Put Your Mind in the Straps

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”

-Thich Nhat Hanh

In Reformer Pilates, there is a series called “Feet in the Straps,” where students lie supine and perform exercises with (you guessed it) their feet in the straps.  This is an important series that tones, stretches, and stabilizes muscles in the legs and spine in ways that are difficult to achieve in other positions (especially if you’re relatively inflexible like me).  It is also, by far, the most popular part of every class.  One studio where I teach even sells a t-shirt that says, “I’m just here for Feet in the Straps.”  So why is this series so popular?  Also, why do most students magically perform this series with more concentration and flow than every other series?  The answer is positional support.

Seriously.

Unlike the hands in the straps, feet in the straps partially support the weight of the legs, allowing students to focus on core stability without undue stress on the spine.  It also frees up the ribcage to move more freely.  The result is long, supported, mindful movement coordinated with breathing.  In a way, it’s a “cheat code” that allows the student to feel the end result of the method immediately.  Of course, this series must still be performed with correct form and attention to detail, and not every student has the same level of stability.  Those with lower body or back injuries may need work in modified positions.  However, students consistently report an increase in mental focus and  releasing of muscle tension following these exercises.

How can we achieve this feeling of mind/body connection throughout the entire workout? For students, aim for every exercise to be performed with equal standards of concentration and form. For instructors, the most effective way is to direct students’ attention toward the connection between breathing and core stability at the beginning of class during footwork.  They are already in a similar position to feet in the straps, lying supine with the legs supported on the foot bar.   A simple cue during the warmup, “Notice how the spine is supported by the carriage”, or, “Feel how your core supports the spine as you breathe” will often do enough to bring them into focus.  Another way is to use feet in the straps itself as a cue.  Example: “Move your arms with the same control as feet in the straps”.  I will also occasionally remind students during feet in the straps that every exercise they do in the rest of the class should be performed with the same level of control and concentration.  Over time, this mindset begins to filter into every other part of the workout, creating a self-sustaining cycle of supported, fluid, mindful movement: The goal of every Pilates practitioner.

How can instructors use cues to create more mindful focus?  Read about it in my next blog, Keep it Simple.