Insanity report.

[rivka]

I woke up at 5:45 this morning for a 6:15 Pilates class.

I'm not a morning person. I'm really not a morning person. I'm usually up until around 1am, and then I reluctantly drag myself out of bed at 7:15 and wake up very, very slowly via a hot shower, a cup of tea, and the Internet. I'm lucky if I'm alert by the time I'm facing my first client. Not a morning person, okay?

Last night I went to sleep by 11 so that I'd have a fighting chance of making it to the class. At one, I jolted awake: I have to get up! I looked at the clock and fell back asleep, but it was pretty much like that all night. Somehow I'd imprinted too strongly on the fact that I had to get up early, and I kept jerking awake to check the time. Ironically, when the alarm actually rang at 5:45, I lay in bed for several minutes trying to decide if I really wanted to get up. (Answer: no, but I did it anyway.)

Here's the insane part: I think I'm going to go again next week.

I really liked the instructor. She's a physical therapist by training, and teaches a form of Pilates that's been slightly modified for use in rehab settings. As she taught each exercise, she offered us alternatives: "If you have back problems, just do [this]. If this is too hard for you, go back to doing [previous]. If you want a little more challenge, try [modification]." I really liked that she didn't assume that everyone should be on the same level.

This is the first exercise class I've ever taken. All my exercise to date has been individually paced - even when I've exercised with someone else (hiking with wcg, working with my personal trainer), it's been geared to my specific ability level. I had no idea whether I'd be able to keep up with a class, but I surprised myself by doing very well. I mean, I don't think I did all the exercises perfectly - there's a lot to keep track of in Pilates, and having the right form will take practice - but I didn't ever have to drop out and rest, and I did everything but one brief exercise that involved something orthopedically forbidden. My strength training has obviously made a dramatic difference in my abilities - there's no way I could have done this class when I first started exercising last summer.

Pilates feels very right for me. It's focused on strength, flexibility, balance, muscle control, posture - all things that I want to improve. I can tell that it will teach me to be more mindful of my body, how it's positioned and how it moves. There's no bouncing or impact or sudden movements that might strain my hip. Today's class made me work hard, but it didn't exhaust me or push me to pain or focus my attention on my limitations. It felt good. Really good.

Comments

[rivka.livejournal.com]

i just started a tai chi class, and when i was researching the school, i relaxed a lot when i found out one of their instructors (coincidentally the one who is teaching my class!) is disabled. okay! these people understand about dealing with disabled people! i'll go here! whee!

That's so cool! I'll be interested in hearing all about it, and especially about how well it adapts, because tai chi is something I've wanted to try for a while now. I've been reluctant to pay for a whole course without having any idea about whether I'd actually be able to do it, though.

I'm excited that your tai chi teacher will be disabled. It's a cool thing about my gym that a number of disabled people work out there -at the very least, there's me, a couple of guys in wheelchairs, and a guy with CP, and almost certainly there are other folks whose disabilities are invisible. It makes me so much more comfortable hanging out there.

I went up to the Pilates instructor after class and told her that I had an artificial hip and a lower spinal fusion, and that if she saw me modifying exercises, that was why. She said, "Oh! Okay. So you feel like you know what the best modifications are for you? Great, let me know if you want any suggestions." I was pleased that she trusted me to know what I can do - I have fewer restrictions on my movement than many people with artificial hips, because my joint placement was so good, and I don't like being second-guessed.

[iamjw.livejournal.com]

I think Tai Chi can be adapted to suit your needs. I know when I tore the ligaments in my knee a couple of years ago, some of the exercises they gave me were very reminiscent of the way one moves when doing the forms. There is a certain amount of swivelling, but should be done on the ball of the foot, so I'm not sure how that would work for you.

I've been doing Pilates at home, and really enjoy it. In winter I ride an exercycle for aerobic work, but while that's doing great things to my legs I need some form of strength training as well, and it's highly unlikely I'm ever going to take myself to a gym.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

Dunno if you remember my burbling about similar experience from my initial introduction to Pilates, but yeah, that's all part of the philosophy. (Something I'm stressing just in case anyone reading the comments thinks that it's *just* part of what your particular instructor does.) Isn't it great?

I had problems with my own time trying tai chi because I found a course that was an extension of a kung fu schoo, and they didn't want to adapt, and tried to get me to do things that would really hurt my hip.

betnoir and I are going to try out a local Pilates class on Thursday nights, and I'm hoping it will work out. I hurt myself in Tucson last week and I can use the rehab. I really wish I'd been able to take in a few Pilates classes with the PNW Ballet in Seattle, though.