Bringing It “Back To The (Pilates) Basics”

“Concentrate on the correct movement each time you exercise, lest you do them improperly and thus lose all vital benefits." – Joseph Pilates

When you’ve been doing Pilates for a long time, it’s easy to get caught up in rushing the exercises and just "going through the motions." We often call this “muscling it,” as opposed to moving with control and precision. 
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In Pilates, we play with tempo to increase aerobic capacity and develop endurance, and as a challenge to see if we can maintain posture, stability and alignment. It’s part of advancing your Pilates practice.

That said, it’s important to slow things down every once in a while—and get back to the basics—to ensure proper and efficient movement, and to remember our foundation. 

The Importance Of A Strong Foundation In Pilates
 
Like in any pure art form, a solid foundation is of utmost importance to the Pilates practice. If there are any holes or gaps of strength, connection or understanding in one's body, the preceding exercises will be ineffective and counterproductive.
 
It takes using and controlling one's entire body—we call this full-body integration—to properly perform the exercises in the Pilates method.
 
Three reasons why a strong foundation is so crucial:

1. For better results that are lasting. As an instructor, I’ve worked with many people on gaining a proper foundation who’ve come back into my studio years later and it’s clear their body hasn’t forgotten. Once you learn the foundation, and learn it well (to the point that your body remembers), you never forget it. It’s a lot like riding a bike.
2. To advance to higher levels. Pilates is a way of life. It’s both a lifestyle of fitness and learning, exercise for the body and mind. Once you have a strong foundation in Pilates, you continue to build from that foundation and advance to higher levels that require more strength and power. Advancing through the Pilates practice requires great discipline and brings a feeling of personal accomplishment and satisfaction.
3. To reach full-body integration. In the words of Jay Grimes, “You get to a point where you become Pilates and Pilates becomes you.” Once your foundation is built, you begin to use the correct muscles without even thinking; it becomes second-nature, your body like a fine-tuned machine. Eventually, you reach a level where your whole body is integrated in the practice, and throughout your everyday life—you become healthier, you breathe better, your digestion improves, you sleep better.

 
Getting “Back To The Basics” (As A Seasoned Veteran)
 
Like I mentioned above, once you have a strong Pilates foundation, you never forget it, like riding a bike. But that doesn’t mean we don’t get lazy every now and again as we speed things up and start performing more powerful movements. 
 
This is why I encourage you to slow down and remember your foundation. Rather, let your body remember your foundation. 
 
One can continue to practice the foundation and basic level of Pilates without getting bored or being too redundant. Pilates has so many valuable principles that allow us to shift our focus on precision, imagination, concentration, breath, intuition, fluidity, centering, control, integration.
 
Be "OK" with doing repetitive footwork, hundreds and other exercises that strengthen your foundation. 
 
Be "OK" with slowing things down occasionally and bringing it back to the basics.