Pilates Posture in the bathroom????

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Do you ever think of your posture when you go the bathroom?  Me neither until recently!! I was super excited to get a new “posture device” this week called Lumo Lift.  The Lumo Lift is a small tracking device that can be worn on your bra strap or shirt that lets you know when you are slouching.  As a Pilates instructor I spend my days talking to clients about Pilates in their daily life and how just by being aware of their daily posture and movement habits they can change how their body feels. I even dedicated a whole month last year to educating people about how to incorporate Pilates at your Office!  So when I saw this new device designed to help you maintain your posture throughout your days…I had to have one!!   I’ve only had my Lumo Lift a few days but I have to say I love this thing already!!IMG_6095

The Lumo Lift can be set to have as much or as little delay as you want( from instant to a 2 minute delay).  I set mine at 5 seconds so that it pretty much tells me immediately when my posture is not ideal by vibrating.  The Lumo Lift of course is fabulous when I sit at my desk to do computer work but what I love the most about the Lumo Lift is that I am starting to think about my alignment and posture at times when I would never normally think about it…like in the bathroom!!  I had to just giggle the first time that happened!!

As a Pilates instructor I spend my days teaching…usually walking around clients, spotting them, giving them cues, etc.   I’ve been amazed at how often I was getting buzzed while I was teaching.  I found myself leaning over clients to give cues and even slouching or rounding my shoulders as I was talking through verbal cues to clients.  I feel like just in a few days my awareness of my body has increased and I’m easily training myself to keep moving and aligning my body in ways that help me create balance in my body.   I’m excited to have found such a great tool that I can use to incorporate my Pilates principles and ideas into my daily habits!!

Want to learn more about the Lumo Lift?  Check out their website here.  Want one of your own?  You can learn more about Lumo Lift and purchase a Lumo Lift by clicking below:
Buy LUMO Lift Body Sensor Now

 

 

 

 

Why you should learn Pilates so you never have to go to a studio!

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One of the things I love most about my own Pilates practice is that I can do it anywhere (and I do)!  I love that whether I have 40 minutes or 5 minutes I can find some movement sequence to do that makes me feel better and energizes me.  I don’t need to rely on going to class, watching a video or anybody else.  Of course I also love to go to class and get instruction but I don’t need to.

I always love it when I see this phenomena happening in my clients because I feel like it means I’m doing my job well.  I get excited when I hear things like,” I didn’t make it to class this week but I did my Hundreds at home everyday.  OK…not a lot of people tell me this one….but I can pretend!  More likely is, “I did my rolling like a ball and shoulder bridge in the living room during the Big Bang Theory!

To me, this is what having a movement practice is all about! The reason to take sessions with a knowledgable instructor is so that you can learn about your body and learn how to create a movement practice not just in the studio but in your life.  There will always be times in your life when you can’t make it to a studio to take a class or get your private session in but that doesn’t mean you can’t get some movement in!

As you progress in your Pilates practice you’ll find yourself thinking about movement in a whole different way! You’ll start seeing movement as a way to feel better in your body and you’ll probably crave it!  You’ll start paying attention to your posture at work and maybe sneaking in some of your favorite exercises during the commercials of your favorite TV shows!  As a bonus, you won’t feel bad when you can’t make it into the studio for your session or class!  You’ll feel comfortable knowing that you can practice your favorite Pilates exercises on your own and still get a great work out!

Office Pilates Day 20 : You can be healthier in 5 minute chunks!

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Have you seen some of our short Office Pilates videos and thought,”Sure I can do these things, but if I’m not practicing Pilates 2 or 3 times a week is this really doing me any good?  Or maybe you’ve thought,” These things are way to simple and basic to be effective!”. Maybe you’ve said to yourself, “I’ve seen pictures of people doing Pilates and it looks nothing like Office Pilates!”.

Our Office Pilates series was really designed to open your eyes to the possibilities of a mindful movement practice.  It’s true that what we’re calling Office Pilates may look very different from a traditional Pilates workout and that’s on purpose.  We want everyone to know that you don’t have to be super fit, skinny, flexible and have hours each week to workout to benefit from adding mindful movement into your life!! Wherever you are in life, your health and happiness can be improved by learning about mindful movement techniques and starting to incorporate mindful movement into your daily life!!

A lot people are hesitant to start a mindful movement practice like Pilates because they can’t figure out how they can do it 2 or 3 times a week( or maybe even once a week) and they figure if they can’t do it religiously it would be pointless.   Their life is packed with work, family, travel, and countless commitments and so the idea of squeezing one more thing in seems… well… impossible.  If you are one of those people I have some exciting news for you!

There are no rules about having a mindful movement practice and every time you practice (even if it’s taking a class once a month or watching a short video and trying a new movement)  you will get benefits.  The benefits of a mindful movement practice go far beyond the physical movement.  Every time you practice you learn new things about your body, your alignment, the way you are thinking and how you move throughout your life.  You are practicing being mindful through movement and science is proving that mindfulness can reduce stress, increase overall happiness and have some pretty big effects on your overall health!! (Isn’t that exciting!!)

Wikepedia says this and more about mindfulness:

The practice of mindfulness involves being aware moment-to-moment, of one’s subjective conscious experience from a first-person perspective.  (i.e.- notice what you are doing and how you are doing it)

Clinical studies have documented the physical and mental health benefits of mindfulness in general, and MBSR (Mindful Based Stress Reduction) in particular.  Programs based on MBSR and similar models have been widely adapted in schools, prisons, hospitals, veterans centers, and other environments. 

When you practice mindful movement you train yourself to take that mindfulness into your daily life and daily movements.  And whether your are practicing mindfulness in 5 minute chunks at your office desk or a 50 minute Pilates or Yoga class it all adds up!!   So what are you waiting for?  We encourage you to start small and maybe just pick one exercise or movement to add in on a regular basis.  Once that becomes part of your daily routine try something else.  Maybe when you see what a difference those little chunks of mindful movement have made you’ll decide that you want to keep learning and keep adding it into your life.

Have questions or want to learn more about mindful movement at Rivercity Pilates?  We would love to talk to you and share our passion for mindful movement!  Give us a call (319.665.2499) or schedule a complimentary private session today!!

 

 

Office Pilates Day 19: Where are your Nipples?

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“Where are your Nipples?”  Yes, that’s what I said! Sometimes all it takes to find good posture and alignment is a simple little phrase or reminder like, ” Where are your nipples?”

Need a visual of what I’m talking about? You’ll have to use your imagination today – as much as I love sharing a video I didn’t think I could keep a straight face or avoid turning shades of red talking about nipples on camera!!

Imagine instead of nipples you had 2 headlights shining from your chest. If you are shining light down toward the floor, or your desk top then you are probably slouching through your low and upper back, your shoulders are probably hunched forward and your neck is probably strained.  If you headlights are shining directly forward on your computer screen you’re probably sitting tall with your pelvis upright, your shoulders relaxed, and your back and neck lengthened.

Try it out and let me know if this reminder phrase was helpful for you!  Do you have another reminder or cue that helps you find your sitting posture?  I would love to hear it!  Share in the comments below!

Need some ideas on how to find your sitting posture or maybe some props to help you find it? Check out some of the other blogs in our Office Pilates series:

 

Office Pilates Day 18: Holiday Pilates

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Pilates during your holiday gathering? You may not have time or space to sequence through your full Pilates mat workout at your Christmas party( and if you do…we would like to see a picture of that…), but Carey will give you her favorite quick tip to keep your body feeling stretched, lengthened and at least thinking about your alignment and body during the party!!

[tweetthis]Try this #Pilates tip at your next #holiday party! #holidaypilates [/tweetthis]

 

Office Pilates Day 17: Great Posture with the Half Foam Roller

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In today’s office Pilates series Carey shows you her favorite office sitting prop! The small, inexpensive half foam roller can be used in a variety of ways to improve your posture and awareness throughout your work day!!

 

[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#officepilates”]Use this prop to incorporate #Pilates posture into your work day! #NoOneWillSee![/tweetthis]

For more ways that you can use the Pilates principles during your work day, visit any of the links below:

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