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June 6, 2003
Healing the body from within
Slow and controlled procedures are part of the key to pilates
work-outs.
BAILA LAZARUS EDITOR
Walking into Risa Mathews' Boditree Pilates and Healing Centre
is quite a refreshing experience. There's no loud music, no gym
smell, no Bikram's Yoga studio humidity, no intimidating weight
machines or mirrors. It's a bright, quiet studio with new, state-of-the
art pilates work stations. Special tables, beds, chairs and barrels
await the bodies of those looking for improvement in their balance,
posture, core strengthening, alignment and general body health.
Of course, one has to get past the fact that some of the "beds"
look more like torture devices or sexual contraptions, but Risa
has heard it before.
"People either call this a torture chamber or kinky,"
she said with a laugh.
Up on the trap table (a cushioned table with various straps and
pulleys attached to it), Mathews had me lie on my back with knees
bent. In my most natural position Mathews noticed that my neck was
slightly hyper-extended. She was right. I couldn't even see my knees
in my peripheral vision.
"It's very common," she said, handing me a small pillow.
"If you go into a pilates mat class and you don't see anyone
using a pillow, run."
After a few easy, long-held stretches ("We hold stretches for
three minutes instead of 20 seconds," Mathews said), the pillow
was removed. The support from the pillow allowed my neck to realign
and I could now see my knees in my peripheral vision.
Much of the work Mathews does in her studio acts along similar ideas
– allowing the body to relax into its natural position in slow
and controlled techniques.
"Pilates isn't an exercise," said Mathews. "It's
more about how the body is used."
Though catching on relatively recently, pilates actually dates back
to the early 20th century when a German by the name of Joseph Pilates
developed a series of movements to improve his strength and overall
health. Pilates is now used both as a preventive measure, improving
one's flexibility and core strength, as well as a curative procedure.
"Nine out of 10 people come here because of pain," said
Mathews.
In a first session Mathews will check things like breathing, spine
alignment, range of motion and flexibility. That, together with
three more private sessions constitute an introduction for the participant
to pilates and a full preliminary assessment. After that, a personalized
work-out schedule is developed with a participant and they have
the choice of continuing in private sessions or with small groups.
Participants are constantly being helped and evaluated and new routines
and exercises are introduced as they become more adept at the ones
they are doing.
Moving from the trap table to the bed reformer, Mathews had me do
some simple leg extensions but asked me focus more on my breathing,
which is at the centre of her pilates teaching. With each breath,
she wanted me to feel my rib cage expand. It's easier said than
done as I try to keep my breathing tempo and leg extension speed
constant and controlled, but eventually, with Mathews' continuous
reinforcement and direction, I get it.
Mathews herself gave up a career in communications years ago to
pursue pilates teaching full time. She's been doing pilates now
for over a decade. She opened her first Boditree studio just a few
years ago and recently moved to her current location on West 10th
near Arbutus.
For more information, contact call 604-736-2634 or e-mail [email protected].
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