Meet the Staff Monday: Nancy

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IMG_7082In our staff meeting everyone was asked to write a blog. I thought to myself,  “What do I have to say?”. But then I got to thinking,  I have a lot to say.
The last year and a half have been a medical roller coaster for me. Between my knee, back surgery, a pinched nerve and Parkinson’s, it’s been a trying year. Thru all this I try to stay positive, even though sometimes it is hard.
I continue to go to the studio and try my hardest at pilates. When I walk into Rivercity Pilates, Shelley or Carey or whoever is there is smiling and I know they care and understand. I love pilates and the friends that I have made there.   It truly is a community of caring.  Carey looks after me and never judges, she pushes me to my limits but never pushes to hard. She keeps me positive and strong.
Keep working hard at pilates, yoga, or Barre class.   Whatever you take,  it pays off.  Remember every day is a good day. Even if it sometimes it seems like it isn’t.
Nancy
Evening Front Desk
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Pilates after a total knee replacement!

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October Inspiration of the Month, Jenny Fitzpatrick

When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?   I started with private sessions in December 2014 with Carey. I had a total knee replacement that year and was eager to get stronger and back into condition.

 How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing?  I typically attend a group class and private session each week at Rivercity Pilates. I have taken Pilates classes including Chair, Reformer, Equipment, Tower and also Yoga. Each style of exercise brings something different to learn and experience. I also have attended the Friday night girls night out Life Inspired which is always fun.

What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice?  I am definitely stronger as I can finally perform Teaser on the Reformer!  I like the integration of various muscles and the balance of flexibility and strength in the exercises. It is a workout I can do where my joints are not as grouchy which is wonderful.

 Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?  I really like the variety of options the most. I do enjoy a good stretch with push through on the Cadillac!

What would you say to someone thinking about starting Pilates?  Start today! The instructors are very knowledgeable and caring. They teach at your working level wherever that might be so you can have success.

 

Meet Shelley & Pippin

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FullSizeRender (14)We have a little dog named Pippin. He came into my life much like Pilates did…unexpectedly! We weren’t expecting or planning to get another dog after losing our beloved lab of 13 years…maybe we should just be pet-less for a while, I thought. But, a friend posted Pippin’s photo on Facebook with, “Free to a good home”. My husband and I both asked each other, “Did you see that dog’s photo on Facebook? Isn’t he cute?” and then, “Should we go see him?”. Needless to say, we brought him home with us the very day we met him!

He was a bit of a challenge at first. He was a year and a half old when he came into our home and those formative years were spent in a large family and his “puppyhood” was somewhat undisciplined. He needed some attention and re-training for some bad habits and just a lot of love, consistency, and patience to build his confidence that we would kindly teach him and give him a new and loving home.

I unexpectedly found Pilates again in 2012, after many years away from it, when driving on Hwy. 965 in North Liberty. Did I see that sign on that building that said “Rivercity Pilates”?  Wow! I thought…so close to home and I remember loving Pilates! But, I was undisciplined, hadn’t been exercising, and my confidence in starting something new was very low…and like Pippin, I had some bad habits! I’d have to start at the beginning, meet new people…would they be patient with me and would I feel at home there? I was going to be a challenge…just like Pippin!

I went home and Googled Rivercity Pilates and really liked what I saw on the website. I got up my courage and made the call to schedule my complimentary Private Pilates session with Carey. I was nervous, but excited. I felt undisciplined and lacked confidence, but Carey was very patient with me. I kept going pretty regularly and I became stronger and more confident. I had rediscovered a form of mind-body exercise that I loved and gradually, (like Pippin new to our home), I became more comfortable and more at home at the studio, and more importantly, in my body! A year later when I couldn’t come to the studio for almost 9 months I missed it so much and couldn’t wait to get back to a regular Pilates practice. Now, I’m really “at home” with Pilates and anxious to keep learning more.

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Shelley and Carey

Hopefully, my Pilates practice is maturing from “puppyhood” to the next level that is within my own abilities and strength, but with a gradual increase in knowledge of the methods and sequence of movements and how they feel in my body. Just like Pippin, I’ve learned to be more comfortable and feel at home…him with us, and me with Pilates.

Unexpected? Maybe not! Pilates coming into my life like Pippin coming into our family? Yes, I think they were both meant to be.

So, what’s next for me? Pilates Teacher Training starts tomorrow! Can’t wait for my next unexpected journey!

I have to do a performance test??

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As part of our instructor training programs participants complete a performance test.  I always tell everyone there is no failing this test!  The purpose of this test is that you can do the Pilates work in your body.  I don’t care if it’s not perfect or the most super advanced version – I want to know that you know your body and have an established practice that you can adjust to your body!  After the test(which is really just you practicing Pilates) we may talk about why you did an exercise a certain way or how what you did was different from the traditional exercise as Joseph Pilates taught it.

Like all the tests in our program this test is designed to be a learning experience.  It is designed to encourage you to keep up with your own personal practice so you can continue learning and growing and progressing!!

[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Does a #test to become a #Pilates #Instructor Scare You? It Shouldn’t! [/tweetthis]

The video above highlights Cassie Cumings-Peterson doing her full Pilates Mat work as she completed our comprehensive training program.  After Cassie completed our comprehensive program she went on to take the Pilates Method Alliance Certifying test to become a certified Pilates instructor!

You can find Cassie at Northwoods Pilates and Wellness in Ankeny, Iowa sharing her love of Pilates!!

What’s in a Name?

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Pay attention to the names of those exercises when you’re in a Pilates class at the studio.   Why?   It may give you a clue to whether you’re doing the exercise correctly.

Case in point.   Me.

When I began doing Pilates, I hadn’t worked out in 2 years.    I was out of shape, and I had aches and pains most everywhere.    I started Pilates because it was low impact, and because when I took equipment classes, the equipment helped me with movements that were really hard for me during mat class.   If you’ve tried to do crunches and experienced back & neck pain — then I know you know what I mean.    16 months later, I am still learning exercises.   Every time I think I have one figured out, I hear the instructor saying words I’ve heard hundreds of times, I make an adjustment, and the exercise feels new to me.

picture by MarchMatness.com
picture by MarchMatness.com

Most recently – it happened with Spine Stretch.    I take one or two mat classes a week (if you count my private sessions when Carey makes me do mat), so I’ve done spine stretch in a class over 100 times.     Suddenly a few weeks ago, I actually felt my spine stretch!   Let me be clear.   I’ve always felt some stretch.   Usually, I felt a hamstring stretch during that exercise.    I’ve felt my shoulders stretch.   But when I focused on breathing as Carey coached me, when I tried to take note of every cue she gave – I felt my spine stretch.   Now it’s becoming one of my favorite reward exercises because it feels so good.   You know what a reward exercise is — right?   The exercises between the really hard ones that you really enjoy?   When I concentrate on the cues I’m given, I feel that spine stretch in my spine, in my hamstrings and in my neck and shoulders.

[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Do you wonder why a #PIlates exercise is named because you feel it somewhere else? [/tweetthis]

The lesson for other students?    The names aren’t just for the instructors!    The names help us understand the exercise.    Joseph Pilates must have been pretty incredible.    He came up with all the exercises that we do in classical pilates and all the equipment that we use.   If he decided to name something spine stretch, the name is probably a clue that the student would feel something in their spine!      Pilates is a journey, and there’s a lot of learning and thinking along the way.

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I follow pilates hashtags on twitter now, because I learn a lot.   There are stories about Joseph Pilates, the benefits of Pilates, and videos of many professionals doing the various exercises.  I saw a tweet last night where a student had posted a Tumbler photo of herself doing backstretch (I think), and she called it elephant.   I would tell her, what I wrote here.    Pay attention to the name of the exercise, because Mr. Pilates knew what he was doing.    Whether it’s an exercise like spine stretch or long spine, to the animal exercises like seal or elephant, there’s always something in the name and an elephant just didn’t have triceps to work!

Becky
Rivercity Pilates student, and part time blogger!

For those of you that might want to perfect that spine stretch — here’s a video from the RivercityPilates YouTube channel.

Addicted to Handbags

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Photo credit: Pilates Fitness Institue Facebook Page

Photo credit: Pilates Fitness Institute Facebook Page

Some people have a problem with alcohol.    Some people have a problem with cocaine.   I have a problem with handbags.    It used to be Coach. Then it was Dooney.    Then it was Kate Spade.   Oh to have that cash back!!!!    However as my taste in handbags went from $50 to $100, to $200 to, you have to be kidding if you think I’m going to admit my most expensive handbag — somewhere I figured out that I was investing in things that brought me limited joy.     I love some of those handbags.    I have a drawer (and a plastic bin or two), full of handbags which have brought me joy at one time or another.     Those handbags didn’t help with my body image.     Those handbags didn’t make me feel better when I looked in the mirror.

A few years ago, I decided I was going to invest in myself.    That’s a complete lie, what was happening was I was going to a wedding, and I wanted to look good.     I went on Jenny Craig, I did aerobics, and I paid for private pilates sessions.     I lost weight, and no one recognized me at the wedding.   It wasn’t exactly what I was going for.    I struggled.    After I went back to eating “regular” food, I gained weight, and went through some things that are a part of life:  stress, losing a parent, things that I just wasn’t prepared for.    So much for that investment.    Here came the L-Bs (pounds) right back.  And more.

[tweetthis]Are you addicted to #handbags or #shoes? Read my story![/tweetthis]

Now I had to worry about my health as well as the mirror.    They were both screaming at me that I needed to get off the couch.    I googled.   I actually joined a gym.    It cost $38 per month.   I went 5 times the first month, and then I didn’t go for 14 months.   That didn’t work out so well.  I could have spent $532 on another expensive handbag, but I was “investing” in my health!

I started Pilates at Rivercity Pilates for 2 reasons.   1) They offered a complimentary session so that I could see if I was able to do the exercises and 2) I knew the pilates equipment would assist me in doing things that my overweight body simply couldn’t do.    Here I am, 18 months later. I am clearly a Pilates-aholic.   I have started a mindful movement practice, and it brings me a peace I didn’t know was possible.   I am not going to tell you I haven’t purchased an expensive handbag in 18 months, but I can tell you, that I purchased that handbag after I had purchased my Pilates packages!    That unlimited Pilates classes package may be expensive, but like the picture says,  your body will be around a lot longer than that expensive handbag!

Becky
Pilates Student Blogger