“Precision” is one of the principles of Pilates. But what does precision mean? For me, precision is simply fine tuning.
Precision is the challenge of continuing to practice a movement so that each time I do it, it gets a little better and I get a little bit “more” out of the exercise. Precision is what keeps my mind occupied when I’m doing an exercise that I’ve done thousands of times. Precision is also what creates movements that are controlled and refined.
Precision is one of the qualities of a Pilates practice that I believe really sets it apart from other movement modalities. Our focus is rarely how many reps can we get in, or how fast can we move. Our focus is on how we can move in a way that coordinates our breath and movement and use our muscles in a balanced way to move with ease.
As a Pilates teacher I am talking about precision in relationship to my Pilates practice, but the great thing about this idea of precision is that you can apply it to practically any movement practice. If you are flowing through a Yoga pose or lifting a weight I think you’ll find that just changing your mindset to think about precision takes any movement you are doing to another level. It makes it a little more challenging, it helps you move with more ease, with more balance and it helps you move better!
