I started Pilates about 2 months ago and really enjoy the workout as well as the results - which for me involves good, relaxed posture in the shoulders and feeling and moving "really tall." I never have had back problems. I have done yoga, including Iyengar and Anusara for years, but the core training was the piece missing. While training the core muscles, I also do a Pilates style workout of all the muscles in my joints (arms and shoulders, hips, ankles). Feels fabulous and makes a difference in what I can do in yoga. In fact, at this point, doing the simple set of TM assanas and some sun salutations is all the yoga I like or need. I think some of the yoga around today is using yoga postures with too much effort and strain.
--- In [email protected], "curtisdeltablues" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Core training refers to a body of information gathered by physical > therapist about the balance of strength and flexibility needed for our > muscle system function properly. Sports trainers have learned so much > about rehabbing injuries and some physical trainers are using it as > the basic exercise program for athletes to prevent injuries. The > basic core training is your stomach and back muscles which work > together to keep our backs functioning properly and the correct > balance of power with our limb muscles. Asanas were good start for > gaining flexibility in the back, but you need to add the strengthening > of all the stomach and back muscles to have a strong core. If your > core is strong then you don't displace energy into your limbs, which > strains your joints if your core muscles are weak. One guy who was > way ahead of the curve on this was Joe Pilates, whose training > programs are all over. I am a big fan of Mark Verstegen's work at > http://www.athletesperformance.com/ He has a very popular book and > DVD for an exercise program which you can customize for your own > fitness goals. > > The yogic system was great for its time but there is a lot of new > information about how important it is not to stretch ligaments which > many yogic postures do. The lotus posture is one of the the worst > offenders. Sports therapist have discovered how to position stretches > so you only lengthen the muscles not the tendons. He also has a great > program for exercising the small supportive muscles around each joint > so that it functions in the proper position without as much wear and > tear. Many body builders found this out the hard way by over > strengthening the pecs and lats which pulls the shoulder forward and > down, destroying the rotator cuff over time. Each joint has a bunch > of small muscles to position it properly and it takes light weights > and precise positions to get them strong. Once I strengthen these > supportive muscles it made a huge difference in my overall strength. > Both these systems have helped me a great deal but they are not the > only ones out there. This information is so hot in exercise > philosophy now there are many sources for it. Good luck! I am also > curious about what exercise programs other people are enjoying. > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "markmeredith2002" > <markmeredith@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], "curtisdeltablues" > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > One of the first indications that all was not cool in the Emerald City > > > was when I was still flying and a chiropractor took my back X-rays > > > after I had thrown my back out. He said " So how long have you been > > > jogging?" I explained to him how I was practicing flying and he > > > explained to me the implications on my vertebrae by sitting in full > > > lotus and bouncing on my butt, even on foam. He showed me how that > > > posture actually takes you butt cheeks away from protecting the spine > > > during flying so that I was compressing my discs. It was very > > > visible, my bottom discs were compressed like a marathon runners. He > > > tried to explain the implications of my behavior but, of course, I was > > > too enlightened for his advise at the time. I don't know if discs can > > > recover from such a stress but my back is great these days from all > > > the core training workouts I do so I can't assess if I sustained any > > > long term damage. What was interesting for me was that I saw my > > > compressed discs at the time and still continued to practice flying > > > until I got out of the mindset that I was doing cosmic good for > > > myself. I remember the sickening feeling that perhaps MMY and his > > > crew did not understand the implications of his program on people's > > > backs and I might have set myself up for a very painful old age. > > > > Exactly my experience too. What are "core training workouts"? I'm > > gradually healing my back but have some ways to go. > > > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
