CALLANETICS CHALLENGE JULY 2008

[siamesegirl]

Originally Posted by Sandrahanna

Hi all,

I really don't want to confuse you all with the pelvic floor. The above info and exercise really is good and accurate; other than I don't like the thinking it's a upward and inward movement, especially when applying to Callanetics exercises. If you focus too much on 'inward' you may unintentionally contract your low back and buttocks. Personally, I prefer working and teaching with a more relaxed drawing in and then lifting up allowing the low abs to stretch and hip bones to open.

However, after writing my previous post and then reading Princesses post, I thought that if this info works - great. The only thing I do want to stress is that you do ensure that your low back doesn't contract when you engage and activate the pelvic floor.

Callanetics exercises are safe and great for everyone that's why they've stood the test of time and give such great results regardless of fitness level or age.

For those of you just starting with 10/10 - don't worry about the pelvic floor. Callan doesn't talk about it at any stage of the workout. Following her great instructions is enough. When and if you are ready to go further with your program and want to add another dimension to your workout then you may like to incorporate the pelvic floor.

The main point I want to make is that I want you to enjoy your workout and not stress about pelvic floor. Use it or not, you'll still get results.

I will now leave your poor brains alone without bombarding you with anymore pelvic floor confusion. Just remember engaging the pelvic floor is something you do many, many times a day without thinking about it so trust your bodies natural instincts.

When all else fails think you are holding in gas and wee at the same time - you can't go wrong with that.

Sandra x

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents about th pelvic floor, yes Sandra is 100% correct when she talks about 10/10 and Super C. No were does Callan mention PF work,ever. If you do decide to do PF work here is one way you can visualize it. I visualize it as zipping everything up from back to front and keeping it like that while doing Callanetics.

If you are not ready for PF work in your workout or don't feel you would benefit from it, don't add it in.
I'll be the first to say that i benefited from PF work tenfold.
Got any questions or comments, ask away!

[LowCarbRachel]

Noreen, please explain how engaging the pelvic floor makes the workouts more effective. And where will it help the most, i.e. tummy, hips, butt, etc?

[siamesegirl]

Rachel,

When you engage your PF correctly it works the deeper layer of muscles, i have found that my butt,thighs and lower abs have been worked much,much deeper. My thighs really leaned out, my butt got much smaller,higher and rounder(as you can see from my photos) All of the changes that you see in that photos are due to Callanetics + PF work. Yes, i know i will post some more photos of me from the front sometime soon.

[missmattie]

Another hour of 10/10 completed. I'm mostly doing 10/10, but trying to keep in mind the Callanetics Concepts, plus doing some of the hip/behind from Evolution.

[LowCarbRachel]

Noreen, thanks for the explaination. I tried it during my last Callanetics workout and I knew that the workouts felt different but I wasn't sure why. I'm still working on my form and my flexibility, but I will continue to engage as I remember (still want to make sure I am relaxed, mentally and physically, during the exercises.)

I would love to see front photos I'll look forward to seeing those someday in the future, when you are ready to share.

BTW, the zipping up description is good, it helped me figure it out better than any of the other ways.

[wazo]

Just some pics to show you my "no changes" after 35 hours of callanetic....
I don't understand, i do well the exercices with DVD 3 or 4 x week, i focuse on relax, muscles' group and PF. I eat well.
What can i do now ? keep on ? are you sure ? i don't feel more flexible or tonic, i feel the same.

[ThyckeCutie]

10 in 10 done yesterday.

Sandra,
When you engage the PF can you see any movement? For instance if someone is looking at you can they tell you are doing so. I know I see my inner thighs move outward

[getnlittle]

2 hours completed in July...10 in 10

[Sandrahanna]

Originally Posted by siamesegirl

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents about th pelvic floor, yes Sandra is 100% correct when she talks about 10/10 and Super C. No were does Callan mention PF work,ever. If you do decide to do PF work here is one way you can visualize it. I visualize it as zipping everything up from back to front and keeping it like that while doing Callanetics.

If you are not ready for PF work in your workout or don't feel you would benefit from it, don't add it in.
I'll be the first to say that i benefited from PF work tenfold.
Got any questions or comments, ask away!

This is a great visual - I talk of 'zipping' in class also and it definitely helps with some students. As you said, it's important to think of zipping front and back. Stressing the back zip is very important for people who have done Pilates as, from my experience, they tend to neglect the inner pelvic floor layer.

Sandra x

[Sandrahanna]

Originally Posted by siamesegirl

Rachel,

When you engage your PF correctly it works the deeper layer of muscles, i have found that my butt,thighs and lower abs have been worked much,much deeper. My thighs really leaned out, my butt got much smaller,higher and rounder(as you can see from my photos) All of the changes that you see in that photos are due to Callanetics + PF work. Yes, i know i will post some more photos of me from the front sometime soon.

My butt and thighs changed heaps also when I incorporated pelvic floor in to my workouts. Everything in that area became more 'cut' looking. Love it

[Sandrahanna]

Originally Posted by wazo

Just some pics to show you my "no changes" after 35 hours of callanetic....
I don't understand, i do well the exercices with DVD 3 or 4 x week, i focuse on relax, muscles' group and PF. I eat well.
What can i do now ? keep on ? are you sure ? i don't feel more flexible or tonic, i feel the same.

I'm sorry to hear that you're not happy with your results You are already in very good shape by the way.

Next time you workout check that you're stretching out enough from your pelvic floor/pelvis. Consciously lengthen out through your spine and crown as you train and create the pulsing action.

The muscles you are going to train must be stretched out and lengthened as you pulse this is important.

Even if you are working your hip and behind or legs you must stretch your spine out thru the crown of your head.

I demonstrate the importance of this in class using a hand towel. Holding the ends and twisting the towel to wring it out I then pull both ends away in opposite direction to create that tautness through the towel to squeeze the wetness out. If I relax one end the towel will slacken and no wetness will come out.

This concept applies in Callanetics. Unless you fully stretch out as far as 'you' can your muscles won't be taut enough. You'll still get some benefits but your pulse won't reach the deeper muscles effectively enough to change the length and shape of the muscles you are sculpting.

Remember, you stretch as far as your body allows but keep challenging yourself as you pulse by consciously lengthening and stretching out even more. This accelerates the toning and especially has a great impact on 'pulling in'.

I hope this makes sense to you. Noreen may like to put it another way and explain it differently. It helps to hear something explained differently.

Sandra x

[Sandrahanna]

Originally Posted by ThyckeCutie

10 in 10 done yesterday.

Sandra,
When you engage the PF can you see any movement? For instance if someone is looking at you can they tell you are doing so. I know I see my inner thighs move outward

When my students practise sitting on the fit ball or on the floor I can see them rising up slightly when they engage. If I'm working with them and I have a hand resting lightly on their lower abs I can feel a gentle, soft and small drawing in of their lower abs as their pelvic floor engages and their lower abs stretch and hip bones open.

When performing the leg exercises and especially when the leg is to the front I can see the leg turn outwards as the pelvic floor engages.

With a beginner student, with no or little pelvic floor awareness, I get them to stretch their leg out from the hip socket and tell them to just turn the leg out at the same time they have their hands around the base of the buttock of the stretched out leg and they can feel how the sit bone moves closer inwards as the leg turns out. This brings awareness in to how the buttock muscles are isolated deeper with this outward rotation and also brings awareness of the pelvic floor.

But, as you know, the goal is to allow the leg turn out by activating the pelvic floor.

It really sounds like you are working well with your pelvic floor TC.

Sandra x

[wazo]

Thanks sandra,

I think i do stretch well, but it's difficult to know if i don't. I think always of counterpulse, and strech spine. I feel my muscles working, but.....it seems it's not enough to be seen.
Perhaps my muscles have memory of bodybuilding (7 years ago), and i would do much more callanetic to erase this memory ?
I do 10/10 and evolution. I tried superC but i just can't do legs' exercices (i just can't lift my leg lenghtened), pulses are not difficult for me, but strech exercices for the legs are so difficult.
I i could see just a little, tiny change it would help me for sure.

[Sandrahanna]

Originally Posted by LowCarbRachel

Noreen, thanks for the explaination. I tried it during my last Callanetics workout and I knew that the workouts felt different but I wasn't sure why. I'm still working on my form and my flexibility, but I will continue to engage as I remember (still want to make sure I am relaxed, mentally and physically, during the exercises.)

I would love to see front photos I'll look forward to seeing those someday in the future, when you are ready to share.

BTW, the zipping up description is good, it helped me figure it out better than any of the other ways.

It's great that the zipping works for you So try taking the zipping up a step further;

Zip up front and back as Noreen described, then when you've reached your highest point allow your hip bones to open and widen so you feel the lower abs stretch. This will ensure that you don't contract your abs, upper behind or low back.


Sandra x

[siamesegirl]

Originally Posted by LowCarbRachel

Noreen, thanks for the explaination. I tried it during my last Callanetics workout and I knew that the workouts felt different but I wasn't sure why. I'm still working on my form and my flexibility, but I will continue to engage as I remember (still want to make sure I am relaxed, mentally and physically, during the exercises.)

I would love to see front photos I'll look forward to seeing those someday in the future, when you are ready to share.

BTW, the zipping up description is good, it helped me figure it out better than any of the other ways.

Just make sure that you don't tighten up your upper bum and lower back, keep it relaxed.
Sorry i skipped over this earlier... .......i think my brain is also sunburnt.....hehehe

[siamesegirl]

Originally Posted by wazo

Just some pics to show you my "no changes" after 35 hours of callanetic....
I don't understand, i do well the exercices with DVD 3 or 4 x week, i focuse on relax, muscles' group and PF. I eat well.
What can i do now ? keep on ? are you sure ? i don't feel more flexible or tonic, i feel the same.

Oh mon dieu! Les jambes sont change!!! Plus long!! Et ton derriere plus petit!
OMG...my french is bad....Wazo you look great! Keep up the good work.

[wazo]

oh, you are so pretty Noreen !
I don't see on pics what you say, but thanks for the kindness words.

i hope to see more changes soon !

Not bad french you know, really !

[Lucky Stardust]

1 session of Callaneics completed!

[schrovet]

Goodmorning. I just got an email that totalfitnessdvds now carries Callanetics. I have ordered once before and had fast service.

Welcome to Total Fitness DVDs

Lisa

[ThyckeCutie]

Originally Posted by Sandrahanna

When my students practise sitting on the fit ball or on the floor I can see them rising up slightly when they engage. If I'm working with them and I have a hand resting lightly on their lower abs I can feel a gentle, soft and small drawing in of their lower abs as their pelvic floor engages and their lower abs stretch and hip bones open.

When performing the leg exercises and especially when the leg is to the front I can see the leg turn outwards as the pelvic floor engages.

With a beginner student, with no or little pelvic floor awareness, I get them to stretch their leg out from the hip socket and tell them to just turn the leg out at the same time they have their hands around the base of the buttock of the stretched out leg and they can feel how the sit bone moves closer inwards as the leg turns out. This brings awareness in to how the buttock muscles are isolated deeper with this outward rotation and also brings awareness of the pelvic floor.

But, as you know, the goal is to allow the leg turn out by activating the pelvic floor.

It really sounds like you are working well with your pelvic floor TC.

Sandra x

Thanks Sandra. I just liike to double, triple check that I am on the right path One more question for you. When I engage the PF does the lower buttock tighten a little bit? Since the sit bones are being moved inwards

[siamesegirl]

Originally Posted by ThyckeCutie

Thanks Sandra. I just liike to double, triple check that I am on the right path One more question for you. When I engage the PF does the lower buttock tighten a little bit? Since the sit bones are being moved inwards

Yes it does! Enjoy the results....

[sjaschen]

One hour of 10/10 last night, I need to pick up the pace to meet my goal!
Rachel, Your midsection looks wonderful, big difference!

[ThyckeCutie]

Originally Posted by siamesegirl

Yes it does! Enjoy the results....

Thanks!! And I have been wondering why its harder to do some exercises now. I still have to practice on doing them on all the exercises. So far I can only do them a little on the legs and all the hips/behind exercies. When I do the up and down on the legs exercises its hard to keep it engaged when I go down but practice makes perfect. Its also hard to do them with the stomach exercises. It feels like Im always letting it go. But I will keep trying. Im really ready for some better results. It does feel good to be aware of the PF

[planetbenjamin]

An hour of CallaneticsEvolution completed! I mixed it up a bit and did the stomach exercises straight after the warm-up. I just wanted to get them out of the way