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Pilates key principles: Flow

 This is the point where we take everything we have learned over the past 5 months and combine it together. 

Breath: The fuel for your power house Pilates key principles: Breathing

Concentration: Connecting your mind and your body Pilates key principles: Concentration

Centre: Your core, connecting to it and letting it power your movement Pilates key principles: Centre

Control: Using the exact alignment, avoiding excess tension, isolating muscles and Pilates key principles: Control

Precision: The exact way the action is executed. Pilates key principles: Precision

We then add Flow so that the movement can flow smoothly and gracefully. 

Combining all these essential elements into my Pilates practice is something that I am still working on.  I'm not sure I will ever hit the perfection target.  It is really important that everyone knows that their best is good enough.  However Pilates is bigger than turning up and waving your limbs around by copying the person next to you.  If you can, try in your next lesson to focus on one of the key principles.  Really build it into every movement.   In each lesson add another element, until you feel the deep connection from your core into every movement you make in a class. 

By adding these principles into your practice you will find that a simple exercise increases in difficulty.  Your core will strengthen, improving your ability to bring flow into your practice. 

See you in class

Katie 


 


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