Recently, a journalist asked me what the benefits of Barre was. In a short and sweet reply, I had sent her back a few words regarding the benefits. Here is what I said:

What are some of the benefits of Barre?

Barre can definitely help one to increase body awareness while at the same time having fun and getting to workout with others.  You may gain awareness and strength in your arms, core, and will definitely feel some activation in your legs. Special attention may be dedicated to feet as well, which is sometime hard to target with other classes that may require shoes.

Can Anyone do Barre? Is it only for graceful dancer types?

Most definitely anyone can do barre. Instructor cueing can assist in helping people get the proper body alignment and proper muscle firing patterns we're looking for. While barre is not specifically for graceful dancer types, warning, you might turn into a graceful dancer type once you're done! Why? Because inherently barre is in a way an extension of the more formal practice of ballet...and in ballet, you are cued for good posture, grace, and body lengthening techniques. So from class, you get a good mind to muscle connection that helps you feel connected to your body and lengthened out, just like a ballet dancer!

Why do you love teaching it?

I love teaching barre because of the aspects of the mind to body connection. It is not just mindless movement, as you might experience in more intense HIIT classes for example. You are really working on technique. I love the refinement and precision aspect of it.

Is it different from pilates?

Yes, some of philosophies of barre and pilates are the same. But you may perform different exercises between the two. Lots of standing work in barre, however, you may perform a short segment of pilates exercises on the mat as a cool down or warm up during your barre class. Pilates is usually broken up into two groups - pilates performed on machines (reformer, cadillac, etc), and pilates matwork. Pilates matwork and barre matwork, will most likely resemble each other almost identically i.e. glute bridges, abwork, arm pulses, etc. If I had to make a general statement about the differences, I would say that barre incorporates lots of standing work, and pilates (mat), less so. 

As featured in

About the Author

Ingrid Seid
Movement Artist and Educator
Certified Comprehensive Pilates Instructor
NASM-CPT, CES, PES, USAW-1
Founder Strength and Grace Movement

]]>The History of Physical FitnessFeaturedMovement+FitnessIngrid SeidSun, 18 Nov 2018 00:28:00 +0000https://strengthandgrace.co/blog2/2017/9/6/the-neglected-secret-of-strength55f33486e4b0df1a832cdedb:5897fce6197aeaa034b777c3:59afab0ee4fcb50570992128

SPEED HIDES NEED. In everyday movement, whether in sport, performance, or in everyday activities, being able to fully express the body's full range of motion with breath and efficiency is one of the greatest feelings. This is where we have the sensations of "feeling really comfortable" and "at ease" with our movements. Over time, it's possible to loose certain ranges of motion in joints, and this may not be so noticeable until you try a new exercise or it is revealed through your instructor/trainer. Learning how to "feel" for things in the body, when something "feels" uncomfortable or when something feels "off," can really be a great gift and opportunity to develop strength in those particular areas. Here is a great article and video by Max Shank, called the  Neglected Secret of Strength which addresses circumstances in which one feels “less strong” and how those circumstances can be opportunities for growth. He makes a correlation to learning piano strokes and how focusing on refinement can create beneficial global effects.

We can say the same for dance. Taking the time to slow down movement, can reveal areas of opportunity and need for refinement. On several occasions, I have given myself a challenge. Although I have always been a fan of freestyle, I am familiar with the fact that the body loves to go into patterns it is familiar with. And so in order to carve out new patterns, the challenge is to take an opposite or alternate direction of movement whenever you feel your body moving into a familiar direction. This can be quite a painstaking exercise but very rewarding at the end. You will have acquired new movement patterns (maybe stretch some new muscles you haven’t stretched in a while) and increased your movement vocabulary ;) I would love to hear how it goes if you decide to take on this movement challenge.

This is one of my most favorite articles and is written by Krista Scott-Dixon. Her article F*** Exercise. Try this Instead, outlines some of the aspects that individuals may run into during their movement, or as mainstream has it "exercise" journey. When we are young we start out untainted and are quite the movement experts! Playing and having almost perfect movement efficiency in most of all that we do, and most of all having fun WHILE moving at the same time. This was natural play, and one's body was able to explore all the possibilities and all the angles that were available to the human form. Overtime, what was once our natural movement becomes "exercise" and a disconnect between the mind and the body can occur. She explains how exploration and experimentation can increase resilience, increase skill sets, and inject passion into your movement.

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]]>F*** Exercise. Try this Instead.Movement+FitnessIngrid SeidFri, 16 Nov 2018 04:29:00 +0000https://strengthandgrace.co/blog2/2017/11/1/lbco8z7f9zgog50qyotkvvou9ihvtd55f33486e4b0df1a832cdedb:5897fce6197aeaa034b777c3:59fa77c1c8302592d855cae9Embed from Getty Images

While some movement practices involve heavy doses of verbal cueing, self-thought, self-observation, and self-”correction,” there are times, when action and movement skill may need to be executed absent of thought.

Pilates can sometimes be wrought with incessant verbal cueing. While in the beginning, we are taught to match specific cues to movement, there can be a tendency to over apply these cues and at times this may disrupt motor learning processes.

I recall stepping into one of my first pilates studios for observation hours. After class, several students stayed behind, appearing somewhat dazed and confused, commented "Man...there's so much to think about!" A sure sign of overcueing and student overwhelm. It is recommended after all, that some well known heavy concentrators of exercise prescriptions, such as TVA (transversus abdominus muscle) activation, be limited to 10 minutes MAX.

Although words will be involved in teaching sessions, some aspects to think about involve observation and adjustment according to student/client response. Are we taking a look at clients and adjusting the pace and type of cueing or simply spouting out a bunch of cues to hear ourselves speak? Are we allowing clients to feel and process?

Here are the 4 stages of the Motor Learning Cycle:  

Stage 1: unconscious incompetant 

Stage 2: conscious incompetent  

Stage 3: conscious competent  

Stage 4: unconcious competent 

As you can see, eventually, you want your athletes to reach Stage 4: unconscious competent. In this stage, there will be less cueing, significantly less. That is, unless your clients just love it. There are cases where individuals do love to hear metaphors to see how ideas may translate into the body. Some of these aspects can be captured in think/feel/observe movement practices such as Feldenkrais or Alexander Technique. This is wonderful, however, over time, it is beneficial for one to eventually be able to perform some of the practiced movements free of verbal instruction. For some practices such as sports athletes who need to react quickly, albiet long durations of think/feel/observe may be helpful at times, the athlete’s actual movement skill (reactivity/agility/power), should be a large aspect of this athlete’s overall training time. While there may be a place for “stop and think” practices, the sucess of an athlete overall, may involve the proper dose and application of such practices.

In W. Timonthy Gallwey's, enlightening book, The Inner Game of Tennis, Gallwey makes a distinction between what he calls Self 1 and Self 2. Self 1 is the thinking and rationalizing mind, while Self 2 is the non-thinking mind. Self 2 may operate a bit more holistically, may (re)act very fast, and may be instinctive. Individuals may describe athletes as "being in the zone," or it seeming as if he/she has "found his/her rhythmn." In such cases, we may say that Self 2 is operating without so much direct input (or disruption) from Self 1.  

Of course, the mind/body, conscious/subscious, superego/ego/id, idea is not an entirely new idea at all. But it may be noteworthy to take a look at such aspects when thinking about how we train others, and how we as movers feel and execute movement.  

Timothy plays with the idea of working almost directly with Self 2, while Self 1 is in the background. In thinking about tools and strategies to talk to Self 2, we might explore things like imagery. Imagery can sometimes have a more system wide effect – encapuslating the nerverous, kinesthetic, motor, endocrine, etc.  This may bypass the need to cue every movement instance and the image may produce  whole body orchestration. In the article How Imagery Changes the Way We Move, Christi Idavoy, mentions that "visualizing the movement within the mind’s eye....primes neural pathways and reprograms [muscular movement]" Of course, one aspect of imagery to take note of is that not everyone's emotional association with imagery is the same. Perhaps an image of white sandy beaches and palm trees may allow one person to dissipate tension in the body, while in another, may conjure up feelings of excessive heat, sunburn, and general dis-ease.  

Another aspect to explore in possibly working directly with Self 2, may involve offering a point of focus (to Self 2). In The Inner Game of Tennis, a client is coached to focus on the seams of the tennis ball during play hits, and not so much on the backswing arm technique. This, Timothy seems to observe, may allow the client to focus on the approaching subject, and allow the body to come into natural calculations without thinking about it a lot. In some instances, if the desired goal of the technique is reached, one might be called to notice the feeling of the body motion, and to simply replicate the feeling. This is, indeed, a different type of strategy than direct knowledge or information given to Self 1. From Learning Cycle theories, I may say that neither is correct or incorrect, but is circumstancial.  

With regards to offering a platform of focus for Self 2 to arrive into, it is important to make a distinction between forced focus vs. natural focus. From The Inner Game of Tennis:  

"Focus is not achieved by staring hard at something. It is not trying to force focus. Nor does it mean thinking hard about something. Natural focus occurs when the mind is interested. When this occurs the mind is drawn irrestiably towards the object or subject of interest. It is effortless and relaxed. Not tense and overly controlled. When watching the tennis ball, allow yourself to fall into focus. If your eyes are squinting or straining, you are trying too hard. If you find yourself chastizing yourself for loosing focus, then you may be overcontrolling. Let the ball attract your mind. And both it and your muscles will stay appropriately relaxed." 

Motor learning theories is an ever expanding field. While new information may always be born, we may still keep focus on the everyday instances in our practice, and know that at times, the individuals in our practice may neither always be a reflection of the research, nor always fit into what research may pronounce.   

To learn more about the art of cueing and coaching in general, we borrow a bit of knowledge from the Crossfit world. The community is wrought with fantastic resources regarding muscle physiology, mindset, building client relationships, etc.  Here is a fantastic article by coach Bergeron called The Deeper Side of Coaching, which speaks to the heart of what makes a great coach – a nice short read on being able to see aspects from the client point of view vs. your own.  Also, a great read for anyone who may be shopping for classes or coaches such that it gives great insight into what aspects one might look for in a coach. 

About the Author

Ingrid Seid
Movement Artist and Educator
Certified Comprehensive Pilates Instructor
NASM-CPT, CES, PES, USAW-1
Founder Strength and Grace Movement

When Biomechanics Matter - Greg Lehman

Greg Lehman explores when biomechanics matter in the mangament of pain, injury, and performance. 

What Happened to "Global" Athleticism - Eric Cressey

Eric Cressey dives into how being able to have movement variety as a kid to young adult, helped to establish foundational aspects of speed and agility. While some may make the point that it may be more desirable to have kids train in a more foundational and functional sense rather than train for specificity (sports), the article is noteworthy as it takes a glimpse into noticing how the residual effects of one's childhood movement practice or play, can have an effect on one's training programming as an adult. 

The Magic of Creative Movement - Max Shank

" Daily life has a lot of straight edges, boxes, and lines designed for us to abide by. This can stifle creativy and movement in a profound way...."

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]]>Top 3 Movement ArticlesFeaturedMovement+FitnessIngrid SeidThu, 28 Sep 2017 01:47:00 +0000https://strengthandgrace.co/blog2/2017/9/9/the-neck-abdominals55f33486e4b0df1a832cdedb:5897fce6197aeaa034b777c3:59b4ac42cd39c304a13e7038The Deep Muscle of the Mid Torso

Many people know about 6 pack abs. Yes, it’s the little square blocks that line up nicely in a row between your xiphoid process and your pubic bone. But much as been debated about its function. It has been agreed upon that the rectus abdominis has the primary function of being a truck flexor. What does that mean? It means that it moves your sternum closer to your pelvis in a “C” type shape. Think of hunching over in your posture and letting your whole torso or slump down. This is similar to the “abdominal crunch” that many are accustom to doing at the local gym.     

Unfortunately, the “6 pack” has not been understood to provide a primary stabilizing function to the torso. As many Pilates instructors are familiar with, the transversus abdominis has been understood to have the most influential impact on stabilizing the torso, which includes the low back. Yet, the population rarely has ever heard of this muscle. The TVA (transversus abdominis) muscle as they call it for short, is housed in the deepest part of one’s torso. It forms a 360 degree-ish cylindrical “corset” of sorts around the torso and low back. Similarly, we know what a training belt can do – it can stabilize your torso, creating cylindrical hydraulic pressure, allowing you to lift more weight, since you are now more proximally stable.

The Deep Muscle of the Neck - Longus Colli

In the same sense that there is a deep muscle of the abdominal wall that plays a large part in providing stability in the torso, there is a deep muscle in your neck that serves a similar function. When we go into a plank position, we know that it is the anterior part of the body (abdominal area) that is helping to hold our body up. If we lose abdominal activation and control, our backs start sagging towards to floor (a very uncomfortable feeling.)

The concept of anterior body activation to prevent sagging of the body towards the floor (in plank position), is readily seen in the neck (thought of as an extension of the spine). This "neck abdominal" is part of a deep neck flexor group of muscles, but primarily the one we are interested in is the Longus colli muscle. The longus colli sits deep within the neck to maintain your neck in a neutral position while in plank.

Longus colli activity does not allow your neck to fall forward. Similarly, the abdominals in your torso if sufficiently activated do not allow your torso (low back) to drop towards the floor.

Indeed, one of the most common biomechanical weakness I see in my practice is weakness and inactivity in this deep neck area. The neck starts to drop forward, and cllients are unable to express or maintain the neural neck position initially or as prone oriented exercises continue through the session.  Weakness in the deep neck flexors can be seen and expressed as “forward head posture” when one is standing or sitting upright, and is greatly exaggerated when one goes into the plank position, since now gravity is working horizontally in relation to the muscle vs vertically, whereby the muscle is not meeting as much resistance from gravity. In other words, when one is standing, the neck muscles are more or less in line with gravity and therefore, do not have to work as much, and its possible weakness is less exposed.   

A lot of individuals may not have cultivated an awareness to this aspect and perhaps have been expressing forward head faulty patterning over and over again in “fitness” classes. A strong “neck abdominal” is not only crucial to expressing good posture, but a weak “neck abdominal” can put undue strain onto the cervical and top thoracic vertebrae. Overtime, this area can become particularly strained, and it is known that in posture, for every inch one’s head migrates forward, this adds an additional 10lbs that the cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae have to support. Not good.

An active and strong longus colli, puts the cervical and upper thoracic spine back into better alignment, allowing the scapula to sit more comfortably on the rib cage, and therefore, allowing the entirety of one's shoulder complex to function more optimally and therefore with more ease, and less pain.  Orthopedic shoulder issues, have commonly been seen as a byproduct of excessive neck tension mixed with very weak deep neck flexor muscles. 

With this said, there are a few exercises that can help activate, and then strengthen the longus colli muscle, aka one of a group of muscles called the “deep neck flexors.”

Deep Neck Flexor Exercises

I recall this video being one of the better demonstrations and explanations of how one may be able to activate the longus colli without the sternocleidomastoid muscle taking over the movement.

I would like to add to this video, the cue direction of first visualizing the longus colli attached to the front parts of your neck vertebras. Use the picture provided, or one of your choice. After visualizing this, see if you can initiate the movement from this area. Meaning, this area fires first. 

The issue with a lot of cookie cutter cueing from physical therapists, trainers, strength coaches, etc. is sometimes that their emphasis is placed on the kinematics of movement, rather than what should be producing the force, and when. The word kinematics, as described by the Kelley and Firestein’s Textbook of Rheumatology, is “the study of the geometric and time-dependent aspects of motion without analyzing the forces causing the motion.” Cueing via kinematics looks something like “nod your head” or “tuck chin towards your neck.” It tells a client what motion to perform, but not really exactly what muscle(s) are being used, what area one should feel the activation, and exactly when the muscle should fire.  There may not be a lot of cueing meant to faciliate integration of the body or mind body awareness. Of course, there are times when we may not need precise detailing, but  when there is a situtation where we see weak links and the intention is to facilitate a more neuromuscular reprogramming type of  approach, depth in cueing is often helpful.   

I have seen clients, myself included, simply perform "the head nod motion" without any deep neck flexor activation, whatsoever. A simple swivel of the skull on top of the axis bone does not equate to deep neck flexor muscle activation.  I remember the days when I used to do this “motion” over and over again, and get a “good” response from instructors and trainers. Sometimes trainers and therapists need to take the time to assure that they are getting good contractions and activation in the areas they are targetting. This is a science and an art. But many times, in therapy clinics, clients are simply handed over to an assistant or aide and the intentions behind the prescribed movement therapies are all but lost. 

This is not to say that only giving clients x, y, and z motions would not produce the desired effect that a trainer or therapist wants. Certainly, there are times when some individuals will just respond desirably to whatever the motion prescription is, or sometimes respond desirably to pretty much anything – which is awesome! But this is not always the case, and as I have seen, often not the case when it comes to clients needing nuanced training with regards to their daily postures and movement practice.  

There will be more deep neck flexor exercises I would like to cherry pick in a Part 2 series of “The Neck Abdominals.” Stay Tuned, and thank you for reading. 

      About the Author

Ingrid Seid
Movement Artist and Educator
NASM-CPT, CES, PES, USAW-1
Founder Strength and Grace Movement
 

Increased positive body image can be a by product of increased movement skill. But a sole focus on only external aesthetics may leave a lot on the table in terms of acquiring real movement quality. In this article by MovNat, Dr. Christa Whiteman seeks to take a deeper look at what it means to be "fit."

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]]>To Be Deeply Healthy Is...Movement+FitnessIngrid SeidSat, 16 Sep 2017 16:00:00 +0000https://strengthandgrace.co/blog2/2017/9/15/what-pilates-can-and-cannot-do55f33486e4b0df1a832cdedb:5897fce6197aeaa034b777c3:59bc8cf9d55b41d857c38992

What Pilates Can and Cannot Do

I think it will be helpful to outline a few aspects that a Pilates practice CAN cover, and some aspects it may not cover, and in which case other types of programming may be more useful. I have had many clients who have requested aspects of “fitness,” in which Pilates programming ALONE may not be able to address. You need other types of equipment, specific loading parameters, and specific programming to meet some commonly requested aspects that some clients have believed that Pilates alone may meet. This is simply not true, not matter how many and what types of advertisements are out there giving claim that that single pilates system is complete. Keep in mind that every Body is different. Let’s just say, it is helpful if a person had gone through varying types of programming throughout his/her life history and does understand how his/her body hypertrophies, builds endurance, and responds to varying movement parameters. But without this history or body awareness, one may just have to put themselves through different types of programs to learn this over time. For now, we are going to speak in general terms, and not so much worry about outlier responders to training programming.

What Pilates CAN DO

1)      Movement Variability

If one is usually training in the standard globo gym floor, or perhaps have only done body building type programs in the past, it has been said that machines, even some free weight training aspects can keep the body training in a set type of way, and perhaps biasing more towards sagittal plane movements. It has jokingly been said "You can do Crossfit in a phone booth" after all. A typical personal training program may consist of hip dominant and knee dominant lower body exercise selections mixed with horizonal and vertical pushing and pulling upper body elements. There may be some times when the body is only hitting a limited number of motions and movement planes. Giving the body an opportunity to work in ranges that are between the movement ranges that one usually performs (in the gym), can introduce the body to new challenges, and build an overall larger movement vocabulary.

2)      Mind Body Connection

Pilates is thoughtful movement. So breath and awareness is sometimes cultivated in the practice. It can seek to create integration getting the mind to plug into the body. The beauty of Pilates and, I think, where it really can shine is in the cueing of movement and getting the body to respond in the most biomechanically sound way. Many techniques can be used ranging from metaphors, and similies that really hone in on the exactness and nuances of movement, to kinesthetic cueing, tactile cueing, and imagery. Movement selection and cueing can be utilized and biased towards increased nervous system control and optimal muscle/bone rhythms.

Also, there may be an awareness created with the midline of the body, and cueing to enable lower abdominal usage and lower back stability. We sometimes talk about the pelvic floor, as it very vital to creating hydraulic pressure aka stability in the low back and torso. Some people dig it, some people don’t. But the education here, can be quite helpful in creating torso and low back stability.

3)      Mobility

This may be contingent upon one’s starting point. If one already has a great deal of mobility through the hips, shoulders, spine, etc., the common exercises you usually may see in the traditional Pilates repertoire, perhaps may not offer greater ranges of mobility then what you already have. I am thinking about such artists as dancers, aerialists, and perhaps some folks that are generally mobile genetically (meaning, they may have more collagen fibers throughout their system, such allows or causes their tissues and the tissues around their joints to exists or behave in such a way that grants full or more than full mobility). 

4)      Stability

There are some aspects of stability that can be strengthened with helpful cueing and education from the instructor. Common aspects that are observed and trained are scapular humeral rhythm and overall upper shoulder girdle stability, core control and general activation, and hip strength and mobility – ultimately giving stability to the torso and low back.  

There are many torso stability exercises within the Pilates repertoire, where the execution of the exercise is most paramount. Mainly, Pilates may use lever principles to create greater challenges to the lower abdominals and torso – the farther away you take your feet and hands away from your body the more challenge you create in your torso, and in a way, training your torso to respond with the appropriate strategy and stability amount to allow your limbs to stay levitated and away from you without feeling strain in the back.

What Pilates CANNOT do (very well) 

Here are just a few components that Pilates may not be able to address. In which case, you need a different type of programming to address these aspects.

1)      Linear Progressive Strength

This type of programming involves increments of weight added every week (or for some programs every session). Commonly seen in barbell training, and commonly applied as 5lbs every week or every session. Over time, you are working to your 1RM (albeit this ‘target’ is constantly being created and is moving in the beginning). To gain significant parts of both hypertrophy and power, common programs are 5x5. This kind of programming may build mass and power significantly over a 3-6 month training period in untrained athletes. Pilates does not have the load amount and force vectors available to create the specific type of result that is commonly associated with linear progressive strength programs. 

2)      Hypertrophy

This type of programming seeks to add mass – increase the cross-sectional area of a muscle. General Pilates programming involves movement variability for reps of usually 6-10, but may be at an intensity that is less than one can get with dumbbells, non-progressive restistance type pulleys such as the free motion machines, barbells, etc. Pilates springs are a form of progressive resistance, and can limit the full ROM of a movement in certain areas of the movement. Traditional hypertrophy programming rep schemes are done at a higher intensity and programmed with specifically for a hypertrophic response. Mobility prerequisites and efficient biomechanical execution lays a good foundation for the implementation of a hypertrophy program. However, as one of my powerlifting coaches once so eloquently said "People don't get jacked with Pilates..."

3)      Power

A type of training that seeks to produce the most amount of force in the smallest amount of time. Commonly seen in the form of plyometric training, as a component in building overall power. This concept is contained in the execution of Olympic Lifting, for example. And with plyometrics, commonly seen expressed as box jumping and plyo specific medicine ball throws. True, you have the jumboard in Pilates and this is useful for creating a plyo type of response, and also may be useful in technique and/or rehab training, but this does not compare to a box jump, whereby you have full bodyweight and then some, coming down on a vertical vector whereby the entire body must dissipate forces correctly, and call upon loads of eccentric strength to land properly. One is usually working with more load and different various training "toys" in more traditional plyo/power training settings. 

4)      Butt Mass

This is such a common request, I thought I would just address it here. In order to add mass to the butt, you. need. load. Period. In the beginning, we may seek to have the hip to just be able to work like a hip. I have found that in general, clients have trouble “creating torque”  through the hip – to allow their hips to externally rotate, and activate their glutes. Knees are wobbly and caving in, etc etc. Pilates may be helpful in creating some mobility in the hip, for instance, but once a sufficient amount of bent knee/hip flexion/closed chain foundation is found, in order to add mass to the backside, you need to load moderate to heavy…with tools such as dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, a big rock, whatever. Although in some instances, through cueing and exercise selection, Pilates may assist in hip musculature activation, in order to add mass to the tissues, a heavier load must be applied.

5)      Body Composition  

In untrained clients, one may be able to see body composition changes, simply because there is a new stimulus introduced and new metabolic challenges to the body. This may last for a little while, but usually levels off after a while if you were to ONLY do Pilates. Meaning, not a Pilates hybrid but only traditional Pilates exercises on or off Pilates equipment. It also matters, how often you do the work. As consistency helps usher in changes overtime. Mostly, composition changes may come utilizing more metabolic focused training coupled with strength training aspects. If one wants to talk about weight loss activity helps, however, a large part of weight loss programming happens in the kitchen. 

6)   Metabolic Conditioning

Metabolic Conditioning is sometimes associated with HIIT (high intensity interval training) type workouts. The idea is that the heart rate is elevated to 80-100% HR Max (various sources define this differently), and sustained during work sets with various complete bout totals (i.e. 4 minutes total for Tabata, 20 minutes for some Crossfit programs). Metabolic Conditioning can also include LSD (long slow distance), types of aerobic training which seek to tap into the aerobic endurance system increasing the body's capacity to use oxygen. While untrained athletes may receive some aspects of metabolic conditioning with new programs, sustaining a HR Max of approx 80-100% or a bit lower for LSD training, is not commonly seen and not usually programmed in traditional Pilates repertoire. 

Final Thoughts

In terms of training aspects, I do hope that this sheds some light on what Pilates may be useful for. There are just too many false claims out there for marketing purposes, and clients end up putting their dollars into areas where they are made to believe that Program  X, Y, or Z is going to give them result A, B, or C. I hear and see these false claims A LOT, partly because, I think, some individuals are upholding a job – manning the front desk, answering front of house calls,  etc.…and they are told by their company that XYZ will produce whatever result they are told it will produce. Also, in teacher trainings and certification trainings misinformation can abound! Nevertheless, trying out various movement systems for oneself can still be a great tool for exploration and movement variability. 

I believe movement variability is vitally important in overall movement programming. Such programs as MovNat©, Evolve Move Play©, GMB©, and Gymnastic Bodies© are paving the way in bodyweight movement, the exploration there of, improvisation, and creativity in movement practices. The purpose here is to lay out different concepts regarding training principles, how they work, and how they may or may not be exemplified in different movement systems.

About the Author

Ingrid Seid
Movement Artist and Educator
Certified Comprehensive Pilates Instructor
NASM-CPT, CES, PES, USAW-1
Founder Strength and Grace Movement
 

Here is an article by Mark Fisher Fitness entitled Can Heart Rate Training Make Healthy Hot that I really appreciate. At times a monitor can trigger a "more" type of response, which under certain circumstances can be beneficial. In other circumstances, however, it may be potential for distraction. 

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