-Catherine Cussaguet
Do you wonder why Pilates has gotten more and more popular among trainers, physical therapists and fitness enthusiasts in the last 15 years? I’m sure you all noticed that, as we age, we tend to be shorter, stiffer, less mobile, and have more injuries. Pilates is a system of exercises designed to strengthen and lengthen the body. Its benefits are multiple and ideally counteract the issues listed above.
• Increases core strength and the balance between mobility and stability
• Improves flexibility
• Improves joint pain, arthritis
• Improves posture and balance
• Enhances ease of movement in everyday life and in sports
As Joseph Pilates (1880-1967), the founder of this practice, was creating his work and equipment, he was very inspired by watching how beautifully animals move. You too can now experience the “elephant,” “monkey,” “seal”, etc. during a Pilates session. He certainly was 50 years ahead of his time because he believed in the relationship between body, mind and spirit. Frail by nature, Pilates overcame his own afflictions and became stronger and stronger as he perfected his work. He was already teaching us that no matter where we start we can improve and be healthier, if we want to be and are consistent in our practice. He believed that a healthy body contributed to one’s happiness.
Here in Aspen we certainly love to play hard with our bodies, which is great for our health, but can be challenging for our lower backs and joints. Over the years, the Pilates work has earned the reputation to be of special help for back problems. “A man is as young as his spinal column,” Joseph Pilates once said. A healthy spine is a spine which can move in flexion, extension, side bend and rotation (with different degrees at different levels). It is useful to learn to stabilize, and also to move in different directions because you do move in sports and in daily life whether you are conscious of it or not. Pilates sessions can be customized to suit everyone from rehab patients to elite athletes. People usually tend to favor big muscles such as the quadriceps and the trapezius. Pilates teaches you to access deeper layers, ease up tensions and re-balance the body. The specific equipment (The Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, Barrels) helps you to isolate, feel and build all the muscles that support your body and movements. You start with simple moves and then integrate them in more complex ones.
At the Aspen Club there are multiple ways to learn Pilates: private and semi-private sessions, Reformer classes and mat classes. However it is recommended that you begin with several private lessons in order to better identify those areas needing special attention.
Experience Pilates to move better, feel better and be healthier!
Catherine Cussaguet is a Pilates instructor at The Aspen Club & Spa. She has a B.S. in Physical Education from Poitiers University in France and is a Certified Pilates Instructor from the Pilates Method Alliance. She is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist (NSCA) and a certified personal trainer (ACE). She has been teaching Pilates for 15 years and believes that good movement supports good health.
