Can Pilates Help Your Yoga Practice!
Why yes, it can! This video is of Dr.Oz performing a classic Sun Salutation flow. Dr.Oz does an overall good job of this invigorating sequence and his coach provides some important reminders like to breathe deep and engage your core. With this said there were some elements of Dr.Oz’s flow that deserved some more detailed feedback. For those of you who have taken Pilates, you will recognize this to be an instrinc and critical element to any Pilates practice – detail. You can think of Pilates instructors as your anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology geeks of the fitness world. This geekery may cause us to be a little on the type-A side, but the best instructors also teach this attention to detail with creativity and empathy. With this said, here is a critique of Dr.Oz’s Sun Salutation through the eyes of your very own Pilates instructor, moi!
Given the above issues with alignment, here is a list of the corrections that need to be made:
1. chaturanga dandasana
Correction - protract scapulas, pull cervical vertebrae posteriorly as if making a double chin, bend elbows less so they just touch the ribcage.
4. urdhva mukha - went from dorsiflexion to plantarflexion in both feet simultaneously.
Correction - Plantarflex one foot at a time, less general extension to facilitate less lumbar and cervical extension and more thoracic extension.