Our reliance on computers has everyone worrying about the problems that extended sitting and computers cause on our bodies. Try this mini-workout to give your shoulders and chest a stretch after a long day at work!
Carey Sadler, owner of Rivercity Pilates in North Liberty, IA demonstrates a simple exercise you can do to stretch the shoulder and chest with a medium weight Theraband.
I got to take a little Pilates road trip this weekend and it was so great!! There is nothing better than getting to connect with other Pilates teachers, getting to visit a different Pilates studio and of course getting to be a student and get some learning time in! I was going to write about all of my takeaways from the weekend, but honestly I have so many that I think they might bore you unless you’re a Pilates, movement geek like me! So instead I decided to share just my favorite takeaway in a little more detail!
It all started with the workshop presenter Chantill asking the group to take a few moments to write down 2 or 3 things you want your clients to walk away from their session with. And then we shared. It was pretty inspiring to listen to a room full of about 20 teachers share their vision for what they wanted their clients to walk away with. As you can probably imagine, the answers were all unique to each person and as each person spoke you could feel the passion in their description. Just a few of the things mentioned were:
As we all finished, Chantill made an observation: Nobody mentioned they wanted their client to properly do Pilates, or even mentioned Pilates… hmmmm…. At the end of the day everyone’s goals had to do with improving the lives of their clients and how their clients felt after their session. Of course Pilates is a tool that we all use to do that but when we looked at everyone’s why of teaching Pilates- it was much bigger than Pilates.
Chantill’s workshop was titled Pilates Rules and Why to Break Them. She needed to start the session getting teachers comfortable about knowing what their goals were in teaching and giving them a good reason to be willing and open to question how they they teach. Mission accomplished with this exercise!
As a teacher this exercise was a powerful reminder of why I do what I do and the importance of keeping that why front and center when I’m teaching as well as in other aspects in my life. Whether I’m practicing Pilates, being a mom or running my business this concept of remembering my why and what I want to accomplish is pretty important. It reminded me that there are lots of different ways to accomplish any one thing and one of the best things you can do is be open to the way that works the best on any given day for any given situation.
Want to learn more about Chantill and all of her amazing learning opportunities for Pilates teachers? Check her out here!! Like the Skillful Teaching Facebook page here!
And if you are in the Chicago area or visiting check out the beautiful Village Pilates Studio in Oak Park. It’s a beautiful studio and everyone was super friendly and nice!!
1. Pilates will strengthen your core muscles. The overall core strength gained from Pilates can help improve your swing by increasing your ability to stabilize your body as well as being able to initiate movement from those core muscles.
2. Pilates will increase your flexibility. When you have more mobility in spine and more flexibility in your muscles you can easily get more rotation. More rotation in your body makes for a more efficient, powerful golf swing.
3. Pilates will improve your concentration. Concentration is one of the founding principles of Pilates and every movement requires you to concentrate on exactly what your body is doing. Concentration, like any other skill will improve the more you practice it. Your improved concentration will allow you to fine tune your golf swings and make the most out of your game.
![golfer](https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/golfer.png")
4. Pilates will balance your body and help you prevent injuries. The Pilates method of exercise promotes uniform development of all the muscles in the body. By creating balance in your musculature you can prevent overuse injuries which can be very common for serious golfers.
Learn more about the benefits of Pilates by scheduling your complimentary private Pilates session today!
Joseph Pilates stated, “Above all, learn how to breathe correctly.”
Proper breathing is the cornerstone of the Pilates method of exercise.
The Pilates breathing technique promotes learning how to use the full capacity of our breath by emphasizing a complete inhale and a complete exhale. There is also a focus on maintaining the engagement of the abdominal muscles throughout both the inhale and exhale which allows the body to strengthen the core muscles and create movement from the center of the body.
It is not an easy task to focus on proper breathing technique while executing the Pilates exercises and still keeping a whole body awareness of our alignment and form. Just remember that Pilates is a movement practice and every time you practice it will get easier and easier, and your body will naturally start to incorporate the breath and movements!
Today’s video will give you some reminders of how to execute the Pilates breath and give you some tips to practice. When learning or fine tuning this breath it may help you to just practice the breathing by itself without the added coordination of trying to perform specific exercises while breathing.
If you enjoyed the video be sure to click like and share it with your friends!
As you may know, I’ve been making an effort to take more classes at the studio versus just working out on my own. As a teacher there are so many benefits to getting to be a student more and I think one of my favorites is perspectives. I find myself just noticing how what the teacher is saying and doing effects how I’m moving. I’m aware of how those extra little motivating words and words of praise make me work a little bit harder (much more than if I were just working out on my own). I notice how I push myself to do those last few reps even though I really don’t want to!
I’ve also been noticing my pants! When it’s just me working out, I don’t have to worry about mooning my neighbor during roll ups because the waist of my Pilates pants is sliding down. When it’s just me I could care less if my shirt flips up and my belly shows. But I have caught myself so many times in a class setting adjusting my clothing because I don’t want to offend anyone in class! I’ve definitely become more aware of my clothing selection on days I’m taking a group class. It’s reminded me that having a good high waisted pair of comfortable workout pants and a shirt that covers everything…. can really help me pay attention to my movement practice more! And yes it’s helping me justify any money I spend to find Pilates clothes that aren’t just cute but comfortable and functional too!!
Really though, it reminds me that it’s important to be comfortable when you are working out. When you are distracted by anything, including what you are wearing, you’re not spending as much time focused on the important things!!
When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?
I started Pilates back in high school when I was dancing a lot with my studio. During college I spent most of my time doing yoga, but after graduating, I wanted to still incorporate movement into my life and missed Pilates. I have been coming to Rivercity for a little bit over a year and a half now. I’m working to become certified as a mat instructor because I just can’t get enough Pilates in my life and want to help others with Pilates exercises.
How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing?
I try to attend at least 2 classes a week. I love to mix it up and do barre class or yoga class as well. My favorite type of session is a traditional mat class so I can focus on areas that I can continue to improve in. I also am working towards becoming certified as a Pilates mat instructor, so this traditional practice has helped a lot with the course.
What benefits or improvements have you noticed in your body and life from doing Pilates?
Pilates is something I can always rely on to make me feel better. It takes care of various aches and pains from other workouts. I feel more centered and connected when I am regularly going to classes. With my training I have also been able to really focus in on my own practice and have seen a lot of improvement in various movements and exercises as the months have gone along.
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?
Mat class is my favorite. When it comes to a specific exercise that I love, I have a love/hate relationship with side leg exercises. My hips are weaker than other parts of my body so it’s a big challenge to me, but it has been paying off. I also love spine stretch and spine twist.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing Pilates?
Try it out!! You won’t regret it, and if you stick to it, there will be improvements in your life and with your body. It’s such a great outlet to have in life to center in and focus on yourself and your body for a small chunk of time each day.