Mind-Body Connection
Pilates’ most powerful tool is giving you the ability to connect your mind to your body. Mind-to-body, m2b, in Pilates refers to your ability to deeply focus on the primary and secondary muscles you are working within any given exercise. When you find this connection, you immediately feel the difference. For example, if you’re performing a donkey kick simply lifting and lowering your knee is not going to activate your glute and your core as much as lift and lowering your knee while squeezing your working glute the entire time and continuing to keep your core engaged by holding belly button to spine and holding your tucked tailbone. M2b movement forces you to concentrate, to stay focused throughout the exercise, and to move your body with intention.
I love practicing m2b because it teaches my that I am in control of how effective my workout is going to be. Are there days when I need a slow and controlled, gentle sculpt? Yes! But even on those days I sill want to commit to mindfully moving my body so that I sculpt, tone, and lengthen the muscles each move is intended to work.
Like everything, having the discipline to regularly practice m2b movements takes time before it becomes naturally engrained in how you show up during a Pilates class. Give yourself the time to get there and listen to your body and how moves feel throughout the way. As you practice this type of intentional movement, you will find yourself thinking more throughout your sequences. Which is a good thing! You soon will be able to identify what proper form, and improper form, feels like; what modifications you should take and what advancements you can take; how deep your range of motion really is, etc. And you’ll quickly understand why the mind-body connection is one of the core principles of Pilates.
I’ve gotten to a point where I focus so deeply while moving on my mat, that I can also better hear what my body is telling me when I’m running. Am I slouching too much, are my hips too far back when I’m sprinting, am I engaging my core up this hill? The m2b connection transforms all your movements, on your mat, on your tread, and anything in between.