Tag Archive for: Pilates Cedar Rapids Iowa

Crohn’s, Pilates & life: A teacher’s story

img_6127This week I’m kicking off a joint blog project with one of my students. Kelly has been taking Pilates with me for more than a year ( 15 months to be exact..) and our journey as teacher and student has definitely has been a huge learning experience for me. I work with lots of clients who experience different conditions in their body and I really love how each experience makes me a better teacher and hopefully a better person as I work to teach each client the power of mindful movement in their life.

If you teach movement I’m guessing you’ll be able to relate to my journey with Kelly. If you are living with a chronic disease or condition or maybe just know someone who is…I think you’ll relate to Kelly’s journey and hopefully be inspired by how we are working together to help her live the life she’s been given in the most empowering, inspiring way. And although this journey started with Pilates and much of our writing will talk about our experiences in the studio… I think you’ll find that our stories always come back to things much bigger than just a workout. I’m a believer that movement heals and I’m hoping our stories will inspire you to believe that too!

As we head into our blog series I wanted to start by giving you a little back ground about where Kelly and I are in our teacher/ student relationship. In my next blog I’ll be talking about why I start each session by making it a point to ask Kelly if she has been in the hospital since I last saw her and if she has been doing any running or biking and how much. ( a crazy combination right?) Check in with my blog to hear the rest of this story!

Is it better to do Pilates Mat classes or Pilates Equipment classes?

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IMG_2871Have you ever wondered what is better- Mat Pilates or Equipment Pilates?  Or maybe you are curious about what the difference is between the mat work and the equipment work.  Keep reading and hopefully we’ll answer your questions!

First of all it’s important to realize that Pilates is a method of exercise and there are lots of different ways you can practice Pilates. The effectiveness of the Pilates work doesn’t necessarily come from having a particular piece of equipment to use, but really comes from HOW you do it. That being said, the Pilates equipment was to designed to help you learn the method more efficiently and to allow your body lots of different variations to do different movements.

What is Mat Pilates?

When we talk about Mat Pilates, we are talking about using the Pilates method to do exercises using only your own body as resistance.   Sometimes we use small props in the mat work such a a small ball, a theraband or a Pilates Magic Circle(a small ring that provides flexible resistance).   Joseph Pilates created a sequence of exercises that is often called the traditional Pilates Mat sequence. Since the method is highly adaptable to any body, there are lots of different variations of these exercises that can be incorporated into any workout. The mat work is especially nice when you are traveling or just don’t have access to any equipment.

What is  Pilates Equipment?

Joseph Pilates designed spring based equipment to support and advance the body while practicing the Pilates method of exercising. The movements that we do during mat work and while using the equipment are very similiar. The springs of the equipment are often referred to as extra muscles, or an extention of the body.  They allow the body to experience a movement that they maybe could not do otherwise. They help teach the body how to move properly so that it can repeat that movement in other situations.

What should I do?

I like to encourage our clients to do a mix of both mat work and equipment work.  During private sessions, your instructor will combine various mat and equipment exercises to create a workout program optimal for your body’s needs.  If clients are primarily taking group classes I really encourage them to take a mix of both mat and equipment classes.

What are the benefits of doing both?

Doing the Pilates Method in a variety of ways will create the optimal results in your body and allow you to continue to progress through the exercises.  The different pieces of equipment and mat work really work together to create change in your body.  For instance, there may be a particular movement or exercise that is challenging for you( for example: teaser on the reformer long box).  By practicing the mat variation of this exercise you will create the strength and balance to help you perfect it on the reformer.  Another great example is an exercise called the roll-up.  In the mat work we try to leave the legs anchored to the mat as we roll down through the spine to a lying position, and then roll back up to a starting position with the same control.   Doing this same exercise on the Pilates equipment called the Cadillac(holding on to a bar attached to springs), teaches your body this same movement and helps you build the strength to do the mat version, in a very supported way.

Is Mat or Equipment better? 

Both Mat and Equipment Pilates are great for your body and equally effective.   If you have the opportunity I suggest using a variety of both mat work and equipment work to help you strengthen, balance and align your body to receive optimal results!

Try it today!

Worried about your plank?

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plank4A common question I get from clients new to Pilates is, “Are we going to be doing a lot of planks? They really hurt my wrists or my back or….fill in the blank.”  The quick short answer is no.  You do not have to be able to do a plank to practice Pilates.

You see Pilates is a system of exercises that is designed to strengthen the entire body from the center out.  As you begin your Pilates practice you’ll find that the majority of the exercises are done lying on your back or your belly and focus on you figuring out how to engage from your center.

As your body starts to figure out how to engage from your center the method will continue to challenge you by asking you to do whole body movements the engage, strengthen, and increase balance in your musclature.  As you continue to progress in your own strength and balance these exercises will progress to continue to challenge you.  You will naturally progress to more challenging exercises.  Eventually you may find yourself strong and balanced enough to do exercises that require you to support your body in plank-like or side-plank like position.

I promise by the time you get to these exercises….you will be ready for them and we’ll teach you how to do them without pain or injury.

Buy some cute studio socks with that gift certificate!!

img_4882It’s the holiday season and that means gift giving season.  I don’t know about you but in the crazy hectic season of giving I often find myself giving people a gift merely to cross it off my list.  It’s not that I don’t appreciate this person or want to give them something to show them they are important in my life….it’s just that I ran out of time.   I really love to give gifts that have meaning, that are well thought out, that reflect how amazing the person is I’m giving it to, and is something they will treasure. Unfortunately, my life gets crazy and I end up buying a gift certificate for something I know they will use.  Gift certificates are not a bad thing, it’s just that I often feel like maybe I didn’t put enough thought or effort into my gift giving.

I was thinking about this idea in terms of the gift certificates we sell at the studio.  Things like Pilates, Barre  and Yoga are often considered luxuries in peoples lives.  For many people, they feel a little guilty spending $15 to $30 a session for a Pilates class when they could go to the local gym for $19.99 a month.  Yet we all know that the gym membership doesn’t do you any good if you never use it! So what an amazing gift of health you are giving someone by giving them permission to indulge in their own health.  What could be even more indulgent than the classes and sessions themselves?   Cute Socks!!  That’s right…cute grippy socks!!  Because here’s the thing…so many times our regular clients have seen the light in knowing that paying a little extra for quality instruction and something they love is totally worth it.   But they feel a little guilty about wanting to get a cute pair of grippy socks or even a shirt or pair of pants that they are merely going to work out in.  The wonderful thing about a cute pair of grippy socks or your favorite workout top is that they make you happy when you are exercising.  Feeling good about what you are wearing is sometimes just the motivation you need to take that class that you are thinking about skipping!  From a gift giving perspective, the other great thing about a cute pair of grippy socks is that every time they wear them they’ll think of you and the thoughtful gift you gave them!!

So if you’re thinking about getting someone you love a gift certificate for movement and health….don’t forget the cute grippy socks!!!

Need some gift giving ideas for someone you know?  We’d love to help!  send us an email at rcpilates1@gmail.com or call us at 319.665.2499!!

 

 

#PracticeWhatYouTeach: Getting Down and Back up

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Can you sit on the floor and stand back up without touching your hand or knee on the floor?  Last week when I took Benjamin Degenhardt’s Upright Pilates workshop he started by talking about this ability. There has been some interesting studies done on life expectancy in older adults being directly correlated to this ability.  The first thing that popped into my head when this discussion started was….Can I do it?    When I got to try it during workshop time I was a little embarrassed at how hard it was for me (I am a Pilates teacher after all….). ..and I have to tell you I had to use a hand on the floor.  This bothered me and I made a pact with myself to practice and master this!

Have I mastered it yet? Nope. Have I been practicing…you bet.  Almost every time I practice Pilates I take a little time to try out my ability to get down and stand back up. Somewhere in that practice I learned a lot about my teaching and about what I can do to help others move better in their life. Here’s a quick video of my 8 year old daughter and I practicing!

I had been practicing the crossed leg sit and stand which is often shown as the example of getting down and back up. I found myself getting creative and exploring what was so hard about the movement and what I needed to do to be successful at it.   I discovered if I added a little rolling like a ball in once I sat down I could use my momentum to help get me back up.  I learned that the position of my feet and ankles made a big difference in my success of standing back up.  And then at some point as I practiced I had an aha moment.  It went a little something like this in my head:

Most of my clients are probably not going to be able to do this. Is there any benefit to training them to get up and down exactly like this? Does it really matter if one hand or a knee touches the floor?  Probably not.   Is there benefit in helping them strengthen and balance their bodies in a way that allows them to safely get down and up from the floor? Yes of course!! Do we do this type of work in our sessions?…ALL THE TIME!!   What can I do as a teacher that would benefit my clients the most when it comes to getting up and down?

My conclusion:  Talk about the benefits of Pilates more! The Pilates exercises are so well designed to help us live life and do little things like get up and get down to the floor. Sometimes I need to be reminded as a teacher that my job is not just to teach the correct way to do an exercise or movement but to motivate, inspire and educate clients on why this work will help them live life better. I don’t know about you, but I’m much more motivated to do the detailed work of an exercise when I know why I’m doing it and what it will help me do in the rest of my life.

As a quick example, we often have specific foot and ankle positions that we use in Pilates exercises.  Sometimes I feel like these adjustments seem small or insignificant in the big picture of the exercise to clients.  I have found though that when I talk about how important it is to have flexible, strong feet when you want to get up off the floor or at that moment you need to catch your balance….clients seem to connect to that more, something clicks and they make the effort to work on that detail of the exercise.

Don’t be surprised if you hear me teaching a little bit more about not just how to do an exercise but why we do it! I would love to know from you: is this type of teaching helpful for you as a student? Are there any particular exercises or pieces of the Pilates exercises that standout for you because of what they help you do in your day to day life?

Meet the Instructor: Shelley M!

IMG_6248Where are you from, how did you end up in the corridor?
I was born in Grinnell and grew up in Marengo, Iowa. I first moved to Iowa City to attend graduate school. A few years later, I moved back to the area to take a position at the University of Iowa.
What is your favorite food to prepare or eat? 
I love pizza. And I rarely pass up the chance to try fish tacos at a new restaurant or food truck.
What is your favorite sport to participate in or watch?    DO you have a favorite sports team?
I enjoy watching football. I’m partial to the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Why did you choose to practice Pilates?    When/Where do you start?  Why do you keep doing it?
I started Pilates to help me regain fitness after I fell out of a consistent exercise routine. I started practicing Pilates at Rivercity in 2013. I have continued practicing Pilates because I like the way my body and mind feel when I complete a session.
Why did you become a Pilates teacher?   Where did you complete the program, and what did you like about it?   
I started the teacher training program at Rivercity Pilates because I wanted to learn more about the Pilates method and deepen my personal practice. The more I learn about Pilates the more I enjoy sharing the method with other people.   I am completing the teacher training program at Rivercity Pilates. I have enjoyed this program because Carey is readily available for mentorship, the training groups are small, and I can do all of my training, observation, and practice teaching locally.
IMG_6945Is there something about you that would surprise students in your classes?   
I like TV show marathons. My current bing-watching guilty pleasures are Diners, Drive-in, and Drives, and Crimal Minds.
What is your favorite song / favorite artist / favorite genre of music?   
I like a wide range of music, from classical to rap.
What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?   
I love teaser! I have a sense of accomplishment when I think about how far I have progressed with teaser, and also a sense of challenge when I think about how much further I have to go.