If you have been in our community very long you probably know that we have an amazing staff of teachers who are not only incredible at teaching movement but they have huge hearts.
As a business owner there is nothing I love more than being able to support our staff in doing things they are passionate about. This summer Donny and I started brainstorming ideas on how she could combine her passion of teaching Pilates with helping local animal shelters.
We came up with the name, Pilates for Paws and started trying to figure out how we could do our first event that would benefit shelters in need. Last week, when the news announced the Iowa City shelter had just taken in 131 dogs we decided that we wanted to get this project going so that we could donate some much needed money to the local shelter.
We are excited to announce our first two Pilates for Paws events! Check out the details below to learn how you can participate and help us raise money for the Iowa City Animal shelter!
On Saturday, September 23rd at 1 pm Donny is going to be teaching a Pilates for Paws in studio Pilates Mat Group Class and all proceeds will go to the Iowa City Shelter.
This class will be designed for every body and will absolutely be Beginner friendly! Space in this session is limited to 6 participants and we will sell 6 session spots for $30. Sign up early to snag one of these spots!
On Sunday September 24th at 9 am Donny will be teaching a virtual Pilates for Paws Class that anyone anywhere can take from home! No worries if you can’t make class…we’ll be sending everyone who purchases the class a forever link for this class! That means you can take the class as often as you want for as long as you want!
You can purchase the class for yourself or purchase it for a friend! We’ll be selling this class for $20. We’ll email you a Zoom link to take class live and after the event we’ll send you a forever link to this class!
Let’s talk about back pain. As a Pilates teacher for over 20 years I have worked with a LOT of people who deal with back pain. You might think that you should rest your back if it hurts, but research shows that regular exercise can reduce the frequency of recurring back pain attacks by almost half.
In general there are 2 key things that I have seen over and over again that help people lessen their pain or eliminate it completely. It might surprise you to know that these 2 things are not necessarily specific to Pilates.
Move more and move in more ways that help your body improve strength and mobility on a regular basis. When people first find Pilates they often discover a type of exercise they actually enjoy that doesn’t aggravate their pain and because of that they start practicing on a regular basis. Just this consistency of adding more movement into their life helps them feel better in their body. You should know that these kind of results are common in other movement practices as well…Yoga, strength training, adding more cardiovascular training, etc.
In some ways, someone feeling better when they first start Pilates is specific to Pilates (your Pilates teachers have gone through intensive training to help you figure out how to move without increasing your back pain and they adjust the exercises specifically for you). In some ways the pain relief is simply a result of moving more and in new ways which gives you more overall strength and mobility in your body!
So if Pilates is not your thing…find something else that encourages you to do more movement in your life! If Pilates is your thing…do it consistently in your life.
Do things that balance out your body. The Pilates Method of exercise is a method focused on learning how to do movements in a way that creates more balance in your body as you strengthen. This means that each Pilates exercise you practice is designed to stretch muscles and tissues that are tight and strengthen muscles that are weaker so that your body functions how it was designed to function.
How do I balance out my body? The process of balancing out your body is not something that happens immediately when you start working on it and the results from this type of specific training usually takes time. The best way to learn this technique of creating more balance in your body is to work with an experienced movement teacher who can guide you and teach you how to practice this skill in your body. Then of course you’ll want to continue practicing it as much as you can!
If you have worked with me at all I often call this work of balancing out your body as you move “picky Pilates”! Joseph Pilates developed the Pilates method to focus on quality of movement, rather than repetitions, so the bonus here is you do not have to perform tons of repetition to get results. You just need to pay attention to how you are practicing the exercises to get results.
If you have back pain I would encourage you to find some movement and exercise that you can consistently add into your life and learn how to balance your body. Pilates of course is an ideal way to work on these two things if it is something you enjoy.
Many of our clients have found that the Pilates Reformer has helped them balance their bodies, and reduce/eliminate back pain.
The Reformer provides a low-impact workout that can help to strengthen the muscles in the back, hips, and abdomen, which are all important for supporting the spine. By improving strength and flexibility, many of our clients have found relief from back pain. The bonus? The Pilates Reformer is designed to “meet you where you are”. You don’t have to worry about “getting in shape” to start an exercise program, because your instructor will show you how to use the reformer in a way that helps you create balanced strength and mobility in your body.
If you are interested in learning more about how the Pilates Method and specifically how practicing Pilates on the Reformer can help you with these two keys to a happy back we have just the thing.
Start your Pilates journey with our Beginning Reformer workshop on Sunday, August 6.
In this his 90 minute workshop you’ll get a guided tour of the Pilates Reformer that includes safety and tips for beginners. You’ll be introduced to basic Pilates Reformer exercises and learn how to practice the basic Pilates Reformer exercises in your body in a non intimidating atmosphere.
This is a great workshop for anyone who is new to Pilates or new to practicing Pilates using the Pilates reformer.
What to expect:
Time to ask questions.
A comfortable atmosphere to try basic movements on the Pilates Reformer in your body and have the guidance of a teacher to help you figure out the best way to do each exercise.
https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-2023-08-27T183457.647.jpg10801080Careyhttp://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/website-cover-name.jpgCarey2023-08-15 13:00:032023-10-11 22:11:42Do you have back pain?
Ever wonder what is the Pilates Reformer and why people are always raving about it?
The Pilates Reformer was designed by Joseph Pilates as an all in one piece of exercise equipment that could be used to train the entire body creating balanced strength and flexibility.
The magic of the reformer happens when you mindfully practice exercises on the equipment that are specifically designed to help you train your body.
The spring based Reformer gives the user the perfect amount of assist and resistance and allows the user to get more out of each exercise they practice. Since there are various spring tensions you can use for each exercise it is extremely important to have an experienced teacher who can adjust the spring tension for your body and teach you how to get the most out of each exercise!
We have the perfect way for you to try the Pilates Reformer, and see if it’s for you. Join us for our Beginning Pilates Reformer Workshop on August 6 at 1:30!
In this 90 minute workshop you’ll get a guided tour of the Pilates Reformer that includes safety and tips for beginners. You’ll be introduced to basic Pilates Reformer exercises and learn how to practice the basic Pilates Reformer exercises in your body in a non intimidating atmosphere.
This is a great workshop for anyone who is new to Pilates or new to practicing Pilates using the Pilates reformer.
What to expect:
Time to ask questions.
A comfortable atmosphere to try basic movements on the Pilates Reformer in your body and have the guidance of a teacher to help you figure out the best way to do each exercise.
Let’s talk about back pain. As a Pilates teacher for over 20 years I have worked with a LOT of people who deal with back pain. You might think that you should rest your back if it hurts, but research shows that regular exercise can reduce the frequency of recurring back pain attacks by almost half.
In general there are 2 key things that I have seen over and over again that help people lessen their pain or eliminate it completely. It might surprise you to know that these 2 things are not necessarily specific to Pilates.
Move more and move in more ways that help your body improve strength and mobility on a regular basis. When people first find Pilates they often discover a type of exercise they actually enjoy that doesn’t aggravate their pain and because of that they start practicing on a regular basis. Just this consistency of adding more movement into their life helps them feel better in their body. You should know that these kind of results are common in other movement practices as well…Yoga, strength training, adding more cardiovascular training, etc.
In some ways, someone feeling better when they first start Pilates is specific to Pilates (your Pilates teachers have gone through intensive training to help you figure out how to move without increasing your back pain and they adjust the exercises specifically for you). In some ways the pain relief is simply a result of moving more and in new ways which gives you more overall strength and mobility in your body.
So if Pilates is not your thing…find something else that encourages you to do more movement in your life! If Pilates is your thing…do it consistently in your life.Do things that balance out your body. The Pilates Method of exercise is a method focused on learning how to do movements in a way that creates more balance in your body as you strengthen. This means that each Pilates exercise you practice is designed to stretch muscles and tissues that are tight and strengthen muscles that are weaker so that your body functions how it was designed to function.
How do I balance out my body? The process of balancing out your body is not something that happens immediately when you start working on it and the results from this type of specific training usually takes time. The best way to learn this technique of creating more balance in your body is to work with an experienced movement teacher who can guide you and teach you how to practice this skill in your body. Then of course you’ll want to continue practicing it as much as you can!
If you have worked with me at all I often call this work of balancing out your body as you move “picky Pilates”! Joseph Pilates developed the Pilates method to focus on quality of movement, rather than repetitions, so the bonus here is you do not have to perform tons of repetition to get results. You just need to pay attention to how you are practicing the exercises to get results.
If you have back pain I would encourage you to find some movement and exercise that you can consistently add into your life and learn how to balance your body. Pilates of course is an ideal way to work on these two things if it is something you enjoy.
Many of our clients have found that the Pilates Reformer has helped them balance their bodies, and reduce/eliminate back pain.
The Reformer provides a low-impact workout that can help to strengthen the muscles in the back, hips, and abdomen, which are all important for supporting the spine. By improving strength and flexibility, many of our clients have found relief from back pain. The bonus? The Pilates Reformer is designed to “meet you where you are”. You don’t have to worry about “getting in shape” to start an exercise program, because your instructor will show you how to use the reformer in a way that helps you create balanced strength and mobility in your body.
If you are interested in learning more about how the Pilates Method and specifically how practicing Pilates on the Reformer can help you with these two keys to a happy back we have just the thing.
Start your Pilates journey with our Beginning Reformer workshop on Sunday, August 6.
In this his 90 minute workshop you’ll get a guided tour of the Pilates Reformer that includes safety and tips for beginners. You’ll be introduced to basic Pilates Reformer exercises and learn how to practice the basic Pilates Reformer exercises in your body in a non intimidating atmosphere.
This is a great workshop for anyone who is new to Pilates or new to practicing Pilates using the Pilates reformer.
What to expect:
Time to ask questions.
A comfortable atmosphere to try basic movements on the Pilates Reformer in your body and have the guidance of a teacher to help you figure out the best way to do each exercise.
http://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/website-cover-name.jpg00Careyhttp://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/website-cover-name.jpgCarey2023-08-04 11:40:102023-10-14 21:58:01Do you have back pain?
Somebody asked me the other day, “What are the other clients like that come into the studio?” I think they really wanted to know if there would be others in group sessions who would be similar to them in terms of age and health goals.
The question had me thinking about how I would describe most of our clients who come in to the studio and I came up with a few key characteristics that I wanted to share with you!
Our clients are learners! They really appreciate having time to learn more about how their body works, learn more about how they can use movement to feel better and improve their health. They really embrace their exercise time not just as something they do to lose weight or look a certain way, but as a way to practice things that help them maintain and improve their health.
Our clients love to know why we have them doing things and what it does for their body (and we love sharing that knowledge!) Our clients will often ask questions about why they are doing something and they will often ask their instructors for ideas on how they can continue to work on specific things outside of the studio. Our clients love to know that the exercises they are doing are helping them do things like improve their balance, strengthen their bones and stay mobile.
Our clients exercise to improve their health and they truly appreciate that movement helps their body feel better and is a health tool in their life. Want to know how I know this? Each week so many of our clients come into their sessions not feeling so great in their bodies! You read that right…they come in to exercise even though things hurt or they don’t feel the best in their body because they know that the way to feel better is to move their body!!
Each session when we ask clients how they are feeling at the beginning of their session we hear them say things like….my low back is sore today, I’ve been really noticing my knee hurting this week, or my shoulder feels really tight. Our clients know that when they come in to their session their teacher will help them practice a whole body workout that feels appropriate for their body and they know they will feel better when they leave!
Our clients are confident knowing that they won’t ever be pressured to do an exercise or movement that doesn’t feel good in their body. Our clients know that their teacher will adapt their session to them so they can improve their strength and mobility in a safe way. Our clients know that a regular movement practice helps their body feel the best!
So what do you think…did my general description of our clients sound like you? What other characteristics did I miss? Email me and let me know!!
If you need any help scheduling sessions or have any questions remember you can always just send me an email! I would love to hear from you!
https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Screenshot-2023-03-15-at-1.22.54-PM.png9141528Careyhttp://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/website-cover-name.jpgCarey2023-06-21 06:40:002023-10-11 22:14:44Would you fit in at Rivercity Pilates?
If you’ve heard about all the great benefits of Pilates, maybe you’ve heard friends and even celebrities talk about how much it benefits them and wondered if it’s something you could do… you’ll want to watch this!
https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/class22.jpg10801080Careyhttp://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/website-cover-name.jpgCarey2023-06-16 08:43:232023-11-14 09:02:09Thinking about trying Pilates?
Pilates & Paws
/in Our CommunityIf you have been in our community very long you probably know that we have an amazing staff of teachers who are not only incredible at teaching movement but they have huge hearts.
As a business owner there is nothing I love more than being able to support our staff in doing things they are passionate about. This summer Donny and I started brainstorming ideas on how she could combine her passion of teaching Pilates with helping local animal shelters.
We came up with the name, Pilates for Paws and started trying to figure out how we could do our first event that would benefit shelters in need. Last week, when the news announced the Iowa City shelter had just taken in 131 dogs we decided that we wanted to get this project going so that we could donate some much needed money to the local shelter.
We are excited to announce our first two Pilates for Paws events! Check out the details below to learn how you can participate and help us raise money for the Iowa City Animal shelter!
On Saturday, September 23rd at 1 pm Donny is going to be teaching a Pilates for Paws in studio Pilates Mat Group Class and all proceeds will go to the Iowa City Shelter.
This class will be designed for every body and will absolutely be Beginner friendly! Space in this session is limited to 6 participants and we will sell 6 session spots for $30. Sign up early to snag one of these spots!
On Sunday September 24th at 9 am Donny will be teaching a virtual Pilates for Paws Class that anyone anywhere can take from home! No worries if you can’t make class…we’ll be sending everyone who purchases the class a forever link for this class! That means you can take the class as often as you want for as long as you want!
You can purchase the class for yourself or purchase it for a friend! We’ll be selling this class for $20. We’ll email you a Zoom link to take class live and after the event we’ll send you a forever link to this class!
Do you have back pain?
/in Pain, Workshops / Special EventsLet’s talk about back pain. As a Pilates teacher for over 20 years I have worked with a LOT of people who deal with back pain. You might think that you should rest your back if it hurts, but research shows that regular exercise can reduce the frequency of recurring back pain attacks by almost half.
In general there are 2 key things that I have seen over and over again that help people lessen their pain or eliminate it completely. It might surprise you to know that these 2 things are not necessarily specific to Pilates.
In some ways, someone feeling better when they first start Pilates is specific to Pilates (your Pilates teachers have gone through intensive training to help you figure out how to move without increasing your back pain and they adjust the exercises specifically for you). In some ways the pain relief is simply a result of moving more and in new ways which gives you more overall strength and mobility in your body!
So if Pilates is not your thing…find something else that encourages you to do more movement in your life! If Pilates is your thing…do it consistently in your life.
How do I balance out my body? The process of balancing out your body is not something that happens immediately when you start working on it and the results from this type of specific training usually takes time. The best way to learn this technique of creating more balance in your body is to work with an experienced movement teacher who can guide you and teach you how to practice this skill in your body. Then of course you’ll want to continue practicing it as much as you can!
If you have worked with me at all I often call this work of balancing out your body as you move “picky Pilates”! Joseph Pilates developed the Pilates method to focus on quality of movement, rather than repetitions, so the bonus here is you do not have to perform tons of repetition to get results. You just need to pay attention to how you are practicing the exercises to get results.
If you have back pain I would encourage you to find some movement and exercise that you can consistently add into your life and learn how to balance your body. Pilates of course is an ideal way to work on these two things if it is something you enjoy.
Many of our clients have found that the Pilates Reformer has helped them balance their bodies, and reduce/eliminate back pain.
The Reformer provides a low-impact workout that can help to strengthen the muscles in the back, hips, and abdomen, which are all important for supporting the spine. By improving strength and flexibility, many of our clients have found relief from back pain. The bonus? The Pilates Reformer is designed to “meet you where you are”. You don’t have to worry about “getting in shape” to start an exercise program, because your instructor will show you how to use the reformer in a way that helps you create balanced strength and mobility in your body.
If you are interested in learning more about how the Pilates Method and specifically how practicing Pilates on the Reformer can help you with these two keys to a happy back we have just the thing.
Start your Pilates journey with our Beginning Reformer workshop on Sunday, August 6.
In this his 90 minute workshop you’ll get a guided tour of the Pilates Reformer that includes safety and tips for beginners. You’ll be introduced to basic Pilates Reformer exercises and learn how to practice the basic Pilates Reformer exercises in your body in a non intimidating atmosphere.
This is a great workshop for anyone who is new to Pilates or new to practicing Pilates using the Pilates reformer.
What to expect:
Beginner Pilates Reformer Workshop
/in Pilates Equipment, Workshops / Special EventsEver wonder what is the Pilates Reformer and why people are always raving about it?
The Pilates Reformer was designed by Joseph Pilates as an all in one piece of exercise equipment that could be used to train the entire body creating balanced strength and flexibility.
The magic of the reformer happens when you mindfully practice exercises on the equipment that are specifically designed to help you train your body.
The spring based Reformer gives the user the perfect amount of assist and resistance and allows the user to get more out of each exercise they practice. Since there are various spring tensions you can use for each exercise it is extremely important to have an experienced teacher who can adjust the spring tension for your body and teach you how to get the most out of each exercise!
We have the perfect way for you to try the Pilates Reformer, and see if it’s for you. Join us for our Beginning Pilates Reformer Workshop on August 6 at 1:30!
In this 90 minute workshop you’ll get a guided tour of the Pilates Reformer that includes safety and tips for beginners. You’ll be introduced to basic Pilates Reformer exercises and learn how to practice the basic Pilates Reformer exercises in your body in a non intimidating atmosphere.
This is a great workshop for anyone who is new to Pilates or new to practicing Pilates using the Pilates reformer.
What to expect:
Price: $35 before August 1
$40 after August 1
Do you have back pain?
/in Pain, Pilates EquipmentLet’s talk about back pain. As a Pilates teacher for over 20 years I have worked with a LOT of people who deal with back pain. You might think that you should rest your back if it hurts, but research shows that regular exercise can reduce the frequency of recurring back pain attacks by almost half.
In general there are 2 key things that I have seen over and over again that help people lessen their pain or eliminate it completely. It might surprise you to know that these 2 things are not necessarily specific to Pilates.
In some ways, someone feeling better when they first start Pilates is specific to Pilates (your Pilates teachers have gone through intensive training to help you figure out how to move without increasing your back pain and they adjust the exercises specifically for you). In some ways the pain relief is simply a result of moving more and in new ways which gives you more overall strength and mobility in your body.
So if Pilates is not your thing…find something else that encourages you to do more movement in your life! If Pilates is your thing…do it consistently in your life.Do things that balance out your body. The Pilates Method of exercise is a method focused on learning how to do movements in a way that creates more balance in your body as you strengthen. This means that each Pilates exercise you practice is designed to stretch muscles and tissues that are tight and strengthen muscles that are weaker so that your body functions how it was designed to function.
If you have worked with me at all I often call this work of balancing out your body as you move “picky Pilates”! Joseph Pilates developed the Pilates method to focus on quality of movement, rather than repetitions, so the bonus here is you do not have to perform tons of repetition to get results. You just need to pay attention to how you are practicing the exercises to get results.
If you have back pain I would encourage you to find some movement and exercise that you can consistently add into your life and learn how to balance your body. Pilates of course is an ideal way to work on these two things if it is something you enjoy.
Many of our clients have found that the Pilates Reformer has helped them balance their bodies, and reduce/eliminate back pain.
The Reformer provides a low-impact workout that can help to strengthen the muscles in the back, hips, and abdomen, which are all important for supporting the spine. By improving strength and flexibility, many of our clients have found relief from back pain. The bonus? The Pilates Reformer is designed to “meet you where you are”. You don’t have to worry about “getting in shape” to start an exercise program, because your instructor will show you how to use the reformer in a way that helps you create balanced strength and mobility in your body.
If you are interested in learning more about how the Pilates Method and specifically how practicing Pilates on the Reformer can help you with these two keys to a happy back we have just the thing.
Start your Pilates journey with our Beginning Reformer workshop on Sunday, August 6.
In this his 90 minute workshop you’ll get a guided tour of the Pilates Reformer that includes safety and tips for beginners. You’ll be introduced to basic Pilates Reformer exercises and learn how to practice the basic Pilates Reformer exercises in your body in a non intimidating atmosphere.
This is a great workshop for anyone who is new to Pilates or new to practicing Pilates using the Pilates reformer.
What to expect:
Would you fit in at Rivercity Pilates?
/in In Studio Options, New Client InfoSomebody asked me the other day, “What are the other clients like that come into the studio?” I think they really wanted to know if there would be others in group sessions who would be similar to them in terms of age and health goals.
The question had me thinking about how I would describe most of our clients who come in to the studio and I came up with a few key characteristics that I wanted to share with you!
Our clients are learners! They really appreciate having time to learn more about how their body works, learn more about how they can use movement to feel better and improve their health. They really embrace their exercise time not just as something they do to lose weight or look a certain way, but as a way to practice things that help them maintain and improve their health.
Our clients love to know why we have them doing things and what it does for their body (and we love sharing that knowledge!) Our clients will often ask questions about why they are doing something and they will often ask their instructors for ideas on how they can continue to work on specific things outside of the studio. Our clients love to know that the exercises they are doing are helping them do things like improve their balance, strengthen their bones and stay mobile.
Our clients exercise to improve their health and they truly appreciate that movement helps their body feel better and is a health tool in their life. Want to know how I know this? Each week so many of our clients come into their sessions not feeling so great in their bodies! You read that right…they come in to exercise even though things hurt or they don’t feel the best in their body because they know that the way to feel better is to move their body!!
Each session when we ask clients how they are feeling at the beginning of their session we hear them say things like….my low back is sore today, I’ve been really noticing my knee hurting this week, or my shoulder feels really tight. Our clients know that when they come in to their session their teacher will help them practice a whole body workout that feels appropriate for their body and they know they will feel better when they leave!
Our clients are confident knowing that they won’t ever be pressured to do an exercise or movement that doesn’t feel good in their body. Our clients know that their teacher will adapt their session to them so they can improve their strength and mobility in a safe way. Our clients know that a regular movement practice helps their body feel the best!
So what do you think…did my general description of our clients sound like you? What other characteristics did I miss? Email me and let me know!!
If you need any help scheduling sessions or have any questions remember you can always just send me an email! I would love to hear from you!
Thinking about trying Pilates?
/in In Studio OptionsIf you’ve heard about all the great benefits of Pilates, maybe you’ve heard friends and even celebrities talk about how much it benefits them and wondered if it’s something you could do… you’ll want to watch this!