Pilates and Pregnancy at 19 weeks- Enjoying new changes and getting excited!

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week 19 Welcome back to our Pilates and Pregnancy blog. According to the app on my phone, this week the baby is the length of a mango (about 6.5 inches) and weighs up to 10 oz. We have an ultrasound scheduled for next week and so I’ll be able to report actual measurements and the baby’s gender in our Week 20 blog.

This week Carey taught me on the Tower. We started with an exercise that is similar to cat/cow in yoga, but I was sitting back on my knees holding on to the roll down bar, moving from a rounded spine into extension and back. I am so thankful for the one-on-one sessions during this pregnancy. Carey is able to modify things to accommodate my growing belly and all the other delightful/strange changes that pregnancy brings.

We did a lot of upper body work and I noticed the next day that my arms were sore. When the baby comes, I’ll need lots of upper body strength to carry baby, a diaper bag, car seat, and who knows what else, and so it is wonderful to keep that strength up now.

Carey also focused on my precision. Whether you are pregnant or not, one of the many benefits of Pilates is that the work intensifies the more you focus on your movements. We made a tiny change to my arm position – hugging my elbows in and activating through my arms – during the leg spring series, and by the end of the series it was my arms that needed a break more than my legs!

The picture this week is of me doing chest expansion on the tower. Next week marks the halfway point of the pregnancy and – if baby cooperates – I’ll announce the gender.  You won’t want to miss it!

Pilates Inspiration of the Month Theresa McKane

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theresaWhen did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?
 

I started Pilates about two years ago, but it was not until 3 months ago when I joined Rivercity Pilates that I started to take reformer and tower classes. After researching the benefits of Pilates, I decided that it was finally time to take charge of my chronic pain since I had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 18 years prior.

 
What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice? 
 

My pain levels have dramatically decreased and my core is so much stronger.   Coupled with my Pilates practice, I try to eat a clean diet and I am happy to say that I don’t even take any medications for my pain anymore.

You were the winner of our 21 Day Empower Your Body Challenge! Describe the experience and any benefits you felt from increasing your regular Pilates practice.

 

The 21 Day Empower Your Body Challenge was an amazing experience! I worked out 20 days in a row doing a variety of classes and I can honestly say that it was the best I have ever felt. Taking that time for myself and doing my Pilates breathing every day did wonders for my stress level. I had so much more energy! Not only that, the most noticeable benefit was how much my posture improved.

Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?
 

That is a tough one . . . . I love so many different things. The reformer is my favorite piece of equipment. If I had to choose an exercise though, it would be a Pilates roll-up. It’s the best of both worlds, it stretches my spine while strengthening my core.  Not only that, it always reminds me how far I have come in my practice. There was a time, not that long ago, when I could not even do one.

What would you say to someone thinking about starting Pilates?
 

It will change your life!  In my experience it has given me a quality of life that I didn’t think I could have.  You can never stop learning and improving your practice, and I believe that this is something we can all grow old doing.

Pilates and Pregnancy Week 17 – Stretching, slowing down and feeling baby move!

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18wks

Welcome back to our Pilates and Pregnancy blog! This week the baby is the length of a sweet potato (about 5.5 inches). I am most excited this week because I felt the baby move! Early on I thought I felt movements, but as this is my first pregnancy, it’s really hard to know for sure. Lately however, they’re pretty consistent. Baby likes to move in the late afternoon, if I’m sitting still. What a wonderful feeling!

This week we started working on the half barrel. The half barrel is fabulous for pregnant clients, especially later on in their pregnancy when they cannot lie on their backs for extended periods of time. It allows you to do exercises while being propped up at an angle.

We started with some stretches. I’m really enjoying the side stretching (lateral flexion) and extension exercises. Variations of Mermaid and Cat are my favorite. I think this is because my body is concentrating so much energy in my abdomen right now that everything gets a little tight. Stretching out my side waist and belly feel great!

We also worked on the Tower. Exercises that were “easy” for me pre-pregnancy, like different variations of our Leg Spring Series, are more difficult now. I move at a little bit of a slower pace, but it’s still fabulous to move.

We forgot to take a picture this time, but my mom was here over the weekend and snapped this one.

We’re going to take a week off for Thanksgiving, but I’ll be back with a blog for Week 19! Enjoy your holidays!

Top 5 things to NOT expect at your Pilates session!

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Thinking of trying out Pilates or maybe just getting back into the studio after not practicing Pilates for awhile?  Here’s our list of the top 5 things NOT to expect during your Pilates session!IMG_3026

 

1.  Don’t expect to feel bad about not exercising or not being in as good of shape as you think you should be.  It happens to everyone and we will help you realize that getting back into shape is easier than you think.

2. Don’t expect to be so sore that you can’t walk down the stairs or lift your arm to brush your hair.  We know that exercise does not need to leave you in pain to be effective.  You can expect to get a great workout that is perfect for your body! 

3.  Don’t expect to do the same exact thing every session.  Each class or session is designed to meet your needs on any given day and those needs are constantly changing. Expect us to tailor your exercises to your body and continually challenge you with new variations and movements.

4.  Don’t expect to be able to do everything perfect the first session or even your 100th session.  (I know….this one is hard for most of us and especially if you tend to be a perfectionist!!) Pilates is designed to safely challenge your body and your mind so that you can continue to evolve to the best you!

Try not to be so judgmental toward yourself and KNOW that the benefits of Pilates are more dependent on you doing it on a regular basis rather than how perfectly you do it!

5.  Don’t expect to dread coming in to the studio to exercise.  In fact- most of our clients look forward to coming in!  (this may be hard to believe if you have always been a person who just doesn’t like to exercise- you’ll have to trust us on this one!)

Ready to try out a complimentary private Pilates session at Rivercity Pilates?   Contact us today to set up your complimentary private session!

Pilates and Pregnancy- 16 weeks and feeling amazed at the differences in my workouts!

Cassie 16 weeks

Welcome back to our Pilates and Pregnancy blog! This week the baby is the length of a turnip (about 4.5 inches). The most noticeable change lately is that two of my clients commented that they could start to see the bump. It’s still small, but amazing how much it affects my normal workouts.

Carey taught me a Reformer private lesson this week. One of my most noticeable observations while exercising during the pregnancy has been how much more challenging the exercises seem. One client told me that being pregnant is like climbing a mountain while standing still. So just imagine what it’s like to move!

Nevertheless, Carey doesn’t push me past my limits and I try to stay in touch with what my body needs. We modified Teaser, did not do the full Long Stretch series and made adjustments as needed throughout the workout. I always feel better after exercising and know that staying active will benefit the new little one just as much as it benefits me.

Each week, we’re going to share a picture along with the blog. This week’s photo is of me doing side splits on the Reformer, which is always a challenging exercise for me. I was a little sore the next day from my workout. but so thankful for the time to focus on me, my body, and this beautiful baby!

Pilates Home Workout with the Big Exercise Ball

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Do you have a big workout ball sitting around your house somewhere? Grab it and a comfy spot on the floor to try this challenging 25 minute Big Ball Workout!