Pilates: Ranging beyond neutral – A practical discussion

The presence of ‘uncontrolled movement’ within the human neuromusculoskeletal system can be found if the movement control system (mind) and muscular system (body) is tested for their combined ability to successfully control low threshold forces, such as those affecting posture and alignment, or, high threshold forces, such as those requiring muscular strength to control. Deciding which exercises are the best to ‘fix’ the uncontrolled movements found is a fundamental part of the rehabilitative process. It has been suggested that specific exercises are best suited to fix specific faults. Direction Control and Range Control exercises are postulated as two key types of specific exercises that should be used when specific uncontrolled movements are found. In this paper, examples of the application of these two types of exercises are discussed, as is the fact that the ‘mind and body’ focused Pilates method already uses these two key exercise types as elements within its own system of exercise.