My Introduction to Pilates

IMG_3509Hi!  My name is Max.   One week ago, my new Mom and Dad picked me up and drove a long ways in the car to North Liberty.   I wasn’t sure about these people, but after hours and hours in the car, we got to North Liberty and I met my new brothers and my sister.  They only have 2 legs, but they seemed to like me a lot.   I think I have a pretty cool family.  My human Mom is a certified Pilates Instructor.   I’m not sure what that is but it must be a big deal because she goes to work every day and stays a long time.   My human brothers and sister go to school every day, but my Dad has been home with me most every day since I got here.

On Friday, my Mom told me that she would teach me what she does, and that I could be a Pilates Puppy.  I’m not sure I want to be a Pilates Puppy but I love my Mom and she gives good snuggles so I decided to go.  When I found out what time we had to leave to go to Mom’s studio (Rivercity Pilates) I wasn’t sure I wanted to go anymore.    Mom goes to work just after light comes thru the windows.   Usually she throws me back in bed with someone in my family when she goes to work, but today, I got in the car with her.    I’m not sure if I like the car either.   It makes my stomach do flip flops.

max3We didn’t have to go very far, and then we got to the studio.   What a place!!  First I saw the retail space.    There was a couch and a beanbag chair, I could learn to like them.

Mom had to turn on all the lights so we went in another room.  My feet slid all over the place in that room.   Mom told me to be careful, but my feet kept sliding out from under me.    I’m not sure I like wood floors.   Mom put my bed in that room.   There were a bunch of black things on the floor — Mom called them mats.   I jumped on one to see what would happen.   It was really soft.   I liked it.   I posed really pretty and Mom took my picture.    Maybe this won’t be so bad.

 

MaxThen the door started opening and people started coming in.    They stared at me, and some of them petted me a little.    When they got on the things my Mom called reformers, I decided to take a little nap.  What they were doing didn’t look that fun to me.  On and on my day went.   It seemed like I would just get into a good sleep, and then people were moving around the studio and some would leave, and more would come in.  People who do Pilates seem to come in all shapes and sizes.  Some of them scared me when they wanted to hold me. Don’t they understand that I’m like 9 inches tall and they are like giants?   Sometimes I’m scared.    No two sessions were the same though, so I really haven’t figured out any of the Pilates exercises yet.   There were never more than 4-5 people there at a time, but they were doing some things that I have never seen humans do!  Mom had a few minutes of breaks to snuggle and take me outside, but since she was busy, I tried to catch up on sleep so I could go out in the back yard when we went home.

IMG_3516I try to have my naps taken by the time my human brothers and sister get home from school.   I started waking up, but Mom said we had one more student.  Really Mom???  I’ve been good all day! Pretty soon the person came.   She talked with me before she got on the Pilates machine, and I thought she seemed ok.    I had to stretch my legs, so I ran around the studio a bit.   I fell down a few times, and those black mats tripped me a couple of times too.   Mom put me on the mat with her student.    Wow, this lady lets me try to chew her hair!    She was laying on the mat, so I had to get a better look.   I walked around her, and on top of her and she sneaked some petting in.     I might learn to like Pilates.

I walked back to the end of the mat, and when I did I saw another dog in the mirror.   I have to find out about this dog.   I jumped down — and when I did, the dog went away! I stood on the black mat, and if I jumped a little I could see the dog.   I woofed and woofed, but it looked right back at me. I grrrrrrrd.  The dog wasn’t scared.  Mom came and got me and put me in my bed.   Doesn’t she know I slept all day?   I jumped around some more, and the lady on that mat figured out I wanted to go home! She told my Mom that she’d have to leave so Mom could take me home.   In my next blog, I’ll show you my favorite Pilates exercises!

 

 

Practice What You Teach: A little bit each day…

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“The question is: Did you know you can practice a little bit of ‪#‎Pilates‬ everyday and really change the way you feel? ‪#‎JustSayin‬‘” ~ Gina Jackson

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My Pilates friend Gina Jackson posted this quote on her Facebook page this week and it really spoke to me.  Probably because it had been one of those weeks that just kind of flew by and even though I was doing Pilates every day it wasn’t ever a full 30 minute or more workout.

It was a sneak in 5 or 10 minutes before my next client, stretch and play on the floor while I watched my daughter dancing in the living room kind of week.

 

careyOne of the best things about this kind of week is that the little bits of Pilates I did throughout my days really did change the way I felt.  I always felt better after I moved both physically and mentally!

The reminder this week from Gina was just what I needed to change my attitude from I wish I had time to fit more in to…wow, I’m grateful to have a consistent Pilates practice in my life that makes a difference even when it’s just a little bit each day.

The idea of incorporating Pilates into your life and making it part of your daily routines is something I talk to clients about all the time so when I have those a-ha moments in my own life about how amazingly effective and helpful it is… it just makes me smile! #Practicewhatyouteach

 

 

Do you know your Pilates instructor well enough to say this?

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As a Pilates instructor one of the things I love about teaching is getting to know my clients and getting to be part of their health journey.  So many of my clients have been with me for years and I think that is so amazing!  As an instructor I can tell you that like any relationship the instructor/student relationship definitely evolves and matures as clients get to know me,I get to know them and as they progress in their Pilates practice.

One of the funny things that happens as clients get to know me better is that sometimes they say the things that are going through their head during their session or class.  You know….that stuff you’ve been thinking since your first session but just finally feel comfortable saying! 

Here’s just a few of my favorites:

  • Are you making that up?  (I mean did Joe Pilates really create all of these crazy exercises and how could she still be teaching me new things after I’ve been doing this for more than a  year…?)

    I have to admit that on occasion I make up a movement or variation of an exercise if I feel like it would help a client.  In fact in my own workout(aka play time) I often experiment with different variations of a traditional Pilates exercise that might help someone learn a Pilates concept or movement better or in a new way. So it’s possible I would answer this with a yes!
  • What the he** are we doing?   Most Pilates students have thought this at one time or another. Maybe you felt this the first time you did Short Spine or when we asked you to Roll Like a Ball, but only those who know me well will actually say it out loud when I ask them to try something new or different!
  • Are you bored?  This one goes hand in hand with did you make that up?  It’s true I do like the creative, playful side of Pilates and like to mix things up on occasion…variety is the spice of life right?
  • Are you kidding me?   This one usually comes out when I ask them to do something they don’t think they can do like maybe Upside Down Push Up on the Chair or Monkey on the Cadillac and then they end up doing it beautifully!!
  • No….   When I ask if they want to try an exercise or movement sometimes I get an upfront No, not really….usually I’m not really giving them an option and then they end up doing it anyway…but those who know me well aren’t afraid to try to get out of it…
  • Rolling Eyes..(no words needed)….  This response is common when I say things things like,”This exercise is like a built in rest in the middle of your Pilates mat work or guess what fun thing is up next?…” 
  • Stop being so picky!    Admit it….some days you just wish your instructor would not remind you of all those little details… are they really that important anyway?
  • Really???    This usually gets said at that moment when you are slightly tired and I ask you to do 2 more, or maybe try just a slightly more challenging variation….
  • Do you really think I can do that??  My answer is always, “Of course I do or I wouldn’t have asked!!”
  • Anything else?  Pull your abdominals in, keep your legs together, no scrunching those shoulders and then coordinate your breath with your movement! ….  The Pilates method can seem pretty demanding and sometimes you feel like your brain and body can’t possibly put all those pieces together at the same time.
  • Time for Seal??  If you have been practicing Pilates you know the exercises that come at the end of the order and you have to admit that it’s kind of a relief when you hear your instructor announce those exercises.  For those who know me well they are not shy about asking for those exercises( even if we are only half way through our workout!)

So now it’s your turn!  I would love to hear what goes through your head and what you actually say to your Pilates instructor!  If you are a Pilates instructor I’m sure you can add to my list of what you hear from clients!  Share this post and be sure to comment with your favorites!!

Practice What You Teach: Pilates Detective Work

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One of the things I love most about teaching Pilates is the “figuring it out” part of the work.  I’ve learned over the years that by using movement to create balance in your muscles and your body often times you can get rid of pesky aches and pains throughout your body and you can just plain feel better in your body.  So when a client has something going on(whether its a tight low back, foot pain, or whatever) I love being a detective who looks for clues as to what might be imbalanced in the body and then figuring out what we can do from a movement perspective to create more balance.

This type of detective work is not always a quick process as often times the solution is not an easy answer…like we need to strengthen your bicep muscle.  Many times the solutions come over detectivetime as clients learn to pay attention to their bodies and notice their own alignment and movement patterns.  By regularly moving in alignment the whole body starts to realign and become more balanced. My goal is to give people a toolbox of skills so they can learn to use movement to work toward a more balanced body.

As an instructor I find myself not just cuing clients and helping them with this process in their session but often times I spend my own movement time playing with ideas and movements I’m teaching them so that I can better help them.  Which leads me to my movement practice this week.  All week long I have been playing with movements related to the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus.  During some “client detective work time” I started thinking that my client wasn’t activating these muscles properly and/or there was an imbalance and so I started playing around with the best cues and movements to encourage proper engagement and strengthen those muscles.

So I’ve been playing with movement specific to these muscles in my own body and also just thinking about how I use these muscles in everything I do so I can better relate that to my client.  The result….a sore butt( in a good way) and some awareness in my own body that I have some imbalances in my own gluteus muscles.  I know this as I have really been working on awareness and firing both sides together and my left butt has been much more sore than my right!!  #awarenessiskey #jobperk #PilatesInstructor  #PilatesNerd

 

 

 

Pilates Inspiration of the Month – Lindsey Gorzelanny

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Inspiration of the Month
May 2016
Lindsey Gorzelanny 
When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?
I started Pilates about 6 years ago when I was pregnant with our first child to counterbalance the additional weight, prepare for his birth, and stretch, strengthen, and tone my body.  It changed my life.  Since then, I have tried to sneak in at least one weekly session in whatever city I am in.
What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice?   
I can ALWAYS tell when I have missed a weekly session. My body feels tight and it hurts.  For me, Pilates is better than massage. Due to gravity, computer and phone use, and carrying a toddler my body is often out of alignment and Pilates allows me to pinpoint those weak areas and stretch and strengthen them. I haven’t found any other exercise that enables me to do that.  It helps with other areas of fitness as well; breathing, proper alignment, mind, body awareness, and core stabilization. Seeing the benefits of my Pilates practice, my professional athlete husband started incorporating Pilates into his training.  We have been enjoying  “Pilates dates” together in the off-season!
What were the benefits of staying active with Pilates during and after pregnancy?
I credit Pilates for allowing me to feel great during both of my pregnancies. I practiced Pilates on my due date with both boys (I delivered 2 days later with both). I tend to have long natural labors and my Pilates practice gave me the strength and endurance to power through the marathon of labor.  It also helped me recover quickly from pregnancy and the labor. I was not only able to get back to my pre-pregnancy shape fairly quickly, but I was also able to heal properly.   When you are feeding a newborn every 2 hours, carrying an insanely heavy diaper bag and car seat, not sleeping, and your core strength is non-existent, Pilates will save your life.  Pilates is the perfect low impact exercise for during and after pregnancy.  It is Physical Therapy and massage combined. For instance, when my core is weak due to pregnancy my lower back begins to hurt, so Pilates allows me to strengthen my core and stretch my back at the same time.
 
You are a busy mom, how do you make time to take care of yourself?
When I had a toddler and a newborn, a 50 minute Pilates session was the only time I took for myself. It helped me both physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I definitely struggle with taking time for myself, so I would sneak away when the baby was napping and my husband was home.  Now my oldest is in kindergarten and my youngest goes to preschool, so I can go to the grocery store, Target, Starbucks, and Pilates kid-less, and  it is the most amazing thing!
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?

I actually like all the equipment for different reasons and it depends on the day and what my body is feeling.  Sometimes I want a quick, effective, toning workout, so I prefer the Mat exercises and/or the Chair. But other days, after I have been traveling and my body is aching, I prefer the Cadillac and Reformer.  After all these years, each exercise and equipment still is challenging to me and I am constantly making adjustments.
What would you say to other busy moms who are thinking about doing Pilates?

It will be the best decision you make for both your mind and body.  You will feel great and enjoy doing it!

Don’t wait until you’re out of pain to start Pilates….

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say, “I really want to try Pilates or get back to it, but I’ve been dealing with this chronic low back pain (or insert any other pain…) that I want to go away first.”  As a Pilates instructor I want to shake them and say, “That pain is exactly why you should start Pilates now!!” Of course you will want to make sure you get your physician’s approval and make sure you find an experienced instructor who knows how to adjust exercises for your body.

IMG_7102Individualized Pilates sessions are designed to work with your body where ever it is and more often than not the precise, balanced movement we do in Pilates can create balance in your body that lessens or eliminates pain!   Please note that I did say individualized Pilates sessions.

If you have pain in your body and you are new to the Pilates method I wouldn’t suggesting taking a large group class at the gym or following along with a video.  The best way to learn the Pilates method of exercise is with an experienced instructor and if you have pain you’ll want to start off with some private sessions to make sure you understand how to move safely and effectively before trying a small group class.

At Rivercity Pilates we offer a complimentary private session designed to help you experience Pilates safely in your body, learn about the possibilities and let you discuss how Pilates sessions and classes might be able to help you in your health care plan.  Schedule a session today!