What is Functional Patterns?

Functional Patterns: What is it and why am I changing my instruction to this type of training.

Fixing my wonky hip. It is going to take more than Side leg lifts or Glut work on the Reformer.

From my own experience of correcting an ongoing issue of discomfort in my Right hip through the methods of Functional Patterns I have come to have a deeper understanding of Human movement and Bio mechanics.

The work of Joseph Pilates is not to be disregarded however as he was ahead of his time back in the 30's and 40's. Naudi Aguilar, having developed Functional Patterns over the last 20 years and the founder of Functional Patterns, is now ahead of his time.

Through Tom Meyers the movement industry has come to understand the Facial trains of the body. These facial trains are embraced by high end Pilates Instructor Trainers such as Merrithew. They are very much a part of the contemporary approach to trianing Instructors with Pilates exercises in a full service, clinical Pilates training enviroment.

Functional Patterns uses the understanding of the Facial Trains as an integral part of executing and understanding the Functional Patterns System to create balance in Human posture and propalled movement.

Comparing Functional Patterns to Pilates:

FP exercises are all executed standing up.

Pilates exercises, for the majority, are done either horizontal or seated with very few exeptions done, in the standing position or moving with propaltion.

Functional Patterns is based of the Basic 4 movements of Human beings: Standing, Walking, Running and Throwing.

Joseph Pilates based the Essential exercises of healthy posture to enhance breathing and core strength, that said, a large portion of Pilates exercises are designed to enhance high level athletic movement with hyper extention in the spine and hips along with balanced strength, so necessary for Gymnasts, Dancers. This does not work for the general population.

In comparison, Functional Patterns, because it considers Basic Human Movement, is relevant to everyone, young or old, movement impaired or high end athletes. It considers the contemporary and relevant understanding of Facial engagment in movement and how that effects everything from our movement output to how our brain operates. It is truly fascinating!

My initial contact with FP was in 2020. The 7 year cycle seems to have bought me to the point where I now feel ready to truly engage and commit to and deepen my knowledge and understanding of this work.

My hope is, I will be able to contribute in an even more meaningful and beneficial way to those people who cross my path.

Yours in health,

Dorothy