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Brooke Siler's Two Minute Transformations

Brooke Siler

Introducing Million Minute Month Spirit Guide Brooke Siler. Founder of re:AB Pilates and the author of Your Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge, she's all about the small changes that really add up. In this month of minutes, take a few to check in with Brooke's body-awareness raising exercises. Give her two minutes, she gives you Pilates posture. Her five favorite assignments ("I give these as homework to all my students, including the celebs") after the jump.

1. The Mirror Check: Stand in front of a mirror and study your standing form. Is one hip higher than the other? Do you favor one leg more then the other? Is one shoulder raised? Do you roll to the inside or outside of your feet? Ask yourself “What habits do I have that create these effects?” “What can I do to recreate balance in my body?” (e.g. Carry my bag on the other shoulder, walk evenly through each step, cross my opposite leg over the other when sitting, etc.) These questions alone can begin to reeducate you to simple resolutions for slight aches or pains. 
2. The Lunch Lean. Before heading out for lunch lean up against a wall with your feet about a foot in front of you and slowly roll your upper body down toward the floor. Think of “peeling” each vertebra off the wall as you go and stopping at the bottom of your low back. Let your arms hang loosely by your ears and take a deep breath. As you begin to roll back up the wall imagine you are placing each vertebra back on the wall, an inch higher than where it was originally, and create an imprint of your spine into the plaster behind you. Remember to soften (micro-bend) your knees to avoid any muscle strain in your back. 
3. Create a Stable Base. Stand tall with your heels together and your toes about three inches apart. From the connection of your heels, begin to feel you are “sewing” your legs together into one unit without gripping your knees. Feel the muscles of your inner thighs and buttocks working to create a stable base from which you can pull up in your waist and balance. Press the crown of your head upward toward the ceiling creating “perfect posture”. Try to rise onto your toes without your heels separating and hold this balanced position for a count of three. Slowly begin lowering your heels back down to the floor feeling as though you are resisting gravity’s pull downward. Make sure you are not gripping the muscles around your knee joints. Repeat 3 times. 
4. The Grand Entrance. When you walk into a room — any room — imagine you are entering the Grand room at the Ball and stand tall and proud with your chest and head high. And remind yourself to sit and stand tall too. Imagine pressing the crown of your head upwards toward the ceiling or balancing a stack of books on your head. Do not allow bad habits to create muscle imbalances. Instead begin to create awareness by listening to your body even when you’re not moving very much. There is nothing that garners as much attention or inspires as much confidence as a well-poised and postured body. 
5. Smile! It works 12 muscles in your face as well as balances your blood pressure, heartbeat, and respiration. Also…it’s pretty nice to look at.