I remember working with Ron Fletcher in his later years… watching him move a student in a piece on the spine corrector. I noted in my journal, “It
is as if he sees the inside of her body and knows exactly how her foot is connected to the opposite hand.”
Ron did not speak directly about fascia and myofascial connections; though in my studies of the work of Tom Myers, Robert Schleip, Jean Claude Guimberteau,
Carla Stecco and others, I realize Ron was ahead of his time. He just… got it! Ron knew the body was connected from head to toe, and that every
movement had to be about the whole body. His work, based on his studies with Joe and Clara Pilates and Martha Graham, aligns beautifully with all we
know about fascial health and fascial fitness. It takes the body in all directions including beautiful spirals, and includes gentle pulsing at end
range movement. Furthermore, he knew that breath was the inspiration for the movement.
“Breath is movement, and breath inspires movement.” Ron said.
Recently, I began observing livesurgeries to see live fascia, and understand the implications for myclients both pre and post surgery. Dressed in scrubs
with hair net andmask on, I stood on a stool in the operating room hovered above thepatient. It was a bit daunting at first, as I felt very nauseated
looking at the insideof a live body for the first time. After a few deep breaths and a one-minutebreath meditation I was simply fascinated by what
I was seeing. It wasa poignant moment when the doctor told me to watch the exposed diaphragm asthe patient took a deep quick breath. There was so much
movement not onlyin the diaphragm, but also in all the surrounding organs and connecting fascia.
Bringing this beautiful image to my work, I began to have my clients imagine the movement of their breath…
I recommend my clients:
- Visualize the diaphragm pulling down on an inhale and sliding up on the exhale,a movement which for many seems counterintuitive.
- Notice how the diaphragm is pulling down toward the dense liver on the rightside, the stomach on the left side and other organs. Then, come up to ‘kiss’
the heart on the exhale, creating a dance among the organs. This also creates agentle pull on the spine and a noticeable movement throughout their
entire torso.
With this image in mind, I then take my clients further. By going beyond the movementof the breath to the movement of Fletcher Pilates pieces, my clients
are able to move through their myofascial connections and open their entire body.Through this process of noticing the movement of the breath alone,
then moving beyond the movement of the breath; we take our bodies places it hasn’t been before, opening our fascia network and organizing our fascia
in new ways. One of my clients is a 6’2 doctor and frequently requests I move him through Fletcher Pilates Floorwork®.
He said, “I don’t think my body has ever been to these places, or moved in this direction.It feels amazing!”
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Sit on floor in diamond position. Take a few breaths inhaling and exhaling tuning in to the movement of the breath alone! |
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Inhale and exhale to lift arms overhead. |
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Inhale and exhale to lift arms to rotate the torso to face right. Extend right leg out and point foot. Pulse gently at the end of the rotation with a double inhalation followed by a double exhalation. |
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Windmill arms forward to spiral further to the right placing left hand on flexed foot (or close to it as possible). Pulse gently at the end range of the rotation with a double inhalation followed by double exhalation. Gently pulsing the rotation of the rib cage. |
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Windmill arms back placing left forearm on floor reaching with right arm and pointing foot. |
Repeat 3-4 times wind milling forward, then back and gently pulsing at end range of forward rotation. Pay close attention to the foot being either flexed
or pointed. Keep it
active! Repeat piece on other side.
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Begin by sitting on right hip with arms in low V position. Take a few breaths inhaling and exhaling tuning in to the movement of the breath alone. |
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Inhale to reach arms up. |
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Inhale and exhale to reach arms to the left side. Go to end range and then pulse small range of movement with a double inhalation, double exhalation. Repeat 2-3 times noticing how movement of diaphragm is just underneath pulse of torso and the reach of the arms. |
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Turn and spiral to the right and place hands on floor. Take a couple breaths noticing how the movement of the breath opens the back. |
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Lift left leg up and down, inhaling to lift, exhaling to lower. Repeat 2-3 times. Lift leg up to hold and pulse back at end range with a double inhalation, double exhalation. Notice how the movement of the breath opens the left hip as well as the spiral of the spine at back and neck. |
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Inhale and exhale to place left leg behind on floor. Take 2-3 breaths again noticing the movement of the diaphragm in the spiraled position opening up the back and torso and torso and hip. |
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Inhale and exhale to lift arm up and spiral to face back. Inhale and exhale to return to right side with both hands on floor. Repeat 3-4 times spiraling back to open to left and rotating to spiral to right. Return to starting position and repeat on other side. |
About the Author: Anne Lloyd Willett, M.S., PMA® -CPT has been teaching movement for over 35 years. She is a Fletcher Pilates Adjunct Faculty and has a studio in Chattanooga, TN Connected. Pilates in Sync. She recently presented at the Fletcher Pilates International Conference on The F Word(s): Fascia and Fletcher Pilates.