Elephant
When too much body weight is placed on the Footbar, not only do the shoulders work too hard but also often the wrists.
Elephant becomes a very different exercise when you learn how to lift your own body weight.
When the abdominals contract, shoulder stabilizers support the shoulder girdle, the weight gets distributed throughout the body rather than into the wrists.
Aside from chronic conditions or injuries, avoiding discomfort during exercises where your hands are on the Footbar is a skill you can learn.
I remember when I understood in my body how to harness the power of my abs and the shoulder stabilizers and how that changed for me the way I did other exercises.
Long Stretch, Push Ups, Snake, Twists—all became progressively easier for me to perform.
Small movements are beneficial to our bodies but can be unsettling to our minds.
Somehow, doing "more" feels more satisfying.
Elephant is definitely one of those exercises when you quickly realize that smaller movements give you better results. And when you do, you stop pushing yourself away with your arms and “find” your abs and the rest of your Powerhouse.
“How far should I be pushing the carriage out?”
This is a common question my new clients ask. I give them corrections, step away, and watch them move.
They soon figure the answer out on their own 😊
You need to know how to “find” your deep lower abdominals through the position of your pelvis. In my signature course, What Pilates Is: The Essential Skills, I teach you how to develop this skill through the Pilates Scoop and Pelvic Rocking.
What Helps You Perform Elephant With Greater Control?
How satisfying is it when you are coached properly during Elephant— and you realize that THIS is the way for you to connect to your lower abdominals? Then, you remember that feeling, and replicate it every time you are on the Reformer moving the carriage.
Elephant, Stomach Massage, Knee Stretches…all are guided by the lower abs.
People often brace themselves when standing on the top of the Reformer ready to do Elephant.
Oftentimes, that type of tension in the shoulders is just a habit not a weakness.
I find that using a Magic Circle to explain, teach and help them feel in their body the shoulders stability concept prepares them to have better control of that habit.
Once they are able to “let go” of the shoulders their form improves and they can contract the abs to move the carriage.
Of course realizing that the actual movement is very small really helps in getting the most out of the Elephant.
Wrist pain in Elephant usually isn’t about the wrists.
It often shows up when the Footbar is being pushed away and the arms end up carrying the work.
When the shoulders stay organized, the spine lifts, and the center takes over.
Once the body is set up correctly, the wrists stop bearing unnecessary load — and Elephant feels completely different.
Have you noticed how significantly this exercise improves, once the spine is lifted and the arms are not pushing the Footbar away?
You need to know how to organize your shoulders so you don't place unnecessary strain on your wrists. You can begin learning this skill through Arm Lifts and Circles in my signature course, What Pilates Is: The Essential Skills.