After starting my Pilates journey with my first teacher training in 2001 I have still been digging deeper into my practice and teaching. I became curious with clients and my own limitations, injuries and pathologies. I researched their relationships and I became intrigued by Thomas W. Myers with his concepts of Anatomy Trains. I later further studied with Anatomy Trains and trained embodying the Anatomy Trains Bodywork Essentials modules. I have found these bodywork techniques help give clients clear tactile feedback when teaching Pilates. Curious on how these Anatomy Trains integrated with the body in motion I discovered the creative, in-depth teaching of the revolutionary Karin Gurtner’s Slings Myofascial Training. Integrating these concepts took my Pilates teaching yet another step further. Karin embodies the Anatomy Trains concepts and choreographs these into movement sequences that I have found liberating and exciting to share with my clients when teaching Pilates. In 2017 I traveled to Bali for two consecutive years to study with her and other teachers of Art of Motion and earned a Diploma of Slings Myofascial Training - Slings in Motion™. Till this day I am continuing to dive deeper into these concepts and am grateful to be a forever student.
Thomas Myers Anatomy Trains concept maps the ‘anatomy of connection’ - fascial and myofascial linkages throughout the entire body. Anatomy Trains groups the individual muscles into functional complexes, each with a specific anatomy and ‘meaning’. While traditional anatomy is static, Anatomy Trains are dynamic and interconnected like the human body, which is in constant motion. Click HERE to read more about anatomy trains.
EXAMPLE OF TWO OF THE ANATOMY TRAIN LINES
| Superficial Back Line (SBL) maintains an upright posture by supporting the back of the head, ribcage, pelvis with its grounding ‘fascial current’ and tonic muscle energy. | The Superficial Front Line (SFL) assists in posture, from arches of feet, front of pelvis, thorax with it’s uplifting ‘fascial current’ and muscle energy |
Karin Gurtner, a movement activist, found that Tom’s integral anatomical body map is both illuminating and useful for navigating and working with the complexity of the body in motion in more clarity. Understanding the concept sharpens movement intentions, improving personal practice and teaching alike. In Body Reading, the myofascial meridians serve as guidelines to assess structural relationships and recognise the bodywide effects of postural patterns. She says that the Anatomy Trains map has given us an invaluable tool that shows the holistic and dynamic nature of myofascial anatomy within a clearly defined context while still leaving room for movement interpretation. To Karin - Anatomy Trains is integral anatomy with soul! Slings Myofascial Training activates the body's self-healing powers, optimises resilience, promotes balanced myofascial tone, clear force transmission and movement ease, as well as refining system communication within the body and signal perception. Slings Myofascial Training focuses on the health promoting qualities of the myofascial system that positively influence our postural balance and movement efficiency (in daily life, recreational activities and at work). Dynamic stability, Adaptability, Responsiveness, Elasticity, Glide, Relaxation, Tissue hydration and nourishment, Body and movement awareness. To read more about Slings Myofacial Training click HERE.
This is where my journey continues and I would like to share with you my practice and discoveries of integrating these concepts into my teaching pilates classes or private sessions available within Auckland Physiotherapy’s Health Collective.
Written by Liz Brookes - Pilates Instructor
March 2023
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