Always Pilates

I love Pilates because of how it makes me feel and how it prepares me for all the other things I want to do. I spend my days in the studio preaching good posture, use of the core, engaging abdominal muscles and more. It’s something I am passionate about because I’ve seen the results in myself and so many others. Given this - it might surprise you to know I have realized lately, I wasn’t taking my own advice!

Let me explain. I’ve been learning tennis lately - taking lessons, playing doubles, and using the ball machine. Usually when we get together for tennis it is about 90 minutes to two hours of play. The posture for tennis can be a crouching position to begin. I have started to notice my back is sometimes achy after tennis. Fortunately I am able to hop on the reformer and stretch out after playing but I still wanted to figure out how to not be sore in the first place!

I have realized that I have not been engaging my abdominals. When I am in the ready position - my core has not been engaged and I am putting work into my back muscles. The last few times i’ve been on the court I decided to test out my theory. Sure enough - using my Pilates principles in tennis made all the difference!

Today in the studio a few of the ladies were talking with me about their aches and pains with pickleball. I shared my experience with tennis and they, too, realized they were bending and moving without using their abdominals to support their core.

While I know the work we do in the studio is not just for in the studio - it’s a way of moving and being for living - I still needed a reminder when it came to tennis.

Now - I am more convinced than ever that the answer is always Pilates ;-)