Part 1 of a Foot & Ankle Series Looking back through the Muscle of the Month features from the past year, I noticed something surprising — we haven’t yet covered any of the foot and ankle muscles . These muscles play a critical role in balance, gait, propulsion, and shock absorption. So over the next few months, I’ll be doing a series highlighting some key muscles of the lower leg and foot. This month we’ll start with the calf muscles . Upcoming features in this series will include: Tibialis...

Using props to activate the upper quadrant and eliminate neck strain The Chest Lift (similar to a crunch or sit-up) is one of the most foundational movements in Pilates — and one that shows up in countless abdominal exercises including the Single Leg Stretch, Double Leg Stretch, and Criss Cross. Yet for many people, lifting the head and chest off the mat quickly creates neck tension instead of abdominal activation. This month’s focus isn’t simply about reducing neck strain. It ’s about...

Strength, balance, and their critical role in knee health This month’s  Muscle of the Month  is the  quadriceps  — a powerful and often misunderstood muscle group. The quads tend to get a bad reputation, especially in athletic populations, because they’re often  overtrained . But the truth is more nuanced:👉  Strong quads aren’t the problem — imbalanced legs are. Let’s break down the anatomy, function, and why quad strength is both  essential  and  sometimes excessive , depending on the...