What Joe Learned From Newton: The Root and Rebound Principle

Joseph Pilates talks several times in his books about the importance of following the laws of nature when exercising. He unfortunately never specifies to which laws he is referring.

I came - undeniably a bit late in my life - across Newton's third law of motion which states: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Before I was made aware of Newton's discovery, I learned this concept as the "Root + Rebound" principle in my YogaWorks training.

Imagine dropping a ball to the floor. If you just merely drop it, it might bounce a bit. Not too high, though. If you, on the other hand, use all the strength you have, then the ball will bounce much higher. 

The stronger the force downward, the higher the rebounding force upward.

How does that affect your Pilates practice? Let's find out.

Come into a standing position. Notice your feet on the mat and start to press the soles of the feet more firmly into the mat.

You will feel your leg muscles engaging more. You might feel the lower legs, maybe even the inner or outer thighs working. Your stance will feel more balanced and secure. This is especially helpful for all One Leg Balancing exercises.

The same counts of course for the upper extremities. Come onto hands and knees and press the palms firmly into the mat. You will feel the forearms, upper arms, and shoulders engage more. You will feel stronger and more stable.

Next time you're in class or practice exercises like Plank, Leg Pull, any exercises on hands and knees, or in a standing position, think to yourself: "Root down." Then feel the rebound effect which gives you more stability and balance.

In the Teaching Skills chapter of the Pilates Encyclopedia member library, I teach this and other training principles in detail and with plenty of examples. Learn more about the membership...

I'd love to hear from you: Which cue do you use to teach this principle to your students? Shoot me an email.