In Pilates, we often play with the notion of tempo during movement and though we can also speed up, I have really enjoyed slow, controlled movements lately.

While it is true that Pilates can be a very effective form of movement with no equipment, the addition of props to Pilates mat exercises can intensify your experience and can give you excellent feedback during movement. It is a common misconception to view props in a negative light (I know you like to do things all on your own!), but props can be very good friends that can offer assistance when you need it.

2020 has been a wild ride so far and it’s no wonder our nervous systems feel permanently locked in “fight or flight” mode.

Short of wishful thinking and a return to our pre-pandemic lives, how can we transition our tendency to live in a sympathetic nervous state, to a more calm “rest and digest”/ “tend and befriend” parasympathetic sense of being?