PilatesforAnxiety:APersonalJourneyinRecruitingBreath

andMindBodyConnection

MorganEkegren

October6,2018

Aptos,2018

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Abstract:

Pilateshasbeenthemaintreatmentformeinbattlinganxiety.Afterhavingmy

childmylifewasconsumedwithdebilitatinganxiety.Iwasunabletoparticipateinthejoy

oflifebecausemymindandbodywassufferingfromanxiousthoughts.Iwasseekinga

nonmedicaltreatmentandfoundreliefthroughPilates.Pilateswasabletocalmmymind

andemotionsusingthebenefitsofmindfulmeditationforthebodyandmind.Pilates

specificallyencouragesthepowerofbreathandpostureandtheirimpactontheentire

body.Ithaspersonallyhelpedmetreatinsomnia,sharpenmymind,relievestress,and

reducenegativeemotions.It’shelpedmelearntoengagecertainmusclesanddeepcore

activationtocleansemynervoussystemandelevatethesymptomsofanxiety.Pilateshas

encouragedmetoconcentratemyattentionononething-mybody,andleavethenegative

behind.

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TableofContents:

Abstract-2

TableOfContents-3

Diagramofbreath-4

TheRespiratorySystem-6

Posture-7

ProgramPlanning-8

Conclusion-12

Sources-13

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Diagramofbreath:

ThepowerofbreathisessentialinPilates.Thebenefitsofconsciousdeepbreathing

arenecessaryinaddressingthemindbodyconnection,whichbreathencourages.Thisis

particularlytrueinthePilatespractice;accordingtoJosephPilates,“Pilatesisthecomplete

coordinationofthebody,mind,andspirit”(JosephPilates,ReturntoLife).Breathingfully,

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whenpayingattentiontointention,centersus.Ithelpsclamthemind,reducestress,and

encouragesagreaterholisticexperiencefortheclient.Workingcloselywithbreathalso

bringsanaturalrhythmtomovementthatgreatlyenhancestheexperienceofthesession.

InPilatesaneffortismadetoemphasizetheexpansionoftheribcage,and

thisiscalled“lateralbreathing”or“intercostalbreathing”(Isacowitz,10).Partofthe

reasonforusingthismethodofbreathistomaintainabdominalcontractionwhile

executingtheexercise,whichisparticularlyimportantduringtheinhalation.“Thenature

ofdiaphragmaticbreathingdemandsrelaxationsoftheabdominalsduringinhalation.In

anefforttomaintaintheabdominalwallpulledinward,emphasisisplacedonlateral

breathingwithconsistentinwardpulloftheabdominalwall”(Isacowitz,10).Themind

mustfocusonthebreathpatternduringtheexerciseinordertoexecutethemovement.

JosephPilates’attitudetowardholisticwholebodyhealthwaseverapparent,

specificallyincoordinatingbreathandmovement.“Pilatesisthecompletecoordinationof

body,mind,andsprit”(JosephPilates).Byapplyingthecoordinatingbreath,spine

stabilization,allwhilealsomovingyourlegsandarms,connectsthebraintoatotalmind

bodyworkout.ThebrainandphysicalbenefitstoPilatesincludecorrectedalignment,

improvedcognitiveability,stressrelief,musclestrength,andgreaterenhancedmood.

JosephPilatescontinuestosay,“Breathingisthefirstactoflifeandthelast,ourverylife

dependsonit.”

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Thehumanrespiratorysystemisaseriesoforgansresponsiblefortakinginoxygen

andreleasingcarbondioxide.Thelungsaretheprimaryorgansoftherespiratorysystem,

whichcarrythisexchangeofgasesaswebreathe.Theoxygenyoubreatheingoesinto

yourlungsandpassesintoyourbloodstreamandthentransportedtoallthosecells(Web,

MD).Pilateshelpsfilterthisprocessandencouragesthenewoxygeninandcarbondioxide

out.Itactsasadetoxifyingprocess,whichinternhelpsease,thesymptomsofanxietyby

filteringoutthenegativethroughbreath.Pilatesencouragesyoutomaintainthemind

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bodyconnectionbycontrollingyourbreathpatternsoyoucan’tfocusonanythingelse.

Thereisnooptionbuttostaywithintheexercise,movement,andbreathpatternorthe

exercisecannotbecompleted.

Posture:

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ProperpostureisahugepositiveoutcomefromPilates.WhendealingwithanxietyI

noticedthatmyposturewassuffering.Myshouldersandheadwereroundedforwardasif

inagriefposition,mylowerbackwouldhurt,andIwouldstrugglewithmuscle

engagement.ThroughPilates,IfoundthatIwasabletostandtallerandmychronicpain

startedtoease.Iwasabletofocusonbackextension,engagingmycoremuscles,and

lateralflexionwithrotationtohelpmypostureimprove.Iwasgainingmusclestrength

alongwithelevatingmymoodandoverallwellbeing.Pilatesisthesolereasonformy

postureimproving.

ProgramPlanning:

InbeginningofmyPilatesjourneyinsearchingforholisticrelieffromanxiety,I

beganworkingwithanamazinginstructortwiceaweek.Weworkedtogetherdesigninga

programthatwouldallowformindfulmindbodyconnectiontoachievesymptomrelief

fromanxiety.

WarmupontheMat:

Wealwaysbeganoursessionwithastandingrolldownandaseriesof6largeinhalesand

exhalestocalmtheheartandprepareforthesession.

Pelviccurl

SpineTwistSupine

Chestlift

Chestliftwithrotation

Therewasspecificfocusonbreathpatternandslowingthebreathdown.Onevery

overwhelmingsymptomfromanxietyisfastbreathingandracingheartrate.Startingthe

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sessionwiththestandingrolldownandthe6longbreathshelpedsignificantlyslowthe

breathdownandopenthemindforreceivingthemindbodyconnectionofPilates.

FootworkontheReformer:

Parallelheels

ParallelToes

V-Positiontoes

OpenV-positionheels

OpenV-positiontoes

Calfraises

Singlelegheel

Singlelegtoes

Thefootworkonthereformerwasimportanttoassociatebreathtomovement.My

instructorencouragedmetoletthisfeelasfreeflowingaspossible.Shewantedmetofeel

likemybreathwasmatchingmymovementandflow,whichencouragedanathleticflow

sequence.

AbdominalsontheReformer:

HundredPrep

Hundred

MyinstructoralwayshadmeworkonHundredPrepandHundredonthereformer

becauseshewantedtoencouragethecellrenewalthroughbringinginnewoxygenand

releasingcarbondioxide.TheHundredrequiredallmymentalandphysicalfocusto

performbecauseofthebreathsequence.Thisexercisetooksomuchoutofmementally

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thatittooktimetobuildtheendurancetocomplete.Ittookmeseveralweekstofeelthe

flowofthisexerciseandexecute.

HipWorkontheCadillac:

SupineLegSeries:

Frog

CirclesDown

CirclesUp

Walking

Bicycle

SpinalArticulation:

ShortSpineontheReformer

ShortSpinewouldhelpencouragetheexactbreathtomovementconnection,with

eachmovementcoordinatingsimultaneouslywithbreathpattern.

Stretches:

Standinglunge

FullBodyIntegration:

DownStretch

KneeStretchGroup:RoundBackandFlatBack

Theseweregreatexercisesformetoworkonbecausetheyrequiredanexactbreath

sequence.Theseexerciseswouldrequireatremendousamountoffocuswhileusingthe

breathpattern.

ArmWork:

ArmsStandingSeriesontheCadillac

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LegWork:

StandingSkaterwasafavoriteofourstoworkonbecausethestandingworkwould

requireextrafocus.Wewouldkeepthespringlightandfocusonbuildingtherepsup.

LateralFlexion/Rotation:

SideoverBox

BackExtension:

PullingStraps1and2

Thiswasaperfectexercisetoendonbecauseitrequiredmusclestrengthand

mentalfocus.Postureplayedahugeroleinthisexerciseandwesawamajorimprovement

inmyextensionovertheweeksofoursessionstocorrecttheroundedforwardshoulders

andpoorposture.

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Conclusion:

Thepowerofbreathandidealposturecreateahugepositiveimpactonreducingthe

symptomsofanxiety.IlearnedthatthroughPilatesIwasabletoreducestress,encourage

bettersleephabits,andreducethephysicalsymptomsofanxiety.Pilateshasimprovedmy

qualityoflifeandhelpedmeseethejoyoflifeagain.Breathiscrucialtocreatingmental

focusandcleansingthebody.PostureimprovesgreatlywiththepracticeofPilatesand

helpstorestorethesufferingposturethatcomeswithagrieflikeposture.Pilateshas

drasticallyhelpedmealleviatemysufferingsymptomsofanxietyandIamforevergrateful.

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Sources:

Isacowitz,Rael.StudyGuide:FoundationApparatusProgram.CostaMesa,California:Body

ArtsandScienceInternational,2016.

Pilates,JosephH,andWilliamJ.Miller.ReturntoLifeThroughContrology.1960.

“RespiratorySystem.”WebMD.Web.2005-2018.