Exercise of the Month- The Saw

This month's Exercise of the Month is The Saw. One of Joe Pilates original 24 mat exercises, The Saw is an amazing exercise, though it keeps a relatively low profile.

Purpose of the Saw
While doing the exercise, one can tell that an obvious purpose of The Saw is to gain flexibility in the hamstrings and spine. The "wringing out of the waist" has a cleansing effect on the whole body and the breath. This is also an excellent exercise for gaining spinal rotation, coordination, and full body awareness. Read further to find additional details on the benefits of doing the Saw.

Exercises related to The Saw
Push Through Twist (as shown in the top photo)
Stomach Massage
Criss Cross
Spine Twist

Saw Can Be Done with the Following Equipment:
The Mat
The Tower
The Chair
Magic Circle

Why is it Called The Saw?
In Return to Life Through Contrology, Joseph Pilates describes the part of the movement as "Stretching the body forward in three (3) successive slide-reaching 'saw-like' motions as far as possible". Its also important to remember that an actual saw cuts in both directions, forward and back. This month we'll try to find sawing motions in both directions, and see how that changes the exercise.

Challanges of The Saw
When doing the Saw, where is your awareness? If its mostly on the forward motion of the arm over the foot, there are many aspects you're missing out on. What are your feet doing? Is your weight equal on both sitz bones? What is your other arm doing (this is very important!)? What about your back hand, is the palm up or down? And, how can you use the core to initiate movements of The Saw? These are all things we will focus on this month!

Cross Lateral Exercises and the Benefits to the Brain
One of the most exciting benefits of doing The Saw, or any cross lateral exercise, is the specific way the both hemispheres of the brain are stimulated.

Every brain has two hemisphere, and each brain hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body. Connecting the two hemispheres is a fiber bridge known as the corpus callosum. When we intentionally move an opposite arm and leg across the midline, both brain hemispheres fire at the same time. This creates better neural connections over the corpus callosum, and therefore stimulates the whole brain by requiring it to work in an unusual way. Each section of the brain stimulated to improve our whole-body quality of life:

-The cerebellum: automatic movement
-The vestibular system: balance
-The limbic system: emotional balance
-The basal ganglion: intentional movement
-The frontal lobes: reasoning
-Dopamine levels in the brain increase: enhancing our ability to see patterns and to learn faster

Some of the benefits of doing pilates in general are improved coordination and balance, and this cross lateral movement found in some pilates exercises is one perfect example of why.

This type of movement is not only necessary to improve brain function in adults, it is absolutely necessary for infants and children as well. Crawling, one of the first independant movements of babies, is actually cross lateral movement. Next time you watch a baby crawl, notice how the body is actually moving left arm/right leg forward at the same time, and right arm/left leg back, changing back and forth as they go. Repeating that crawling movement over and over again stimulates a baby's brain to learn to read, speak, and write at an earlier age than babies who never crawl. Even if a baby never does crawl, there are cross lateral exercises that can be done with the babies that can be beneficial. Its the crossing of the midline that stimulates a brain to grow and advance.

Here's another great instructional video from Katherine and Kimberley at Pilates on Fifth. The Saw:



Had to post this, too, after talking about babies...