Signs of aging we accept as inevitable include stiffness, aches and pains, and changes in our bodies' contours.  Do we have to accept these as inevitable though?  Pilates is a method of exercise and physical movement that can counteract those unwelcome changes.  Combined with bodywork such as Structural Integration (SI), we can maintain our range of motion and our spine's flexibility, significantly slowing down the aging clock!

Wendy LeBlanc Arbuckle, Director of Pilates Center of Austin and a Structural Integration (SI) practitioner, tells us about how these two methods can help us maintain a strong, flexible body that looks and feels younger.  If you want to see how young and graceful 60 something can look, Wendy LeBlanc Arbuckle, Director of Pilates Center of Austin and a Structural Integration (SI) practitioner, would be the poster woman for that!   

What is Pilates and what are its particular benefits for those of us in our 40s, 50s and beyond?

What is the history of Pilates?

What is the goal of Pilates?

Are you familiar with the concept that the aches, pains, and stiffness we accept as inevitable results of aging are due in large part to habitual tension patterns our bodies develop over time?  And that these symptoms can be improved significantly?

I know you’ve begun including Structural Integration (SI) in the services you offer.  Can you tell us what that is and how it complements Pilates?

What is your philosophy of Pilates and Structural Integration?

What common problems or patterns do you tend to see in your female clients in their 40s and 50s?

We hear that as we get older we should absolutely include weight bearing exercise for bone health. What are your thoughts on including weight/strength training as a complement to Pilates and SI?

What is important to know for people considering taking up Pilates?

What is Pilates and what are its particular benefits for those of us in our 40s, 50s and beyond?

We know that age is not only chronological – we’re only as old as the suppleness of our spine and flexibility of our mind. A fluid body and mind that can let go of life’s tension and stress is what keeps us young.  

Pilates is a method of exercise and physical movement designed to stretch, strengthen, and balance the body. It is done both in mat exercises as well as on various pieces of apparatus.  We have young clients as well as clients in their 60s and 70s.  Pilates’ focus on strength WITH length makes it different than exercises that tend to compress the joints and body such as weight lifting or running.  Elongating the spine is critical to keeping the discs hydrated and healthy as well as maintaining a full range of motion through open joints, and flexibility for the whole body.  

What Pilates also challenges is the “no pain- no gain” mentality – which can lead to injury and comes from a lack of internal awareness.  Pilates can help us avoid the ‘brittleness of old age’ that can make us more susceptible to trauma, injury and inflexible ways of thinking. Think of the old saying about the wind being able to blow over an oak tree but the grass just bends and sways.

When Pilates is taught by a comprehensively trained teacher who has completed at least a 1 year teacher training program, there isn’t just focus on doing exercises.  The client’s needs and goals are primary.   The teacher has an ability to mold and shape a program over time which exceeds the client’s original expectations.  Clients re-shape their bodies, discover core control from foot to head, and learn to de-stress their minds.  Becoming aware of the power of the breath to self-calm and energize the body is life changing.   New ways of being and thinking become possible at any age.

 
What is the history of Pilates?

Pilates is a whole body exercise system created by German born pioneer, Joseph Pilates, a boxer and acrobat.  He brought it to New York City in 1926.  What I find important, which speaks to the depth of his way of thinking outside the box is this:  In creating his revolutionary equipment in the early 1920’s, he dared to ask the question “why are we allowing the body to atrophy around the injured part?  Why not move the whole body around the injury?”  He took springs off hospital beds and put them on people’s hands and feet which lead to the creation of his first piece of spring-based equipment. 

Another important aspect of Pilates is that it is a concept, a philosophy, and a commitment to whole body health, rather than just a series of exercises.


What is the goal of Pilates?

A major goal of Pilates is to restore a more vibrant body and mind at any age.   As Joseph Pilates says in his book “Return to Life through Contrology”: By reawakening thousands and thousands of ordinarily dormant muscle cells, Contrology (his name for his method) correspondingly reawakens thousands and thousands of dormant brain cells, thus activating new areas and stimulating further the functioning of the mind……..No wonder that so many persons express such great surprise following their initial experience…..For the first time in many years their minds (and bodies) have been truly awakened.”

If you notice, babies and animals move effortlessly with gravity’s support without overworking. Our goal with clients is reawakening the natural intelligence that builds a vibrant, healthy body at any age.  I had a woman in her mid-60s the other day marveling that she had never felt as flexible as this,not even in her younger years.

Our focus on breath awareness builds healthy habits.  If you habitually breath in quick, shallow breaths, your lung tissue loses capacity, your diaphragm weakens and all you can do it take in ‘sips’ of air.  Over time the body cannot rid itself of toxins and major problems are the result.  You should be able to feel your rib cage expand in all directions when you breathe.  Breathing this way also has a calming effect, critical in the stressful lives we lead.