Pilates:
We added weights to our mat workout. Everyone used 2lb weights with the exception of Dionne. I recommend lighter weights to most people unless they are using weights at their gym, home practice or with a trainer and are strong enough to not use their necks or overuse their upper trapezius muscles. Keep in mind we were using these for props and not necessarily to build up muscles (this is just a bonus)
Start standing against a wall with your feet slightly forward of your body. Roll down one vertebrae at a time and let the weights assist in carrying your upper body lower. Initially you can just roll down and hang out and then come back up, but I want you to try to contract your bodies back against the wall to create additional resistance as you lower down. The idea is that you are "opening" up your back and stretching it in this contraction.
With back against wall, raise arms to shoulder height using the scapulae as your reference point and then lower. Pressing your shoulders back against the wall will assist you in keeping your pecs disengaged and will help you find your serratus and lats.
Sit with legs straight ahead of you on floor, arms with weights at the height of your shoulders. Roll back to where your stomach can support your back comfortably and then maintain this position as your arms "row" back towards you. You will open your elbows wide to the sides and then press the arms back out 5x and then sit back up.
Roll back again with arms at shoulder height, stabilize and lift 1 leg at a time
On back with knees bent, arms to ceiling do your rib cage arms. You will "float" your arms over your head and back while anchoring your ribs and upper abs and with the weights feel a deeper connection of the arms moving from your back
Bring knees up to chest and do your knee folds with the weighted arms. You can make this movement more challenging by adding ribcage arms to the equation.
Leg stirs/circles with opposing arms. We discussed the idea of cross patterning which essentially is a motor skill which fires both sides of the brain and assists with balance. Lift your right arm to the ceiling and left leg as well, circle your arm the opposite direction your leg is circling 5x and then reverse.
Sit up and find a balance point on your coccyx. Hold arm weights directly in front of you, but keep your shoulders retracted into your back
Rolling with weights - inhale back, exhale up x10. Weights can make your stomach work harder, but also help get you up.
Rotator cuff - lying on side with knees bent, elbow at hip bone and weight in hand. Keep elbow stable as you lift arm slowly and lower back
Straighten legs and reach arm with weight to ceiling, lower arm and lift top leg and return x10 (like a half jumping jack)
Still lying on side, swing arm forward and leg back and then switch x10
Double leg stretch - on back, weights to the ceiling, knees to the chest. Inhale as you extend the arms back and legs out, exhale as you come back to center. head up or down depending on weight and neck strength.
Stabilize shoulders again with arms to ceiling, knees bent at 90 degree angle. Tip your body over to one side without losing shoulder stability then use your obliques to assist in coming back to center.
Weight work can make your neck muscles and upper back muscles tight so we used tennis balls to release and massage our backs. Place the ball under your shoulder blade. if it doesn't hurt you aren't in the right place and will need to adjust the ball until you feel it. Reach your arm to the sky and make tiny circles. Next reach across your body and then open back up. Do a 1/2 chicken wing by opening up your arm and bending at the elbow.
Niceties over - stand up with weights in hands by sides. Lean over laterally and reach your hands towards your feet without twisting your upper back or hips. Slowly come up and lean the other way. Challenge yourself by doing sets of 2, 4, 6, etc....
Back to the wall for another set of roll down stretches.
Pec stretch on wall - stand against wall with arm directly to side, fingers spread, shoulder at wall and turn away from your arm as you hold and breathe.
Side stretch - stand arms distance away from wall with fingers on wall and stretch over to wall and then away.
Nutrition Class:
Special Guest Speaker Savra (spell?) spoke about Raw food
What is raw food?
- Food that isn't cooked or heated above 100 degrees
- Plant based, fruits, veggies, raw nuts and seeds, seaweeds, fermented foods, dried fruits, some grains
Raw food is eaten as they are like salads. You can soak or sprout nuts and seeds, make dehydrated crackers from nuts and grains.
Why?
- Gives energy
- Is fresh, pure, alive and is quickest way for energy to get into your body
- "whole foods"
- tastes good, quality is higher
Benefits include: clear skin, brighter eyes, can help weight loss, increase energy, skin softer, body odors eliminated, emotional and physical clearing
Foods contain a high amount of enzymes and minerals which are essential for our bodily functions. These enzymes diminish when food is cooked and we need these enzymes for digestion. The more enzymes your body gets, you have more energy because you aren't working as hard to detox. More live food helps replenish cells.
If you take digestive enzymes, use ones that are plant based and close to whole food.
How to add raw foods into your diet:
- In the morning try fruit before you eat anything else or instead of your normal breakfast eat fruits and nuts for fat.
- Try to make a smoothie with fruits, flax seed oil, can add greens.
- Salads - make them simple and use what you like. Add a few nuts and use oily dressings.
- try some dehydrated crackers or breads
Homework:
2 Raw foods a day, bonus points for 4
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