Why add a foam roller to your Pilates routine?

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Ever wonder what the big deal is with foam rollers?  They seem to be everywhere and so many people are talking about why they love them. We kind of think they are amazing too and wanted to share with you why you might want to consider adding in the foam roller into your Pilates practice!

  1. Core Strength.  The shape of the roller makes it just enough unstable that when you lay on it…your core muscles have to activate to keep you from falling off!  What this means to you is that you work your core muscles more and you don’t even have to think about it.
  2. Balance.  Balance is something we can always improve.  By adding in the foam roller to traditional Pilates exercises you can challenge your body to work on it’s balance in new ways.
  3. Getting rid of tension and tightness.  As a teacher I can tell you once of my biggest challenges is teaching clients how to work less in some places and how to reduce tension.  The foam roller can be a great tool used to roll out tight muscles and fascia.  When those muscles and fascia are released the rest of your exercises become better and you can do them more efficiently, creating balanced strength and flexibility quicker in your body.
  4. Life skills.  I always think of my Pilates time as “training for life” time.  I exercise so that I can move through life without getting injured and feeling great in my body. Life is not usually predictable when it comes to movement.  You need to be able to adjust when you accidentally step on a rock that twists your foot or have to balance on your tip toes to reach something on the top shelf.   Challenging your body to move in a variety of ways is always a good thing. Adding in the foam roller to your Pilates exercises challenges your body to have to move and react in different way than what you typically would in each Pilates exercise.   By mixing things up slightly and asking your body to do things a little different with the foam roller you can prepare it better for the unexpected movements that happen in life!
  5. Variety. Variety keeps you from getting bored and maybe not focusing as much as you should. Adding in a prop like the foam roller creates just enough change to an exercise that you can’t just space off and do it like you usually do!  You really have to pay attention and check in with the whole body to do the exercise well! Increased focus often means we move better, engage more muscles properly, and get more out of each exercise.  It also is a great stress reliever! 

If you are interested in what the foam roller could do for you, we have the perfect class:  Beginner Friendly Foam Roller Pilates Mat! This beginner friendly class will give you a fabulous Pilates workout while incorporating the foam roller!  You’ll have fun, and learn some ways you can use your foam roller as pat of your Pilates practice, and learn how to use it to stretch and lengthen tight muscles and fascia throughout your body!  

https://www.instagram.com/p/BW7pPPSHA7I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Len Palombi, Guest Instructor September 14-15, 2018

Len is a classically trained Pilates instructor, qualified on all apparatus. He completed his initial training in 2012, through The Village Pilates Studio in Forest Park, IL, under the direction of Master Instructor Regan Zubak and is certified by the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA). Len has also completed the Polestar® Pilates Comprehensive Training Program and holds additional teaching certificates.*

Len is experienced in working with older adults. Having completed his training at age 60, he is able to draw on his own experience with the method to make Pilates accessible regardless of age or level of fitness. His mission is to change lives through positive movement experience.

Read Len’s story – and why he decided to become a Pilates Instructor at age 60 here! 

Len will be teaching two classes, and private sessions when he visits Rivercity Pilates in September.    

Restorative Mat Class Saturday September 15th at 8 am

The class begins standing with breathing and spinal movement. Students move to the mat for a full body stretch and warm up using various props. From here we move into a basic set of classical mat exercises using slow and controlled movement to provide a restorative workout.  Modifications will be used to accommodate physical limitations and make the exercises accessible. The class ends with standing balance and breath work. This class is appropriate for all levels and is ideal for new students, older adults looking for a beneficial but lower intensity workout and students looking to recover between higher intensity workouts.

Conquering Your Shoulders Workshop  September 15th 11 am (uses 2 class credits or you can drop in for $36)

Mobility and strength in your shoulders is important to being able to move well in life. This workshop will explore basic shoulder anatomy and  movement and then teach you how you can use specific exercises to increase your mobility and gain strength.  We will specifically go over exercises to counter the effects of poor posture (tight rounded forward shoulders, forward head position, and tension in the neck). You’ll walk away with a better understanding of how your shoulders work and what you can do to help them work better and feel better!  This class is appropriate for Pilates students as well as movement teachers!

Watch these testimonials from Len’s last Restorative Pilates class at Rivercity Pilates!  

 

 

Kari Gerst Inspiration of the Month August 2018

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When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start? 
I started Pilates after attending an open house at Rivercity Pilates in May of 2016.  I have been a student of Iyengar Yoga for 10 years and after moving here 4 1/2 years ago was looking for something in North Liberty.  There was an article in the Press Citizen about Carey and her studio Rivercity Pilates and I thought I needed to check it ou

How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing?    
I am usually at the studio two times a week for a mat class,  jump board, or an equipment class.  I started with the private sessions which were very beneficial to me since I had never done Pilates and it is different from Yoga.   

What benefits or improvements have you noticed in your body and life from doing Pilates? 
I have a stressful job, (who doesn’t, right?), so when I am doing Pilates it takes my mind off my worries, the headaches go away and it brings me back down to earth.  The physical health benefits are huge! No stiffness, the back pain goes away, and I have noticed the jump board class has improved the looks of my legs!  
 
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?
I enjoy the mat class because I am still learning the fundamentals and you can do it at home.  But, my favorite is the reformer and Shaina’s jump board class!  
 
What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing Pilates?
You have to try it!  Don’t think because you have always done Yoga you won’t like Pilates.  I still do both, they each have different benefits for me.  As our body ages we have to keep moving.  Routinely doing Pilates will add years to your life. I have taken classes from many of the instructors at Rivercity. All of them are very helpful and go out of their way to explain how to do the exercises and the benefits. 

Do you sound like a bowl of rice crispies when you move?

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Snap, crackle, pop….Does the sound of your body creep you out a little bit?  Do you find that as you get older you start hearing more and more cracks and pops when you move?  You are not alone and you are completely normal!!    The sound you hear is caused by air bubbles in the synovial fluid – the liquid that surrounds and lubricates your  joints – and by the snapping of tightly stretched ligaments as they slide off one bony surface onto another. When not accompanied by pain, noisy joints are harmless.   (Leonard Calabrese, DO Rheumatologist )

Most of the time the noises we hear our body making are normal and there’s no need to worry, but of course if the noise is accompanied by pain and you are concerned here is a great read that will help you figure out if you need to investigate the noisiness with your doctor.

As a movement professional I can tell you that the biggest “problem” I see with noisy joints and bodies has nothing to do with what is actually going on in the body usually but the self talk that happens when my clients hear their body talking to them.  

Here’s the scenario I normally see:    While moving a client hears their body make a noise and usually makes some sort of grimacing face… Often times they will say “Did you hear that?” I usually respond and ask if it hurt when it happened.  Often times a conversation follows where they say no…but I just hate the way it sounds! It didn’t used to do that, why does it do that?

From a movement standpoint we often explore how we can move better and possibly avoid the noise from happening.   And then it happens again.  Some clients will pause or make a comment every time it happens and others will just make a face.  I can always tell that it’s affecting them and not always in the best way. It’s like every time they hear a noise they start to think negative thoughts about how their body is getting older and maybe not functioning or moving as well as they would like it too.  I worry that a negative reaction can create a chain of negatives …changing their mindset from being inspired to keep moving and age in the best possible shape to feeling defeated and helpless and giving in to those voices that tell them their movement time isn’t doing them any good, it’s not worth the effort, etc.  

As a teacher I’m never really worried about the noise…but what I worry about more is the reaction.  That reaction of course is something we have complete control over.  I like to challenge my clients to start thinking about those noises in a whole different light.

Instead of letting your body noises be a trigger to tell yourself you are getting old, your body is not working properly or that something is wrong…what would happen if we consistently changed the story we told ourselves? What if we tried something like this:

  • Sounds in my body mean I’m moving in new ways! When I move in new ways my body gets stronger, more flexible and feels better!
  • Every body makes noises….this is normal and not a bad thing! 
  • When I hear a noise I’m going to think about how thankful I am for my body and all the amazing ways it CAN move
  • When I hear noise I’m going to use it as a reminder to check in with my alignment and focus on using my muscles in the most efficient way. A noise is a reminder from my body to check in because I do have control over how I move and it will make a difference in how I feel.  

Changing your thought process from dreading a noise in your body to enjoying hearing it because it signals a positive chain reaction…can completely change how you feel about movement in your life!  Most importantly changing the story you tell yourself when you hear your body can keep you feeling positive and encouraged about your ability to control how your body feels as it ages!!  

 

 

 

 

How much should I weigh before becoming a Pilates teacher?

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Rivercity Pilates Teacher Trainees 2016

Have you ever wondered if you could be a Pilates teacher?  And if so …why haven’t you pursued it?  

The number 1 question I get from people as they are considering becoming a Pilates teacher is:  Am I physically ready to go through the program?   This may be code for, “Do I need to lose weight or be better at Pilates to become a Pilates teacher?”  There are absolutely no rules about where you need to be in your body and life when you start the teacher training program!! If you are waiting be at the “perfect weight and shape of your life”, it probably will not happen! 

The beautiful thing about our teacher training program is that you are required to have a Pilates practice in your own body.  You are required to log in many hours of personal practice, private lessons with professional Pilates teachers, and group classes.  It honestly doesn’t matter where you are starting in your own body and it doesn’t matter if you have some things going on in your body that affect your movements.  If you commit to going through the program, by the time you are done you will have a consistent Pilates practice in your life and you will learn the knowledge and skills you need to help others create a practice in their own life.

So much more important than your starting place of your own Pilates practice, is your willingness to commit to getting all the program hours completed.

Instead of worrying about their weight or body size, I encourage those contemplating Pilates teacher training to ask themselves these questions:

  • Do you enjoy doing Pilates?
  • Does the idea of creating a regular Pilates practice in your life excite you?
  • Are you willing to put the time in it takes to continue learning Pilates in your own body?
  • Do you enjoy teaching and inspiring others to improve their quality of life?
  • Do you like learning about how your body functions and moves?
  • Are you looking to do something that makes a difference in other people’s lives?

If you answered yes to many of these questions…then we should talk!! We would love to talk to you in more detail about our upcoming Pilates Mat Training program starting this September!!  Contact us today to set up a time to talk to Carey about how you could become a Pilates teacher!

Are you an anti-gym person?

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Does the thought of going to  “the gym” to workout sound like one of the worst things in the world to you?  Do you immediately cringe when you think about having to put your workout clothes on and go into a large room with all kinds of people you don’t know while you try to do some exercises that you probably are not very good at?  Maybe you always feel like you are not sure if you are doing things correctly or doing the right thing.  Does it make you nervous, intimidated and just plain unexcited?  You are not alone and I often think that the anti-gym feelings are the reason that many people don’t start an exercise program.  They have an image in their head about what fitness looks like and it’s a turn off!!

If you are one of those people I have some great news for you!  There are many alternatives!!  There are so many great options of how you can fit fitness and movement into your life and never have to step into a gym!!  

  1.  Find more ways to move and add movement into your life at home and work!  Walks with the dog, walking the stairs instead of the elevator or just parking a little further away are all ways to add functional movement into your life!!  You don’t need to log your walking miles in on a treadmill for them to count!  Want to incorporate more movement at work?  Check out our Office Pilates series….simple movements and exercises you can do right at your desk!
     
  2. Find some strength and flexibility exercises that you can do in the comfort of your home.  Not sure where to start?   YouTube can be an amazing resource for learning new Pilates, Yoga and strength training exercises. (We might be biased but we really love the Rivercity Pilates YouTube Channel!) 
  3. Try a gym alternative!  There are a lot of local fitness professionals that offer fitness in places other than the gym.  Check out a local Pilates or Yoga studio and you’ll immediately know these spaces are not a gym atmosphere. At Rivercity Pilates we pride ourselves in offering a small studio setting that feels so comfortable and inviting that clients actually look forward to coming in to exercise.  There are also a lot of fitness professionals who offer outdoor fitness options like Pilates in the park, group paddleboarding (have you tried Pilates on the Lake yet?), hiking groups and more!!

At Rivercity Pilates we believe movement time is a key part of your health plan and we love finding ways to help you incorporate it into your life without having to go to “the gym” …!  

Try out a complimentary private session and you might discover that the “anti-gym” person in you loves our welcoming atmosphere, small individualized group classes and personalized instruction!!