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The Ron Fletcher Towel Workout
Use a simple braided towel for this dynamic set of movements
by John White
Wherever you see bright red towels cutting through the air to a symphony of sharp, energetic breathing, you can be sure that Ron Fletcher is close at hand. One of the signature techniques of Pilates elder and master teacher Ron Fletcher, the Towel Work provides an extensive vocabulary of movements-from simple to beautifully complex-designed to clarify, teach and evolve the principles of Pilates. Towel work is indispensable in teaching shoulder girdle stabilization and correct movement of the arms. You will immediately appreciate the effectiveness of this work and the fact that you can practice it at home with an everyday piece of "equipment." Athletes and dancers love the fact that it can challenge them to display all the subtleties of movement and performance (weight shifts, timing, focus, precision, balance and control) while simultaneously giving them an intense stretch and workout.
Here are two movements to get you started. The first introduces a basic action and the next elaborates it into a phrase of movement.
Simple Side Bend
Use this exercise to strengthen and stretch the muscles of the waist.
Step 1
Begin standing in a wide turned-out position with the taut towel directly overhead.
Step 2
Take four full breaths while slowly bending the body to the side: Divide the space between where you start (upright) and where you'll end up (side bend) into four equal segments, one breath for each. Each inhale lengthens the waist and each exhale bends the body more to the side. Maintain proper alignment! Keep the shoulders anchored down, the abdominals pulled in tight and the hips centered over the legs.
Step 3
Inhale as you briskly bring the body back upright. Exhale in place, deepening the connection to your core muscles.
Perform this movement twice on each side, alternating sides as you go. Then do it twice more, dividing the side bend into just 2 equal movements; finally, perform the side bend in one single motion, 4 times, side to side.
Shoulder Stretch with Contraction/High Release
This movement includes articulation of the entire spine and a large range of motion for the shoulders. Only perform this if your shoulders and chest are flexible enough. If you aren't sure, ask an instructor to determine your flexibility.
Step 1
Begin standing with legs and feet together, with the towel taut against the hips.
Step 2
As you inhale, circle the arms up and over the head in one continuous motion.
Step 3
Continue to stretch the arms behind the head, arching the upper back into a high release position.
Step 4
When the towel touches the back of your body, exhale as the low belly contracts and the knees bend.
Step 5
Continue into a deep contraction, pulling the arms into the body, bowing the head and rounding the back.
To finish the movement, reverse the sequence: inhale as you circle the arms up from the back, through the arched high release position and down the front of the body. Perform 8 times. Give the long circle of the towel a flowing feel, with a moment of suspension at the top of the movement. Give the contraction a strong attack.
Percussive Breathing
Ron teaches this particular technique with the goal of enhancing the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the lungs and the bloodstream: Inhale through the nose. This delivers more oxygen to the bloodstream. Exhale through the mouth, making a "SH" sound. This engages the core muscles that help to forcibly expel the air. End the exhale with an accented "squeezing" out to fully empty the lungs.
John White teaches Pilates, the Ron Fletcher Work, Gyrotonic® and GyrokinesisT at his studio in Tucson, AZ. A former Martha Graham dancer, he is a highly sought-after presenter and lecturer.
For more exercises in this series, order the Winter 2005 issue here.
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