Feb 3, 2011
I stumbled across an interesting thought while giving some thought this morning to two of my favorite forms of exercise, pilates and horseback riding. It became clear to me that both of these activities measure progress in similar ways: advancement requires increasingly less coarse or jerky movement.
Pilates Reformer
In fact, greater control translates into finer movement to the point that experts in either field make even the most demanding moves look effortless. This, to me, is the essence of refinement. Refinement is more than the appearance of ease, it is the evidence of the presence of ease. Refinement, therefore, cannot be faked.
Refinement comes on the heels of control. Control comes as there is a deep and fluid understanding of the principles that govern any given activity. In the equestrian arts an effective rider must take into account the ever-present principles of rhythm, balance and suppleness. In pilates, the practitioner must remain mindful of centering, concentration, control, precision, breath and flow. Mastery is made possible by the purposeful utilization of these principles and despite many attempts to prove another way, there are no shortcuts.
Every activity you undertake should, over time, take less of your energy and conscious attention to complete. Practice may not always make perfect, but diligent practice provides the means by which progress is made relative to the efficiency of effort.
The opportunities for improvement are endless when you look at the activities you undertake in this light. If things are not getting easier over time, you’re likely missing an important principle or two. Go back to the fundamentals and honor the basics. You will likely take a giant leap forward!
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