Tag Archive for: Pilates Coralville iowa

Pilates Inspiration – Su

Originally posted on October 2012:

This month’s Inspiration is a true testimony to the power of movement and the power of the human spirit.  It has been an honor to have Su as one of our treasured clients and to be part of her journey!

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Su( Doing her teaser in NYC for our summer photo contest!)

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

I started Pilates about 4 years ago. A good friend asked me if I would like to join her and another friend in a reformer pilates class. My good friend and I have been taking classes ever since.

Can you tell us about your experience with  cancer. As a  cancer survivor, how did Pilates help you recover physically and emotionally?

I am surviving Stage III melanoma. I was diagnosed two years ago this past August and have been cancer free since October 5, 2010. When my cancer was removed, I was told that the edges were clean, which was good news, but (and there is always a ‘but’ with cancer), I needed to go see the dermotologist at the University of Iowa.

My dermotologist told me that the edges of the cancer site had to 5 cm clean on all sides to increase my chances that the cancer would not reoccur at that site. Also she suggested that I have sentinal lymph node biopsy to find out if the cancer had spread. These two surgeries had to be done at the same time. So I went into my first surgery two days later.

Everything looked good until the biopsy came back which indicated that there was .002 cm. of cancer in the sentinal lymph node so back into surgery a week later to take the lymph nodes under my left arm which is what they would do if someone had breast cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes.

There is no ‘successful’ treatment for melanoma except for checking your body so I see my oncologist and surgeon every 3 months and the dermotologist yearly. I also have a PET scan two times a year along with an ultra sound on my neck to see if there is any cancer developing in my lymph nodes there.

I couldn’t have gotten through this without Pilates! My surgeon informed my husband after each surgery that they went better than expected because my body provided such a road map to the infected areas. The nerve areas were never compromised or in the way so the expected trauma to this area would be minimal. The chances for swelling of my left arm would be minimal. I atttribute it all the Pilates and how defined my body was.

Pilates provided me with a outlet to ‘get my body back’ which was my ultimate goal as a cancer survivor.

As my oncologist told me, “We will control the cancer and not let it control you!’ and that was how I empowered myself and my body.

I was pretty hard on myself about getting back to where I was in Pilates before the surgery. With encouragement and support from Carey, my good friend and Pilates partner, Peg and my former Pilates instructor, Shannon, I was able to make a recovery quicker than expected. I remember the exercises that I had to do in bed right after the surgery were similar to those I had done in Pilates. When I was able to do Baby Bird wings I knew that I had made a full recovery!

Why do you do Pilates and what are the benefits in your life?

I do Pilates to keep my body toned and to remember to take time for myself. We only have one body and we need to take care of it. I always feel better physically and mentally after taking a class.

How has Pilates empowered your body?

Cancer has made me think about how special a body is. Pilates has helped in keeping a commitment to my body to take care of it and never take it for granted again. When a surgeon comments about how easy it was to navigate under your arm because it was so fit and strong, you want to maintain that!

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

I LOVE the tower! The shoulder bridge is my favorite exercise. I want to take this time to dispel the rumor that the plank is my favorite exercise.

What has Pilates inspired you to do in your life?

Pilates has inspired me to be in better shape in my 50’s/60’s than I was in my 30’s/40’s. It has also inspired me to incorporate Pilates in healing my body when I have an ache or pain.

What would you say to someone thinking of starting Pilates?

DO IT and you will never be sorry! Your body will be exhilerated and your mind will be clearer. It is something that you can do for yourself no matter age or shape and your body will thank you tenfold!

If you enjoyed Su’s story, be sure to click like and share it!   A little shared inspiration could change someone’s life!

 

 

 

Practice your Pilates Breathing!

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Joseph Pilates stated, “Above all, learn how to breathe correctly.”

Proper breathing is the cornerstone of the Pilates method of exercise.

The Pilates breathing technique promotes learning how to use the full capacity of our breath by emphasizing a complete inhale and a complete exhale. There is also a focus on maintaining the engagement of the abdominal muscles throughout both the inhale and exhale which allows the body to strengthen the core muscles and create movement from the center of the body.

It is not an easy task to focus on proper breathing technique while executing the Pilates exercises and still keeping a whole body awareness of our alignment and form. Just remember that Pilates is a movement practice and every time you practice it will get easier and easier, and your body will naturally start to incorporate the breath and movements!

Today’s video will give you some reminders of how to execute the Pilates breath and give you some tips to practice. When learning or fine tuning this breath it may help you to just practice the breathing by itself without the added coordination of trying to perform specific exercises while breathing.

If you enjoyed the video be sure to click like and share it with your friends!

 

Can Pilates help me gain flexibility?

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“True flexibility can be achieved only when all muscles are uniformly developed.” – Joseph Pilates

The Pilates Method focuses on balancing out your muscles around each joint in the body (we refer to it as uniform development). By creating balance we naturally become more flexible, stronger, and our bodies move with ease, just like when we were kids. It is truly a combination of stretching and strengthening various muscle groups that allows the body to create this balance.

Pilates instructors are trained to look at individual bodies and movements and fine tune each individual’s movements to create balance in each body. If you have ever wondered why there are so many variations and modifications to Pilates exercises – this is why! Every body is unique and its needs change from day to day.

As instructors it’s our job to help clients tune in to their bodies and learn how to adjust their movements in Pilates, fitness, and life.

Learn more about the Pilates Method of exercise by exploring our website!

Fabulous Mini Pilates Mat workout in under 10 minutes!

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!

Learn why Cassie chose the Body Precision Teacher Training Program at Rivercity Pilates!

In today’s video Cassie shares with us her why. She talks a little about where she was in her life and what she was looking for when she started the Body Precision Teacher Training Program at Rivercity Pilates.

Cassie, like many other instructors I know, admits that she didn’t really do the program because she wanted to teach Pilates.

[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Many people pursue #Pilates Instructor Training to deepen their own practice![/tweetthis]

Click to watch the video and learn more about Cassie’s story!

Learn more about the Body Precision Teacher Training Program at Rivercity Pilates by exploring our website.

How many hours does it take to become a Pilates instructor??

Ever wonder why most Pilates comprehensive teacher training programs require so many hours? Body Precision graduate Cassie Cumings-Peterson talks about all of the training hours she went through and how they helped her become the teacher she is today. To learn more about the Body Precision Comprehensive Teacher Training Program offered at Rivercity Pilates check out our website or contact us today!