Take Your Pilates Practice Outdoors: Incorporating Movement Principles into Your Hike or Walk

One of the top questions I get as a Pilates instructor from clients is “What can I do at home to help me with my practice in the studio?” My enthusiastic response is, “Oh you can do so many of the mat exercises! Like the series of 5 to get your core strengthened, some pelvic lifts and bridging, don’t forget to work on your roll down...” and I always see the glaze go over.

In reality, I know how easy it is to say to practice these things at home, but when it comes time to doing it, who wants to? I’m just as guilty of that. I’ll start, but I get distracted and take a phone call, or I get tired and find myself resting more than I would if I was in the studio taking a class. So now instead I tell them to go on a hike or a walk and sprinkle in your Pilates Movement Principles.

Think of your alignment when walking. Are you hunched over and rounded in your shoulders because you’re fatiguing? Can you engage naval to spine and draw your shoulder blades together to help pull your body upright? This is not only helping your posture, but helping you open your rib cage which in turn leads to deeper breaths in our lungs. When you’re hiking up that hill, are you leaning into your toes and relying on your quads? Put your body weight into your heels as you step to activate the backside of your body just as your would in a lunge. Your underused and under appreciated hamstrings and glutes will appreciate it! They are so powerful and because they are often overlooked, we end up leaning forward which in turn leads to tight hip flexors and low back pain.

And have some fun...once you get to the top of the hill, find a rock or a log, take a forward fold and stretch your back body, then bring your shoulders over wrist and step your legs back and find that plank. Maybe add a single leg lift with some pulses to get that booty up! Find your plank again and add in a few pushups before switching to the other side. And if you fatigue, pike your hips up and back and you’re in a down dog. Relish that moment. There are so many things we can do everyday if we are conscious of our own body; it’s talking to you, take a moment to listen to it and give it what it needs.