Meet Shelley & Pippin

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FullSizeRender (14)We have a little dog named Pippin. He came into my life much like Pilates did…unexpectedly! We weren’t expecting or planning to get another dog after losing our beloved lab of 13 years…maybe we should just be pet-less for a while, I thought. But, a friend posted Pippin’s photo on Facebook with, “Free to a good home”. My husband and I both asked each other, “Did you see that dog’s photo on Facebook? Isn’t he cute?” and then, “Should we go see him?”. Needless to say, we brought him home with us the very day we met him!

He was a bit of a challenge at first. He was a year and a half old when he came into our home and those formative years were spent in a large family and his “puppyhood” was somewhat undisciplined. He needed some attention and re-training for some bad habits and just a lot of love, consistency, and patience to build his confidence that we would kindly teach him and give him a new and loving home.

I unexpectedly found Pilates again in 2012, after many years away from it, when driving on Hwy. 965 in North Liberty. Did I see that sign on that building that said “Rivercity Pilates”?  Wow! I thought…so close to home and I remember loving Pilates! But, I was undisciplined, hadn’t been exercising, and my confidence in starting something new was very low…and like Pippin, I had some bad habits! I’d have to start at the beginning, meet new people…would they be patient with me and would I feel at home there? I was going to be a challenge…just like Pippin!

I went home and Googled Rivercity Pilates and really liked what I saw on the website. I got up my courage and made the call to schedule my complimentary Private Pilates session with Carey. I was nervous, but excited. I felt undisciplined and lacked confidence, but Carey was very patient with me. I kept going pretty regularly and I became stronger and more confident. I had rediscovered a form of mind-body exercise that I loved and gradually, (like Pippin new to our home), I became more comfortable and more at home at the studio, and more importantly, in my body! A year later when I couldn’t come to the studio for almost 9 months I missed it so much and couldn’t wait to get back to a regular Pilates practice. Now, I’m really “at home” with Pilates and anxious to keep learning more.

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Shelley and Carey

Hopefully, my Pilates practice is maturing from “puppyhood” to the next level that is within my own abilities and strength, but with a gradual increase in knowledge of the methods and sequence of movements and how they feel in my body. Just like Pippin, I’ve learned to be more comfortable and feel at home…him with us, and me with Pilates.

Unexpected? Maybe not! Pilates coming into my life like Pippin coming into our family? Yes, I think they were both meant to be.

So, what’s next for me? Pilates Teacher Training starts tomorrow! Can’t wait for my next unexpected journey!

My Top 5 Reasons to LOVE the Annual PMA Meeting!!

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It’s less than a month away from the 15th Annual Meeting of the Pilates Method Alliance and I am already so excited!!  The annual meeting is something I try to attend most years and the longer I teach Pilates the more and more I look forward to it!  There are many reasons I look forward to this fabulous yearly event.  Here’s my top 5:

1. Learning    I love to learn new things, get new ideas and just be challenged to think differently about movement and the body.  The conference is an outstanding event when it comes to taking continuing education courses with some of the best instructors and movement professionals in the world.  My clients who have been with me for awhile know I always come back from the meeting with lots of “fun” new ways to move and think about Pilates!!

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Body Precision founder Beth Downey and fellow Body Precision graduates (2012 Meeting)

2. Friends   The social aspect of the conference becomes more and more important to me the longer I teach.  I started teaching Pilates in the Philadelphia area and many of my original Pilates friends and colleagues still live out East or in other parts of the country.  I love being able to reconnect with everyone!  Over the years through online Pilates business groups and social media I have also been able to connect with lots of other amazing instructors and the conference is a chance for me to connect with these friends face to face!

3. Shopping    I’m not going to lie, this is one of my favorite parts of the conference!  Usually I’m not much of a shopper but I LOVE the expo shopping at the conference!  It’s so fun to check out the latest and greatest Pilates equipment, Pilates clothing, Pilates socks, books, posters, hats, etc.   My biggest problem is having enough room in my suitcases to take everything home!

4. Pilates Classes    I love the daily Pilates class that we get to take!  Every day participants get to take a class with one of the conference presenters and they are always amazing!  As an instructor it’s always great to get to be the student and take a class!  And let me tell you there is nothing more motivating than working out next to and with 50 or more fellow Pilates instructors. (Usually by day 3 of the conference my abdominal muscles are very aware…ie they hurt when I laugh!)

5. Inspiration (my favorite reason)    There is something simply amazing about being with a thousand other people who share your love and passion for movement and Pilates!!  The energy at this yearly conference is hard to describe in words.  The incredible environment of learning, sharing, and talking Pilates truly re-lights my “fire”.  It reminds me of how amazing the Pilates work is, its reminds me how much I love being part of it and it inspires me to go home with a even bigger passion for teaching.

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Cassie & I during the 2013 PMA Meeting

I’m super excited to be attending this year’s conference in Denver with fellow Pilates instructor Cassie Cumings-Peterson from Northwoods Pilates and Wellness in Ankeny, Iowa!  Here’s a picture of us from the 2013 Annual Meeting!  Be sure to follow us on social media as we share our adventures in Denver this year!!  #PMA2105 #PMADenver

 

 

 

 

 

Do you think Yoga is NOT for you?

IMG_6488So did I.    I thought yoga was people sitting still with their eyes shut and chanting or something. Are you nervous about trying a Yoga class?   I certainly was.   I even wrote a blog about my first yoga class.    I’m going thru recovery now after a medical procedure, but I will definitely be attending more yoga classes when I have the doctor clearance to do so.   Why?   I think it helps with my Pilates practice (see Carey’s blog about this) and with the things that are happening in my life right now, I need all the mindful movement I can get!    I did some research about starting a yoga practice, and I thought maybe it would help others who might share the stereotypes I had.  I found these three tips written by Brooke on YogaTravelTree.com, and I wish someone had told me these before my first yoga class!

  • Be gentle with yourself. Like anything new, you’re not likely to be a master the first several times you attempt a posture or a class. Yoga is not a one-time experience; it’s a path, a journey. You’ll grow and improve as you keep going back for more.
  • Yoga is not a competition. Do not compare yourself to other people in the room. That girl who can put her foot behind her head while balancing her entire body on her forearms is not your competition. You have no idea if she was a gymnast back in the day, if she’s been practicing for 25 years, and/or just blessed with insanely flexible hips. You only need to focus on where you are on your mat in that moment.
  • Yoga is an individual experience. While a class might have 10 people in it all breathing in unison, it’s still just you and your mat. It’s probably the one hour where it’s not only acceptable, but EXPECTED, that you be completely focused on yourself. Indulge in that.

IMG_6498Don’t be like me.   I had judged the benefits of yoga based on one class that I had taken 10 years ago. I have no idea if I went into that class open to learning yoga or not.   I know, I had a completely different experience when I tried a yoga class at Rivercity Pilates.   Get out there and give yoga a try!

Meet the Instructor: Shaina

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Happy Monday!     It’s Meet the Instructor Monday, and today we’d like to introduce you to Shaina, who recently moved to the corridor.

10922646_3212700633473_6873223768443032675_nWe heard you are moving from New York City to Iowa — can you tell us a little bit about why you are moving?  Moving from Queens, New York to North Liberty, Iowa.   BIG CHANGE.    Making the move to be with my boyfriend who I met through mutual friends who also live in North Liberty.

How long have you been practicing Pilates?  I am relatively new to Pilates.   I took my very first class in June 2013 and fell in love immediately.   I practiced for about a year before starting my certification program.

What made you decide to be a Pilates Instructor?  I became a Pilates instructor for a number of reasons.

  • It helped me SO much with my own spinal injuries that I wanted to be able to pass that on and help others.
  • I was an athlete all my life and played volleyball in college so exercise was always part of my day to day life.   I struggled finding a form of exercise that I enjoyed and that was safe for my spinal injuries in my adult life and Pilates was definitely the answer.
  • It seemed like the perfect time in my life to start something new and it gave me a sense of freedom that I could go anywhere in the world and be able to teach.
  • The extra cash doesn’t hurt!  :)

What was your favorite part about living in New York City?   It would be impossible to pick just one thing.    First of all I have lots of family in NY so it has been reallly nice having everyone so close.   The city itself provides an energy that is indescribable.   Not to mention you can do, see, and order anything you want at any time you want.   It truly is the city that never sleeps and I feel very lucky and proud to have lived there and made it my own for 5 years.

Favorite Food?     Like a true New Yorker:   Pizza and Bagels.   I’m a sucker for a good carb!

shainapuppyHobbies?  I work in digital marketing so Pilates is my hobby!  Outside of the office or studio you can find me hanging out with family and friends, playing with my new puppy Samantha, or binge watching tv shows!

Hometown?   I moved around my whole life so I don’t really have a “hometown”.    I have lived in Michigan, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Ohio, Vancouver, Phoenix, Illinois, Wisconsin, New York and now Iowa in my short 27 years!

Twitter Handle?    Not very active on Twitter but you can follow me on Instagram @shaybo6.

Favorite Pilates Exercise?   Probably a tie between Short Spine and Semi-Circle

Do you have a favorite Pilates teaching moment?     Not too long ago I had a woman come in for her first sessions at my NYC studio.   She had done Pilates years ago and she was trying to get herself back into shape.    I could tell she was uncomfortable with herself and a little overwhelmed by everything.   We took the session slow and when we started doing planks on the Reformer she was very tense and was using her traps to do the work rather than her lats and serratus muscles. We stuck with the exercise and on the last rep she finally made that lat/palm connection and her whole face lit up!   She felt exactly what I was saying and she was so excited and proud of herself.   After that she was so much more relaxed and confident.   The rest of our session was fun, upbeat and productive.   Every time I see a client have an ‘ah-ha’ moment it motivavtes and inspires me to continue teaching and pushing my students!

You’ll probably suck at Pilates at first!

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I am often amazed at how many clients come into a session and expect to be able to do everything we teach them perfectly on the first try and then beat themselves up when they can’t do it!  It doesn’t matter if you danced for 20 years, are an elite athlete, run marathons, lift weights, did Yoga or if you are in the best shape of your life!  If you are brand new to Pilates you are brand new to Pilates and it will take some time to learn!

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I often hear a client say, but you just did that exercise perfectly.  My response is usually something like:  Let me tell you how many times over the last 15 years I have done that exercise…(hundreds…even thousands)  and I’m still working on it too!

The only way to learn something is to practice it!  That’s why it’s called a Pilates practice.  Pilates is not a quick fix exercise program.  Pilates is a method and system of exercises designed to teach you how to move better (more efficiently) by balancing out your body’s strengths and weaknesses.  It’s designed to become part of your life and something you continue to work on every time you get on your mat.

If you are contemplating starting a Pilates practice or may be you’ve just recently started please know that we don’t expect you do get everything perfect on your first try (or even your 50th).  As instructors we love helping you learn and we love to be part of the process!

It’s OK to suck at Pilates when you start!!  Just think of the progress you’ll make every time you do it!

We’ll be super supportive and we’ll give you lots of chances to try things out in a safe, non-intimidating atmosphere.  Click here to learn about scheduling a complimentary Pilates session at Rivercity Pilates.

I have to do a performance test??

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As part of our instructor training programs participants complete a performance test.  I always tell everyone there is no failing this test!  The purpose of this test is that you can do the Pilates work in your body.  I don’t care if it’s not perfect or the most super advanced version – I want to know that you know your body and have an established practice that you can adjust to your body!  After the test(which is really just you practicing Pilates) we may talk about why you did an exercise a certain way or how what you did was different from the traditional exercise as Joseph Pilates taught it.

Like all the tests in our program this test is designed to be a learning experience.  It is designed to encourage you to keep up with your own personal practice so you can continue learning and growing and progressing!!

[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Does a #test to become a #Pilates #Instructor Scare You? It Shouldn’t! [/tweetthis]

The video above highlights Cassie Cumings-Peterson doing her full Pilates Mat work as she completed our comprehensive training program.  After Cassie completed our comprehensive program she went on to take the Pilates Method Alliance Certifying test to become a certified Pilates instructor!

You can find Cassie at Northwoods Pilates and Wellness in Ankeny, Iowa sharing her love of Pilates!!