What is Pilates and SFMA
Pilates is a system of exercises that teaches you how to use the correct muscles necessary for ideal posture and core stability, how to strengthen relatively weak muscles, lengthen short muscles and improve joint flexibility in natural fluid movements.
SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assement) is an assessment and treatment tool used to screen for normal and pain-free movement patterns.
When the Pilate’s and SFMA principles and exercises are used within the scope of rehab, something amazing happens. People begin to feel better. All sorts of ailments can be rehabilitated this way. From neck pain to back pain, from acute pain to chronic pain, Pilates and SFMA are very powerful tools when used correctly.
Through my experiences as a clinician I have come to rely on Pilates and SFMA as my go-to “tools” for treating various aches and pains. The combination of these two philosophies of treatment is what makes my treatment style unique and effective. Let’s go over a few very important principles for exercising so that you too can experience better posture, strength, tone, balance, flexibility and reduced risk of injury.
The Core Principles
- Diaphragmatic Breathing
- You will need to train your brain to relax “protecting”, or “guarding, muscles. You will need to use your breathing to achieve this.
- Pregnancy and delivery can very likely alter the way we control our breathing. Most often breathing patterns need to be “reset” after pregnancy and delivery.
- To learn how to breathe correctly through ALL exercises, check out my post on Diaphragmatic Breathing.
- By breathing correctly during each exercise, you allow for the right muscles to be recruited and the right movement patterns to be performed, AND you minimize risk of injury.
- Concentration
- Exercise should always be mental and physical training. You will need to concentrate and bring awareness to your core muscles for EACH exercise you do.
- To learn what core muscles we will focus on, please refer to my post on Pelvic Floor Rehab.
- Alignment
- If is important for your body to be in proper alignment (posture and neutral spine) so that the right muscles are recruited and as not to stress your muscles and joints.
- To learn how to be in proper alignment, please refer to my post called Neutral Spine and Alignment.
- Coordination
- Coordinating your breathing pattern, maintaining good posture and neutral spine, and controlling your movements is what makes Pilates the “intelligent exercise.” Each exercise should be coordinated and controlled, working with your breathing. This means your exercises and movements will be SLOW and thus controlled.
- Quality over quantity. This is directly related to slowing down your movements, doing fewer reps, and controlling which muscles you should recruit. In general, 5-10 good reps of a core exercise is much more effective than 30 quick, uncontrolled reps.
- Working with your breath, or coordinating your breathing, means knowing when to exhale and when to inhale. In general, remember that you inhale before you do your exercise, and you exhale as you go into your exercise. I will always cue you when and how to breathe in all the exercises.
- Relaxation
- Practicing Diaphragmatic Breathing is a great way to release tension and stress before your exercise. Proper breathing prepares your body and your mind for exercising.
- It is important to remove yourself from a stressful environment, which means if the children are loud or climbing on you, you may need to do your exercises during naps or in the back room.
- Tension can alter breathing patterns and alignment so it is crucial to be relaxed during exercises.
