Submitted Photo
Retired professional dancer Jordan Moser, the owner of Wellspring Pilates, helps a client achieve the correct position of the lower back, part of the powerhouse muscles that are strengthened in Pilates training.
Submitted Photo
This client uses the circle apparatus, one of several tools developed by Joseph Pilates.
Professional dancer Jordan Moser with Ballet Austin knows a thing or two about how to keep a body in peak condition.
During the decade he spent dancing with Ballet Austin, Moser said Pilates helped him and other dancers, recover from injuries, as well as to build core strength, posture, balance and flexibility. But the method isn’t just for elite athletes, it’s for everyone, especially as a way to stay strong and balanced while aging.
The low-impact, full-body workout system focuses on building core strength, posture, balance and flexibility through controlled movements, precise execution and mindful breathing. It builds muscle tone, stability and body awareness, too. Some movements can be performed on a mat, or specialized equipment, like the Reformer, can be utilized to provide support and resistance, making it adaptable for all fitness levels from beginners to athletes.
“The key is finding optimum alignment that is supported from the inside out. That means a lot of core work, but not the crunches you learned in gym class,” said Moser. “Pilates works with a repertoire of movements designed to recruit specific muscles that support each body’s natural alignment. Pilates can awaken the whole body and find a new feeling of centeredness through your “powerhouse” as Joseph Pilates called the muscles from the pelvic floor to the diaphragm. We work on synchronizing breath and whole body movements to train our bodies’ balancing system, called proprioception, which is so important as we age. I think of it as preventive Physical Therapy.”
Learn more next week in Part Two of Pilates: Movement as Medicine.
