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To Arrive…

ONLINE PILATES BY THE LIFT GIRL www.liftgirlpilates.com

Everyone has heard the term, arrive in style! And everyone loves to do just that from time to time, particularly when attending a party.  To ARRIVE feels so much better deep down inside than merely to GET there, oftentimes late, appearing less than perky, breathing heavily, and just overall feeling behind the power curve.   Sound familiar?

Over the hump, situation behind us, looking foward/not back, and never doing that again… (right eye winking!)

Okay, so maybe it happens to you all the time and maybe it’s time to change that  experience.  To arrive in style takes preparation, thought, and planning.  You have to know who you are, what you’re doing, and how you’re going to do it in order for it go over well.  (If you’re a woman, a little bit of red lipstick can’t hurt; if you’re a man, some drop-dead killer cologne will get you off to a good start!)

All details aside, when you’re prepared, you arrive calm, cool, and collected.  You appear at ease and ready to tackle whatever comes your way.  You walk better, you look better, and you feeeeeel better.  Your evening is grand, and you know you’ll remember it with a smile on your face and a song in your heart.

Guess what?  The same holds true with Pilates.  In order to “arrive” at some of the more challenging exercises, you have to put your best foot forward.  Otherwise, you could strain a muscle, fail to reach that next level, and be destined to do the same old exercises over and over over again.  AND wind up frustrated for your efforts.  You finish class feeling little if anything at all and totally uninspired.  And that would be a shame considering the time and money you’ve invested.

I am constantly saying to my students, “You have got to RECRUIT your abdominals and GATHER your shoulder girdle strength.  Arriving in the 100′s position requires a full body effort.”  Going there or  getting there is simply not good enough.  ARRIVING is more deliberate, thoughtful, and planned, not simply an afterthought.

Joseph Pilates often used the word, haphazard, in his book RETURN TO LIFE.  He beautifully conveys the importance of mastery of the mind over complete control of your body. When you deliberately think about what you are doing you will no doubt achieve better results and feel better about what you are doing.

This morning in MAT class, we took the time to study this concept and feel the difference.  It was one of those Heeeeeeeeeeeey, that’s much easier and felt better moments!  It actually made my day!

Some of the comments I heard most often: Wow, I had no idea I was even doing that or how hard I was making this! / The pain in my neck went away! / I felt it deeper in my abdominals this time around! / I felt more powerful and at ease! / I’m going to use this in all the exercises I have trouble with!

And those comments are only the tip of the iceberg!

So the lesson here is, don’t merely GO somewhere because someone told you to.  Instead, TRAVEL there in style and be prepared when you arrive at the party.  Life is more fun that way.

Now, ladies, getting back to that red lipstick…

Bye for now!