Centering

, ,
 This month’s studio focus is the idea of centering in your movement practice and in your life, and I think it’s pretty relevant to this time of year.
For me centering represents focusing on the important stuff first, because I find when I take care of what matters most first everything else falls into place.  When I’m practicing Pilates this means giving myself time to take care of myself and simply focus on myself even though life is crazy busy and I could be doing 100 other things other than Pilates.  It also means focusing on moving from my center first, because all the other details of the exercises often fall into place when I come back to practicing initiating movement from my center.
What does centering mean to you? We’re hoping you’ll take some time this month and explore how a little focus on centering might improve your movement practice!

The one piece of fitness equipment that trains EVERY body….

I think we could all agree that not all workouts are for EVERY body.  For example….running is not the best choice for EVERY body.  If you are overweight or have knee or hip issues…running is not going to feel good on your body and its not necessarily good for it as it may exacerbate pre-existing conditions.  Another example…if you have low back problems, jumping into a fitness program that does a lot of burpees and planks may actually make your back pain worse if you are not using good form.  Yet if you are an elite athlete, or fairly healthy with no pre-existing conditions this might be the perfect type of workout for you.  I truly believe there is not one exercise program that is the perfect fit for EVERY body…although I do think there might just be a piece of equipment that effectively trains EVERY body- the Pilates Reformer.  Let me explain.

The Universal Reformer, as inventor Joseph Pilates called it was truly designed to be adaptable to train EVERY body.

Here’s some examples:

For the overweight person who is just starting to exercise, the Reformer provides a supportive place to strengthen the entire body without strain.

  • Many exercises are done lying down on a moving carriage hence giving the body a way to strengthen the muscles without the weight bearing in knees and hip joints that can cause pain and discomfort.
  • The adjustable spring tension allows clients to be really supported in their movements (no straining!) and slowly progress as they strengthen.
  • The design of the reformer allows practitioners to strengthen their core muscles in non traditional ways( ie no sit ups!!).

For the overall healthy, fit person the Reformer works with the individual to challenge their strength, flexibility and balance in a very safe progressive manner giving them what I like to call the most bang for their buck.  You know… a super effective all over body workout that doesn’t take 4 hours..

  • The Reformer is designed to “work with the body” giving it feedback on how balanced it is and how it could work most efficiently.  This feedback from the spring based Reformer system allows practitioners to make adjustments in their alignment and muscles engagement quicker.  This constant feedback system is kind of like having a great coach giving you constant positive feedback as you workout about how you can get more out of your workouts.  The results are increased strength, balance and flexibility quicker than traditional strength training or flexibility workouts.
  • The Reformer exercise sequences are designed to challenge the body and your brain.  For most this means that this highly effective workout has the side effect of reducing stress and leaving you feeling energized after spending your workout coordinating your movements with your purposeful breath.
photo by getty images

Jake Arietta, Pitcher Chicago Cubs

For the elite athlete looking to improve their performance:

  • The feedback from the Reformer allows athlete to quickly identify patterns and movement habits in their body that are affecting their specific sport movements.
  • Many sport specific movements can be imitated on the reformer….giving the athlete’s body a chance to strengthen and balance their body specifically for their sport.
  • There are a variety of advanced exercises in the Reformer series that I’m pretty sure Joseph Pilates designed with an elite athlete in mind.  To get to these exercises you really have to develop the entire body uniformly and have a uniform combination of strength, flexibility and balance. The challenge of these exercises allows athletes to truly take their bodies to the “next level” of competition.
  • The Reformer Sequence is designed to challenge the mind and the body equally and everyone knows that the mind is just as important as the body when it comes to being able to excel at any sport at a high level.  The Reformer could be considered mind training for athletes!!

Curious about what the Pilates reformer could do for you?  Our Beginner Reformer 4 week series starts every 4-6 weeks.    Let us know if you’re interested! We’d love to introduce you to this fabulous piece of equipment!!

 

 

 

Breath Inspired Pilates Mat Workout

Our focus this month has been on breath.    This 15 minute Pilates Mat Workout focuses on using the full capacity of your breath, coordinating your breath with your movements and just plain breath awareness!

 

Is the Pilates Cadillac just a souped-up version of the Pilates Tower?

,

Definition of souped–up

  1. :  enhanced or increased in appeal, power, performance, or intensity; also:elaborate, embellished

I had a client who was fairly new to Pilates ask me,” Is the Pilates Cadillac just a souped-up version of the Pilates Tower?” and I absolutely loved her description!!

The short answer to that question is yes!!  The Pilates Cadillac is the souped-up version of the Tower!  The Cadillac was Joseph Pilates’ original piece of equipment that was designed to stretch, strengthen, lengthen and give your body feedback in a variety ways. Just like the name implies…the Pilates Cadillac has a quite the “presence” in the studio..  But that presence also takes up a big footprint in the studio.    As much as most studio owners would love to be able to have Cadillac class….it’s not really practical to have 4, 5 or more Cadillacs in one room.  This is where the Tower systems that you see in many studios came about.  The tower system is a version of the Cadillac that allows you to do approximately 75% of the traditional Cadillac exercises on a much smaller, space saving piece of equipment.

The main things missing from the Tower are the overhead bars that run parallel to the mat, the attached trapeze bar that attaches to those bars, and the hanging straps that attach to the bars. So what are you missing out on by using a Tower instead of the Cadillac? Most of the exercises are ones that involves variations of hanging from the bars, the attached trapeze bar/swing and the hanging straps.  These variations are definitely great exercises that are worth exploring in your Pilates practice, but the versatility of the Tower system gives you plenty of exercises that can be used to accomplish the same movement goals as some of these Cadillac only exercises.

Curious about the Cadillac?  Check out this video highlighting some exercises  on the Cadillac!  Want to play and try some of these exercises out?  Schedule a private session and be sure to ask your teacher if you can play on the Cadillac!!  Call 319-665-2499 and schedule a Cadillac session today!

 

Inspiration of the Month Natalie Suiter

Natalie Suiter IOM
Inspiration of the Month

Natalie Suiter

When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?
Two months ago, I hurt my knee while doing Plyometric exercises. It was so bad, that I couldn’t straighten my leg fully.  I was very frustrated because of the new physical limitations I had, so I started researching what I could do to heal my knee and continue to be active.  At the same time, a friend referred me to a free month of Pilates at RCP.  This was awesome since I had been reading a lot about the positive outcomes of a regular Pilates practice. I spoke with my physical therapist and he said Pilates would be a great addition to my physical therapy exercises.  I signed up and got started right away; excited to heal my knee and continue to be active.
How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing?  
I have been taking 2-4 classes per week.  My goal is to take a variety of classes with a variety of instructors.  I enjoy the different teaching styles and personalities of the instructors.  It’s fun and challenging when the instructors incorporate different equipment in class, for example, one of my favorites, the foam roller. I have learned a lot and I hope to continue to learn as I attend classes at Rivercity Pilates.
What benefits or improvements have you noticed in your body and life from doing Pilates? 
In just 2 months of practicing Pilates regularly, the functioning of my knee has improved enough for me to start incorporating activities I did prior to my injury.  I’ve also noticed improved posture, increased body awareness, confidence, strength and a slimmer figure.
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?    
My favorite exercise is the windmill on a foam roller.  My favorite Pilates classes at RCP are Tower and Foam Roller Mat.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing Pilates?
I think it is hard with all of the health and fitness information available to decide what kind of exercise will get the best results.  Many people want to be thinner, healthier and in better physical shape. However, a lot of the exercise plans or regimens out there just leave people overwhelmed, frustrated and injured; not Pilates. I would consider Pilates to be foundational to a balanced, healthy body! Pilates is fun, challenging and your body will never be the same once you commit to a regular Pilates regimen.

Pilates Travel Workout

Here’s a quick and effective Pilates Workout for you with a theraband!