| I had to slack off over the holidays because we had family come up and I got kicked out of my room, but I got right back to them when the New Year hit. I'm trying to not get into the whole "omigosh I skipped a night" guilt, because right now I'm a little sore (but it's a feel good kinda sore) so I'm not doing them tonight... It's hard for me to get into the once every two days thing that people say that you should do with a new exercise program, so I'm going to do one dvd one night and the other the next night, cause I get a different workout from each dvd. Except tonight, I'm skipping it tonight.
I'm having a MUCH easier time getting on my horses now than I ever did, and I've only been doing pilates consistantly for the last week or so. Needless to say I'm a little bit wary of attributing that to the pilates, but the last time I got on it was very very ugly, and I'm almost graceful now (almost), and pilates is the only thing I've changed in my routine. I'm able to hold a small two-point position stirrupless, and I'm feeling like I'm much better able to feel if my heel is in line with the rest of my body. My posting has improved, as I'm using my thighs more now, and so my leg position is becoming better and better. I can FEEL the improvements in my riding; my instructor isn't going to believe that I took two months off of riding when I go back for lessons.
Two nights ago, I couldn't even come close to reaching my toes, but tonight I'm able to touch my toes with my legs straight! I dont' think I've EVER been able to do that. My posture has improved tenfold, and wow, the high that I get from doing pilates is better than anything I could chemically induce. I'm walking on cloud nine and a half, just from that pilates high. I'm feeling better about myself, I've yet to see any physical results, but I can feel myself getting stronger, I'm able to function on 8-9 hours of sleep as opposed to 9-10. I have more energy at work, and my entire outlook on life has become soooo sunny, it's almost scary how optimistic I am I'm normally the broody tortured artist type.
To be honest, I had been a little skeptical when I first started reading up on pilates, they sounded too good to be true, ya know? My goal is to be able to have a body I can be proud of come bathing suit season. I'll never be small, my genes forbid that, but I can at least look toned.
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| That's fabulous! Congratulations! Sounds like you have one of the apparatus (reformer, performer, cadillac?) - I have only done the mat exercises but I love them. I started getting serious about Pilates after a major abdominal surgery, beginning with VERY modified versions just trying to rehab and get my strength back. That quickly became the easiest surgical recovery EVER, I can't feel any internal adhesions and less than a year later, I'm much much stronger than I ever was before surgery!
Pilates rules! |