Less autopilot. More awareness.

Do you do things out of habit, or are you conscious of what you’re putting into your body – and how you’re moving it?

Recently, I decided it was time for a reset.

I had three months without coffee, tea or alcohol, followed by five days at Aio Wira retreat
in the Waitākere Ranges, where I completed a juice fast.

Now, I’m certainly not suggesting you need to do anything quite so extreme! But stepping
away from my normal routine made me realise how easily little habits creep into our lives
without us really noticing.

Over winter – and this one seemed particularly cold. I’d found myself reaching for more
coffees and definitely more English Breakfast teas than usual. I’d also become increasingly
aware that even a little alcohol could leave me feeling fatigued, foggy and forgetful the
following day.

And then there are those cold mornings when staying curled up under the duvet and
pressing snooze feels far more appealing than getting up for Pilates or doing a lap around
the park!

How quickly does a habit become automatic?

So much of what we do happens without conscious thought.

We head to the same coffee shop, order the same drink and catch up with the same familiar
faces. Before we know it, it’s become part of our daily routine.

When I stopped drinking coffee, I actually found myself feeling as though I needed to
apologise to my local coffee shop for not turning up every morning. “It’s not you, it’s me!”
But it made me think about the habits we create around movement too.

When you come to Pilates, are you really present?
Are you consciously thinking about the muscles you’re using and moving your body with
purpose? Or is your body on the Reformer while your mind is still back at the office clearing
emails? One of the things I love most about Pilates is that it gives us an opportunity to switch off
from everything else.

When I’m being taught by another one of my wonderful instructor, I don’t have to think
about my inbox, work or what I need to do next.
For that 50 minutes, I can simply be where my body is.

How to bring more mindfulness to your Pilates practice

Set your intention before class.
Before you start, decide that for the next hour you’re going to be present. Put your phone
on Do Not Disturb and give yourself permission to disconnect.

Focus on your breath.
Pilates naturally connects movement with breathing. Listen to your instructor’s cues and
notice how your breathing changes as you move.

Find your rhythm.
Rather than allowing your mind to wander, notice the rhythm of your movement and
breath. Sometimes I like to tune into the rhythm of the person beside me. There can be a
wonderful sense of unity when a class moves together.

Slow down and feel the movement.
Don’t just think about finishing the set. Feel each repetition. Which muscles are working?
Where can you feel the contraction? Where can you feel the stretch?

Check your form.
Notice your posture and alignment. Are you holding unnecessary tension in your neck, jaw
or shoulders? Can you soften somewhere while still working strongly somewhere else?

Do a body scan.
Notice the pressure of your body against the Reformer, the temperature of your skin, your
feet against the foot-bar and how your body feels as it moves through space.

Move with purpose

We often find that clients who develop greater body awareness get so much more from
their Pilates sessions. They begin to understand their bodies better, refine their technique
and progress their movements with greater confidence.

And perhaps that’s the bigger lesson I took away from my own reset.

We don’t necessarily need to completely change our lives.

Sometimes we simply need to notice what we’re doing.

What are we eating?
What are we drinking?
How are we moving?

How are we breathing?
And are we actually present while we’re doing it?

This week, whether you’re walking around the park, making your morning coffee or joining
us on the Reformer, try bringing a little more curiosity to what you’re doing.

Less autopilot. More awareness.

Your body might just thank you for it.

Luci x

Strong Bodies. Strong Lives.