Out & About #744 | Sum Pilates Session #9 Recap

Weekends are meant for sleeping in. I relinquished such privilege in exchange for a last-minute chiro treatment. The appointment had been made available after endless pleading to the receptionists, and it was only right to be punctual for the accommodation.

The visit confirmed injury of the AC joint, as I had speculated, and entailed a shoulder adjustment and laser therapy to alleviate inflammation. My range of motion was restricted by 75%, where movement beyond the 90 degrees between my sides and shoulder height was forbidden, or at least heavily opposed.

Between the hours of 10 AM and 2 PM, there was little for me to do. After confirming bake-ability of my OOMOMO tart pans, I headed over to Platform, hopeful I'd be able to reside there for a while.

"Do you have a reservation?" came the dreaded question upon my entry.
"Um...no." I stuttered. I didn't think I needed one. "Do you have any spots?"
I was informed that all tables had been booked and was offered the bar without a second thought. In reality, the "bar" was more of a waiting area before the window than proper seating. It was the only choice made available, thus I grudgingly agreed.

The splattered, sticky blinds were lowered slightly, diffusing incoming illumination by a tad. Residual rays permeated my eyes, causing reflection on my laptop screen and reduction in visibility. Underneath the equally sticky counter were several potted plants, hindering further lowering of the blinds. My calves and ankles burned underneath the table.
Despite there not being an outlet in sight, I remained stationary. Other parties of one made their entrances; some were turned away, while an older lady was provided a booth for her reading pleasures.

I took to small sips of my Iced Americano over the first hour and half of my stay, sweating underneath my mask majority of the time. By the 12:30 pm mark, I requested a Long-Haul Breakfast as lunch. Pricey and admittedly greasy, roughly one half of the greased greens, ham-and-cheese-filled omelette, and a single hash brown were ingested with haste to provide energy for the pilates class that was to follow.

I set foot into the studio around the 1:57 pm mark. The earlier class was ongoing, and a mixture of English and Korean instructions could be heard from the waiting area. The client duo consisted of a woman capable of articulating the Korean language and a man who was an apparent avid badminton player.

After bidding farewell to the couple, the instructor welcomed me with a smile and proceeded with a temperature check. I took the opportunity to address comments and warnings from the morning's chiropractor appointment. There was "shearing" in the shoulder area, which led to audible clicks with certain movements; the arm of the injured shoulder was permitted to move laterally ("abduction"), but not backwards, "as it would cause the AC join to jut forwards" - an unwanted scenario. She nodded and confirmed her understanding twice before initiating the routine.

We started with the Cardio-Tramp in the group fitness area, as the private session room was being occupied by the studio owner and another client. Spacious enough for four Reformers and their accessories, one Chair, and one Ladder Barrel, the group space also allowed for positioning of a water dispenser and several mirrors. Bright bulb lights hung from above, while a chandelier was spotted in the corner. Cubbies for personal belongings could be found against the wall, underneath a floral-patterned speaker.

The cardio warmup involved placing the feet together ("attaching the feet"), jumping such that the carriage of the Reform would move horizontally, and keeping the feet attached while in mid-air. Starting position involved the knees bent at 90 degrees.
Several variations of this exercise followed:

• Feet placed in a V-shape; the feet were to remain attached (at the heels) in this position while jumping continued. The slight alteration of alignment proved more difficult than the first, as it was intended to target the inner thighs while warming up the core muscles.
• Feet to the sky; rather than extending the legs out such that they were parallel to the Reformer carriage, I was to "send the knees into the air", allowing the legs to be perpendicular to the carriage. The move was a mix between a reverse crunch and pilates trampoline jump, and had to be executed at the correct speed to maintain control on the way back. Any reduction in speed would lead to the carriage slamming into the Reformer frame. "You can do it!" I was told from the sidelines.
• Elevated; adding a deflated ball beneath the lower back increased difficult and prompted stabilization using the entire core. The feet remained pasted together, but the legs would extend into a V-shape while in mid-air, with the feet returning to starting position on the trampoline.

I had been instructed to keep my palms facing up for the entire duration. When inquired for reasoning, I was told that having the palms facing down would entail shoulders curved forward, whereas upward-facing palms would naturally cause the shoulders to roll back, allowing for lengthening of the spine.

​We maneuvered to the private lesson room once vacated. Reformer exercises continued.

Instability in and injury about the shoulder joint meant shifting emphasis to the lower body and core. A cloth resistance band was wrapped around the thighs and feet were spaced widely on the footbar. I was to maintain tension by pushing the knees against the band for the entire routine and extend the legs - not entirely,  as this would mean losing tension from the band, and return. Constant reminders were uttered to keep tension consistent on the left knee by continuously pushing out against the band, even on the return trip. Weakness was evident on the left side.
A hot pink Miniso Sport foam block was placed on the headrest for the next exercise. I rolled onto my side and placed my head on top of the bock. A neutral spine was made such that the obliques did not touch the carriage; arms were relaxed, core was engaged, and the top leg was placed at the edge of the footbar. The top foot was to be parallel with the footbar, with the knee bent at 90 degrees; the lower leg could adopt the desired position, just as long as it was off the Reformer frame and didn't hinder the movement the carriage and springs

As with the previous class, I was told to keep my chin up and avoid tucking it down by default.

Next was the Ladder Barrel, where I sat on the curved portion of the apparatus and placed balls of the feet on the ladder rungs. Two 1 lb weights were held at shoulder height. The position prepared me for a weighted half-rolldown. Instructions were provided to execute appropriately:

1. Inhale to chin up
2. Form an imprint with the pelvis
3. Roll down into a C-curve
4. Inhale and maintain the C-curve while rolling up
5. Finally, release the imprint to return to neutral spine

​The move was was likely my favourite of the session, as it demanded immense core control and targeted areas of weakness without fear of overexertion in the upper body. In response to my declaration, the instructor informed that the Ladder Barrel was, in fact, the "hardest" piece of equipment, even more challenging than the Reformer and Cadillac (mat replica).

​Branching off from the recommended rehab exercises I was assigned, a green TheraBand was wrapped about the body in an X-formation. The concept of pilates breathing was revisited: to inhale was to expand the ribcage; as the bands were tugged tight across the trunk, exhalation through the mouth would enable the ribcage to be drawn closer to the back. While performing the external rotation on both arms, I was reminded to suck in the lower abdomen, but maintain a position between imprint and neutral spine to protect the back.

​Moving to the Chair, I sat perpendicular to the handlebar and placed one hand on the tension-affixed paddle. The upper hand was placed on base of the chair for balance, but could be placed beside the head for added difficulty. Keeping the legs hovered (core engaged!) the routine involved bending upwards with strict reliance on the obliques, holding for a few seconds, and then releasing. For proper execution, the hips should be stacked in the same plane. Shakiness prevailed when performing the exercise on the right (weaker) side, thus external forces - the instructor's assistance - were deployed.
The eagerness to undertake more advanced modifications was deemed "adventurous", though it seemed only fitting for me to explore different variations given the many years spent with blogilates.

A Figure 4 stretch was conducted as part of the cooldown. Often would the body shift while attempting to lengthen. At such times, the instructor aided in rectification of body to proper alignment. Fewer adjustments were made on the more flexible (right) side, however greater pressure was applied to shift my body back to proper alignment for left (weaker/tighter) side.

A final examination of the body determined my shoulders to be at different heights. Whereas the right side was visibly higher than the left during the previous week, the opposite observation was made this time.

For the ninth session, the Cadillac was not used at all.

​A distinct desire for ddeok found its way to me, and while I had vividly recalled a bakery specializing in Korean rice cakes being situated nearby, its name could not be summoned. Google Maps led to me to Nam Dae Moon by Yonge and Finch instead.

Across from its storefront was the very strip of spaces at which I been ticketed while in pursuit of DAY6 tickets. To my delight, the side street had recently been repaved, its curbs re-done and boulevard-based parking machines covered for the time being. Sprinting southbound, I entered the premises to evaluate their offerings. The staff was undeniably Chinese, with an underlying accent indicative of Mainland origins. The tower of cardboard boxes behind the cashier was another indication of non-authenticity.

Regardless, I had secured parking - albeit temporarily - and intended on obtaining items for tasting. Their best-selling Osmanthus Rice Cake was chosen, along with Mugwort rice cake with soybean flour. Both were presented in flimsy paper trays; Simplified Chinese adorned one of two plastic lids.
Approximately five minutes passed before I obtained the order. While the Osmanthus appeared to be pre-packaged, the mugwort rice cakes were obtained from the kitchen. Initially formed into narrow, snake-like threads, they were sliced into eraser-sized segments and coated in soybean flour to order.

I hurried home with the goods for timely sampling. Vast disappointment was witnessed with the allegedly adored Osmanthus Rice Cake. The blocks were dense, bland, and thoroughly lacking of the tropical blossoms - a great disparity from our handcrafted jelly cubes.  ​When repurposed into a rice substitute and submerged in savoury sauces, the blocks were bearable - not good, but tolerable at best.

The mugwort edition proved far tastier in comparison, though flavoured minimally with the earthy, teal powder and stiff at cool temperatures. Frankly, its texture was softer than I would have preferred. Proper execution of the dish at home was declared attainable, especially considering the immense affordability of the ingredients.