Practice what you teach: A walk in the snow

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One of the highlights of my Pilates practice this week was a beautiful walk in freshly fallen snow.  Yes I consider a walk in the snow part of my Pilates practice!

Many years ago,  I would joke about the old pictures Joe standing in the snow in nothing but his white briefs but the older I get and the more my Pilates practice matures I really get it!  When I read Return to Life and read Joe words about the importance of plenty of sunshine and fresh air,  I realize that Joe’s method isn’t just about the exercises he teaches, it’s about a way of living and moving that keeps you healthy and strong inside and out.

Footprints in the snow on the sidewalk.

Footprints in the snow on the sidewalk.

 

I’ve come to the realization that I need to move outside (running or walking on the treadmill doesn’t quite do it for me), and my body is so much happier when I do it on a regular basis!  No worries though – I dress for the weather and my walks in the snow involve my long down coat!!  For me it’s more than just the movement..it’s the fresh air, the time to myself, the time to just soak in my surroundings and be in the present moment (like watching the snow fall on my walk this week!)

 

 

I’ve been keepingjoseph-pilates-82-anos a journal to track my Pilates practice and I’ve realized that I do a lot of Pilates Mat work, which probably shouldn’t surprise me. The Pilates Mat work is so easy to do anywhere, anytime so it is often easiest to incorporate into my days.  Noticing this trend I have been making a point this week to get more Reformer workouts in and just play time on the equipment in when I have a chance. I’ve re-realized what a great tool the equipment can be in my movement practice. There is something about the springs and the feedback system created by the equipment that always helps me to create more balance, fine tune more and really work deeper.  My focus has really been how can I use the equipment to get more out of the exercise……more length, more decompression, more balance.

Hope to see you at the studio this week so I can help you explore your Pilates and movement practice!!

 

 

 

 

We are all cheaters sometimes…

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IMG_6734Often times when I correct a client on a particular exercise they will respond afterwards with a, “Ooooh, so I was cheating…”   I don’t really love the word cheating when it comes to movement because I feel like it’s such a negative word.

I really believe that wherever you are in your body you are trying to do the best you can at any given moment and it is absurd to think that you could or would do something perfectly right away or even after lots of practice. Many times it takes a combination of understanding the exercise’s choreography, knowing the goals of the exercise, maybe seeing what the exercise should look like, and lots of lots of practice before you figure out how to do it and how it should feel in your body. Even then there is always a better version you can do.

That all being said the answer is YES you were cheating. We don’t do it on purpose, but if there is an easier way to do something of course that’s what we naturally do first. If there’s a version that doesn’t require as much concentration, control, or work that’s what we do because that’s human nature.

The beautiful thing about your Pilates practice is that once you figure something out, once you know what you are trying to do and once your body has figured out how to do it- you’ll know if you are cheating yourself!! Once you have that “aha” moment where something clicks and you practice it…and it becomes part of how you move. It makes it really hard to go back to the place where you were “cheating”.

For anyone who has practiced Pilates you probably already know about these “aha moments” in your body. Usually these moments are accompanied by some conversations with yourself or your instructor that go like this, “Why is this exercise harder than when I used to do it? I really I am trying my best but it seems to just keeping getting more difficult! Shouldn’t it be getting easier?”

Nope….when you learn how to “fix your cheating” you learn to work deeper, with more control and more precision and it always seems like more effort even though for those watching you….it looks easy, controlled and graceful!!

So don’t feel bad about “cheating” in your Pilates practice! When your instructor helps you figure out how to do an exercise better be excited! It is all part of the learning process! Every time your instructor catches you cheating is another opportunity for you to practice at a deeper level.

 

Why are Pilates equipment classes so expensive?

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A student on the Pilates Reformer.
A student on the Pilates Reformer.

If you are new to the Pilates Method of exercise and you are just starting to look at ways to learn and practice Pilates you might be having a little bit of sticker shock.  It’s not unusual for Pilates equipment classes to cost $25-$45 per class.  You are probably thinking, “These people might be crazy if they expect me to pay what I normally pay for a month membership at the box gym for just one 50 minute class.”  Why in the world are the classes so expensive?

There are many factors that go into the price a studio charges for a class but the two major ones are what they are paying the Pilates instructor and the cost and upkeep of the equipment that is being used for class.

Professional Pilates instructors are not your average fitness instructor when it comes to their training and experience and their high demand means in the United States their hourly wage ranges between $15.23 per hour and $49.61 based on their experience!  Pilates Method Alliance certified instructors have a minimum of 450 hours of initial training hours and many comprehensive training programs require 600 to 900 hours of training.  Instructors are not simply taught to repeat movement sequences but are trained in how bodies move, how to adapt movement for various body types and conditions, and how to safely progress clients of varying abilities.  When you take a Pilates equipment class you are getting an individualized movement experience tailored to what your body needs.  Most studios only offer small groups of 6 to 8 people maximum in a Pilates equipment class so that the method can be effectively and safely taught to everyone in class.

Although fairly simple in design, quality Pilates equipment is not cheap and you don’t want it to be cheap! Well built Pilates equipment is designed to accommodate bodies of all sizes safely and effectively.  The spring based equipment needs to be maintained regularly and springs replaced on a regular basis to maintain safety.

Thigh Stretch in a Pilates Tower class.
Thigh Stretch in a Pilates Tower class.

Now that you know a little bit more about what goes into the pricing of a Pilates equipment class you might be asking, “Is it really worth the extra cost to me?”  The best way to answer this question is to try it out!!   The Pilates Method of exercise is a method designed to help your body move as efficiently as possible while gaining and maintaining strength, flexibility and balance.  You can definitely learn Pilates just by doing Pilates Mat work but as an instructor of over 15 plus years I can tell you that you will progress quicker with the assistance and guidance of the equipment and a qualified instructor.

Joseph Pilates designed the Pilates equipment as tools for practitioners and instructors so that you could  “get” the Pilates concepts into your body quicker and more efficiently than if you only are using your own body for your workouts.

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If you are brand new to Pilates we know it may be hard to grasp how this Pilates equipment works and what is so great about equipment classes.  This is why we offer a complimentary private session to all new clients at Rivercity Pilates so that you can experience the Pilates Method of exercise and the Pilates equipment in your own body and make a decision for yourself!!

Pilates Instructors: Get rid of your cheat sheets

IMG_2445When it comes to teaching Pilates I am pretty firm with my instructors about not using cheat sheets during classes or sessions. Often times I think that new instructors just think I being mean or that I’m just trying to make things difficult for them.   On the contrary I really want instructors to learn how to teach the method as it was meant to be taught, from a place of knowing the work and teaching the body in front of them. I want them to fine tune their teaching abilities every time they teach.  The only way to continue to grow as a teacher is to teach and practice your teaching skills is to force yourself to do it( and not rely on that cheat sheet!).

I can tell you that if you are looking at a sheet of paper to decide what you are going to have your clients do you are not teaching the bodies in front of you- you are teaching choreography. And quite honestly, your clients can go anywhere and get choreography….. Jazzercise, step class , pump class,……

Pilates is a method of exercise that teaches concepts in clients bodies and then uses these concepts to create balance, strength, and flexibility. Is there an order or a sequence?- of course! The Pilates Mat and Reformer work have a beautiful sequence that lay a wonderful foundation for teaching all of the Pilates concepts to any body. If you are at the point you are teaching Pilates you should know this order in your body inside and out. I often tell my trainees that the Pilates sequences should act as your framework to teach from.  The order of the work gives you a standard guideline of where you are going with a client.

When it comes to class time or session time your job as an instructor is to already have a general plan in your head of what you’re going to do. If it’s a Mat class you’ll do a Mat sequence based on the bodies you are teaching, if it’s a private session with a new client maybe you’ll use a combination of Reformer, Cadillac and Mat work to introduce Pilates concepts, etc.

IMG_6765Once class or the session starts though, your job is to give clients instructions that are clear on what you want them to do and then teach them how to do it better, how to get more out of each movement, how to balance their body, or whatever their body needs on any given day.  If you pay attention to the body or bodies in front of you- you will know what the appropriate next exercise is. You’ll use the Pilates order as your framework and work through the appropriate exercises for those bodies.

Personally one of the things I love about teaching is the challenge of finding ways to individualize the Pilates work in different bodies.   I often have moments when I’m teaching when I’m asking myself…hmmmm… what are we going to do next ….but  if I pay attention to the body or bodies in front of me and observe, the answer always comes.   And let me tell you it is not always the next exercise in the sequence or the full version of the next exercise in the sequence.

Every time I have these challenge moments of what to do next or what would be good for this body I learn something as an instructor. I fine tune my teaching skills, my ability to read bodies, make decisions, and give the client or clients the best movement experience. If you fall back to your cheat sheet every time you’ll never learn how to do this, you won’t grow as a teacher.

So, as scary as it might be I urge you to trust yourself.  Trust that you know the work in your own body and trust that you know how to teach different bodies.   Tear up those cheat sheets and teach and see what happens.

 

 

Practice What You Teach: Pilates fuzzy strap revelations…

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Today’s fuzzy strap revelations were inspired by Andrea Maida and her insightful blog called:  The Pilates Exercises and the Lower Body: Strength for Life!

Andrea is one of my favorite Pilates bloggies as I love how she talks about the connections in the Pilates method and shares her own personal revelations along the way (and she’s pretty funny)!  After reading Andrea’s blog about the lower body I often find myself rethinking the lower half of my body, it’s purpose in the Pilates exercises and how what happens in the lower half of the body effects the body as a whole during each exercise.

IMG_5794During a reformer workout this week I had quite a few aha moments when exploring this concept but my favorite was on the short box.  I tell people all the time to be strong in their straps and use
their legs to anchor, but I found I wasn’t doing it myself( or least not doing it enough!)  When I do Flat Back on the Short box I often keep my range fairly small as I feel like if I go to far I immediately start to feel it in my low back.  So today I dug a little deeper and engaged like I had not quite engaged before.

I anchored into the fuzzy short box strap and found my lower body.  I engaged through my legs to pull the strap apart and reach into and found a place of length where I almost felt like my sitting bones were going to lift off the box (and it was an amazing amount of work).  The beautiful thing was that I felt amazingly stronger throughout my whole body and was able to hinge back to a much bigger range of motion without any strain or pain through my low back. The exercise was at least 20 times more challenging but I also moved about 200 percent better!!  This is what I love about the Pilates work!!

The next day I also reconfirmed my new found revelations as I was feeling worked muscles in places that I hadn’t felt for awhile or ever! I love it when that happens and yet another reason I love the Pilates work.

If you’re working with me this week don’t be surprised if I encourage you to find your lower body in new ways.  The only thing better than finding new engagement and understanding in my own body is sharing it with others!!

Inspiration of the Month: Shari

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ShariWhen did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start? Two years ago, I was experiencing a lot of back pain. I had trouble getting out of bed in the morning and stopped exercising all together because I was afraid it was making things worse. After seeing an orthopedist and being diagnosed with osteoarthritis, I was told that the best thing I could do was to keep moving. I was told to find some type of exercise that I enjoyed and to stick with it.
I decided I wanted a personal trainer or program which would accommodate my physical limitations and hectic schedule. To be honest, I can’t remember exactly how I found Rivercity Pilates but I am sure glad I did!  
How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing?  I try to attend at least two classes per week. I usually attend mat classes, but I also enjoy the equipment classes as well. I get bored easily and I like to mix it up with different classes and instructors. Each instructor has her own unique way of explaining the exercises and that helps me focus on my technique.
What benefits or improvements have you noticed in your body and life from doing Pilates?  Just like a lot of things in life, you don’t appreciate something until it is taken away. I didn’t notice all the benefits I was getting from Pilates until I had to stop due to an injury. When I am able to attend class regularly, my back feels better and my body is better toned. Since I work out of the home in a stressful job, I also really enjoy the social aspects of attending a class. After class, I always feel better and more relaxed.
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?   I enjoy working with the tower!