Massera ryggraden - Inte egot

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Massage your spine - Not your ego

If you search for Pilates on social media, you might find yourself confused about what exactly Pilates is.

Is it yoga? Does it have to be performed on a Reformer? Is it only for flexible people? Can men do Pilates? Do you need a "Pilates body"?

There are thousands of photos, posts, and videos ranging all the way from basic manoeuvres that a regular person can perform, to amazing feats that would make an Olympic acrobat jealous.

I would like to offer an explanation of what Pilates is to me, and hopefully you will feel less intimated (and confused) by this wonderful exercise method.

To me, Pilates is all about how it makes me feel in my body. Right before a Pilates class, I have the opportunity to check in with myself and see where my body and mind are at that moment. Because let's face it, ever day is different.
If I have just sat on a bus for 8 hours straight, my body's needs will be vastly different compared to if I have been shovelling snow in the garden for the last 2 hours. If I check in with myself, and show myself compassion, I can give my body what it needs instead of feeling bad if it's not up to its usual performance.

I can focus on strengthening what is weak - today.
Challenging what is strong - today.
Balancing what is out of balance - today.
In other words, I am meeting my body where it is and focusing on "massaging my spine". I exercise because I want to take care of my body and feel good.

This is what it looks like:
Doing basic exercises because I need to hone certain skills.
Doing exercises I struggle with because I have skills I need to develop.
Adding the next step to exercises when I'm ready for it because I shouldn't become complacent and stay in my comfort zone.
Taking a step back on exercises because I tried progressing too quickly.

If I would instead focus on "massaging my ego", I would be more concerned with how my Pilates practice looks. I would focus on making the exercises bigger and harder, instead of seeing how I can make them deeper. I would jump on the opportunity to perform advanced exercises - without having properly built the skills I need to perform them safely. I would also miss out on the wonderful feeling Pilates leaves in the body when an exercise has been properly performed and the purpose of that specific exercise has been achieved. Because every exercise was developed to be good for the body, and every exercise has a specific purpose. Even the crazy-looking advanced exercises should make your body feel better - not strained, or achy.

My favourite way to think about this is the way MeJo Wiggin described working with Romana Kryzanowska.
If you don't know Romana, she is what we would call a Pilates elder. She learned Pilates directly from Joseph Pilates himself, and she was instrumental in preserving and spreading the method after his death.
MeJo (an amazing teacher in her own right) described how it was training for Romana. She explained how Romana would mostly teach basic and intermediate exercises to people, and when she thought they were ready, she would give them an advanced exercise "like a gold nugget" and it would be "effortless".

Isn't that a much nicer way to approach more advanced movements? Building up and preparing the body so that, not only do you get the rush of being able to perform it, you also get the extra bonus of having it be effortless?

I would suggest that by focusing on "massaging the ego", you might lose the most important benefit of Pilates, which is to improve your body and bringing it closer to its true potential. However, if you would focus on "massaging the spine", you would not only achieve the benefits of Pilates, you would also advance your practice in a sustainable and healthy way. Advanced exercises would no longer be lofty dreams, but goals you could actually build toward and achieve - while feeling good. A healthy "massage of the ego" you would get as a nice bonus.