Pilates and Sitting-Rising Life Expectancy Test

A study published in Dec 2012 recently made headlines because it's a simple screening test that has proved remarkably predictive of mortality. A study of more than 2000 middle-aged and older men and women, performed in Brazil by Dr Claudio Gil Araújo and colleagues at the Clinimex -- Exercise Medicine Clinic in Rio de Janeiro, was reported December 13, 2012 in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention.The test was a simple assessment of the subjects' ability to sit and then rise unaided from the floor. Before starting the test, subjects were told: "Without worrying about the speed of movement, try to sit and then to rise from the floor, using the minimum support that you believe is needed."Each of the two basic movements were assessed and scored out of 5, with one point being subtracted from 5 for each support used (hand or knee, for example). A film of the sitting-rising test can be seen here, or an English-version here.

Offering an explanation for the close correlation between the test scores and survival, Dr Araújo said: "It is well known that aerobic fitness is strongly related to survival, but our study also shows that maintaining high levels of body flexibility, muscle strength, power-to-body weight ratio and co-ordination are not only good for performing daily activities but have a favourable influence on life expectancy."    

In Classical Pilates, we teach clients to sit on the Reformer without any support, and it is surprising how many people who cannot move to a seated position without using their hands for support. As they progress in Mat exercises, we teach clients to start class standing and move to a seated position (without support), and to end class by moving from seated to standing (without support). For many clients, this presents major challenges that require practice to acquire the necessary strength, confidence, and body alignment. Joseph Pilates famously said, "The body is as old as the spine is young," summarizing Dr Araújo's conclusion that flexibility, strength and coordination are important to long-term health and life expectancy. 

Why Take Mat Class at a Pilates Studio?

Joseph Pilates designed his exercises for the Mat - it is THE original Pilates apparatus. to help WWI veterans and others who had difficulty with the mat exercises, he began developing Pilates apparatus to create resistance using springs and pulleys. While exercises may seem different with Pilates equipment, they are all related, and all relate back to the Mat exercises.

Mat classes are accessible to all -- at home, while traveling, outdoors, at the gym or in a

Pilates studio. Mat exercises are challenging -- clients use their body weight and gravity for resistance and have nothing to hold onto or guide them. One can appear to be doing an exercise correctly, but still be missing the Pilates goal.

It can be difficult to learn Pilates from a DVD or TV show. Watching a screen while doing the exercise almost guarantees your body is out of alignment and it can be difficult to follow along in time. Many don't provide enough modifications. There is no instructor to correct your form, provide a modification just for you, or assist you in understanding the goal of the exercise, which can lead to frustration, unnecessary soreness, or potential injury.

Classes at a gym may be taught by a group fitness instructor who may not have much training in Pilates. Often, these instructors perform the exercises with the class which creates the same difficulties as trying to learn Pilates while watching a DVD. 

In a Pilates studio, you should receive personalized attention in the form of specific verbal and touch cues, form correction, assistance in understanding and achieving a particular skill or exercise, as well as modifications specific to your needs. Once you've mastered the principles and form, taking class at the gym or following a DVD is a great way to reinforce and practice more often, because you'll be able to follow the verbal instructions. 

Try taking a Mat class at a studio and see what a difference it can make to your workout and understanding of the exercises and Pilates principles.

From Greatist: See How Much the "Perfect" Female Body Has Changed in 100 Years (It's Crazy!)

Maria Hart in a Jan 15, 2015 posting on Greatist, provides an overview (by decade) starting in 1910 of the "perfect" female body. The shifts in "perfection" are huge and unrealistic for most women.

For example, 'The Supermodel' was the "perfect" female body when I was in high school and college and likely one of the reasons that to this day, I feel "short" at 5' 4", although studies show that is average height for most women.  

Scroll to the bottom of her article to see a slideshow of each of the "perfect" figures. And make note of Maria's final sentence:

"The media’s idea of beauty is subjective and changes, but confidence is always in style."

-- Maria Hart, Greatist.com, Jan 15, 2015