It’s been exactly one week since the final day of the Olympic Games; one week since the world was together celebrating some of the finest living athletes. It was an exciting two weeks, but it is nice to have the city back to normal.
I came across a valuable resource today: Pilates Digest. Here you can find feature articles, information, video, product review and insightful commentary on everything Pilates. There’s also a forum and space to leave comments, creating an informed dialogue and a community of Pilates practitioners.
The article: “The Psoas in NOT a Hip Flexor” is interesting, and relates to a part of the body that Pilates focuses carefully on. Liz Koch defends her argument by tracing the psoas back, not to the spine, but to the “embryonic.”
She says: “the story of how human life begins and develops in utero. It tells a story about an essential midline called the primitive streak from which everything emerges. Within this paradigm the psoas grows out of the human midline and is a messenger of the central nervous system; integral to primary reflexes, neurological proprioception, and personal integrity.”
She goes on to say: “If we think of this tissue as a muscle flexor then we will proceed in trying to stretch and strengthen it as we would any other flexor. However, if we think of the psoas primarily as neurological information, tender, supple, bio-intelligent tissue, we begin listening to it and recognizing it as a vital messenger.” The rest of the article gives tips on how to recognize and begin listening to your psoas’ needs and the most effective use for it.
The Movement Studio has a group of qualified and certified instructors to help you understand the importance of the psoas and its relation to the rest of the body. We offer a variety of classes that range from Well Back classes to Advanced Apparatus classes that can help you target specific areas or help you focus on the body as a whole.
Call 604.732.9055 or email info (at) themovementstudio (dot) ca to inquire.
