Inspiration of the Month Gina Luegering

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 GinaInspiration of the Month

October 2014

Gina Luegering

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

I’m so happy that I made the decision to start Pilates. It has been something that I’ve always wanted to try and  I have found all of these things and so much more after starting at Rivercity Pilates. I wish I would have started sooner after seeing the changes in my body and the energy I have since starting in August!

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

My personal goal is to attend 4 to 5 classes a week, but with two busy teenagers I sometimes only get in 3 times a week. I love all of the Pilates classes and try to do at least one of each a week

What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice?

After a couple of injuries I really wanted to do something that was low-impact on my body while building strength, tone, and balance.

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

My favorite is the reformer classes.

What would you say to someone thinking about starting Pilates?

When I walk into Rivercity, it’s always a positive atmosphere, the classes are small, and the instructors are amazing. I would recommend Pilates to anyone looking to build strength, energy, and bring balance to their life!

Inspiration of the Month Shelley Mockler

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Inspiration of the Month

Shelley Mockler

September 2014

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

I tried my first complementary session in April 2013. I was inspired to try Pilates because I thought it might be a good option for some of my physical therapy clients. I wanted to learn more about the method to see if it would be a good fit for my patients, but I ended up enjoying my introductory session so much that I decided to come back to establish my own practice.

A few months after my introductory session (July 2013), I made it back to the studio to start my practice. At that time, I was a full-time student and was also working full-time. I had fallen out of my usual exercise routine and Pilates seemed like a great option to help me to get back in to a more consistent exercise routine.

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

 I started out taking private lessons to learn the method and then transitioned to group classes. I took lessons and classes every other week when I started and gradually added in more sessions after the first few months.

 I currently take a mix of mat and equipment classes at the studio 1-2 times per week and also add in 1-2  mat sessions at home.  I am working on building up to a daily practice using the videos from Rivercity on YouTube.

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

 From a physical perspective, I have noticed that my muscles are more toned and my posture is better.  I also pay more attention to how I am moving throughout the day.

From a more global perspective, Pilates has helped me transition focus to my personal wellness again. I always feel refreshed when I am done with a session, which keeps me coming back for more.

 

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

 My favorite piece of equipment is the chair.  I love that there are some many options in such a small package!

Some of my favorite exercises are rolling like a ball (because it is fun!), teaser (it’s hard, but rewarding), and elephant (because it feels good).

Why did you decide to go through the Body Precision Comprehensive Teacher Training Program?

 I decided to go through the program for both personal and professional reasons.  On a personal level, I wanted to learn the method in more depth and refine my own practice.  I enjoy learning on my own, but do best when I am part of a structured program, so the Body Precision Comprehensive Teacher Training Program seemed like the best way for me to take my practice to the next level.

On a professional level, I wanted to learn the method so I could incorporate Pilates principles and exercises in to my work as a physical therapist. Pilates incorporates many principles that are familiar to me as a therapist and I think the method will be a good addition to my practice. It was important to me to learn the method in more detail before incorporating it in to my professional practice.

 

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

 Give it a try!  Set aside an hour for the complementary introductory session and see what you think.  Pilates is appropriate for almost anyone, so don’t let wondering if you are flexible enough, strong enough, fit enough, etc. keep you from trying it out. Rivercity Pilates offers a supportive environment that will help you be successful!

 

 

Why swinging on the monkey bars is part of this mom’s exercise routine!

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I’ll admit, I love to move and exercise.  Just because I love it doesn’t mean I get to spend hours a day working out.  In fact, just like everyone else I struggle to fit in movement.  As a mom of three and a business owner my schedule is usually packed full and I don’t often have a half hour let alone an hour to workout.

When I had my first child I lear-1ned pretty quick that I needed to readjust how I looked at my exercise and movement routine.  I had the honor of having a very colicking baby boy who only quit crying if you were holding him(usually involving some sort of movement), was nursing him or all of the above with the vacuum cleaner on!

Once I realized that my visions of the  baby napping while I got to run on the treadmill or even just getting on the floor to practice Pilates was not going to happen- I started to get creative.  It turns out my son loved to be snuggled up in a sling and gently bounced while I sat on a large exercise ball.  He also enjoyed stroller rides on bumpy gravel paths and quite frankly was pretty happy as long as I was holding him.  This time period in my life was when I truly learned to incorporate movement and exercise into everything I did.  It’s amazing what a great workout it can be climbing stairs while holding a baby, or doing some squats!

Fast forward 11 years and 2 more children later and you’ll still see me incorporating movement whenever I can.  Sure, life is a little bit less hectic now that the kids are older, but honestly not that much.  You’ll still find me stretching my hamstrings while I brush my teeth, doing some squats as I fold baskets full of laundry,  running up and down the stairs a few extra times when I have the chance and of course swinging on the monkey bars with the kids at the park!   I’ve learned that moving, stretching and strengthening my body helps me feel better and it doesn’t matter if I’m taking a Yoga class or just jumping on the trampoline with my kids- it all counts.

So if you are a busy Mom struggling to fit in your “regular” workout I encourage you to think outside the box.  Stop worrying about how many minutes you get in or if you are doing enough and do what works for you.  Don’t let the the act of getting exercise in create more stress in your life.

What’s your routine? I would love to hear what you do to fit exercise and movement into your life! Share your favorite exercises and help someone else use the power of movement to inspire their life!

Pilates Inspiration of the Month – Becky Monroe

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Empower your Body-Inspire your Life!
Inspiration of the Month
Becky Monroe

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

I started Pilates the last week in March. The past 2 years have been challenging for me.  I’m an only child and in the past 18 months, my then 84yo mom had a stroke, broke her hip, and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  She passed away 5 months and 2 weeks after her cancer diagnosis in my home.  My 90 year old father has moved in with me and it’s been 18 months of making sure my parents had everything they needed. I had let my fitness slide before they moved in with me and I continued down a non-healthy path and gained more weight.  I finally embraced the advice that to be a good caregiver, you also need to take care of yourself, but still I was scared. It’s hard being out of shape and overweight.

The one thing that actually got me to make the commitment to try Pilates was the complimentary session offered by Rivercity Pilates.  I felt like I could make sure I was comfortable there and try it out before  I actually signed up for sessions.  When Carey explained that Joseph Pilates invented these exercises because he was sickly, the practice of Pilates made much more sense to me.

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

I have been trying to go to Pilates 4-6 times per week to improve my health.  I started with one-on-one training sessions and made sure I was comfortable doing some of the exercises, (I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t look like an idiot), before I joined a group session.  My favorite phrase in Pilates is, “your working level”, although the instructors are terrific at letting me know how to challenge, “my working level”, so I can see improvement.  I am much more comfortable in the equipment classes than I am on the mat, but I am trying to attend a variety of classes to keep challenging myself.

 

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

I can see myself improving on some of the exercises now that I couldn’t do, (or could barely do), 2 months ago. What I love about Pilates is that you can see improvement if you commit to improvement. I think it’s the same challenge people get from playing golf. You are concentrating on yourself, so you really notice improvement.

I have more energy, I am not feeling as creaky (and old) as I was two months ago. But most importantly, one of my best friends was here this weekend and she said that I looked healthier. That’s all I needed to confirm that Pilates is helping me become healthy again.

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

Mostly I have least favorite exercises because I am still gaining the strength to do them completely. I like all the equipment classes because I find the ingenuity to create the machines to assist with the exercises amazing!  I’m a technology geek, but this equipment was developed before the depression.

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

Before I started I was trying to balance the cost of classes against the benefits as well as the insecurities. It was easy to say that Pilates was too expensive and continue to be a couch potato.  However, just 7 weeks after starting Pilates I feel better, and my closest friends can see that. In the words of Nike, “Just Do It”.  Check out the website and sign up for the complimentary session.

Thank you for the amazing memories!

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A few days ago I said goodbye to Rivercity Pilates. As emotional as it was to have my last private lesson and walk out the front door, the studio has always been so much more than a building to me. If you’ll allow me to stroll down memory lane, I’ll do my best to explain what the past five years have meant to me.

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I met Carey when she was at her first studio. The space was small (think large walk-in closet). Carey’s “office” was in the corner and all of her bookkeeping was done by hand. She had three Chairs, the Cadillac, and a Reformer. We did a lot of mat classes and I fell in love with the Chair. I was welcomed right away by the studio’s clients and distinctly remember how much the side leg kick series killed!

I started Pilates to help with the stress of studying for the bar exam and to get in shape for my upcoming wedding. It was a fantastic stress reliever and I found myself looking forward to class. I was nervous when I was the only student in class but Carey put me at ease and told me all the good progress I was making. Soon I found myself craving Pilates and wanting to learn all I could about it. When Carey set out fliers for her teacher training program, I decided to take the plunge.

My plan was to learn the Pilates method as best I could for myself – with no intention of teaching. I continued school (a Master’s in Political Science) while pursuing my Pilates certification. After nine years of higher education, I did some serious soul searching and decided to teach Pilates with Carey. It was absolutely the right decision. I learned so much while I was at the studio. I learned about the importance of movement and deep breathing. I learned to trust my body and to teach others how to use theirs. And I learned that a community of friends like those I found at Rivercity Pilates is invaluable in this life.

I met amazing, creative, strong, brilliant, hilarious, and kind women and men while working at Rivercity Pilates. They invited me into their lives and trusted me with their stories. I celebrated births of grandchildren, successful dance recitals, job promotions, and engagements. I listened to and hugged clients who lost parents, were stressed about the holidays, or missed their children that were away at college. Being a part of my clients’ lives was my favorite part of the job. In turn, they supported me. They asked about my life, celebrated the birth of my son, and took me out for dinner to say goodbye.

So thank you. Thank you Carey for your vision to bring Pilates to Eastern Iowa. Thank you for being a wonderful boss, mentor, and friend. Thank you to each and every Rivercity Pilates client for making my days brighter simply by walking through the door. I will miss each of you. You’ve shaped me in ways you cannot imagine.

Keep doing your Pilates and please stay in touch.   

All the best,

Cassie