Before/After: 'Movements I couldn't do' that I 'can now do' with Pilates
Reflecting specifically on 'things I can now do'
In my previous articles, I mainly wrote about somewhat subjective changes like 'my stiff shoulders feel better' and 'my posture has improved.'
Today, I'm changing my approach a bit and writing about 'what specific movements I can now do' in a Before/After format.
Instead of abstract 'changes,' I'll provide concrete examples of 'this movement changed like this.'I hope this gives those who are hesitant about starting a better sense of what to expect.
Before/After 1: Forward Bend
Instead of abstract 'changes,' I'll provide concrete examples of 'this movement changed like this.'
I hope this gives those who are hesitant about starting a better sense of what to expect.
Before/After 1: Forward Bend
Before (When I started) When I bent forward from a standing position, my knees would bend significantly, and my fingertips would only reach about mid-shin. My hamstrings (back of the thighs) were incredibly tight, and I felt a stretching pain even with a slight bend.
After (Now, one year later) I can now touch the floor with my fingertips while keeping my knees straight.
While I can't place my palms completely flat, my
flexibility has improved to the point where my fingertips touch the floor.
Reason for the change In Pilates, we repeatedly practice the movement of folding the body from the hip joints (hinge). By learning the correct way to use my body—'bending forward using the hip joints instead of the knees'—I am now able to bend forward deeper than before.
Before/After 2: Standing on one leg
Before When I tried to stand on one leg, I couldn't last even 5 seconds without wobbling. I lacked confidence in my sense of
balance and felt uneasy unless I was holding onto a strap on the train.
After I can now stand on one leg stably for over 30 seconds with my eyes open.
I feel like I can support my body to some extent even without holding onto a strap on the train.
Reason for the change I feel that the stabilization of my core and becoming more conscious of how I use the soles of my feet have played a major role.
I realized that keeping the center of the body stable is crucial for maintaining balance.
Before/After 3: Raising arms straight up
Before When I tried to raise my arms straight up over my head, I felt a blockage in my shoulders halfway through and couldn't raise them completely to the sides of my ears.
After I can now fully extend my arms straight up to the sides of my ears.
The feeling of blockage in my shoulders has also almost completely disappeared.
Reason for the change The improvement in the movement of my shoulder blades is the direct reason.
Previously, my shoulder blades were stuck in an elevated position, but now that they move, the range of motion for my arms has also expanded.
Before/After 4: Rising from a supine position
Before When I tried to rise from a lying position, I couldn't do it well without using momentum or
my hands.
In particular, the movement called 'roll-up,' where you rise while moving your spine one vertebra at a time, was completely impossible for me at first.
After Although not perfect yet, I have become able to rise while moving my spine one vertebra at a time without using my hands. I have learned the sensation of lifting my body using my abdominal muscles (especially the inner muscles).
Reason for the change Core strengthening is the foundation of this movement.
I have acquired the sensation of moving with 'muscle power' rather than 'momentum' through repeated practice.
Before/After 5: Duration of sitting comfortably
Before If I sat at my desk for even an hour, my shoulders and lower back would hurt, and my posture would collapse. It was painful unless I stood up frequently to stretch.
After I no longer feel as much discomfort as before, even after sitting for 2 to 3 hours.
Of course, I still try to stand up periodically, but
I feel like my "tolerance for sitting" has increased.
Reason for the change By being able to maintain a neutral pelvis, the burden on my spine while sitting has decreased.
When you can sit with correct posture, the way you get tired is different, even if you sit for the same amount of time.
Before/After 6: Depth of breathing
Before I was breathing shallowly without realizing it, and my respiratory rate per minute must have been high. (I didn't measure it at the time, but)
my breathing would become shallow as soon as I felt tense.
After I have become able to breathe deeply and slowly when I am conscious of it.
Even in stressful situations, the idea of "let's regulate my breathing" now comes to me naturally.
Reason for the change I have repeated the thoracic breathing exercises I wrote about on Day 31 hundreds of times during lessons. I feel that this repetitive practice is also affecting the quality of my daily breathing.
There are also changes that cannot be quantified
I have written about specific movement changes so far, but there are also
many changes that cannot be quantified.
"My body feels somehow lighter," "Moving itself is fun,"
"My sense of trust in my own body has increased."
These sensory changes cannot be fully expressed in Before/After.
However, by looking back at the specific changes in movement, I thought that
the fact that "the body really does change" would be conveyed more realistically,
so I wrote it in this format today.
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1-Year Before/After Summary:
✔ Forward bend: Could only reach below the knees → Fingertips reach the floor
✔ Standing on one leg: Wobbled in 5 seconds → Stable for over 30 seconds
✔ Arms straight up: Stuck halfway → Extends to beside the ears
✔ Sitting up: Needed momentum → Can sit up using muscle strength
✔ Time able to sit: Painful after 1 hour → Fine for 2-3 hours
✔ Depth of breathing: Unconsciously shallow → Can be deeply regulated when conscious ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Even for those who are skeptical about whether it really works, knowing these specific changes might make it a little easier to visualize.
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Next time, I will write about the "relationship between posture and confidence" that I noticed while continuing Pilates.
Yuki / Living in Yokohama, 40s, desk worker. I started Pilates because I wanted to do something about my stiff shoulders and hunched back. I intend to write honestly about both the good and the bad.