Summer Challenge – Let’s Do This !!

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Healthy Summer Challenge

Summer is here and we want to encourage you to keep moving all summer long!!

Put your name on our Healthy Summer Challenge Poster in the studio to track your healthy habits this summer and try to earn a newly designed Rivercity Pilates shirt!!

Your goal: complete 30 healthy summer actions from June 1 -August 31st!

Here’s what counts as a healthy action:
  • Any group class
  • A private or semi-private session
  • Massage or NRT
  • Bring a “new to the studio” friend to class 3 times
  • Check in 5 times on Facebook (inspire others to stay healthy this summer too!)
  • Tag us in a picture you post on social media of you doing something active (hiking, swimming, cycling, Pilates, etc.!)
  • Track your water consumption for 7 days and bring it in
  •  Track your food intake for 7 days and bring it in

 

June Inspiration of the Month – Barbara Bocka

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Empower Your Body
 Inspire Your Life 
Inspiration of the Month June 2018
Barbara Boeka
When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?
We moved to Iowa in the summer of 2016 and I started Pilates soon after that.  My daughter told me about Rivercity Pilates and how much she enjoyed the classes and their instructors.
How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing? 
I really enjoy the Every Body Pilates Mat class with Shelley Oglesby on Wednesday and Friday mornings. Since I am a relatively a new Pilates participant sometimes I feel I should try some of the other classes, however I feel I continue to benefit immensely from this workout.
What benefits or improvements have you noticed in your body and life from doing Pilates?
My family history as we age is full of arthritis, neck and back stiffness, and hip joint issues.  Over the last two years I can tell I’m stronger in my core and more flexible through out my back.  Continuing with Pilates is a must for me!
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?
It is hard to choose a favorite exercise.  I would say “rolling like a ball” is a favorite.  When I first started I could not even get back up let alone stop before my feet hit the mat.  With practice have been able to do a pretty decent job completing this exercise.  Some days when I am on the tired side I really enjoy working with a Thera-Band.  They give you support and yet allow you stretch into the exercise.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing Pilates? 
I have told a lot of friends about Pilates.  I would encourage anyone to give it a try but the benefit really comes after committing to a longer period of time.

Meet Kim Blackwell, a New Yoga Teacher at Rivercity Pilates

As a physical therapist, I’ve had a lifelong love of movement and exercise. A self proclaimed anatomy nerd, I’ve always been searching for a way to connect my professional background with my personal interest in health and fitness, and I have found exactly that with yoga.  I completed my 200 hr certification in Vinyasa Yoga through Downward Dog Yoga and Fitness in Coralville, IA in 2017.  Vinyasa yoga is simply connecting breath with movement through a flow of yoga postures.  Yoga has truly allowed all my passions to come full circle and I love sharing my experience with students, friends, and even my 3 children. I practice yoga as a way to keep my body healthy and injury free, calm my mind amid my daily bustle, and connect with my kids by sharing guided meditations at the end of the day.

Yoga is truly for everyone…from the most gentle meditation practice to a powerful yoga class. My favorite moments in class are when students surprise themselves, discovering how much their bodies are capable of, when given the right opportunity and guidance. In addition to Vinyasa yoga, I also have particular interest in meditation, and prenatal and kids yoga.

Off the mat, you’ll find me just trying to keep up with the chaos…and loving every minute!  I spend my days chasing after my spirited 3 year old, cheering on my older kids at sports events, reading, and participating in church activities.  I also love exploring any and all kinds of exercise, from leisurely hikes to fun community events, to intense spin classes, kickboxing, weight lifting, or running.