However grudgingly, Americans are gradually coming to accept the fact that robust health requires us to be proactive. In our quest for a longer and healthier life, we brush and floss our teeth, eat organic foods, take vitamins and nutrients, and of course exercise. We are aware that regular checkups by health professionals provide essential feedback, allowing us to understand what we are doing right and where it would be wise to change our behavior. We have conditioned ourselves to see our dentist every six months, and to schedule an annual appointment with our family physician or internist to know where we stand in regards to our vitals and biochemistry panels. Yet when it comes to exercise in general, and yoga and Pilates in particular, this system of regular checkups and knowledge-based adjustments is oddly absent. Most of us take a faith-based approach to exercise practice: We truly believe it will help us, and until our bodies balk, we cling to that belief even when the evidence is slight or nonexistent. Think about it: How do we really know what motions/exercises are best suited for our individual body type? What are the long-term effects of yoga, Pilates or any other exercise regimen on our specific bodies? It’s a vital question, and there’s no reason it should go unanswered. Just as a dentist or physician can predict certain conditions, a biomechanical evaluation from a properly trained doctor can help prevent pain and/or injury by prescribing precise motions/exercises that fit each body type. Since this type of assessment is not yet the standard of our society, we are seeing a growing epidemic of painful conditions and/or injuries directly related to physical fitness activities. Yoga and Pilates are at the forefront of this trend, thanks to their enormous popularity: An estimated 30 million people in the United States regularly participate in one or the other. With this surge in participation over the last 10 years, I started to notice an escalating number of injuries and/or pain as a result of people engaging in these systems of movement. I became determined to find out why this was occurring via valid scientific research analysis, with the goal of offering helpful guidance for yoga and Pilates practitioners. I describe what I have discovered in this book. First, I will reveal the simple origins and unfortunate adherence to tradition regarding yoga and Pilates. Second, I will share comments and concerns from the health community regarding yoga and Pilates, along with unveiling the primary problems that put people at risk. Third, I will explain why incorrectly practicing these exercise methods can cause pain and/or injury. Lastly, I will provide a checklist for safer practices, along with an extensive photographic review of sample exercises. Due to the many different styles and long histories of Pilates and especially yoga, some readers will discern discrepancies between the information presented here and what they have been taught about a particular practice. Rest assured it is not my intention to criticize any particular school or method. My sole intent as an author is to assist prevention of unnecessary pain and/or injuries when conducting one’s practice of yoga and Pilates. The principles preached in this book are based on sound biomechanical science of the human body and can be applied to any exercise system.
|