Earthquake Shake Up

This afternoon the the east coast felt the earth shake under their feet as Virginia was hit with a 5.9 magnitude quake.
The shock of the shake disturbing the balance of a beautiful late August day made me think how importance balance really is. Balance is not just important for ballerinas. We need balance for everyday physical challenges like reaching into the cupboard, bending down to put on a shoe, lifting a leg up into the car, and even traveling up and down stairs require subtle shifts in the amount of weight placed on each leg. Without a sense of balance even the most basic activities like walking become a challenge. This is why many older adults with instability are prone to accidental falls which can result in the leading cause of  serious injury and death according to the CDC.
You can start to build and maintain your balance through training now and you don't have to ever stop doing many of the exercises in Pilates that are very therapeutic and build balance.
One of my favorite Pilates exercises for balance that I like to do at the start of Pilates class is the Kneeling Arm and Leg Extension. It is one of the best Pilates balance exercises because it incorporates both strength and stability of the core right into the exercise. This exercise is great for the whole body because it helps you learn to stabilize your center while moving your limbs, improves your pelvic stability and strengthens your gluteal muscles.

Joseph Pilates skiing

Joseph Pilates was an avid skier. Skiing requires what instructors call "fore-aft" balance, which refers to the balance transitions between the heel and the forefoot. Pilates was ahead of his time, in that he realized that the core muscles would control this type of balance.
Another great balance exercise he developed possibly with this in mind is the Open Leg Rocker which enhances your ability to balance when your legs are either in front of or behind your center of gravity. Make sure to begin in an upright seated position, balancing on your sit bones, which are the two bones in your buttocks.
And of course, the use of the stability ball in Pilates class creates even more intense challenges for balance building core exercises.
The Pilates Shoulder Bridge works the back, core and gluteal muscles and adding the stability ball makes it a whole new ball game and one of the best balance training exercises.

Pilates also helps decrease stress which will help bring your whole life into more balance which is important in this crazy earth shaking world we live in. So grab your mat and get balanced! Leave the shaking for your next martini.