Pilates on my bike got rid of my wrist pain!

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Picture 1 (before)

One of the things I love about my Pilates practice is being able to take what I’ve learned about efficient movement and anatomy and apply it to my everyday life.  Today I’m talking about how I was able to make a minor tweak in my bike riding position that allowed me to move from my center more, create more balance throughout my body and stop something from hurting!!

Something I noticed when I went for a longer bike ride was that my hand and fingers would fall asleep and my wrist would be achy and sometimes painful.  What I realized was that I was compressing my wrist joint and probably compressing a nerve that was causing this pain.(see picture 1 to the right) So I did a little experiment on my bike ride today!

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Picture 2 (after applying Pilates!)

I focused on putting more weight into the balls of my fingers, lengthening my wrist joint and using the muscles in my hand, wrist and arm to create this position. (see picture 2 below) Immediately I could feel a difference throughout my whole body!  Creating this “working” hand and wrist position immediately cued my body into a better whole body alignment.  I was no longer sinking into my wrist or my shoulders and I could feel this fire my core muscles creating more whole body work.

Maintaining this position definitely took some effort on my part at least at first and when I was tired climbing hills!!  But I found the more I reminded my self to find this position the better I felt and the more power I had to get up those hills!  Not only did my wrist and hand not hurt but I had a sense of moving from my center and the biking seemed easier.

Are you a cyclist or runner who has been able to use their mind-body movement practice to fine tune your movement?  I would love to hear your story!!  Share it in the comments below or share on social media!!

 

 

 

 

 

Inspiration of the Month Teri Accola

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teri accola

When did you start coming to Rivercity Pilates and what inspired you to start?

I started coming to Rivercity Pilates in January of 2015. I’ve done a few Pilates classes in the past and really enjoyed it.

How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing?

I try to make it at least 5 days a week and I have been doing mostly Tower and Reformer classes.

What benefits or improvements have you noticed in your body and life from doing Pilates? 

I have tried all types of classes and workouts and Pilates makes me feel the best. I don’t walk out of the class injured but strong. It has helped make so many other things easier. I love the way it makes my core feel.

Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?

I enjoy all of it, but if I had to pick a class that I liked the most it would probably be the reformer and jump board class.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing Pilates?

I would say Pilates is something we can do forever and you can’t say that about all workouts.  I have met a lot of great genuine people since I have started coming to Rivercity Pilates and that is a wonderful bonus. They inspire me!

 

Squat Pilates Style

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Joseph Pilates incorporated squats into a variety of his classical exercises and exercise sequences for good reason. The squat is a great full body exercise that is very functional.  Think about how many times throughout your day you use this type of movement to sit down and get up or to bend and pick something up.

FullSizeRender (4)To really embody the Pilates method in your squats here are a few quick tips:

  • Coordinate your breath and movement.  Inhale as you bend into your squat, exhale to return to standing.
  • Engage your core!  Engage your deep abdominal muscles by pulling your belly button toward your spine.
  • Keep your spine in alignment. Try to maintain a nice straight line from the crown of your head to your tailbone as you are squatting.
  • Pay attention to your feet, ankle and knee alignment.  Whether you are doing your squats in parallel or an external rotation, try to line up your knees over your center toes when you squat.  Keep the knees behind the toes as you bend.

Remember it’s great to challenge yourself and work up to more and more squats but do be aware of your form and alignment.  If you find yourself not able to maintain proper form take a break!!

Need a quick visual demonstration?  Check out our squat video here!   If you want more support, and if you have an exercise ball, watch this!    As always, if you have any questions, feel free to call or stop in to the studio!

 

 

Meet the Instructor Monday: Kimberly

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Kimberly and her buddy Ivey!

Kimberly and her buddy Ivey!

It’s Monday, and we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Burke.   Kimberly is currently teaching Mat Small Group Sessions and Private Lessons.    Her calming voice and encouraging attitude during class gives everyone confidence.    Click the schedule button and sign up for one of Kimberly’s classes!

Where are you from?    I was born in Iowa City.   I’ve lived in Manhattan and in Glasgow, Scotland.   I’ve traveled to Egypt, Moldova and Turkey; still, I like it here.

How did you end up teaching Pilates in North Liberty?   When I first looked into taking Pilates I checked out a number of studios. With the exception of Rivercity, they were all yoga studios that just happened to teach a Pilates class too. The class sizes in these places were large, and when I asked about the teachers’ training, people got nervous. All of which made me nervous. THEN I found Rivercity, with its controlled class size, and uber-trained instructors, and gave it a try! Instant addiction!

The more I did, the better I felt, and the more I discovered about how my own body works. Eventually, I decided to take the Teacher Training for Mat — I wanted to deepen my understanding of the exercises. About two-thirds of the way through that, I decided I’d like to teach, and that I’d like to do the full line of courses, learning equipment additionally to mat. It can be difficult to accomplish everything, what with a full time job and a part time one going at the same time. But it is totally intriguing!

Favorite food to prepare?   I seldom have the opportunity to really cook anymore, but when I did I loved to bake bread. It was my weekend *thing* do to in winter. The smells, the textures — I found it soothing.

Hobbies?   Jack-of-all-Crafts, Master-of-None! I can do, or rather dabble in: crochet, tatting, knitting, beading, jewelry making, drawing, origami, cooking, reading, writing, and sewing.

Why did you choose to practice pilates?   I needed a workout. But I was raised to be paranoid about injury, and I am easily bored by physical routines. Prior to Pilates, the only exercise that had held my attention was martial arts. I had practiced Hatha Yoga for 3 years, and loved the feeling of it, but kept losing my focus, and couldn’t seem to advance. Pilates seemed very complimentary to yoga, but with a different dynamic. I can’t do Pilates on autopilot, and the attention to specific muscle areas and individualized adaption means that there is always something doable to focus on — always some area to see progress occur.

Is there something about you that would surprise the students that have attended your classes?  I once was pulled off a train in Moldova by a Russian-speaking soldier with a very big gun…

What is your favorite song / favorite group or favorite genre of music?   My musical tastes are a total hodge-podge! Chopin, Beatles, Journey, Beethoven, Near Eastern dance music, Beach Boys, Celtic, Musicals….bit of everything, so long as there is a melody line of some sort.

Social Media?  My twitter handle is @kimberlyriverc1.   I love following Mayo Clinic and other science sites to see how their research supports what we learn in Pilates!

Are you an exercise introvert?

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careyfamilyI don’t know about you, but the thought of having to go to an event or business or even a new dentist or doctor for the first time is on the bottom of my list of favorite things.  I would definitely call myself an introvert and it takes some effort on my part to get out of my shell and talk to new people and get out of my comfort zone.  I’m also crazy busy with a business and 3 kids (4 if you count my husband and 5 if you include our dog) and just the thought of setting up something new seems like such a big task – that often I avoid it if I can.

When it comes to exercise I feel the same way.  I have always loved to exercise and move but often have just done it on my own because the thought of joining a new gym or fitness group seems, well daunting.  I think one of the reasons I was so drawn to Pilates was the small studio atmosphere, the personal connections I had with my instructors and classmates  and also the ability to practice on my own.

When it comes to setting up my business I have tried to keep all of this in mind and make getting started at the studio as easy as possible and as intimate as possible.  We offer a complimentary one on one session for all new clients so you can get aquainted with our studio space, our instructors and what we do without the intimidation of having to meet and workout with a roomful of strangers.  We want you to feel at home at the studio and it’s important to us to get you started on the right foot!

Now of course if jumping into a new group class at a new space is exactly the thing you love- please take advantage of a complimentary class instead!  We know everyone is different and would love to have you try us out in whatever way you prefer!!

For more information about getting started at Rivercity Pilates click here!

What does Empower Your Body really mean?

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Where did the tag line in the Rivercity Pilates Logo come from?   Empower Your Body……Inspire Your Life?

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This tag line came from the evolution of movement in my own life.  As a child I always enjoyed movement and found a sense of me when I was doing something active.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but having an active body helped me think better, dream bigger, and just plain be happier.  And today it remains the same.

As a child,  just to be swinging on the monkey bars or playing ball was enough to focus my attention in the present moment.  As an adult, I’ve  learned that when I take time to focus my attention on a physical practice( Pilates, yoga, running, walking, cycling, etc) I am happier, calmer and much more productive.  I also have a daily meditation practice that helps me learn to be more in the present moment.

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Personally I have found that if I let the craziness of our fast paced lives take over my mind races from thing to thing and I find myself stressed out, cranky and unproductive.  The more I practice being in the present moment, the calmer I feel.  And when I do find myself trying to do too much or think about too much at once I am easily able to remind myself to focus on one thing( the task at hand, the person I’m talking to, etc ). So, empowering your body to me is really a method to create balance in my life and truly a lifelong process.

It’s my hope that your experience at Rivercity Pilates is one that allows you the time and space to empower your body so your life can be inspired to be as incredible as possible!