Samantha Pilates

07/18/2023

Body problem solver here!
I’ve never met a body that didn’t improve with the right work. Ever.

Please don’t suffer or decide you’re too old. You can choose everyday how your body adapts and adapt it to better.

Don’t wait. 💜

07/26/2022

Joseph Pilates was WAY ahead of his time. The more I learn about biomechanics the more I love the method for showing people how they can move more of themselves more often!

The strength and flexibility workout is having a moment. What can — and can’t — it do for us?

12/08/2021

Yummy shoulder work. How is your range of motion?

12/07/2021

Sit over screens? Ramp baby!! 💜

12/06/2021

If you’re challenged by weak abs, check in with your breathing mechanics.
Let me know what you find.
Need help? Let’s Zoom.

12/03/2021

Sitting at your desk? Take a minute….

Day 3: Thoracic Stretch On The Wall
There are hinges between each rib and their corresponding thoracic vertebra. When these hinges get stuck, expanding the ribcage/thoracic cavity gets hard if not impossible.

Our habit of spending a lot of time hunched forward translates into ribs that aren’t able to rotate/lift as much which then goes on to affect how deeply we can breathe. This is a gentle move that starts to reposition our upper back and shoulders as well as move the thoracic vertebrae in a way that frees the ribs.

Stand facing the wall. Reach your arms overhead and place hands on the wall (or other support) and slowly back up until your arms are fully outstretched, lowering your chest through your arms. Shift your weight back into your heels and untuck your pelvis. Bend your knees if tight hamstrings interfere.

Hold this move (or work your way up to holding) for twenty slow breaths. If one arm can't get in to a raised position, then just do it with the arm that can (only step a bit closer to the wall). Repeat throughout the day for faster results. P.S. To move even more, do this move, then your step ups from Day 2, then this move again!

12/02/2021

12/02/2021

Day 1: Overhead Triceps Stretch On a Wall
​​We under-appreciate (or perhaps don’t recognize) how limb movement and bigger muscles work synergistically with non-musculoskeletal parts. Said another way, the movement of our lungs and our ability to breathe is impacted by the mobility of the parts that surround our thoracic cavity and lungs. Thus, we begin our journey to breathing well with shoulder movement!

Today’s exercise is a move taken to a wall, where you can let the wall assist you into a better-aligned version that allows you to relax all other parts.

Reach your right arm up and bend the elbow to touch the neck or lower, to the upper back. Lean into a doorway or wall to help move the arm closer to the body. If your shoulders are very tight and your elbow wants to move forward, use the wall/doorway to help support it moving back.

Hold this move (or work your way up to holding) for twenty slow breaths. Work on relaxing your shoulders, face, other arm, etc. Post any questions and let me know how it goes below!

09/21/2021

Take advantage of how your body functions. 💜

Here I describe "Physiological Sighs" which is a pattern of breathing of two inhales, followed by an extended exhale. This pattern of breathing occurs sponta...

09/02/2021

“Osteoporosis is really an adolescent disease that manifests in later years”, Katy Bowman

You have until about age 20 to grow strong bones. After that, though you can always grow back to that strength, your bones strength potential is capped.

How active were you until about 20? Did you climb trees? Swing from the monkey bars? Do the little people in your life?

08/26/2021

“Alignment Matters” Katy Bowman
Where does your tongue sit when relaxed?

Your tongue acts as a rudder and support system through a fascial line that runs right down to your toes!

In nearly all my patients, I see poor tongue posture, and the links to bad spinal posture, breathing, and other issues are felt right throughout the body.

The simplest way we can see how the tongue is so influential is how it supports proper head posture. When the tongue is down and forward, forward head posture and mouth breathing occurs.

Over time this associates with a narrow jaw, crooked teeth, and sleep disorders.

But… you guessed it, as always the mouth is a gateway for so many other systems in the body.

The tongue is an extremely complex muscular and fascial rudder system. This dissection via shows the deep front lines fascial connection.

It guides all the structures of the myofascial continuity that runs from the inner arch of the foot all the way up through the middle of the body to the tongue and jaw muscles.

Isn’t that amazing?

Actually the tongue is potentially more important for core stability than turning on your actual core.

Our core begins deep under the arch with the insertions of the tendons from the lower leg, especially tibialis posterior.

To find its insertion, feel just under the inside arch of the foot, just underneath and forward of protrusion of the navicular bone you can feel a bit over an inch in front of your tibial malleolus on the inside of your ankle.

This point will respond to a soft-but-energy-rich touch that is held, and also to a more firm and direct fascial release. Pressing here can make a flow of feeling run up the fascial line.
So for better core support, spinal, hip and leg strength, you need to work on your tongue posture.

During exercise practice sealing the tongue to the roof of the mouth, this turns on the fascial rudder to the toes. It takes time and you need to work on making the BACK of the tongue connect to the soft palate. More on this to come.

Have you noticed jaw or hip issues?