How are you doing in Rivercity Pilates Summer Movement Challenge? We’re only 2 weeks in – and we’re excited because we are going to have to add new lines to the chart in the studio this week because so many of you are taking charge of your health, and committing to exercising this summer! If you haven’t signed up yet — there’s still time — our Summer Movement Challenge runs from June 1 – August 30!
Are you nervous about falling? Besides the dangers of injury when you fall, maybe even a bigger concern is your loss of mobility and even independence in your body that makes you more susceptible to falls.
There is a lot of talk about the dangers of falling as we age and how important it is to work on things like balance, strength and flexibility to prevent falls…but what does this really mean? When we see an elderly person who is not moving very well it is easy to spot how falling would be a hazard…but how do we prevent ourselves from getting to that “not moving very well” place in life.
In simple terms,” Move it or lose it!”
When our bodies quit doing movements they get stiff, our muscles get weaker and our brain/body connections that help us react to balancing our bodies in space…get slower. One of the best things we can do to practice staying mobile and active is to practice in a controlled, safe environment movements that challenge our strength, balance and flexibility so that we are better prepared to react and adjust to whatever movements and obstacles day to day life throws at us.
One of the things I love about the Pilates Method of exercise is how is teaches bodies of any age to move better. It teaches people to move with control and precision while practicing movements that strengthen their core muscles, keeps their spine flexible and healthy, strengthens the whole body while maintaining and improving range of movement, and makes your brain and body work together.
I would call any of our Pilates classes, fall prevention classes but our new Live Strong Pilates class is geared toward an age range (65 years young and older) where fall prevention becomes more and more important. We’ll be incorporating the Pilates Method into a total body workout designed to help you move better and stay away from the “not moving very well” place in your body. Classes are limited to 6 participants to ensure a safe, small group atmosphere.
The Pilates Tower classes are some of our most popular classes for good reason. The Pilates Tower classes give you an amazing all over body work out that leaves you feeling stretched, lengthening and more mobile in your spine. The Pilates tower looks like it sounds. It is a metal tower-like structure that has various springs attached to it as well as a wooden bar called the push through bar.
The tower’s various springs and structures are designed to support your body and give your body feedback during exercises. What this means in plain English is that you can do movements that strengthen and stretch you body and specifically your back without straining! One of my favorite examples of this is the Roll Down on the tower. The springs of the roll down bar support you so that you can use your abdominal muscles to do a very controlled roll down to the mat and back up. For many people this task would be impossible without the support of the equipment. And why would you want to do this exercise? This exercise strengthens you core muscles and at the same time stretches the usually tight muscles in our back, leaving your back feeling amazing!! Check out the video below showing this exercise( I often call it the anti-sit up exercise!!)
Another favorite exercise of mine on the Tower is called the leg springs series. Does the thought of lying on your back and holding your legs up in the air scare you? Is it hard for you to straighten your legs in this type of position because your back and hamstrings are soo tight? (picture..)
The leg springs have a strap that your foot rests in and they are designed to help you hold your legs up in space while you are lying on your back, without straining!! Why is this important? This position allows us a very effective way to strengthen our back and core muscles in a supported way and at the same time helps us create more flexibility in the backs of our legs. When our core muscles get stronger and our muscles lengthen and stretch in a balanced way.. our body feels better and moves better on a daily basis. Check out the video below where I talk about and show a few of the leg spring exercises.
If you are one of the many people who suffer from a chronically tight, achy back you will not be disappointed with a Pilates Tower class. We’re guessing you’ll walk away wondering how an exercise class can be such an effective workout and leave your back and body feeling so amazing. Most people find themselves asking,” Why did I wait so long to try that??”
Try a complimentary class today!!
Recess in school is something that most of us would not question. We know that kids need to move and wear off some energy in able to sit still and get their learning time in. Can you imagine trying to make a 7 year old sit at a desk for 3 hours or 4 hours at a time without being able to get up? Do you think they would learn very much or get very much study time in?
Why does this theory of needing movement time and even fresh air and outside time change as we get older and enter adulthood? Who made the rule that you should be able to sit for long periods of time and get all kinds of work done when you reach a certain age?
There are some adults who have careers and jobs with built in movement time and that is amazing. I’m guessing many of these people don’t even realize how helpful it is as far as their body’s health to be able to naturally move throughout their day and not have to sit in one spot. They probably don’t realize how movement and even outdoor time can help them be more productive, happy and healthy.
If you are one of those people who has a career that involves sitting anywhere for long periods of time I’m guessing you know how hard it can be on your body. You probably have felt the achy back, sore neck and shoulders and just sluggishness we feel when we don’t move on a regular basis. So what do you do about it? How about some planned recess time? Recess time as an adult could be just about anything like:
Need some more ideas on how to add movement time into your life? Check out our Office Pilates Series designed to give you ideas on how you can incorporate more movement into your daily life even if you are sitting at a desk!!
Here’s a mini mat workout you can do at home. When it comes to creating a Pilates habit, one of the most important things is to just do it. We know that with your busy schedules it’s not always easy to get in for a full class.
When working out at home try to work on your flow and transition from one exercise directly into the next. This mini workout will take you less than 10 minutes – so there’s no excuses to not sneak it in :).
We’ve also listed the exercises and traditional repetitions for you below. If you consistently do this workout you will start to know the movements in your body and not even need the video!
Hundreds– 10 breaths or 100 pumps of the arms
Roll up – 5 to 8 reps
Single Leg Circles – 5 in each direction
Rolling Like a Ball – 5 to 8 reps
Stomach Series:
Single Leg Stretch– 5 each leg
Double Leg Stretch – 5 each
Scissors – 5 each
Double Leg Lower Lift – 5 each
Elbow to Knee – 5 each side
Spine Stretch – 5-8 reps
Try it out and let us know what you think! If you like it- be sure to click like and share it with your friends so they can try it too!
The Pilates method of exercise is based on learning specific principles of breath, control, precision, flowing movement, centering, and concentration. Learning the method is truly a process that is continually challenging you to connect to your body so you can learn to breathe more efficiently, move from your center, and create uniform development or balance in your body.
Every body and every personality learns differently and the best process for you to learn will be unique to you. There really is no right or wrong way.
We suggest starting your Pilates journey with 3-6 private sessions. By starting your learning process with private sessions you have a cha![mermaid adjustments](https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mermaid-adjustments.jpg")
nce to learn the basic ideas and principles in a way that is very specific to your body. These private sessions will give you a chance to learn the Pilates fundamentals such as how to breathe during your exercises, how to engage your deep abdominal muscles, and how to stabilize your hips and shoulders.
These sessions will also give you a chance to create body awareness about how your body moves, where your individual imbalances may be, and give you an idea of places you can focus and work on as you continue your Pilates practice.
After your introductory private sessions, how you continue your Pilates training is really up to you.
Private sessions offer complete one-on-one attention from your instructor and allow you to move and learn at your own specific pace. Individual sessions are also great for fine tuning and making adjustments to your movements that are specific to you.
Semi-private sessions are a great way to work out with a friend and still get the individualized attention of a private session.
Small group classes are a fun, effective way to do a Pilates workout while still getting great adjustments ![IMG_2412](https://rivercitypilates.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_2412.jpg")
and feedback from your instructor.
Some clients take just private or semi-private sessions, some take just classes, and many do both! We suggest trying them all so you can find out what you enjoy the most.
Consistency is the key in creating an effective Pilates practice in your life, so try to find some regular times that you can put into your weekly schedule.