Pauline Caswell is the owner of Love Pilates Wirral. Pauline is a skilled 2nd Generation teacher with a direct lineage to Joseph Pilates. She’s also a qualified teacher of Education in Biology, Psychology, Science & Health. Her practice is about helping people to feel good about movement and the body you live in, whatever your lifestyle, age or ability.
SEEING MO SALAH PERFORM FRONT SPLITS ON THE REFORMER…
…My first thought: “Wow! Now I can get my nephews interested in Pilates” because it’s my mission to encourage every family member to do Pilates – and they know it! My second thought: “I know exactly why he’s doing that exercise!” My third: “When is he coming to Hoylake to try the advanced version with me?” (One can live in hope!)
What is front splits on the reformer?
Firstly, it’s not the splits. It’s an immense balance and co-ordination challenge. You can’t read a newspaper or scroll the internet now without seeing an article about how we should ALL be doing balance exercises EVERY day. Not just in case you are called up to take a penalty for one of the most successful football teams in the country, but because every day you are trying your best to “get life done” trying to avoid injury or pain, we tend to take that bit for granted and don’t consider what we could do to mitigate it.
The technique
Your front foot is balanced across a narrow high bar, your back foot is on a moving carriage with your heel pushing against a very small square pad, not the most challenging of Pilates reformer moves but all the same a challenge.
Why was Mo choosing front splits?
Maybe because it looks pretty impressive and worthy of a few likes on social media, but perhaps he too knows the benefits…
- Improved flexibility in your hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors and groin (less chance of a strain!)
- Increased range of motion in your hips and legs (all the better to take bigger strides and leave your marker down the field)
- Develops strength in your core muscles and legs
- Increases your ability to stabilise your joints and control your leg and core muscles (back of the net!)
- Stimulates your nervous system to co-ordinate brain-leg movements to improve your balance
- Increases your own awareness of alignment, encouraging you into better postures and more efficient movements (quicker and more successful tackles)
- Gives you a dynamic and deep stretch at the same time as adding load. This is gold in the fitness world right now, loaded range of motion movements for increasing flexibility
- Reduces stiffness and pain associated with muscle tightness
What’s not to love about front splits on the reformer? If you don’t believe me, come and try it for yourself. Pilates is not just for footballers, you have your own goals to score each day, you’ll succeed better by adding Pilates to your weekly activity. National Health guidelines recommend two strength sessions per week, muscle mass is lost from the age of around 30. Use it or lose it, do Pilates.
Check out my “Joe’s Gym” starting in Hoylake soon, Pilates circuits for strength and flexibility.
My nephews?… they are 7 and 9, they did front splits on the reformer, just like Mo!
For further information, to join a community class or book a private studio session visit: www.lovepilateswirral.co.uk
