How can I keep improving my Pilates practice so I continue to see results?

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Most classes at Rivercity Pilates are designed to be all level classes.  Since we do not have really big class sizes, our instructors are able to teach classes that are a great workout for everyone while keeping everyone safe and not injuring themselves.  If classes are all levels you may wonder how do I keep progressing, making progress toward my goals of increasing strength, balance, and flexibility.IMG_2873

There are lots of little ways to increase the difficulty of any given exercise and challenge different bodies at the same time.

 

Here’s a few concepts we use as teachers( and you can focus on individually) to keep you progressing in your Pilates practice, even in a class or group setting:

1. Combining  strength,balance, and flexibility into every exercise and focusing on the components you need to create balance in your body and in each exercise.  Ever body is different and creating a balance of flexibility and strength in your body will be very unique to you in each exercise.  If you are extremely tight, flexibility may be your individual focus on a particular exercise.  If flexibility is not an issue for you, you may be working on how to maintain stability or increasing overall strength.  Pinpointing particular areas you need to work on can help you fine tune each exercise and get the most out of every movement.  If you are unsure, ask your instructor to give you some feedback on areas that would be good for you to focus on.

2. Working level can be described as how big of a range of motion you can do on each exercise and still execute the exercise as perfectly as possible using the appropriate muscle groups.  Working level is your challenge point of an exercise.  As you get stronger and create more balance in your body this working level will increase and you will be able to do larger movements that continue to challenge your body.

3. Flow– By flowing one exercise into the next one we can increase the difficulty of individual exercises.  Flow also requires the coordination of your breath into these movements.  As your strength,flexibility and balance increase, you will find it easier to transition from one exercise to the next.  By taking less “breaks” in between exercises you will continue to progress in your improving your strength, flexibility and balance.

4. Coordinating Breath with each movement.  The thought process of coordinating the choreography of the exercise with a specific breath pattern can really take the exercise to the next level.  The mere act of concentrating completely on what you are trying to move, how your body is aligned and how you are breathing can increase the “work” of the exercise tenfold!

The wonderful thing about these four tips, is that they work for any type of movement or exercise- not just Pilates!  So try them out in your next workout and let us know if they helped you challenge yourself safely and effectively!

 

 

 

 

 

3 quick and easy ways to make sure you get your Pilates and Yoga classes in!

We hear it all the time…..I feel so much better after class.  I almost didn’t come to class, but now IMG_2605I’m so glad I did.

We  know that many times the hardest part is just getting here.  Sure class can be a challenge, but the focused movement and breathing are sure to leave you energized, de-stressed and feeling empowered if you could just get to class.

 

Here’s our top 3 ways to make sure you get to class:

1.  Put it in your schedule!  Whether you use your iphone or an old fashioned calendar, if its not written down or typed into your schedule it’s too easy to skip.  Make a commitment to schedule your classes or sessions ahead of time and put them into your calendar.

2.  Have your clothes ready to go.  Make sure you have your clothes ready to go so you have no excuses if you’re running a little behind.  Some people even leave an extra set of clothes in their car so they don’t have to worry about it.

3.  Find a friend to commit to a class with you.  Just knowing that your friend will be expecting you for class will keep you motivated to keep your commitment.  It’s also a nice little treat to have some quality time before, after and even during class with a good friend.

 

 

 

 

Try this quick but oh so effective Pilates move- the Plank!

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The plank is great for overall strengthening of your body and really prepares your body to do some of the more challenging Pilates exercises.  Make sure you really focus on your form by incorporating your Pilates fundamentals like engaging your deep abdominal muscles, breathing, and stabilizing your shoulders(don’t sink into the shoulders!).

Try one of these variations each day this month! See if you can progressively hold the pose a little while longer, but be sure to come out of the plank if you are straining your low back, shoulders, or wrists.

When you finish, you can sit back in a child’s pose or turn onto your back and hug your knees into your chest to stretch out your low back.

Pilates Inspiration Denise

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

I started Pilates in June of 2013.  Katie Wera, the Cancer Care Coordinator from Mercy Hospital in Iowa City was my inspiration.  Ms. Wera is a dedicated and hard working cancer care coordinator who is truly concerned about her patients.

Soon after my bi-lateral mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments to treat breast cancer, I hired a personal trainer to help me regain strength, flexibility, and the full range of motion in my arms and shoulders.  My trainer’s main focus was on my weight.

After working with the trainer for one year I was getting discouraged because I was recovering from my third injury from working out with her.  In addition, my range of motion, strength, and flexibility was not improving significantly despite working out three to five times a week with her.

Katie suggested that I try Pink Ribbon Pilates at Rivercity Pilates in North Liberty, Iowa.

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

My flexibility and range of motion are back to normal.  My strength is almost back to normal and I have lost 35 pounds.  In addition, my coordination, balance, core strength, and self-esteem have improved.

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

My favorite thing about Pink Ribbon Pilates is… I look forward to going.  Additionally, Pink Ribbon Pilates is geared specifically for recovering Breast Cancer patients.

Carey is very knowledgeable about what is safe and appropriate for her recovering cancer patients to do.  Carey is also enthusiastic and motivating. She has the ability to give me the confidence to try any exercise.  As soon as I can easily do an exercise she challenges me by making it harder in an effort to improve my strength, flexibility, range of motion, and balance.

What would you say to a cancer survivor who is thinking about doing Pilates?

I would highly recommend Pink Ribbon Pilates, at Rivercity Pilates.  Carey has helped me empower my new body and inspired my life.

 

Learn more about our Pink Ribbon program for breast cancer survivors by clicking here!

What exactly is the Empower Your Body 21 Day Challenge?

You’ve probably heard us talk about the upcoming 21 Day Empower Your Body Challenge, or maybe you’ve seen it in our newsletter or on our blog.  Today we just want to clear up exactly what it is, who it is for, and answer some of the common questions we are hearing!are you ready for a challenge

The Empower Your Body 21 Day Challenge is a program designed to challenge you to add more movement and health to your life!  The online portion of the challenge  will be delivered to you by email over each of the 21 days.  Every day you will receive an email with a healthy action step, Pilates and movement tips, healthy eating ideas and more.

Who is the Empower Your Body Challenge for?

This program can be used by Rivercity Pilates clients who want to create( or get back into the habit) of regular sessions at the studio or it can be used by anyone who wants to workout at home or at another studio.  We’ll be offering lots of great video instruction, even if you can’t make it into the studio.  We’ll be giving away prizes for things like the most sessions taken at the studio, most at home workouts, meeting your goals, and some fun prizes for things like completing your daily action step and participating in the private Facebook page discussions.

When is the Challenge?

The Empower Your Body 21 Day Challenge will run from September 8th to September 28th.

What Empower Your Body Challenge Package should I sign up for?

We have created 3 different options for joining the Challenge, depending on how you would like to participate.

If you are planning on getting 3 or more classes(or using more than 4 class credits) per week during the challenge, we would suggest signing up for the Unlimited Classes Package($199)– this will be your best deal.  With this package you will get our daily email, be eligible for all prizes, get an Empower Your Body Challenge T-Shirt, be part of our private Facebook page and be able to attend as many classes as you want at Rivercity Pilates during the challenge.

Our Ultimate Package is designed to create ultimate results!   You’ll get three weekly individualized, private sessions as well as unlimited classes.  You’ll also receive our daily email, be eligible for prizes, get an Empower Your Body T-Shirt and be part of our private Facebook page.

One of our most common options is simply to purchase the Challenge Registration($39) and then purchase classes and sessions along the way or use your current packages.   With this option you will still get the Empower Your Body Challenge T-Shirt, be eligible for all the prizes, get our daily emails, and be part of our private Facebook page.  This option is ideal for clients who are trying to increase their sessions, but probably won’t use more than 4 class credits per week.  If you think you’ll be using more than 4 class credits per week than we would suggest the unlimited class option.

Working out at home only?  Then the registration only option is definitely for you!

 Do I have to do a class every day?

Definitely not.  The goal of the challenge is to increase your Pilates and yoga sessions to increase the effectiveness of your movement practice.  Part of the challenge will include sitting down and evaluating where you currently are in your fitness program and then choosing goals that are appropriate for your body.  The idea is to gradually increase your workouts, but keep them manageable so you can continue on after the 21 Day Challenge is over.   We will be encouraging you to do something everyday though. By something, we are talking about the little things.   Your daily action steps will be small tasks like practicing your breathing, stretching your hamstrings, or maybe just doing your Hundreds!

When do I need to sign up by?

Registration will end on September 1, unless it fills before that.  Space in classes is limited and we only have a certain amount of appointment availability for private sessions.  If we meet our maximum we will close registration to ensure that everyone is able to get their sessions in during the Challenge.

Want more details on how to sign up?  Click here!

 

Did you schedule your ME time?

time-quoteI don’t know about you, but about this time every year I find myself asking, “Where did summer go?”  Summer is one of my favorite times of the year and it always seems to go by so quickly!

I also find myself sitting down to schedule my life for the rest of the year.  I try to sit down and put EVERYTHING in my calendar.  This includes kids activities, school events, my work schedule, my husband’s schedule, family outings, and MOST IMPORTANT my ME time!

I consider ME time anything that refreshes my soul, nourishes my body and quite frankly keeps me sane!  This includes my weekly Pilates and Yoga sessions, meditating, running, walking, journaling, and other little things like time to read a book, time to catch up with friends, and just time alone.

Learning to schedule ahead has not always been my strong point and there was a time when I would really resist schedules.  I’m a little bit of a free spirit, and I enjoy being able to be spontaneous, go with the flow and not have the pressure of a schedule.  I have learned over the years to rethink how I see a schedule.

I have learned that if I want to get something done the best way to do that is to put it in my schedule.  There are always days of course, when life happens and things are not on schedule or just plain don’t get done.  But for the most part, having a specific time scheduled to do something has allowed me to be more efficient, less stressed and just plain happier.ical picture

Scheduling ME time was not something I was comfortable with at first either.  As a mom, wife, and business owner I have lots of commitments that in my mind need to come first before me.  I used to schedule everything else and then tell myself that after everything else was done then I would sneak some time for myself.

The problem was that by the time everything else got done I either ran out of time or was just too plain exhausted and didn’t have the energy to do anything for myself.  And since I wasn’t doing anything to nourish and refresh myself,  I continued to not have the energy to find that space in my life.  It was a vicious cycle that I had to change!

My own experience with scheduling was the catalyst for our Schedule Ahead Rewards Program.  I knew if scheduling ahead could help me be more committed to my health and well being, it could help others too.

The program itself is pretty simple:

We remind you every month to schedule ahead your sessions and classes.

At the beginning of every month we check to see if you have scheduled ahead. If  you have scheduled ahead at least 4 sessions or classes you earn $5 of Pilates Bucks( ie an account credit you can use towards anything we sell including  classes, sessions, a cute pair of Toesox or a fun Lucy headband!).  Not only are you creating a commitment to your workouts and your health, you are getting paid for it!

AND you also get one free late cancel per month.   So there are no worries about getting charged for a class when something unexpected comes up and you don’t have time to cancel within our 24 hour cancellation period.

So what are you waiting for? Click here to get the details of the program and learn how to sign up!