INDUSTRY INSIGHT
THE POWER OF PILATES
SPONSORED CONTENT
Mindful Exercise for Reducing Stress and Improving Health
M
ind-body exercise programs,
what I actually prefer to call
mindful exercise, have established
themselves as significant players
in stress reduction and health improvement.
Mindful exercise is perhaps best characterized
by low to moderate-intensity physical activity
performed with a meditative, consciously
proprioceptive sense with attention to breath. It
is described as physical activity incorporating a
profound inward mental focus. That inward focus
should be in a non-judgmental fashion. Mindful exercise improves
several health outcomes including blood pressure reduction, balance
improvement, decreased physical pain, increased pulmonary function
and reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms.
For exercise to be classified as mindful, it requires more than merely
adding a cognitive component to a physical activity. The following
criteria are recommended for an activity to be considered mindful
exercise.
Meditative/contemplative - A noncompetitive, present-moment,
and non-judgmental introspective component that is process-
centered versus being strictly outcome or goal oriented.
Proprioceptive and kinesthetic body awareness - Exercise
characterized by low to moderate-level muscular activity coupled
with mental focus on muscle and movement
sense.
Breath centering - The breath is frequently
cited as the primary centering activity in mind-
body exercise.
Anatomic alignment and proper form - The
requirement to hold oneself to a particular
movement pattern or spinal alignment.
Energycentric - Awareness of the movement
and flow of one’s intrinsic energy, vital life force,
chi, prana, or other positive energy.
Some example class settings that constitute mindful exercise:
Yoga
Yoga literally means “to yoke” or “union.” The “union” refers to an
integration of mind, body, and spirit. Hatha yoga is the physical
aspect of this discipline and includes a vast repertoire of physical
postures or asanas, which are performed while sitting, standing,
or lying prone or supine on the floor. There are 10 different styles
of Hatha yoga and if you go to a general Hatha yoga class you may
experience a little of each style.
PHI Pilates holds a general Hatha yoga class on Tuesday nights
at 7:15 p.m. and a faster paced power flow class on Wednesday
mornings at 9:15 a.m.
Restorative Yoga
This style of Hatha yoga is most appropriate for those who are just
embarking on a yoga program because of the use of props (blankets,
pillows, etc.) and the elementary but progressive nature of the poses.
Restorative yoga is more gentle and relaxing.
PHI Pilates holds a Restorative yoga class on Sunday mornings at
10:00 a.m.
Pilates
Pilates is an orderly system of slow, controlled movements that
clearly demand a profound internal cognitive focus divided into two
modalities, mat work or equipment-based work. Practiced privately or
in a class setting, Pilates is a form of movement re-education in which
the student learns to overcome faulty compensatory movement
patterns by using springs and by changing the body’s orientation to
gravity. Performing Pilates exercise is more about how to move, not
how fast, how far, or how much.
PHI Pilates offers Pilates private and group classes on all equipment
and the mat daily.
This Industry Insight was written by Christine Romani-
Ruby, PT, DEd, MPT, ATC, PMA®CPT.
An internationally renowned physical therapist with
27 years of experience in clinical practice, Dr. Ruby has
successfully integrated physical therapy and Pilates to
create innovative post-rehabilitation and wellness programs
for conditions such as back pain and sport-specific
programs for professional athletes. Founder of PHI Pilates
in Pittsburgh, she guides clients in the study of their own
movement to improve posture and reduce pain and risk
of injury. Dr. Ruby is regularly sought after to speak at
national and international conferences and works daily in her clinic with clients including
NFL athletes, ballerinas, and clients recovering from injuries or illness. Her YUR® BACK
program is designed to safely progress clients with back pain from physical therapy to
whole-body fitness programs, so that they can get back to a healthy lifestyle.
MT. LEBANON
❘
SUMMER 2019
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