Power of Pilates — Expert Guide on Harnessing Movement for Optimal Health
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 830,000 deaths annually can be attributed to insufficient physical activity. The human body has well over 600 muscles and this is a good indicator that we were created for movement!
When Joseph Pilates developed his ‘Contrology’ method in the early 20th century, his vision was to enhance core stability, flexibility, strength, and breathing, among others. Today, this mind-body workout is highly popular as it plays a pivotal role in leveraging movement for better well-being.
Organic Aromas spoke to Jenn Vigh, a certified pilates instructor to get a better understanding on how movement can be implemented to enhance the quality of life.
Q&A Interview with a Certified Pilates Instructor
OA: You are a pilates instructor and aerial dancer who travels with your pet; tell us more
Jenn: Yes! My name is Jenn, I’m a pilates instructor and aerial dancer that adores my Yorkipoo, Sheila, so much so that I have taken her to 9 countries and created a dog travel blog as a guide for other small dog owners who dream about traveling the world with their pets.
While I travel, pet travel aside, I make it a point to immerse myself in as many unique pilates, wellness, and aerial dance communities as possible.
The goal of my small business, Jenn In Motion, is to serve as a hub for my private pilates clientele, which I am working to build all over the world, and a blog base to share dog travel guides, my recommendations when it comes to wellness experiences around the world, and as a collaboration point for anyone who would like to hire me as a freelance aerial silks dancer.
Movement to me encompasses all of these things- so therefore I have chosen to call my business and blog Jenn In Motion.
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OA: What exactly is Pilates and can anyone try it? Give us the first steps to begin pilates for a newbie
Jenn: Pilates is a form of low-impact exercise that serves to stabilize, lengthen and strengthen every muscle, ligament, and joint in your body when executed with breath and precision. It can be used as a beautiful form of rehabilitation and injury prevention in concert with the recommendations given by a physical therapist, as well as a very challenging form of exercise to complement other forms of fitness such as running, dancing, biking, lifting weights, and more.
Absolutely anyone can and should try it – men, women, active, and sedentary people can all hugely benefit from a Pilates practice! The foundations your body develops when you come to practice pilates regularly can make a life-changing impact on your posture, stress management, overall awareness of your body, and ability to gain strength and flexibility.
I recommend all pilates newbies start off with learning the fundamentals of breath and its relation to core control. If you have the means, I highly recommend booking a couple of private sessions with a pilates instructor in your area in order to have focused attention on your alignment and the potential bodily imbalances that could inform your progress.
Otherwise, you can get started by checking out my video, My Go To Centering and Mat Side Series, filmed near the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, where I explain the 5 principles of core control from my body of certification at the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute.
OA: What health benefits should people expect when practicing Pilates
Jenn: Anyone practicing pilates can expect to gain muscle tone and strength, increased balance and proprioception, improved posture, and an overall increase in body confidence. Oftentimes, Pilates practitioners note feeling lighter and longer as a result of regular Pilates practice as well. (According to experts at Polestar Pilates, I have learned that this feeling is associated with the correct alignment of your ribs and diaphragm resting on top of your femur bone.
OA: As an instructor, what role does aromatherapy play in your practice? Share with us your top essential oil pick for pilates/wellness sessions and why you choose the oil
Jenn: As a Pilates instructor, I lead my students through movement in coordination with the foundations of breath work. In pilates, we teach diaphragmatic breath work, where the diaphragm is cued to expand on the inhale, and the pelvic floor and transversus abdominis are cued to activate on the exhale.
Our sensory system, scents included, has a huge impact on our ability to connect further with our bodies during a breath. I have found using Organic Aroma’s lavender essential oil with the Raindrop Nebulizing Diffuser during my classes to have a calming impact on both myself and my students.
We are all reminded with every inhale to connect with our immediate surroundings and focus on movements in the sequence.
OA: You are big on movement for wellness. What advice can you give a person who is severely sedentary and does not have the enthusiasm for movement?
Jenn: My advice to someone who is sedentary and unenthusiastic about movement is to encourage them to pick one activity to do a day and stick to it for a while, even if you have to force, you have to force yourself. Your body will crave what it learns to do, so if it learns to move regularly, eventually, you will crave it! Eventually, you will probably find yourself desiring and finding small amounts of peace and/ or joy from an activity that used to cause you exhaustion, boredom, or even pain (pilates will help with the pain!)
OA: Finally, what can people expect from Jenn In Motion in the near future
Jenn: There are a few things in motion at Jenn In Motion!
For my pilates friends and community, I will be sharing the details of my current pilates and yoga residency in Melbourne, Australia this month. I have already released a guide for how Pilates instructors can go about their work on a working holiday visa in Australia.
While In Australia, I will also be developing more pilates sequences specific to aerial dancers. Pilates for Aerialists here we come!
For my dog blog followers, I will be developing more content on dog-friendly accommodations in various spots of Europe and the United Kingdom.
Keep up with all things Jenn In Motion by subscribing to my monthly newsletter and her YouTube channel.
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Conclusion
Israeli athlete and trainer Ido Portal could not have put it better when he said “The body will become better at whatever you do or don’t do. If you don’t move, your body will make you better at not moving.” There is no question that physical activity coupled with aromatherapy improves our mood and makes us productive human beings.
