Keeping Pilates Fresh

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IMG_6149I’ve been teaching Pilates for 15 plus years and the whole journey has been filled with learning and growing (which is part of what I love so much about the profession).   People often ask me how I remain passionate about Pilates or if Pilates gets monotonous for me.

I’ve taken endless hours of continuing education, workshops, conferences and online training.  I’ve taken lessons and classes with a variety of instructors and master instructors.   As much as I love all of those learning opportunities I think the most important teaching tool I use in my teaching is what I like to call “playtime”.

Playtime for me is what some might call my own personal workout time, yet I see it a little differently.  Playtime is where I get to experience the work I teach day in and day out in my own body on any given day.  It’s a time when I get to explore the exercises deeper.  I get to try a variety of different adjustments to the exercise and find which one feels best in my body.

If a client has struggled with an exercise, my playtime is a time where I put myself into my client’s body and imagine what an exercise might feel like in their body.  I call it playtime because its fun and just like a kid playing times flies by and I barely realize that I’m actually “working my body”.

[tweetthis hidden_urls=”http://pic.twitter.com/nXPprcm21N” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]#Pilates #workouts should be #FUN! Love what you do! [/tweetthis]

For me having daily “playtime” is essential to my teaching.  It keeps my own body healthy, its refreshes my spirit and inspires my teaching!!  I often start my day with my movement practice but you’ll also catch me playing if I have some time between clients or classes at the studio.

I can’t do the same thing that the super fit 20 year old is doing!!

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IMG_6792When it comes to an exercise program, have you ever said something like this (either to yourself or out loud)?

  • I’m too out of shape to take that class.
  • I can’t do the same thing that the super fit 20 year old is doing!!
  • I’m too inflexible to try that.
  • I have an injury or ailment that won’t allow me to exercise.

I have some exciting news for you!!  At Rivercity Pilates, we offer private and small group sessions that you will feel completely comfortable in.  From the moment you walk in the door you’ll feel the difference and know this isn’t your typical gym or fitness setting.

[tweetthis hidden_urls=”http://pic.twitter.com/zbNaxIiyhp” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Have U heard this in #Pilates? I cant do the things that 20 yo does![/tweetthis]

Our private sessions and group classes are designed for “real” people who are looking to empower their bodies through mindful movement.  We know that everyone has different needs when it comes to exercise and we can help you find an exercise routine that fits your life and your body.

We believe that mindful movement can have a positive effect on everyone’s lives.  Our instructors and staff specialize in creating private sessions and small group classes  that are tailored to your individual needs.

IMG_2527Don’t know where to start?

We offer a complimentary private Pilates or Yoga session to all new clients to the studio.  This private session will introduce you to mindful movement and also to the studio and everything we offer.  Click here to learn more!

Want to try out one of our classes?

Your first Pilates, Barre, Yoga, Strength Training, or Cardio Funk class is FREE!  Just sign up online or contact us to sign up and be sure to let us know it’s your first class.

Is Pilates too expensive?

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dollarsIf you’ve checked in to Pilates or Yoga studio prices you know they are not exactly cheap. $16 to $32 for a class might seem pretty ridiculous when you can get a monthly gym pass for $40 a month. I like to remind everyone though, like most things in life, you get what you pay for. How many of us have paid for that yearly gym membership and maybe only gone in 4 or 5 times in an ENTIRE YEAR!

Taking a full body exercise class like Pilates or Yoga with a qualified instructor in a small studio setting is definitely more expensive but most people find it’s worth every penny. First of all the class experience is NOTHING like that at the gym. The classes are personal, your instructor knows you and workouts are tailored to you! What this means for most people is that you actually enjoy coming and make it a priority to schedule it into your life.

What's missing in this picture? FITNESS!

What’s missing in this picture? FITNESS!

The payment system at our studio almost forces you to get rid of the excuses. At Rivercity Pilates we have a 24 hour cancellation policy for pre-scheduled classes. If you want to be guaranteed a spot in your favorite class you have to schedule ahead. And unless there is a major emergency, you pay for that class whether you come or not unless you cancel  24 hours before class. Many of our clients comment on how this enhances benefit because it forces them to be accountable and maybe come in and workout on a day when they don’t quite feel like it or could very easily just skipped their workout.

Some people think that taking classes at the studio is just for those who are wealthy, but I can tell you that is not the case. We have many clients who have very average incomes who make getting their Pilates and Yoga in a priority in their budgets. How do they do it?  They budget and make their health a priority!

 

[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Do your $$ run out before you purchase your #Pilates/#yoga? Coupon for #budget classes here![/tweetthis]

At Rivercity we offers some great deals for clients such as discounted class prices for buying more classes up front, we offer a monthly $5 account credit if you schedule at least 4 classes per month (Schedule Ahead Rewards!), we give clients $15 account credit every time they refer a friend to the studio, and we often give away classes and discounts on our social media pages just for commenting or participating! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn as you never know when you could have a chance to win!

design (23)We believe your health and well being are very important and well worth being a priority in your life.   We also know that budgeting for your health is sometimes stressful.  If you are new to budgeting, we have a great resource for you!  Brooke Pettengill is a local accountant who specializes in family budgeting and she’s pretty amazing.  She offers budgeting classes and one on one sessions that will teach you how to budget for everything important in your life (including your health) and still save you money!

Mention this blog to Brooke and receive 15% any class, service or workshop she offers!

Do you think you need to stretch more?

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Something I hear often from people when they know I own a Pilates and Yoga studio is,” I am soooooo unflexible, I really need to take Yoga.”  It is true that that many people could use more flexibilty in their bodies and a mind body practice like Yoga may help, but I find that most people don’t understand the process of how to gain that flexibility.  I get the impression that many people believe they need to sit around and stretch more and that would do the trick.  That if they just sat on the floor with their legs in a V and leaned forward into a stretch on a regular basis that would make them more flexible (and it might help a little!)

Just stretching is often not the answer.  In the Pilates method of exercise we work on creating uniform development in the body.  In simple terms this means we create balance in the body around our joints by not only stretching what is tight but also strengthening what is weak.  Joseph Pilates knew that the best way to create this balance in our body was not by isolating a stretch or a single strength training exercise (like a bicep curl), but ideally we teach our body to move as a whole while using our mind to fine tune our alignment and keep our body in balance.  You see this is how our body works on a day to day basis.

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We don’t stop and think about picking up a bag of groceries and what muscles we are going to use, we just do it.  If we are healthy and our body is pretty balanced this movement happens easily and with not too much effort (which is ideal) and truly engages the whole body.  The Pilates method of exercise is designed to teach you how to move your body through various planes of movement with ease, balance and proper alignment so that you can re-create those patterns of movement in your life.   By practicing your alignment and balancing your body in your Pilates practice you will find that your muscles naturally lengthen, your spine moves with ease, and you’ll have flexibility you never dreamed of (without having to sit and stretch for hours.)

Not sure if you believe me yet?  We’ve included below a short Pilates workout that is easy enough to do every day.  Take our challenge and simply add this mini workout in 3 times a week for the next month and let us know what happens…

How Target and Ana Caban inspired the start of my Pilates career…

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Ana Caban

Ana Caban

Little did I know, that a videotape that I picked up shopping at Target would change my life.  As a personal trainer, those workout videos that Target puts on the ends of the aisles, always attracted me, and one day I picked up a Gaiam Beginning / Intermediate Pilates Mat Work videotape with Ana Caban.

My journey started in my living room in Pennsylvania watching the video and doing mat work on the living room floor.  I was 24, a runner, a personal trainer and I wanted to try this Pilates thing that people were talking about.   I remember how I enjoyed Ana’s VCR video class.  I was able to add it in to my workouts on a regular basis and it made me want to do more.  I honestly had no idea how much more there was.  As a personal trainer I thought, ‘This is good stuff and I can do it pretty well – I should learn how to teach it so I can share it with my clients”.

[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]How did @Target and @AnaCaban inspire the start of my #pilates career? [/tweetthis]

I did a little research (the internet was not quite as developed way back then) and found an instructor training course in Philadelphia near where we lived and I signed up.  It turned out after I signed up there were IMG_3856requirements you had to do before the class started.  Who knew?  One of the first requirements was taking a certain number of classes or lessons from qualified instructors.  So I figured I’d better try to find somewhere to take a class or a lesson if I wanted to be able to take this course I paid for!  It turns out there was a studio a few miles from our house that offered classes.  I stopped in one day and asked about the class schedule.  The woman at the front desk explained that usually they recommend everyone starts with a private introductory lesson before a class. I of course told her I had been practicing regularly with my video at home and was a personal trainer and she agreed I would probably be fine in class. Thank goodness as I really didn’t want to have to pay for a private lesson-they were expensive!

I remember taking my first class with Mariah and doing fairly well (or at least in my eyes I did) and I really felt like I recognized most of the exercises as I had done them on my video.  So I started attending on a regular basis so I could get ready for my instructor course (or so I thought…).  It turns out Mariah was an apprentice instructor in the Body Precision instructor training program at the studio and we became friends.  When she found out I was a personal trainer she asked me about trading personal training sessions for Pilates sessions, which of course sounded great for me.  As much as I had been loving Pilates, it was expensive and so if I could do it for FREE I was all in!

This is where the fun really began.  It turns out there was sooo much more to this Pilates thing than I had even imagined.  After a few private sessions with Mariah I realized I had no idea what I was doing (and no business trying to teach) and quickly cancelled my reservation for the Pilates training course I originally signed up for.  I realized I might need to learn a little bit more first before I entered a teacher training course. I also started to get to know the instructors at the Body Precision studio where I was taking classes and sessions and really wanted to train with and under them if I was going to pursue this Pilates teaching thing.

I continued to take sessions with Mariah and signed up for the Body Precision training program as soon as I possibly could (and as soon as they gave me the approval!).  Looking back I probably could have used more time practicing Pilates before jumping in to teaching, but I was anxious to learn and an eager student and it all worked out!  Teaching Pilates was exactly what I was looking for in my life.  I have always loved to move and exercise and the Pilates method made so much sense to me.

Even though I was a certified personal trainer when I found Pilates I felt like I really was not very qualified to teach and train people.  I had read the personal training book, studied the materials and took and passed a test.  I worked out myself but always felt a little unsure of my ability to train others.  I had no experience working with clients and really didn’t understand the body and how it moved.  I had no idea how to adapt exercises for different bodies or how to truly help people move better and make progress in their bodies.

When I found Pilates as a profession I knew it was for me.   I was so, so excited by the extent of the comprehensive training program.  This was not a program where you read a book, take a test and you’re certified.   This was a program with workshop time and I would spend hours (& hours & hours) watching trained instructors and learning from them.   I would have to take private lessons and classes and learn the work so deeply that I could pass a performance test at the end, and I would have plenty of hours to practice teach.  Then as a bonus I could actually make money doing all of this!!

Little did I know 16 years ago, that watching that video would lead me to a new career I love, an opportunity to own my own business and teach at my own studio, and most of all, the opportunity to do what I love every single day.    I’ve not ever met or taken a real session with Ana, but I am grateful for her video that inspired me in my Pilates and life journey!!

Interested in exploring Pilates as a career or maybe just a part time passion?  Learn more about the Body Precision Pilates instructor training programs that we offer at Rivercity Pilates by clicking here!  Maybe you are pretty new to Pilates and just want to try it out?  Check out our Youtube Video Library and you too can try this Pilates thing out in the comfort of your living room!

 

New Treatment for chronic aches and pains….

Introducing Neural Reset Therapy®

NRT imageNeural Reset Therapy® (or NRT) is a painless, approach to getting rid of muscular pain and tightness, more quickly and effectively than anything you’ve ever experienced before! It is done over clothing and is more comfortable to the client than deep tissue techniques.

This is Sara’s “go-to” technique and will be the first therapy she uses when you come in for a therapeutic Massage session. It can also be briefly integrated into a Swedish massage session as needed.

Recently developed by Lawrence Woods, NRT “resets” the nervous system to allow muscles to obtain a more healthy condition. It is an amazing therapy that is helpful for

  • neck and back pain
  • muscle spasms
  • headaches (especially tension type)
  • tennis and golf elbow
  • carpal tunnel syndrome
  • rotator cuff pain
  • hip pain
  • pain from unknown causes

How does it work? In your body, there are specialized nerve bundles called mechanoreceptors. The receptors respond to pressure, velocity, vibration, stretch, and other forces. When receptors detect a change, a signal is sent to the spinal cord and then relayed to the brain. With NRT, these receptors embedded in the selected muscle are briefly stimulated in such a way as to cause them to send a special message to the spinal cord. That new message goes through the spinal integrating center which will reset the nervous system so the muscle is optimized neurologically, causing the muscular pain and tightness to be relieved within seconds.

How long do the effects of NRT last? NRT is so quick and effective that people often ask how long it will last. At a minimum, the long-term effects of NRT for relaxing and lengthening muscles is at least equal to any traditional massage work. But therapists and clients alike report that the results of NRT have often been observed to last longer and have more profound effects. Sometimes chronic conditions that never seem to make any progress start to clear.

[tweetthis]Do you have #chronic #aches and #pains? #NRT #NeuralResetTherapy may help! [/tweetthis]
Did you know people who have a health savings account (or flexible spending account) can use their flex credits toward massage? All you need is a qualifying receipt and you can submit it for reimbursement…no prescription required.
As for medical insurance, first you need to make sure your insurance company will cover prescribed massages. Once you know if they will, primary healthcare providers will often times prescribe a certain number of massages per incident (need), including but not limited too; back pain, pulled muscles, tension leading to migraines, and inability to sleep.

Do have an ache, pain, or or just chronic tight muscles?  Mention this blog or use the code TryNRT when purchasing and scheduling online to get $10 off your first 60 minute NRT session.  Click here to purchase.        If you want to make an appointment today:      Click here!