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Discovering Pilates
I literally fell in love with Pilates! I was fit, strong, and flexible, and I worked out all the time, but my lower back was chronically sore. To look at me, you wouldn’t know that I had chronic low back pain.
Back in 1999, I was working at the local YMCA teaching group exercise classes and doing personal training part-time along with my full-time “day job,” and my friend said to me, “Shannon, you should take my Pilates class,” and I asked, “What’s that?” I took the class, and boy, it was tough with the slightest movements, like bringing my legs up onto the tabletop while holding my pelvis still and then tapping the floor one foot at a time. It was incredibly humbling. I couldn’t believe, as fit as I was, that something so small and controlled could be that challenging. After an hour, I felt worked out and a little sweaty. But after that one hour, my lower back pain was gone entirely.
After that class, I never looked back. I knew this workout was different, so I traded my pantyhose and high heels for leggings and bare feet and never looked back. I’ve been studying and teaching ever since.
I have studied many different modalities, but one of the most profound experiences of my journey was meeting Dr. Gary Gray, considered the Father of Functional Movement, where I learned the science of human movement called Applied Functional Science (AFS) as a Gray Institute Gift Fellow, I learned that functional movement is “task-oriented” as it relates to gravity, ground reaction force, and momentum.
3-D Pilates in Motion
In 2010, I developed 3-D Pilates in Motion. I realized that to serve my clients better, I needed to get them up off their backs from the Reformer, upright and in motion. I married the 3-dimensional, task-driven principles of AFS with the core concepts of Pilates, what I call the ABCs of Pilates: Alignment, Breathing, and Core.
I have worked with a wide variety of clients, but primarily rotational sports athletes, including baseball, tennis, golf, and pickleball. My studios are in SW Florida, and many of our members are amateur athletes. It’s funny: when I teach a group class, I always take a survey and ask, “How many of you are golfers?” and maybe one or two hands go up, and then I ask, “How many of you are playing Pickleball.” and half of the room’s hands go up! With the popularity of pickleball, I am working with many players who are recovering from an injury and want to perform and recover more efficiently.
As a Master Pilates Educator, I educate, certify, and mentor aspiring Pilates instructors at our SWFL Club Pilates Academy.
Pilates is a mindful movement system of exercises focused on alignment and breath, designed to strengthen and lengthen the entire body with all of the movements originating from the core.
Pilates is always there when I need it in the way that I need it. Pilates meets me wherever I am on any given day. If I need a strenuous workout, it meets me there. If I need to downregulate my nervous system through breathing, it meets me there.
Pilates for Pickleball
One of my favorite workshops to teach is Pilates for Pickleball, which is based on my 3-D Pilates in Motion program. Pilates for pickleball includes three parts: Prehab, aka Functional Standing Warm-up, Performance, and Recovery. Ultimately, my goal for every player is to prevent injury, improve performance, and empower them with self-care techniques for recovery.
Performance And Recovery
One of the most effective pre-play preparation strategies is performing a Functional Standing Warm Up. Performance training should include strength, mobility/flexibility. Movements should start slow, then moderately paced, and then at game pace. In my program, 3-D Pilates for Pickleball, I use the Pilates Springboard Wall and Stability Chair and Reformer to achieve optimal Pickleball readiness. Recovery focuses on self-myofascial release and elongating movements. I see lots of ankle sprains, knee and hip issues, low back and spinal issues. I also see shoulder, elbow, and wrist issues, but consider those a symptom of the players’ core being disassociated from the lower body and spine. The thoracic spine also tends to be a big issue, but again, it is often the victim of disassociation from the lower trunk and pelvis. One of the biggest problems that I see is injuries from falling. I work with Pickleball players from the “ground up” by activating the feet and hips for play.
Advice for a beginning pickleball player
Do a Functional Standing warm-up that prepares the body for pickleball to improve performance and prevent injuries. Functional movements stimulate the “proprioceptors.” Non-functional movement is similar to finding your way in the dark. Functional movement is similar to seeing your way in the light. The difference can be summed up in one word: electricity. Electricity, when the light is “switched on” the proprioceptors are stimulated for the intended task, pickleball in this case. All movements stimulate the neural sensors in the body’s tissues. However, the challenge is to utilize movements that facilitate the proper neural information rather than isolated, non-functional exercises that inhibit normal muscular responses, and the proprioceptors for the intended task are “switched off.” The more Proprioceptors are switched “on” authentic to the intended task, the safer and better-prepared players are. Stretching and groundwork are fine but better to be done as recovery. Free Functional Standing Warm-up for Pickleball
As an active adult, I’d tried every fitness modality known. I was strong and flexible, but I had little aches and pains that wouldn’t go away. After my first Pilates class, I knew this workout was different. I felt a profound sense of well-being, and all my little aches vanished. After that class, I never looked back. I’ve been doing and teaching Pilates since the late 90’s and traded my pantyhose and high heels for leggings and grip socks. I’m pleased to educate, certify, and mentor aspiring instructors at our SWFL Club Pilates Academy. Through educating others, I have the privilege of bringing “Pilates for Everybody” to our community. I earned my advanced-level Pilates certification with STOTT PILATES, completed An Applied Functional Functional Science (FAFS) fellowship, and am a certified Functional Golf and Racquet /Pickleball Specialist. I am a master Pilates educator for Club Pilates. I’m also a master trainer for Barre Above and Relief Through Rolling, a system of self-myofascial release. I’m certified in many other movement modalities, including TRX, The MELT Method, BOSU, Gyrotonic, and more.
