move of the month
Brooke Siler, owner of the re:AB studio in New York City and author of The Pilates Body (Broadway Books, 2000) and the recently released Your Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge (Broadway Books, 2005), relates that Joseph Pilates used to sit in the Open Rocker position (pictured below) while giving interviews to various editors. Siler, a Pilates guru to the stars, personally recommends this pose to enhance posture. “This pose is a balancing and inner strengthening technique that ultimately leads to better posture and the lengthening of the lower back,” adds Siler. Here is her at-home version.
1) Sit in the middle of your mat with your knees bent in toward your chest. Open your knees to shoulder-width apart and take hold of your ankles (thumbs on top). Pull your navel deep into your spine, and lean back until you are balancing on your tailbone with your feet off the floor.
2) Begin straightening both legs toward the ceiling in an open V position and balance. Your arms are straight. (You can hold backs of calves if necessary.)
3) To initiate the rocking, inhale, pressing your navel down into your spine, and bring your chin to your chest. Do not initiate the movement by throwing your head back.
4) Roll back just as far as the bottom of your shoulder blades, remaining in your V position, and then exhale to come back up. Imagine being weighted like a punching clown or bottom-heavy piece of fruit. Repeat 3 to 5 times. End by coming up and balancing.
** For an advanced challenge, rock without holding on. Remember to initiate from the powerhouse! Hold arms forward and balance at the top of each rocker.
Copyright © 2006 by Brooke Siler From Your Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge by Brooke Siler, published by Broadway Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Reprinted with permission.January/February 2006
