Get your ‘Joe’ on!
Just in case some of you are unaware of where the Pilates method came from, I thought I'd share some of the wisdom from the creator of Pilates, a genius by the name of Joseph (or Joe) Pilates.
His original name for Pilates was ‘Contrology’. And for him, Contrology was not just about performing the exercises 3 – 4 times a week, but about introducing four guiding principles into our everyday lives. And these principles are just as relevant today as they were 73 years ago.
1. PLAY
Joe said, “the term play embraces every aspect of PLEASURABLE LIVING.'' So make sure you focus on doing something you love for you - whether it's meeting friends, having quality time with family or participating in fulfilling sports or hobbies.
2. SLEEP
Joe states that sleep "…must supplement our exercises in our quest for physical fitness.’’ If you focus on getting the right amount of sleep - aiming for 8 hours a night - you'll be happier, mentally sharper and your body will recover faster.
3. CLEANLINESS
Joe says, "a good stiff brush stimulates and thoroughly cleans out the pores of the skin and removes dead skin...Your body breathes through the pores of the skin…[and] clean, open pores permit perspiration to uninterruptedly eliminate the poisons of your body." Plus, who doesn't love a good shower?
4. PROPER DIET
Joe reminds us to "eat only enough food to restore the fuel consumed by the body". He also warns that "merely eating to satisfy one's lust for good food is both foolish and dangerous to one's health." However, I do think that every now and then you've got to treat yourself, especially over the festive period!!!
YOUR CHALLENGE - GET YOUR 'JOE' ON
I am going to challenge you to perform a series of exercises everyday over the festive period (or longer if possible) and notice how your body feels after 2-3 weeks.
This is a 20-minute audio recording which include exercises for your feet, unwinding your spine, c curve prep, wrist strengthening and functional movements for your lower limbs.
I would also love you to take a moment to think about how you might incorporate Joe’s four guiding Contrology principles into your everyday lives to GET YOUR ‘JOE’ ON!
FINAL WORDS OF WISDOM FROM JOE
“Physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.”
My wish for you is to have a happy, healthy, fun and relaxing festive break and I look forward to teaching you in the new year.
Remember to be kind to your body. Keep moving, keep breathing, keep practicing.