I did not see Star Wars until a couple years ago and ended up watching almost all of them. I grew up with a brother who was into Star Wars and had watched the movies and I resisted watching them. But now that I’ve seen the movies there are certain quotes that I can’t resist using as parallels in Pilates.
“I am one with the force. The force is with me.”
I had a client a couple weeks ago who said she felt like she was one with the spring. That she and the spring were together and whole. I tamed my excitement but this is what I hope for all my clients, every single person I teach. The reformer isn’t a machine you simply use, it’s something you connect with to strengthen your muscles for better movement.
When teaching Pilates I sometimes hear complaints about discomfort of where I might position someone on the reformer. I’m not doing it to make my client uncomfortable, I’m doing it so they can feel the connection to the spring. The spring isn’t about weight or heaviness, it serves a purpose and when it doesn’t serve that purpose the exercise is lost and my client will feel discouraged.
Yoda was a wise character in the Star Wars movies just like Joseph Pilates was a wise man for creating these life changing exercises. If your client doesn’t feel connected to the spring, how do you change the equipment or the exercise? Do you make adjustments where you are or do you move to the mat, chair, Cadillac, barrel, etc? And if you are using the mat, how do you make sure your client feels the spring? Do you use a prop?
“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Yoda