of dancers) should be avoided.
Arm work - Ped-A-Pul, Supine on the Reformer, Seated Arm Series, or Kneeling Arm series.
Here - planks are a wonderful exercise for people with back issues - once they progress doing the kneeling arm series will really help with their back issues.
Extra Leg Work - I like to do clams, or standing clams on the reformer. This is similar to a single leg skate and again here will help with gait exercises
Lateral Flexion - Side leg lifts
Back Extension - Before doing back extension on the equipment review proper mechanics of back extension by either doing back extension will standing against the wall or laying on the floor. Then progress to back extension exercises on the Wunda Chair (Basic Back Extension or Swan on the Floor, or pulling straps on the reformer will be a great way to teach upper back extension. Please note that these exercises are a progression over time and it may be a couple of months to get into a whole program.

As a teacher one must be patient with their clients and the clients must also be patient with their own progress.

I hope this is a help.

Male athletes get no pain, big gains from Pilates

		Golfer Charles Nardiello works on a knee stretch, a Pilates exercise intended to improve his game.
		By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY

Designed to increase flexibility and improve posture, balance and coordination, Pilates focuses on strengthening the body’s core or midsection.

Once favored by rock divas, actresses and supermodels, the stretching and strengthening exercise method developed by Joseph Pilates (pih-LAH-teez) has become the latest training rage for male professional athletes.

“Since I’ve done Pilates, I’m much better looking and 4 feet taller,” says Rich Beem, winner of the 2002 PGA Championship. “Seriously, I’m now so stretched out and have such great posture that I look and feel like a different person.”

Developed in the early 1900s, Pilates consists of 500 exercises, all initiating from the muscles in the abdomen, lower back, hips or buttocks. The cost of a private Pilates session with a properly licensed instructor is comparable to or slightly more expensive than a personal training session.

For athletes, the benefits include more efficient movement as well as better endurance, speed and quickness.

No longer just for women

As mainstream as the Pilates method of developing core muscle groups has become, male professional athletes interested in adding it to their training programs still must get past the stigma that this is largely a women’s exercise.

Kidd, the Nets superstar point guard, gave his wife, Joumana, a longtime Pilates devotee, a hard time when she told him it might help in his rehabilitation of a broken ankle a few years ago. After weeks of making fun of Pilates, Kidd finally tried it.

“I immediately discovered how tight I was,” Kidd recalls. “After one session I was energized. From that point on I was convinced it was a great workout.”

For Kidd, Pilates is all about finding the edge. He estimates 30% of his strength and flexibility training comes from Pilates. “Pilates has made me quicker, more explosive,” he says.

Rich Dalatri, the Nets strength coach, has been instrumental in introducing the exercise method to the entire team.

“Pilates is rejuvenating, restorative, invigorating,” he says, “maybe because it gets the blood flowing through every inch of the muscles. It’s so internal. It puts you in tune with your body. It puts you in a different state.”

The Nets have invested in Pilates equipment for their weight room. The players are so dependent that throughout the NBA playoffs in 2002, a leading Pilates company shipped special equipment to the team’s hotel on road trips.

Patience pays off

Pilates’ founding father always proclaimed, “In 10 sessions, you will feel the difference. In 20, you will see the difference. And in 30, you’ll have a whole new body.”

Schilling, the Arizona Diamondbacks star pitcher, agrees. “The first three weeks, I was really disappointed,” says Schilling, who incorporated Pilates into his offseason training program last winter. “I wasn’t sweating. I wasn’t winded, which is what I associate with true exercise.

“Then in the fourth week I started to understand the Pilates terminology, the idea of working from your center. By the third month I was more powerful and flexible than ever before. And I’d lost 15 pounds.”

Hannah Gallagher, Schilling’s Pilates instructor, says, “He’s a man. He’s used to hard-core workouts, where you throw up afterward. Pilates is not that. It is an equal balance of stretch and strength.”

After years of the no-pain, no-gain school of thought, male professional athletes say they appreciate the kinder, gentler, holistic aspect of Pilates.

For Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl offensive guard Ruben Brown, Pilates is all about preventing injury.

“I’m a big guy with a gut,” the 6-0, 300-pound Brown says. “I was always battling back strain. Plus, I’m 30 years old now. I’m tired of lifting weights, taking the pounding.”

The last two offseasons Brown has done Pilates three times a week.

“My first session, it shook me up,” Brown says. “It shook everything up. It still does.

“And man, those Pilates women are competitive. They want to see if they can get the big, strong football player to wimp out. I told myself, ‘Hey, ladies, I can do that, too.’ “

How has his body responded to Pilates?

“I came out of the season injury-free,” he says. “I used to feel like crap after practice and games but not since Pilates.

“I learned how to breathe through my muscles. My posture is better. I can run more fluidly. And I increased my bench workouts.”

‘Profound impact’ on Mediate

For PGA Tour pro Rocco Mediate, Pilates is all about strengthening his back — and prolonging his career. After major back surgery in 1994, Mediate says he wasn’t the same. He couldn’t bend over for long periods of time to practice his putting, and his back always went out after lengthy plane trips.

Enter Pilates in November 2001.

“After a week I was turned around,” he says. “After two I felt like I’d never felt before.”

Mediate has since sold his weights and has completely outfitted the workout room in his Ponte Vedra, Fla., home with several pieces of Pilates equipment. “Pilates never compromises your back,” he says. “I’ve got more motion in my shoulders, midsection and legs. I can repeat my basic swing more often. Pilates is going to add five, six, seven … years to my career.”

Caroline Schmid, Mediate’s Pilates instructor, says, “The golf swing is a little one-sided, which can create imbalance in the body. Pilates helps to balance out the body against the forces of the swing. It helps to create less torque in the spine because you learn to swing from your center and not from your limbs.”

Mediate’s wife, Linda, also has had success with Pilates. She has overcome injuries suffered in three car accidents as well as giving birth to three children: “I couldn’t walk unless I put my hand on my back.”

She gives Pilates credit for major improvements in her husband’s game.

“He used to avoid putting, and now he’s a putting machine,” she says. “I want to hug Caroline because she has had such a profound impact on Rocco.”

I begin every session with this “Song” I learned from Kathleen Stanford Grant. For those of you that don’t know who she is - Kathy is someone who studied with Joe Pilates and continues to teach in New York. At 87 years old she maintains a full schedule that I have no question would tire me out. Many of my student teachers ask about this song again and again so I thought I would blog about it today. Remember that you can still apply this entire principle in any position but for the Pilates Session I will start you on your back.

Lay flat on your back, knees bent, heels in line with your sits bones, feet and knees hip with apart. While you are on your back take a few moments to check in with your body and your breath. Don’t correct, just be there. Take a moment and establish your neutral pelvis - finding the points where the pubic bone and the hip bones are all in the same plane. Your tail should feel heavy in the ground and you should feel a small space behind your lower back, your upper back should rest into the floor and you should have a small space behind the neck, your head should feel heavy in the floor. Make sure your feet have firm contact with the floor and the knees are neither nocking together or spread wide.

The Song:
Think of pulling up a zipper from the pubic bone up the front of the body - don’t worry how far, you will know.
     Hold in the Zipper as you inhale
On the next exhale pull your navel in and down toward the back of the hip - like a nail going into a wall at an angle to hang a picture
     Hold the Zipper and the nail in as you inhale
On the next exhale feel like you are pulling on a belt - I like to refer to high waisted pants that women wear with this image.
     Hold it all in as you inhale
On the next exhale get a lifting feeling in the chest like you are wearing a vest or a waist coat. Here I also like to think about the shoulders going down the back.
     Hold it all in place as you inhale
On the next exhale pull gently in underneath your bust line - As Kathy Grant says - “Like you are being measured for a dress” I also like to think of a bra strap - guys I am sure you can figure out where this is!
     Hold it all in as you inhale
This I added - On the next exhale pull the lower ribs down into the floor so you have the feeling of suspenders down your sides. 
     Hold it all in as you inhale
Now you should be in touch with your core and a very stable abdomen. When you in hale you should feel the breath go more into your rib cage, your abdominals should remain engaged. Depending on your teacher there are a number of ways to describe this feeling. Once set you should be able to move on to your next exercise in the fundamental series.

This blog is coming together in a bit of a puzzle, but we have already talked about several fundamental exercises. I would start here then go to the “Pelvic Curl” - Spine Twist Supine - Chest Lift or Perfect Crunch - Chest Lift with Rotation - then leg lifts and leg changes. A great warm up for pilates or any other activity for that matter.

Enjoy.

No one would ever say that they love doing ab work - and sit ups are the worst. In an effort to create the perfect abdominal curl - or crunch or what ever you chose to call it - there are countless machines designed to assist in doing the exercise perfectly. At one point in time I have even seen electrical stimulation used to tone the abs. A friend actually tried it and come swim suit season his only comment was - “damn, it didn’t work”.

Now I am not going to claim to have the solution here as you will still have to work at your abs, but done correctly you will find this exercise efficient, you will find little strain on the neck and you will be well prepared for the exercises that follow.

To begin lightly interlace the fingers behind the head, as we are going to work on the core abdominals we need to cue the muscles that segue to the abs. Reach the elbows wide so that the shoulder blades reach around to the rib cage. I even like to think of dimpling under the arm pits. The development of this reach will actually engage a serrated muscle in the shoulder girdle called the Serratus Anterior.

Once the shoulder girdle is engaged you have to release the neck. Lengthen out the back of the head like you are nodding “yes” and the area above the atoms apple should actually come in and up toward the back of the head. This will create a sense of lengthening in the neck. Make sure the eyes remain still in the head neither staring at the ceiling or staring at a wall. 

Next start to bring the ribs down into the floor (or table) pinching the floating ribs down and visualize the chest lifting from the floor while maintaining the long neck. I like to refer to this as the Chest Lift - Head Float - the head lifting only as a result of following the chest. The actual lifting of the chest is done on an exhale. 

As you accomplish your maximum lift do not deliberatly tuck the pelvis, but allow the lower back to relax into the floor. In the upper position the neck should actually be relaxed and you should feel the engagement of the entire abdominal region. 

When you are lifted inhale into the rib cage, then gently lower yourself all the way to the floor. 

Repeat the exercise five times which should be plenty for a warm up. 

My new clients are all surprised at how difficult this exercise is and my clients never get bored with it as over time you just seem to perform the exercise better.

I hope this was a good explanation - maybe there will be a podcast at some point.

So you have made a New Years resolution to add jogging to your life, maybe with a goal of a 10K, a 1/2 marathon or even a marathon. This is no small task and the commitment to such an activity is huge. To get there you need to take baby steps and reward yourself for each step along the way. If you take too large a step you might find yourself stepping back again, and too many steps back and your goal only seems far off in the distance or unattainable. Remember - even a worm will give up if it keeps falling.

So if you take these steps in a sequence, before you can run you need to learn to jog, before you can jog you need to learn to walk, before you can walk you need to learn to crawl. Might sound tedious, but as a trainer this makes sense. Before you start to run you need to buy shoes - then you need to start an active walking program - eventually adding intervals of Jogging.

Throughout all of this you also need to be aware of correct technique. You need to be aware of your posture and correct breathing patters. Joggers tend to hold a lot of tension in the neck and shoulders, and neglect stretching of the hamstrings and calves. By working with a qualified Pilates Instructor these areas can be addressed. 

In addition Pilates will help to increase core strength - the muscles that support the torso, hips and shoulders. This will eventually lead to a huge difference in posture, technique, balance and stability. It will also lower the incidence of injury. The Pilates exercises will create an awareness from the runners head to toe.

So before you get to far into your routine consult a physician and seek a qualified trainer who can help you with the baby steps necessary to realize your goals.

Happy Trails

Recently I have noticed that as the “young at heart” / “weekend warriors” are getting on that the activities they are participating in seem to be causing chronic problems in their bodies. I am seeing more and more men over 45 with degenerated discs. I am no doctor, but the one thing that these gentlemen seem to have in common is a love of working out. I can only think that over the years the lifting of heavy weights accompanied by poor form has resulted in these spinal injuries. Injuries which in some cases result in complete and total bed rest.

Isn’t his what we are trying to avoid by exercising regularly? Can’t this be avoided?

By finding a well qualified trainer this can be avoided, and more and more people are finding their way to Pilates in order to release the tension in their backs.

Through the Pilates the client is led through exercises encouraging correct alignment as well as safe and effective movements. These movements can then be integrated into their daily lives allowing them to be pain free from the conditions that begin to happen in their backs.

Also many of the exercises encourage strengthening right at the back giving the feeling of a lengthened spine. This is where the Pilates may actually give the client the feeling that they are taller - or they may actually regain lost height. In my opinion this will decrease the pressure on the back so that the person will have a healthier spine.

So if you are feeling back pain, it is worth having this looked into and know that Pilates might be one way to restore a Healthy Back