Pilates Class 168

Quick pace and good variety - instructor is pleasantly upbeat.

Hi Lana. Glad you enjoyed the class! To find more classes with hand weights simply hover on the "Pilates Classes" tab at the top and choose Hand Weights from the menu. It will take you to the dedicated page where you will find all the relevant classes. Alternatively you can narrow down the search results by choosing Pilates (as your practice) and then the Level/Duration/Teacher that you like and then filter by prop. Hope this helps! Amit

Mastering the Neck Pull can be a life time journey… it is a very challenging exercise especially when one has tight hip flexors (front of hip muscles) and lower back muscles. But- do not despair… and do not think that doing your best is not good enough!! It is the trying that counts!!

Here are a few practical tips that can help you achieve your goal:

Master the Roll Up first. The Roll Up is in many ways the prep exercise for the Neck Pull. Having the arms stretched out in front makes it easier than when the hands are clasped behind the head. Make sure you REALLY roll down one vertebrae at a time and roll up one at a time. When you get to your tight spot STAY THERE and do some work- deepen your abdominals- pull them in and up in a way that feels like your tight spot is getting a bit longer and stretched out, allowing you to move through it segment by segment.

Master the rolling down bit of the Neck Pull. Controlling the way down is easier than the way up but you must commit yourself to mastering it and not give up when you hit that most difficult moment when you feel like you are not really in control. This is exactly what you need to work on! Like in the Roll Up- stay there and do the work (as above). Seriously hard work and sweat are guaranteed… but also great satisfaction J. A couple of tips that might help- Flex your feet and reach fwd through your heels in opposition to the rolling backwards of the spine; Do your best to initiate the rolling back from your tail- imagine it curling between your legs towards your abdomen (like a scorpion’s tail)

When you work on the rolling up bit of the Neck Pull try the following:
• Think about “bringing the weight of your head forward above your chest and then your belly”
• Imagine rolling fwd from the “crown of your head” and feel that it is your spine that is rolling fwd “folding itself over the abdomen” instead of concentrating on your abdominal power
• Do your best to roll your spine “into itself” like you would roll a Yoga mat or a sleeping bag. It is that tight part of your spine that would not roll tightly that is stopping you from mastering the exercise.

I hope this helps and that you will work hard and enjoy the process in equal measures!

This class goes at quite a pace! A great class if you are really secure with the classical mat repertoire. I like the use of hand weights at the end.