The Conscious Spine - Movement From the Inside Out

Do you know that when most people get older, they also get shorter?

Over time gravity compresses the spine along with other organs, tissues, muscles, and bones.  The vertebrae grow closer and closer to each other, gradually causing nerve and spinal issues. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. When you know how to move your spine mindfully, gravity can actually be our friend.  Instead of compressing us over time, it can help us develop strength, flexibility, and suppleness to withstand a lifetime of movement.  

Our spine is living.  It’s not just a stack of bones in our skeletal system.  It is a living and moving part of us. I know for me, I always moved in a way to protect my spine.  Bracing my core in order to protect the "vulnerable and delicate" bones of my spine and back.

However, this idea is so far from the truth.  Our spine is one of the strongest, liveliest, and flexible parts of us.  It has the capability to support us in all kinds of movement. In fact, it’s meant to move, all the time.   However, most of us are used to trying to protect our backs and bracing the spine with physical products or superficial muscles and it's created a spine within us that is weak and compressed.  

When you move unconsciously, without thinking about the spine first, there is risk for injury.  Your deep muscles won’t automatically engage and the big superficial muscles will take over the movement.  We tend to pay more attention to “supporting” the back through restriction and protection rather than healing it with movement.  Healing movement is the kind of movement that strengthens and aligns the body from the inside out.

Your spine is living and it can handle anything that comes it’s way if you let it!  

But how do you let it, you ask?

Try something for me.  Stand right now on both feet, close your eyes and get quiet.  Breathe.  Now connect to the energy inside of you.  Bring your attention to your spinal vertebrae and the natural spinal curves.  Try to feel the spine within you.

The spine is not just a column of bones, it’s alive. There’s space and fluidity between each vertebrae.  Can you feel it?  When you find it, just allow it.  Allow all dimensions of your spinal curvature.

Before you try to engage your abs, think of your spine and it’s natural curves, first.  Naturally your abdominals will engage.  And they'll engage in the proper way too!  You've heard of the endless Pilates cue - SCOOP those abs!   That “in and up” feeling. I

When you initiate from the space and fluidity feeling of the spine, your movement will have a grace and ease to it, no bracing or tensing.  Imagine your spine lifting you, turning you, flexing you, and moving you.  Relate everything to your spinal alignment. When your spine supports itself, your limbs have freedom to move.  

Our body, especially the spine,  is constantly adjusting to our movement.  It’s not a static column of bones, it has elasticity and suppleness.  Allow the spine freedom to move deep inside you, allow that energy to initiate all your movement.  It's not stiff or tense. Balance is not stillness. Balance moves.  Move deeply.

If you’ve ever taken a class from me in my studio, you’ll notice I don’t physically walk around and realign your body.  I might touch somewhere to gently help you connect, but I won’t physically move you. If I physically move you, then I am moving you from the outside in.  I believe true alignment happens from the inside out. Instead, I cue your spine.

If you can truly visualize each section of your skeletal system and work to align from the inside, naturally other areas of the body will align too.  The spine is a living and it constantly moves and aligns in everything we do. When you work from the inside out, you engage the deepest muscles that attach to the spine and when these muscles are properly engaged, there is low risk to injury, which can give your the grace to move freely. 

So what does a strong, healthy, flexible spine really mean?  It means one-living-spine where the whole column is working together to lengthen, twist, and adjust your body from position to position.  

It takes awareness.  Consciously thinking about each vertebrae individually moving along the spine.  Such as in articulation. I’m sure you’ve heard that term used in your Pilates class.  But how do you properly articulate without having superficial muscles take over the movement?  If you overly engage the muscles around the spine, your spine will feel restricted and true articulation can’t happen.  Bracing your abdominals before moving will restrict the spine in this way. There needs to be a freedom allowed; a release; a trust; an awareness that your spine is a living thing in your body. You’ll find a new found strength deep within you, a spinal strength where each vertebrae is a chain of that system.  

It takes daily practice, not just in your Pilates workout, but also in your everyday life.  When you’re in line at the grocery store, sitting at the coffee shop, driving your car, playing catch with the dog.  Bring awareness to your spine in EVERYTHING you do and you’ll see, you are so much stronger than you know. You haven’t even touched on the amount of strength you have.  

We are moving beings.  So let’s drop the fear and get moving in an intentional, conscious, and AMAZING way.  

I’ve got an online Pilates club where we move intentionally every day together.  We’re changing the way we see fitness, we’re making it part of our daily lives and everyday we learn more and more about our bodies.  It’s fun. And it makes getting older feel amazing. Come check it out. Your first two weeks are FREE.  

This week's workout on BTC-TV is a full body workout, although a bit more focused on the arms.  Grab you small weights (0-5llbs) and come join me!