I recently went on a girls trip to Tortola to recharge and reconnect not only with a few of my favorite women but with myself as well.
If you have ever been to a tropical beach destination, you know the magic that it holds. The warm sun and sand coaxing your muscles to melt, the trade winds reminding you to breathe a bit deeper and the sound of the waves repetitiously crashing, lulling you into a guided meditation. Oh, and the rum doesn't hurt either.
Amidst all this beauty, visitors were still glued to their phones. I am not just talking your typical teenager but people of all ages. Checking Facebook, Instagram, the news and email. As I looked a bit deeper I noticed the common posture of those who were visiting the island. Rounded shoulders and forward heads shuffled to the breakfast buffet. Sure, this posture has been common place amongst a large population of seniors but I began to notice that people of all ages were affected with these poor posture patterns. The locals however were for the most part had great posture. This just shows, a technology driven economy versus a people/tourism driven economy.
When I got home, I reflected on what I had seen. The more I learn about the human body, the more dire poor postural habits seem. Studying the chains of the body and how if we don't properly support them with strong and balanced musculature we are more prone to back pain, osteoporosis, hunchback, hip replacement, incontinence, constipation, prolapse, joint replacement and the list GOES ON and ON.
The stronger our relationship becomes with technology, the more out of touch we become with our movement patterns and we weaken our connection with our BODY, you know that one thing you get to carry you through life. It will get old, it will begin to break down but if you could, wouldn't you want to stave off wear and tear for as long as possible?
For me, Pilates has taken me into a deeper understanding of myself, more than any other physical endeavor. I still love yoga, barre, weight lifting and cycling and I still do them all. Pilates has given me the tools to do all of those things with a greater awareness of my body and that has given me so much freedom in my movement. Through Pilates, I have truly began to listen to my body, when it says push and when it says stop. We are living with this juxtaposed idea of exercise until it hurts but you can turn your lights off with a push of a button. Where is the balance and SUSTAINABILITY?
Still curious? My passion is to show people how they can feel better through self-care and self-perserverance the catalyst being Pilates. Don't just live with your body, live IN your body.