Tag Archive for: BME

Do you know your Pilates instructor well enough to say this?

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As a Pilates instructor one of the things I love about teaching is getting to know my clients and getting to be part of their health journey.  So many of my clients have been with me for years and I think that is so amazing!  As an instructor I can tell you that like any relationship the instructor/student relationship definitely evolves and matures as clients get to know me,I get to know them and as they progress in their Pilates practice.

One of the funny things that happens as clients get to know me better is that sometimes they say the things that are going through their head during their session or class.  You know….that stuff you’ve been thinking since your first session but just finally feel comfortable saying! 

Here’s just a few of my favorites:

  • Are you making that up?  (I mean did Joe Pilates really create all of these crazy exercises and how could she still be teaching me new things after I’ve been doing this for more than a  year…?)

    I have to admit that on occasion I make up a movement or variation of an exercise if I feel like it would help a client.  In fact in my own workout(aka play time) I often experiment with different variations of a traditional Pilates exercise that might help someone learn a Pilates concept or movement better or in a new way. So it’s possible I would answer this with a yes!
  • What the he** are we doing?   Most Pilates students have thought this at one time or another. Maybe you felt this the first time you did Short Spine or when we asked you to Roll Like a Ball, but only those who know me well will actually say it out loud when I ask them to try something new or different!
  • Are you bored?  This one goes hand in hand with did you make that up?  It’s true I do like the creative, playful side of Pilates and like to mix things up on occasion…variety is the spice of life right?
  • Are you kidding me?   This one usually comes out when I ask them to do something they don’t think they can do like maybe Upside Down Push Up on the Chair or Monkey on the Cadillac and then they end up doing it beautifully!!
  • No….   When I ask if they want to try an exercise or movement sometimes I get an upfront No, not really….usually I’m not really giving them an option and then they end up doing it anyway…but those who know me well aren’t afraid to try to get out of it…
  • Rolling Eyes..(no words needed)….  This response is common when I say things things like,”This exercise is like a built in rest in the middle of your Pilates mat work or guess what fun thing is up next?…” 
  • Stop being so picky!    Admit it….some days you just wish your instructor would not remind you of all those little details… are they really that important anyway?
  • Really???    This usually gets said at that moment when you are slightly tired and I ask you to do 2 more, or maybe try just a slightly more challenging variation….
  • Do you really think I can do that??  My answer is always, “Of course I do or I wouldn’t have asked!!”
  • Anything else?  Pull your abdominals in, keep your legs together, no scrunching those shoulders and then coordinate your breath with your movement! ….  The Pilates method can seem pretty demanding and sometimes you feel like your brain and body can’t possibly put all those pieces together at the same time.
  • Time for Seal??  If you have been practicing Pilates you know the exercises that come at the end of the order and you have to admit that it’s kind of a relief when you hear your instructor announce those exercises.  For those who know me well they are not shy about asking for those exercises( even if we are only half way through our workout!)

So now it’s your turn!  I would love to hear what goes through your head and what you actually say to your Pilates instructor!  If you are a Pilates instructor I’m sure you can add to my list of what you hear from clients!  Share this post and be sure to comment with your favorites!!

Don’t wait until you’re out of pain to start Pilates….

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say, “I really want to try Pilates or get back to it, but I’ve been dealing with this chronic low back pain (or insert any other pain…) that I want to go away first.”  As a Pilates instructor I want to shake them and say, “That pain is exactly why you should start Pilates now!!” Of course you will want to make sure you get your physician’s approval and make sure you find an experienced instructor who knows how to adjust exercises for your body.

IMG_7102Individualized Pilates sessions are designed to work with your body where ever it is and more often than not the precise, balanced movement we do in Pilates can create balance in your body that lessens or eliminates pain!   Please note that I did say individualized Pilates sessions.

If you have pain in your body and you are new to the Pilates method I wouldn’t suggesting taking a large group class at the gym or following along with a video.  The best way to learn the Pilates method of exercise is with an experienced instructor and if you have pain you’ll want to start off with some private sessions to make sure you understand how to move safely and effectively before trying a small group class.

At Rivercity Pilates we offer a complimentary private session designed to help you experience Pilates safely in your body, learn about the possibilities and let you discuss how Pilates sessions and classes might be able to help you in your health care plan.  Schedule a session today!

 

Does this scare you?

This picture showed up on my facebook feed today.

I opened up my Facebook to find this picture and I just had to laugh.  I’m guessing if you have back pain and are lacking flexibility and strength in your body you are not going to look at this picture and say, “Wow I want to try wrapping myself up like a pretzel in those straps and hang upside down! I bet that will get rid of my back pain!”

In fact just the thought of trying to get yourself into one of those positions might scare you (and it probably should!!) I’m a Pilates instructor who loves to move, play and try new things…but the thought of just trying to put myself into these positions at home just makes me laugh as I can envision myself falling on my head or getting hurt trying to get there!!

Teaching movement for many years has taught me so many lessons and today I want to share one of my favorites!

Effective movement and exercise that gives you results such as more strength, more flexibility, more balance in your body and less pain does not have to be complicated or scary. In fact, the simpler the better.

Of course there is nothing wrong with wanting to get to a place where you can do movements like those in the above picture, but it is not at all necessary.  I find that most people just want to feel good in their body and be  able to live their lives with ease and without pain.  They want to have energy to experience life and all the movement that is built into our lives.

One of the reasons I believe the Pilates method of exercise is so effective as a movement program for so many people is because instructors are taught to teach bodies how to move correctly starting with the simplest, most basic forms of movement.  Teaching people basic concepts like how to engage their core muscles, how to stabilize their hips and shoulders, how to breathe more efficiently and how to use the mind to control their body’s movements. These are skills that make your workout or exercise time more effective whatever type of workout you are doing and these skills are translated into our everyday movements throughout our life.  Learning these basic skills and then practicing them is where the Pilates magic happens!

By taking some basic movement principles and incorporating them into your movement life you will start to see and feel changes in your body.  AND the good news is learning these skills does not involve bending yourself like a pretzel, hanging upside down, doing the splits or any other movement or position that seems scary and completely undoable in your body.  When you are learning Pilates we’ll be using movements you probably do all the time in your day to day life and we’ll show you how you can apply the Pilates principles to those movements to move better.

If you’re interested in learning how to move better, create a balanced body that is strong, flexible and moves with ease…schedule a complimentary session where we’ll introduce you to some simple movement concepts that can create big changes in your life!

Pilates for your heart!!

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As you may know February marks American Heart Month, a month dedicated to bringing awareness to heart health and what you can do to keep your heart healthy and strong.  Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States? Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease.  Did you know that Pilates can play a big part in your life to helping you keep your heart healthy and happy?

It turns out some of the most common causes of heart disease include:  lack of exercise, being overweight, high blood pressure and stress. All things that a regular Pilates practice can help you with!

Long before heart disease was a common household term Joseph Pilates was talking about the benefits of his method of exercise (which he called contrology) in terms of heart and whole body health.  In his book Return to Life, Joseph Pilates states,”Contrology exercises purify the blood in the bloodstream and whip it into instant action with the result that the organs of the body receive the benefit of clean fresh blood carried to them by the rejuvenated bloodstream.”   He also stated,” you should be exercising every muscle in your body in order to improve the circulation of the blood so that the bloodstream can and will carry more and better blood to feed every fiber and tissue of your body. These exercises induce the heart to pump strong and steady.”

So how can the Pilates method help you keep your heart healthy?IMG_6884

1.  Pilates can get you moving!  The Pilates method of exercise can be adapted to ANY body and can give you the tools you need to add more movement into your life!  Adding safe, efficient movement into your life can help you lose excess weight, get stronger, feel more energized and better condition your entire body.  Movement is a key component to creating a healthy body and a healthy heart!

2.  Improve circulation!  Joseph Pilates specifically designed his exercise method to increase blood circulation and improve whole body health.  By learning to breath properly and coordinate breath with whole body movements you will stimulate your body to work more efficiently inside and out!

3. De-stress ( and lower that blood pressure!)  Exercise is a natural de-stresser and a mindful movement practice like Pilates that combines breath and movement can be especially effective in helping you create a sense of calm in your life and your body!

Want to learn more about how Pilates can help your heart?  Schedule a complimentary Pilates session today!

 

I need to get into better shape before I start Pilates again…

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I’ve been teaching Pilates long enough that I have clients that have been seeing me for years which quite frankly I find pretty amazing!  I adore that clients have found a love for Pilates and incorporate it into their life and am super honored that they continue to choose me as their instructor throughout their journey.

Recently I had a client come back in after being away for awhile.  This is a client I knew quite well and who I knew had been battling some health complications over the years I’ve worked with her.  When she came back in we had a pretty honest talk about why she hadn’t been back in sooner and I really appreciated what she told me.

She mentioned that she kept telling herself that she needed to get in better condition before she came in.  She said she was embarrassed at how far out of shape she had gotten and quite honestly didn’t want to disappoint me.  I can tell you she’s not the only one who has thought something like this or told me this.

My heart kind of sank when she said these things. All I could think of is that just like I tell my kids, “I’ll love you, support you and will be there for you no matter what”…..I have the same sense of non judgmental support for my clients.  Part of what I love about my job is being part of people’s health and wellness journey no matter where they are in their bodies or their life.

Mindful movement can be so healing, energizing and life changing in so many ways.  Movement can help you from a physical and spiritual stand point when you are going through “stuff” ( you know… the stuff that happens to everyone at some time like injuries, illness, family problems, life problems, etc).

As an instructor I love showing people that you don’t have to be doing the hardest, most grueling exercise for it to be an effective tool in your life.  Learning to move safely in your body where you are at any given day is a gift that can change your life.  Learning to listen to your body and find movement that feels good and is effective can change your health and your happiness.

So I have to tell you some amazing things happened within just a week of this client starting Pilates again.  First of all the second time I saw her, she was moving amazingly better and was already feeling a difference in her body (and I could see the difference!).  By the second week it was a dramatic enough difference that she sent me this note:

WE received a compliment tonight!  My husband has been really busy the last couple of weeks. He has been going to work really early and coming home super late.   The first thing he said to me tonight when he arrived home was, “Wow, you are moving so much better since you started Pilates.”  Yeah for us!

(I love those type of notes by the way!) You might be wondering what kind of amazing exercises and sessions we did to get such great results?  Well, we had done three 25 minute sessions( which included some talk and discussion time) over 2 weeks.(Yep…that’s it!)  We did a lot of breathing, fundamental Pilates movements and some exercises using the Pilates equipment.  We started with the basics and did exercises that helped her body find a sense of ease of movement while working in a space she was comfortable.  Nothing crazy or out of the ordinary…but the difference it made in her body and her life was pretty amazing.

So if you’re feeling like you need or want to get back to your Pilates practice but maybe you have some similar thoughts going through your head about why you’re not coming back in……know that I would love nothing more than to help you get started again wherever you are in life and in your body!

P.S. If you’re reading this and I’m not your Pilates instructor I can tell you that your Pilates instructor feels the same way I do!

Are you waiting until you feel like exercising?

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I ran across this graphic the other day ago and thought it had some great tips for those trying to get started adding more movement into their life!

1. You’re not always going to feel like it.  Even those people who have made movement and exercise a habit in their life…don’t always “feel” like doing it.  What happens though is when you create a habit of movement in your life the benefits outweigh the not doing it.  The more you do it, the more your body remembers how good it feels when you are moving on a regular basis.

It’s really easy when life gets hectic and stressful to let movement and exercise be the first thing you don’t do, when you would probably feel better mentally and physically if you did something. So often you need to make yourself move  or at least get started moving!!

Carey’s favorite tip:  Make a commitment to do something on a regular basis.  Try not to fall into the all or nothing frame of mind.  Something is always better than nothing and there is always something you can do where ever you are and however much time you have.  Don’t limit yourself to “exercise time” to add movement in.  Little bits of movement often seem more doable and they are often more effective than an hour workout because you are more likely to do them!  This doesn’t mean you should throw your regular exercise time out the window…but maybe start trying to think about movement as something that’s incorporated into your life instead of something you start or stop.

2. Pay a professional to guide you.  There are so many reasons to hire a professional movement instructor to guide you, but here are my top 3.  First, is that you don’t want to get injured.  A qualified instructor is going to tailor workouts specifically to your body, to your level and keep you safe.   Second,  a great instructor will teach you in a way that fits your personality and learning style so you feel successful and enjoy the process( exercise does not need to be miserable!!) Third, you will be accountable to your instructor.  Trying to workout by yourself can be a challenge and having a trusted instructor with scheduled session times will help keep you committed( especially on those days when you don’t really feel like it!)

3.  Set realistic targets using a proven method…  Pilates is my method of choice as a movement instructor, but there are a lot of great movement programs that can help you get results.  The Pilates method is a whole body movement system designed to create balance in the body through a safe, progression of exercises.  The Pilates method utilizes both your own body and a variety of spring based equipment designed to support and assist the body in achieving it’s goals.  The Pilates Method is adaptable to any body, level or condition and can be especially great for those who haven’t been active or maybe have some injuries or things going on that might limit their movement ranges.

4.  Find a way to have a worthy but consistent approach of fitness..  Find something that works for you and stick with it!  Movement and exercise programs are not a one size fits all!  Most people journey through lots of different things before they find the combination of movement that works for them.  Keep trying until you find something you enjoy that makes you feel better in your body!

For more information about seeing if Pilates is something you’ll enjoy, sign up today for a complimentary session.