One Breath One Body

I am a big believer in Pilates, breath, and the connection to your core. I try to find some time on the Reformer each week, but don't get me wrong, a mat class or stretching at home is equally as hard, if not more challenging. I think there's an exercise modality out there for everyone and if you can find one and make it a part of your lifestyle, you're going to be a happier and healthier version of you! Joseph Pilates said,

“Pilates is the complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.”

I trust in this trinity for sure, and love that movement can create healing in us all.

Last month, we had the pleasure of hosting Kim Armington at M4M and even though we did not lie down on our mats for The Pilates 100 (my most dreaded exercise), we all left the room with a better awareness of our breath, our pelvic floor and the relationship.

Kim is an instructor at Medicine Wheel Wellness and Core Pilates in Jackson. In addition, she has a host of training in physical therapy including pre/post-natal/cesarean section rehabilitation, breast cancer recovery exercises, pelvic floor specialist, Parkinson’s/MS training, and more.

We learned about diaphragmatic breathing, anatomy of movement, and that we all might have mild pelvic floor damage. Kim shared that with just two minutes of intentional aligned breathing, we can create a total reset in our bodies. Wow, our bodies (and in turn our minds) are pretty amazing! The difference made in only two minutes of focused attention. Here's a cool article I found on belly breathing and how it reduces stress, if you'd like to try at home.

Following our breathing exploration, we were each gifted a complimentary class pass at Medicine Wheel (please don’t hesitate to reach out if you were unable to make the meeting and would like to try a free class.)

I'm committed to adding a few minutes of stretching and Pilates to my evening ritual for the next 30 days. It's so incredible what our bodies will do for us with a few deep breaths. Hey, maybe you were one of those mamas that breathed your way through your entire labor! The human body is a marvelous thing. Now, let's go out into the world and practice using them.

Love, Haley

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Haley currently teaches Megaformer classes at Pursue JH, and has intermediate mat training from Power Pilates during her former life in Atlanta, GA.