Pilates and Pregnancy- 15 weeks

Welcome to our new series – Pilates and Pregnancy! My name is Cassie Cumings-Peterson and I am a Pilates instructor at Rivercity Pilates in North Liberty, Iowa. I’m also expecting my first baby, which means I’m experiencing tons of new sensations in my body. The goal of this blog is to share with you these changes as I experience them and explore how to incorporate Pilates safely and effectively into my pregnancy.Cassie Announces pregnancy

I strongly believe that Pilates is a fabulous way to prepare your body for carrying a baby, delivering a baby, and recovering after baby. However, if you are newly pregnant and considering trying Pilates – or continuing your current Pilates workouts – be sure to okay it with your doctor first.

We’ll start with some basics. I am 15 weeks along, which means the baby is due at the end of April. I have been practicing Pilates for over three years and teaching Pilates for a year and a half. The baby is the size of an avocado this week. Each week, Carey Sadler, the owner at Rivercity Pilates, is going to teach me a private lesson where we can focus on the changing needs of my body.  I’m also still participating in group Pilates Mat and Equipment classes and Yoga.

So let’s get started.

This week I’ve noticed three changes. First, my pants are tight. There’s not a cute “bump” yet, but I’ve definitely put on some padding in the middle. Second, I’ve experienced some round ligament pain. This is apparently completely normal. It’s basically a sharp pain that occurs in your midsection at random times (usually when changing positions). Third, it’s harder for me to keep my legs hugged together on exercises like roll-up and spine twist.

In this week’s session we started with footwork on the chair. Carey modified the traditional foot position – by having me take my feet wide on the paddle – to give me more of a hip opening stretch. Next, we worked on the Cadillac. I am still able to lie on my back and stomach without discomfort or danger to the baby. It feels great to move, but definitely different than from before I was pregnant. Everything is slightly more challenging, especially Teaser. I think this may be why many women get discouraged with exercise and decide to forego it during their pregnancy. My advice is to just keep moving, even if it means moving at a slower pace or performing exercises at an “easier” level than you did before you were expecting.

I hope you’re able to check in each week and join me on this awesome adventure!

-Cassie

Rivercity Pilates announces the winner of the Pink Ribbon Starter Package Giveaway!!

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In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Rivercity Pilates sponsored a giveaway to honor one inspiring Breast Cancer survivor with the chance to experience our Pink Ribbon Program!  PRLogo_color

 This year’s winner is breast cancer survivor Pam Pump!   Pam sent us a heartfelt email sharing her breast cancer story and talking about her road to wellness.  Like many breast cancer survivors she is doing her best to be as positive as possible and do everything she can to stay healthy.

Pam stated in her letter, “After all my treatments and surgeries were done, I wanted to THRIVE not just SURVIVE.”

She’s tried working with a personal trainer and other workout classes, but has found that she is not seeing results such when it comes to regaining her strength and flexibility.

Pam is not alone in her struggle as a breast cancer survivor to find a fitness program.

Most fitness programs do not address specific issues that these cancer survivors face.  Often times trainers and instructors just don’t have experience working with the specific medical limitations that these women face and so they have them trying to do things that their bodies are not quite ready for.  Instead of strengthening and balancing their bodies, they end up either hurting themselves or feeling defeated because their bodies can’t do what is being asked of them.

The Pink Ribbon Program is designed to help these survivors improve strength, flexibility and balance in their body in a way that leaves them feeling empowered, inspired and ready to take on life!

Our Pink Ribbon Starter Package is a month-long program. It includes two private sessions weekly (eight sessions total), with Pink Ribbon Certified Instructor Carey Sadler.  This package is designed for cancer survivors who are looking to explore the Pilates method of exercise as a way of strengthening their body, mind, and spirit.

Some of the wonderful benefits of Pilates for cancer survivors:

  • Helps regain strength and mobility in all your joints and muscles

  • Enhances energy levels

  • Improves self confidence and control

  • Reduces feelings of depression

  • Decreases stress and tension

  • Enhances physical and mental well-being

 

Want to learn more about our Pink Ribbon Program at Rivercity Pilates?  Click here or contact us today to set up a complimentary session to see if the program would be right for you!

 

 

 

Do I need to be at my ideal weight and fitness level to become a Pilates instructor?

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Do you ever wonder what the requirements are to become a Pilates instructor?   I get lots of questions and concerns about what it takes to be an instructor.  Here are two of the most common ones:

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What if I can’t do every exercise?

 Do I need to be at my ideal weight?

 

I challenge you to think about your favorite teacher throughout your life in any subject.  This could an English teacher, a coach, a Pilates or Yoga instructor, or just a parent, grandparent, or friend teaching you about life.

Did they do everything perfect?  Did they know absolutely everything there was to know about the subject they were teaching?  Of course not! 

But they did have more knowledge than you in a particular subject and they probably had more experience.  They probably had a love or passion for the subject they were teaching that was almost contagious!  I’m guessing they made you feel excited, successful and eager to continue learning!  I’m also guessing that they were just as much a student of the work they were teaching, as they were a teacher.

Pilates is a method of exercise that includes hundreds of exercises and variations of exercises.  The process of learning the method in your own body, just like the process of learning to teach the method to others,  is a continual, never ending process.   It is important for you to have a consistent Pilates practice before you start the program but it’s ok if you have not perfected every exercise.  As an instructor you will always be practicing and fine tuning the work in your own body and those experiences will continue to make you a great teacher!!

We all come in different shapes and sizes and there are no weight or size requirements to becoming a Pilates instructor!  Your weight and size definitely impact how you move your body but I consider this a gift.    By learning how to practice Pilates in your unique body you will get the skills to help others of varying shapes and sizes do the same!!

 

If you are contemplating a Pilates teacher training program, some more appropriate questions to ask yourself might be:

  • Does Pilates inspire me?
  • Do I enjoy helping others empower their bodies, just like my instructors have empowered me?
  • How could deepening my own Pilates practice inspire my life?

Click here to learn about the Body Precision Pilates Teacher training programs at Rivercity Pilates.  Module 1 of our Comprehensive program starts in this fall!!

“We teach best what we most need to learn.”        ~ Richard Bach

How do I know if I’m doing my Pilates exercises correctly?

If you’ve ever taken a Pilates class you know there is a lot of attention to detail when it comes to the Pilates exercises.   Pull your belly in, keep your shoulders down, engage your inner thighs,….breathe!  Pilates instructors are notorious for giving lots of corrections and sometimes it can be confusing as a client.  You want to be doing it correctly right?

Your instructor’s corrections and cues are really meant to help you fine tune your own practice, stay safe and get the most out of each exercise.  Sometimes, especially if you are just starting off,  all of the helpful advice can be a little overwhelming.

A very common question I hear is:    Am I doing it right?   
Unless you are doing a movement that is causing your body pain or is unsafe- the answer is almost always: Yes, you are doing it correctly! 

I think the real question people want to ask is: am I doing it like you do it or is this what it looks like when Madonna does it?
That answer would be no and should be no! You see, as long as you are paying attention to your body and doing your best to follow the instructions your instructor is giving you- you are doing it perfectly in your body(no matter what the exercise “looks like” in your body).

It is more important how the movement feels in your body rather than how it looks.RCP-37
The next time you do the same exercise, it may feel totally different.  You may feel something you’ve never felt before, move differently than last week, or have a different range of motion.  That’s OK and to be expected.  As you start to fine tune your paying attention to your body skills, you will find yourself self-correcting to create more balance in your body and fine tuning to maximize that benefits of each exercise in your body.

In fact, the real “magic” of Pilates starts to happen when you start increasing your own body awareness and ability to just be present in your body and notice what is going on.  You start to be your own teacher in many ways.
The doing part of the exercise, the paying attention to your body and noticing how it feels part is sooo much more important than what it looks like on the outside.

The next time you find yourself wondering if you are doing it correctly-just focus on what’s going on in your body and trust that your efforts at that moment in that exercise are perfect!    Of course if you have questions on the exercise technique itself be sure to ask your instructor and they can give you a more detailed explanation that can aid in your understanding!  

Inspiration of the Month Audrey O’Hara

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When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?
 
Heather (Thorpe) was talking to me about the Pilates studio and said she needed a person to come in for her training and then my hair designer, Ari Bult, was talking about it a day later and so I decided to try it out and started working out with Heather. I was very very sore after my sessions with Heather in the first weeks and realized that I needed help to get my health back in order. The more I went, the better I felt, and the more I craved it. People noticed a change in me in regards to my posture, strength, and my new found love for Pilates movements in general. I have not stopped recommending it to everyone since! I believe Pilates will be a way of life for me now. LOVE IT!!!
 
What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice? 
 
I have a lot more stamina and flexibility and love seeing my progress. I do not want to grow older without making some kind of effort to take care of myself and my own well being.
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?
 
Jackknife has become one of my favorites because I can feel myself getting my spine in realignment without the help of anyone else. My balance has also improved tremendously. It is now a lifestyle change for me that I plan on doing for a lifetime. It has really enhanced the quality of my life and now I cannot live without Pilates!
(Audrey’s demonstrating jackknife in the photo above.)
What would you say to someone thinking about starting Pilates?
 
I would recommend to anyone who is interested in Pilates to try private sessions first to get the movements down before trying classes. I think the one-on-one is very beneficial before trying classes. You won’t regret it!
 

The Pilates Push up

 

 

The Pilates Push up is a great all over body exercise that ties together all of the Pilates Principles.  The push up itself is a great exercise, but this Pilates version will teach you how to work on your balance and control and make an exercise out of the act of getting into the push up position as well as getting out of it.

Be sure to watch the video, try your own variation of the Pilates push-up and let us know how it goes!  If you liked this video be sure to share it with your friends!