Yoga is one of those movement practices that I think a lot of people have heard of, a lot of people have thought about because they realize it could really help them with feeling better in their body, but people hesitate to try because they feel intimidated by joining a group class.
Kim’s Wednesday small group Yoga session is designed for those 50 and up who are interested in practicing Yoga as a way to improve their flexibility and strength.
P.S. You can still take this session if you are under 50 but I want everyone to know that you are not going to be coming in and taking sessions designed for 20 year old bodies!!
Kim’s small group Yoga sessions are individualized to those coming in and you can be confident that you’ll feel comfortable in this session even if you are challenged by things like balance, getting down to the floor and back up, kneeling, any sort of plank or push up position or flexibility. You’ll love how Kim helps you create a Yoga practice in your life that you love!!
Try a small group yoga session for free all month long by simply emailing us.
https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Untitled-design-2023-11-05T133731.531.jpg9001600Careyhttp://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/website-cover-name.jpgCarey2023-11-18 07:00:002024-09-13 09:59:30A Yoga class designed for age 50+?
Yin Yoga consists of poses primarily done on the floor and held for a longer period of time, usually 2-5 minutes or longer. The approach to posture in Yin is different than other yoga classes which will typically activate different muscular groups to bring a posture into its full expression. With Yin Yoga gravity is used to hold a pose in place.
What does Yin Yoga do for our body?
Yin yoga encourages us to slow down and practice stillness. Props like blankets and Yoga blocks are used to find the best position for each body.
The muscles should not be engaged during yin yoga postures. This allows muscles to lengthen and stretch and also gently lengthens connective tissues giving your joints a sense of space.
Common benefits of practicing Yin Yoga:
The body feels like it moves with ease.
A sense of calm and decreased anxiety and stress
Better alignment and posture from releasing tightness in the body.
Do you have 1 hour a week you could dedicate to yourself?
We live in a society that has conditioned us to think that if we can’t be at the gym 5 days a week, commit to 3 Pilates sessions a week or practice Yoga daily then it’s probably just not worth it.. This is the biggest lie you could tell yourself!
In fact as a movement teacher for 25 years I can tell you that I would much rather see someone start adding in 1 movement session a week versus 3 or 4 because the people that add in a once a week session usually create a habit of movement in their life that they actually stick with.
Probably the biggest “secret” to success when it comes to movement and exercise to create results(like improved strength, less pain, more ease in your movements..) is consistency!!
If you are waiting to start moving more until you have time for 2, 3 or 4 sessions a week it could be a year or two from now before you actually start!!
I promise that one session a week will help you build strength, mobility and just plain feel better in your body! I am so confident in that statement that if you decide to add a weekly session in and after 10 sessions you don’t feel better in your body...we’ll refund all of your sessions!
https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Untitled-design-2023-11-05T125419.261.jpg9001600Careyhttp://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/website-cover-name.jpgCarey2023-11-11 16:30:002024-09-14 09:41:48Can 1 session a week make a difference?
When was the last time you did something that you previously could not do in your movement practice?
I think as kids we often challenge ourselves to try new things or push ourselves to do something physically that we tried and couldn’t do, but it seems so many adults have forgotten about how much fun this process can be and how fabulous it feels when you accomplish your goals.
If you’ve been in the studio you may have seen the slant board that we use for a variety of exercises and movements. One of my favorite things to practice and teach on it is a movement where you practice squatting and sitting on the board, you roll down to the board and then you roll yourself back up and bring yourself to standing. This exercise helps us build and maintain the strength and mobility that our bodies need to get to the floor and back up with ease.
For 2 months Becky practiced this movement with a little assistance from me and by modifying the movement to her working level as she practiced. She also practiced other movements in her sessions that would help her build to being able to do this movement fully. Just last week I watched her as she practiced this movement without assistance for the first time…and it was so exciting!!
There is something so satisfying about knowing that your consistent practice and dedication to your movement practice is helping you improve your strength and mobility and is helping you do things better in life!! As adults I honestly think people forget that they can do these things! I think they forget how rewarding it is do work toward a goal and accomplish it!
This week I want you to think about a physical goal for your movement practice. What do you want to be able to do that you are not able to do right now. Here’s just a few ideas of things:
I want to be able to get to the floor and back up with ease,
I want to be able to hike for an hour and not be exhausted,
I want to be able to do 3 pushups,
I want to be able to stand on one foot for 30 seconds.
Just for fun, pick a goal and let me know what it is. If you email me I’ll send you some quick suggestions on ways you could work toward your goals and I’ll check in with you at the first of the year to see how you are doing on your goal!
In her words…..
I read a story somewhere that basically said your ability to get to the floor and back up without support was a sign of your life expectancy, and I shared it with Carey during a session.As you can imagine, she had me try it right away, and while I could get down to the floor mostly in control if I used my hands, getting back up was a little more complicated.I could do it, but it wasn’t smooth or easy and I definitely needed to use my hands.It’s still not easy, but I’m making progress, and this week I was able to do it without using my hands – YAY! I’m not particularly comfortable sharing the video of me on the slant board with the world, but it shows things that I want others to know about Pilates..
Practicing Pilates consistently is magical. Ok..maybe not really magical but it seems that way when you notice the results in your body! It’s about practicing the Pilates method to build strength, correct imbalances (sometimes I think this is code for relieving pain) and learning what works to feel better & move better!
Sharing things with your Pilates instructor is good!The first question Carey asks me in every session I take is “how’s your body feeling today?”. When you share how you are feeling and what you want to work on in your body your teacher will be able to adjust what you are doing that day(and future days) so that you get the most benefit in your body and life. I knew I wanted to be able to get on and off the floor without using my hands, but it was Carey who made sure that every Pilates session I took contained exercises to help me build the strength I would need.
Listen to your body when it whispers, (and share it with your Pilates instructor), and practice Pilates consistently. You’ll get to celebrate moments like this!
https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/from-Becku-Twitter-Post.jpg9001600Careyhttp://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/website-cover-name.jpgCarey2023-10-26 08:54:392024-09-14 15:37:00Can you get up from the floor with no hands?
If you are brand new to Pilates or it’s been awhile since you’ve practiced be sure to check out our complimentary intro session!! We would love for you to experience what a regular Pilates practice can do for your body and your life!
If you’ve been curious about exploring Pilates in your body…this is the perfect chance to try it out by signing up for a FREE introductory session!Click here to schedule a time that works for you!
Are you new to Pilates? Here’s a quick description of the Pilates method of movement:
Pilates is a mind-body exercise developed in the 20th century by Joseph Pilates. He and his wife Clara taught students this unique method of exercise. They called it ‘contrology,’ which teaches and encourages controlling your muscles with your mind by focusing attention on core postural muscles that provide spinal support and help keep the body balanced. Pilates’ exercises were developed to teach breath awareness, spine alignment, and abdominal muscle strength.
We love to introduce people to Pilates! These sessions are geared for anyone who wants to learn more about what Pilates is all about! We’ll start the session with a general talk about what Pilates is and the different ways to practice it. After that we’ll get you moving so you can experience the method in your body. We’ll review the fundamental concepts and ideas we use in Pilates and encourage you to try some Pilates exercises. You will get to try out some exercises on the Pilates equipment!
In your session your teacher will show you how to adapt each movement to your body to make it most effective for you. It will be a fun, informative session that let you explore the Pilates method in your body.
https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/wear-the-runway-Instagram-Post.jpg10801080Careyhttp://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/website-cover-name.jpgCarey2023-10-16 08:30:332024-09-13 09:59:59Would you like to learn what Pilates can do for you?
