Conscious

From the first step to the next, you need to stay awake and focused throughout the process. Exercise both body and consciousness.

In practice, some environmental factors seem to deliberately disturb the combination of body and mind, such as noisy music, TV screens, computers installed on training equipment, and a lot of other interference factors. Pilates needs to be carried out in an environment that promotes and strengthens the unity of body and mind. The first thing is to realize the body.

Rule 2: strike a balance.

The word "balance" has rich meanings. It is related to many health factors, such as strength and flexibility, balance when standing on one leg, and body symmetry.

We need to exercise different muscle groups in a balanced way, and we also need to keep the balance between different motion planes. Balance can also refer to a healthy life, that is, the coordination of body, consciousness and spirit. You should try your best to achieve balance at all levels and make balance an important part of Pilates practice.

Rule 3: The correct way to breathe.

Breathing is a complex process, involving many joints and muscles, which affects both active and passive body control. A basic understanding of breathing is particularly important, because it can help you understand movements and exercises more deeply. Diaphragm is the key muscle for breathing. It bulges upward in a dome shape and is located below the chest, forming the bottom of the chest and the top of the abdominal cavity. Diaphragm plays an important role in breathing and forming a "muscle bra".

Rule 4: Highly centralized.

Concentration is a bridge between consciousness and action. When you are ready to start practicing, it is recommended to establish important information first: which muscles you need to use, how to adjust your body arrangement, and which breathing method to choose.

Focusing on specific muscles before the action begins will make these muscles move more accurately.

Focusing on keeping your body in alignment will help make the right muscles work and avoid unnecessary physical stress. Focusing on breathing patterns can help maintain a good rhythm of exercise and make your attention more focused.

However, it should be noted that excessive concentration may be counterproductive. Will increase stress, lead to muscle tension, limited breathing, and then lead to inconsistent movements. This is not our goal, so we should avoid this situation.

Rule 5: Find the body center.

Finding the center of the body is a purely physical term-that is, finding your own center of gravity. The female's center of gravity is located approximately in front of the first and second sacral segments, approximately in the middle area of the pelvis.

Men's center of gravity is relatively high, opposite to the navel. Different weight distribution makes the body structure different-men tend to be heavier in the upper body, while women have a higher proportion in the pelvic area. It is very important to find and feel the center of the body, which will affect all the exercises you do.

Rule 6: Gain Control

Gaining control is the fusion of all the above criteria. When we observe people's movements, especially when they do complex movements, we can clearly see whether they have a high level of control.

Few things are more exciting and exciting than watching dancers, gymnasts or figure skaters. They can always control their movements perfectly. Similarly, watching lions pacing, cheetahs running or gazelles jumping will be awe-inspiring. Although human beings can't reach the athletic ability of animals, it is still worth pursuing.

Rule 7: Efficiency

Pursuing high efficiency can help us pay more attention to our own energy. When practicing Pilates, we don't feel uneasy when the movements are difficult and demanding.

Pay attention to key areas and use the required energy reasonably. The rest of the body remains calm and relaxed. When practicing, give yourself inner hints: the more difficult and demanding the action, the more you should consciously relax.

Rule 8: Fluency

Fluency, like all principles, is embodied in both body and consciousness. It exists in every movement and runs through the Pilates course.

We can describe fluency as: energy flows smoothly and is transformed into action. This is also a seamless connection between one action and the next, making them look like a coherent set of actions. Although teachers sometimes stop to correct and guide students. But everyone's actions or the whole class should be coherent.