*** CALLANETICS TIPS ***

[hummingbird11]

***** [COLOR="DarkOrchid"]HI EVERYONE!! WELCOME TO THE CALLANETICS TIPS THREAD!! *****
PLEASE ADD HELPFUL CALLANETICS INFO SO THAT WE CAN ALL IMPROVE OUR FORM & RESULTS!![/COLOR]


posted by:
Sandrahanna
Senior LCF Member
04/24/08

Hi, Absolutely it will become easier

As your body becomes stronger you will find everything will become easier, the exercises will feel more intense however, but you'll be more in control so to speak.

I wouldn't worry too much about the Pelvic Floor (PF) in the early stages. It's more important that you get the body moving and the muscles working.

When you're more comfortable with the program and ready to take things a little further, when Callan instructs "tighten your behind" - try to tighten only the base of the behind only. So, aim to relax the upper part of your behind and lower back more.

Most important - Please, please don't stress about the Pelvic Floor (PF) - as long as you follow Callan's instructions, you are going to see results.

You'll know when you're ready to delve deeper into the Pelvic Floor (PF) issue and you have heaps of help on this site when you are ready.

Sandrax


XO,
HB

[hummingbird11]

posted by:
Sandrahanna
04/24/08

Great question as I come across this all the time in class.

Engaging your pelvic floor muscles and curling/tipping up the pelvis are two totally separate and distinct movements.

I just want to clarify that you try to avoid allowing engaging pelvic floor and curling to merge in to one.
This does become easier with practise and the more you allow yourself to relax in to the exercise.

Just think of it this way - when you want to hold in wind and wee would you curl your pelvis?
Okay, if it's a bad case of wind you might contract your buttocks a bit more than you need to and that is what we'd call 'over engaging the pelvic floor'.

So, when you engage your pelvic floor your pelvis remains stable your pubic bone is aimed straight down neither forward or back. You are just 'lifting' your PF muscles up from between the sit bones in to the pelvis - like the bud of a beautiful flower opening.

I hope that helps
Sandrax


Me again - I just wanted to add that when you engage your pelvic floor and it rises up in to the pelvis the hip bones will open and widen creating a gentle stretch sensation of the lower abs. So, the pelvis doesn't move out of alignment but the hip bones do open. The more relaxed you are when you engage the more aware you will be of this.

I hope I haven't confused you
Sandrax


XO
HB

[hummingbird11]

posted by:
Sandrahanna
04/22/08

Hi, I wish I could see you do the exercises. If I was teaching you I'd have my hand on your butt to make sure you weren't actively contracting your buttocks and using those muscles or your hip to create the movement.

As you said, the movement only comes from the knee. Keep your hip stable. Keep the upper part of the behind stable. Relax your waist, hip and upper part of the behind.

The positon will isolate and contract the muscles in the butt but avoid 'muscling in' by engaging your buttocks and contracting them actively.

Encourage the leg to lengthen out from the hip socket (this becomes easier after a while) so that you don't use the upper buttocks. So, avoid keeping the leg 'tucked in' to hip. It's all about allowing the body to 'open and let go'. Expanding outwards not drawing in; expect the base of the behind of course. The more you lenthen the leg out the quicker you will see your buttocks lifting and scultping creating that perfect peachy behind.

If this doesn't make sense let me know and I'll reword it. It's always so much easier to demonstrate and allow someone to place their hands on you as you demonstrate the difference between 'trying too hard' and 'letting go'.

Sandrax


XO,
HB

[hummingbird11]

posted by:
Sandrahanna
04/22/08

Hi,

When you are training this area stretch the leg out to it's maximal length. As you are pulsing focus on stretching the leg more by lengthening through the heel. Relax and 'let go' of all the other muscles. Try turning your knee up slightly (keeping your hip stable). This outward turn of knee can be made by tightening the pelvic floor deeper until you feel the knee turn out and up. The leg needs to be straight just don't lock your knee.

Your leg will want to feel like lead and aim to get the leg quivering so that you know you are working at your 'peak'. However, if the leg starts to bounce stop and take a breather, change sides etc.

If you have Evolution: the 2nd Hip & Behind exercise is great for the saddlebag area.

Also, creating the pulse from the pelvic floor is a pretty powerful tool. You do this by engaging first (squeezing the muscles between the sit bones to draw the sit bones closer together) and then you pulse the muscles deeper and deeper. If you are working on the right side you can also just pulse the right sit bone down. This pulse automatically creates the back and forth rotation pulse through the leg.

This may sound confusing but as long as you keep thinking about what you want to do eventually the body will do it. The brain gets confused but the body will understand. Just trust it.

Try to keep your goal on achieving 'your best body shape'. Another point, really try to do the exercises in a relaxed manner as much as possible. When we have a firm goal on improving a certain area of the body we can put too much energy in to the exercise and 'muscle in' thinking the more I try the better.

Actually, in Callanetics it's the opposite. Make your goal to approach the exercises in a stress free, relaxed state of mind. Slow your movements down, breathe deeply to relax more and make your pulses slower. You may find you can do less pulses but you'll be working deeper.

Maybe try telling yourself that you are going to do ' 20-30' really good pulses only so that your approach to the exercise will be stress free.

Sandrax

XO,
HB

[hummingbird11]

GO HERE TO FIND MORE POSTS BY SANDRAHANNA:

CALLANETICS CHALLENGE APRIL 2008

Find one of her posts, then "click" on Sandrahanna -- and then "click" on Find More Posts by Sandrahanna

LOTS OF GOOD STUFF!

XO,
HB

[hummingbird11]

posted by:
Sandrahanna
04/16/08

This is totally normal and something I come across with beginners quite a lot. You're working your muscles quite deeply so it can 'stir things up' - bringing things to the surface so to speak.

Make sure you're not dehydrated before your workout and that you're not working out on an empty stomach. Try to breathe deeply while you are in position and exercising. Also, don't overwork your muscles.

This is something that does go away after a while.

[hummingbird11]

posted by:
Sandrahanna
03/31/08

Be gentle and kind to yourself. Allow yourself time to build up your strength. One of the concepts to really take to heart in the beginning is "Work at your own pace'. Take breathers - listen to your body - challenge but don't overwork your muscles.

You know, if you do only half of each exercise in 'your best position' you will still get great results. Build up your reps each time you work out. The key to success is the CallaneticsConcepts. If you are working with Callan's original videos and not Evolution let me know and I will cover the concepts for you.

You are learning something that is going to become your best friend FOREVER. Give it time and you will be rewarded. As you become more familiar with the exercises you will become more confident with the program and everything will change for you.

You have heaps of friends and support here - this is an amazing site full of great advice and experience.

Sandrax

[hummingbird11]

QUESTION:
Is engaging the pelvic floor like holding muscles for instance if you were to hold your urine if you had to go to the bathroom really bad, then rolling up towards the navel? Do you also tighten the behind?

ANSWER posted by:
Sandrahanna
04/01/08

That's only part. There are 3 layers to the pelvic floor muscles and the layer that most of use to hold in urine is the outer layer. In Callanetics we engage from inner layer - which is right at the base of the behind and lies between the sit bones

So, as you exercise always keep the base of the behind tight, tight, tight. Try to think that you are squeezing the muscles between the sit bones to draw them (sit bones) closer together. Callan says in 10/10 to tighten the behind and would keep reiterating this. Basically, she was getting us to keep our PF activated.

If I have a student who is confused by this (remember we use these muscles subconciously) I tell them to think that they are holding in a bowel motion and urine at the same time.

When you do this try to keep the upper part of the behind and lower back relaxed. This becomes easier as your PF strengthens. Most important of all don't stress about it. Trust your natural body instincts...it does become easier.

As you work with the PF more your results accelerate and then look out world!!!!
Sx

[ThyckeCutie]

its great you posted this. Alot of useful information

[jenjenjlm]

great stuff HB!

[hummingbird11]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandrahanna

Please don't underestimate the importance of staying stretched out of the pelvis/pelvic floor when training your lower body.

If your main goal is to reshape your thighs, lift your butt or lengthen or create a longer, leaner leg as well as eliminate inner thigh jiggle; it is vital that you keep your torso stretched out of the pelvic floor.

Just about every beginner I come across will do the hip and behind workout while resting their ear on their shoulder (we call it wearing your shoulders as earrings). Their waist collapses their hips poke up and then when I work with them and ask where they are feeling the muscles working they generally look unsure.

This is normal because at this stage they are not putting any credence in to the importance of the counterpulls and staying stretched out of pelvic floor.

Once I get them to align their shoulders - back down and out, lift up their waist - encourage them to relax their hips down and then lengthen out their leg from the hip socket and the all important stretch the spine out through the crown they then feel the difference.

Keeping the torso stretched out while training the lower body means that you will be creating more tautness through the muscles in the legs and engaging more muscle fibres. Then when you add the pulse you will feel your muscles working deeply changing the length of the muscle. This is the key to getting that long lean leg, tighter and higher buttocks and smoother skin at the back of the legs.

So if you are going through the bulky thigh look as your body is changing shape keep these principles in mind as you train - seriously, it'll make all the difference. Expect to see the leg quivering as you stretch out - yeh!!!


Reposting this important message from our wise instructor....Read, memorize, and put it into practice!
__________________
Twyla ...

[jenjenjlm]

Originally Posted by hummingbird11

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandrahanna

Please don't underestimate the importance of staying stretched out of the pelvis/pelvic floor when training your lower body.

If your main goal is to reshape your thighs, lift your butt or lengthen or create a longer, leaner leg as well as eliminate inner thigh jiggle; it is vital that you keep your torso stretched out of the pelvic floor.

Just about every beginner I come across will do the hip and behind workout while resting their ear on their shoulder (we call it wearing your shoulders as earrings). Their waist collapses their hips poke up and then when I work with them and ask where they are feeling the muscles working they generally look unsure.

This is normal because at this stage they are not putting any credence in to the importance of the counterpulls and staying stretched out of pelvic floor.

Once I get them to align their shoulders - back down and out, lift up their waist - encourage them to relax their hips down and then lengthen out their leg from the hip socket and the all important stretch the spine out through the crown they then feel the difference.

Keeping the torso stretched out while training the lower body means that you will be creating more tautness through the muscles in the legs and engaging more muscle fibres. Then when you add the pulse you will feel your muscles working deeply changing the length of the muscle. This is the key to getting that long lean leg, tighter and higher buttocks and smoother skin at the back of the legs.

So if you are going through the bulky thigh look as your body is changing shape keep these principles in mind as you train - seriously, it'll make all the difference. Expect to see the leg quivering as you stretch out - yeh!!!


Reposting this important message from our wise instructor....Read, memorize, and put it into practice!
__________________
Twyla ...

Ya know HB.....the more I read your posts, the more I want to try Callanetics. I am certified in Personal Training and practice every method of exercise imaginable EXCEPT CALLANETICS!!!! WHAT IS WRONG W/ME?? I need to research more about it. Do you recommend any DVDs, websites, books on it??

[hummingbird11]

I like 10/10 + Evolution + Quick Stomach (I have all 3)

Evolution is great because it’s more modern + you get more coaching and they show 3 ways to do each pose: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced
(and the DVD Instructor is SandraHanna, a regular poster on the Callanetics Challenge Thread!)

10/10 is great because it’s the Original w/ Callan Pinckney ~ so how can you argue with that??

Quick Stomach is great because it’s only 20 minutes!!!!!!!!

Jen: I tried to PM you ~ please email me at diane.thomas@email.com

[hummingbird11]

VISIT THESE THREADS TO FIND MORE POSTS/CALLAN TIPS BY SANDRAHANNA:

Find one of her posts, then "click" on Sandrahanna ~ then "click" on Find More Posts by Sandrahanna

LOTS OF GOOD STUFF!

APRIL
CALLANETICS CHALLENGE APRIL 2008

MAY
CALLANETICS CHALLENGE MAY 2008

JUNE
CALLANETICS CHALLENGE JUNE 2008

JULY
CALLANETICS CHALLENGE JULY 2008

AUGUST
CALLANETICS CHALLENGE AUGUST 2008

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Should I have expected ANYTHING less
from you, Hummingbird?
How helpful, resourceful, ingenuous!

Thank you, from all the challengers.

[hummingbird11]

awww, thanks T! t'was my pleasure!

-----------------------------------------

IMPORTANT PELVIC FLOOR TIP:

Please, please don't stress or try too hard with the pelvic floor.

Originally Posted by Sandrahanna

Hi all you beautiful LCF Callanetics Devotees,

I know Noreen is going to set up the pelvic floor thread soon but I thought I'd start it off here as there's been quite a few posts on this matter.

When a new student comes to classes they are just as confused about the pelvic floor as you all. The difference here is that in a class situation I don't throw heaps of information about the pelvic floor in the beginning, whereas you all are reading posts that, as a beginner, could be counterproductive to your goals. I can understand how confusing they can be and how complex it can make your workout. This is unnecessary really.

When a new student comes in I explain pelvic floor maybe using my skeleton, show them some pics and then I tell a student to just 'think' engaging pelvic floor, this will be enough in the beginning. This is all very brief, I don't want to give them too much info purposely. After a couple of classes I generally get them to try the sitting on fit ball pelvic floor exercise to further locate the muscles and bring more awareness.

I mention engaging pelvic floor hundreds of times during a one hour class. Beginners who are probably not using their pelvic floor to their best ability still feel and see changes pretty quickly in their body shape. After a while, which can be two, three or even 12 months they suddenly really start to feel their pelvic floor muscles activating and they work at a more intense level bringing quicker results.

As the pelvic floor strengthens through the exercises they start to become more aware of them and I start to feed more info to them before or after classes. Generally, once they start asking more questions I give them more info.

This has been a gradual process. They hear me say the same things every class, every exercise but until they're ready they don't really hear and apply what I say 100%. And this is okay, they are working at their own pace remember.

I can tell by watching a student working out when they're ready to intensify and they automatically start incorporating the concepts at a deeper level.

Example: When a baby suddenly finds it can stand and balance on two legs it doesn't automatically starting running around and hurdling itself over the furniture does it?

The point I want to make is for the newbies to this thread, Callanetics and especially for those with Callan's original DVDs, is to not try to bombard yourself with too much information about pelvic floor or anything until you feel ready to take on more.

It's so important to just workout to the DVD, whichever it is. Follow the instructions as best as you can. When you're ready ask away here or read over previous posts.

Actually, I'm thinking that we should set up another thread for newbies how about 'Beginning Callanetics?' or how to get the best out of your callanetics training'

Please, please don't stress or try too hard with the pelvic floor. Noreen and I, as teachers would rather you focused on working at your own pace and not others This is important for your success and you'll reach your goals quicker.

You'll know if you're not ready as you'll read a post here and it'll sound like gobbledy goop.

Make your workouts stress free and trust your body and it's natural instincts.
It does all come together and it comes together faster if you take a step back and stop trying too hard.

Hope this helps and reassures you all as it was meant to.


Have as our mantra "I'm working at my own pace"

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend - it's just glorious here on the Gold Coast.

Sandra x

[hummingbird11]

Originally Posted by StayPuft

And is the pelvic floor just like "pelvic tilt meets squeezing of the buttcheeks?"
Like a tuck and squeeze?

Originally Posted by KlingonBabe

add a Kegel