Tag Archive for: Pilates Iowa

The absolute secret to Pilates success!

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I’ve been teaching Pilates for a long time and in that time I have gotten to observe a lot of different people and different bodies who come to Pilates and give it a try.  On a daily basis I get to hear from clients about how their Pilates practice has changed their life,made them stronger, helped them get rid of pain and allows them to move better in their daily life so that they can live the life they dream of.  Many talk about how Pilates makes them happier and keeps their body feeling happier.  

I also see lots of people who are super excited to try it, enjoy it and can really see how it could benefit their life and then give it up.  So what’s the key to being a Pilates success?  How can you get what those happy people have, those people are feeling amazing in their body? It might be simpler than you think.  The secret is patience and persistence.

Joseph Pilates said,”Patience and persistence are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor.”

I couldn’t agree more!  So what does it mean to be patient and persistent when it comes to your Pilates practice?  I really think it comes down to showing up and not giving up.  We live in what I like to call a “quick fix” world.  Society has convinced us that you can buy a solution to any problem you have.  We’re spoiled by the convenience of being able to walk into a store or click a button online and have just about anything we want almost instantaneously. But  so many things in life can’t be bought or obtained quickly…our health, our happiness, learning a new sport or discipline in your body, learning new eating habits, friendships and relationships.  The key to success in any of these arenas is consistent positive action taken over time.  And when I say time I don’t mean the “6 weeks to a skinny you program” kind of time…I mean years  (yep…years).

Think of that friend or two in your life who you can’t imagine doing life without.  Did your friendship with them just happen overnight?  How long have you known them? How many life experiences have you shared with them and what do you do on a regular basis to connect with them?  Are you or were you an athlete at some point in your life?  How many practices did you attend? How many games did you win (and lose)?  How long did you play that sport before you were feeling pretty accomplished in it?  Do you have someone in your life who you admire because you feel like they are in great shape and they really take care of their body?  My guess is if you ask them they have made a commitment in their life to make movement part of their life…they probably have a routine that they’ve been following…probably for years!

I can tell you first hand from my own life and from the clients I get to work with on a daily basis…the key to feeling good in your body, to getting results from your Pilates practice (or any movement practice) is consistency over time.  Adding more movement into your life is not a hard thing to do, but as easy as it is to do….it’s just as easy not to do.  Adding 5-10 minutes of Pilates based exercises to your day is pretty doable for everybody and I guarantee that if you did that for 3 months, 6 months, or a year…you would feel an amazing difference in your body and your life.  Taking even just one Pilates class per week over a year would change how your body feels when you look back a year from now.

When I observe those clients who have really embraced movement as part of their life, the ones who feel and see results from their movement practice on a daily basis I see a lot of the same characteristics, traits and habits.

Here’s just a few:

  1. Movement is not an option.  Clients who are committed don’t give themselves the option of not doing it, even on the days when it would be just as easy not to do it.
  2. They come back after being sick, taking a break, etc.  Everyone has stuff in their life and it’s pretty unrealistic to think that you would never miss your workouts or movement time, but the big difference between the successful and unsuccessful is they stick with it.  If you sleep in and miss your workout, you get back to it the next day. Went on vacation and lounged on the beach for 2 weeks.. then you come back and get back into the routine.  Had a few months where you were consumed with taking care of a loved one or maybe even something as tragic as a death of someone you loved…they come back and keep moving.
  3. They create a routine or schedule.  Movement time is in the calendar, it’s as regular as eating lunch or brushing your teeth…again it’s not optional.
  4. They enjoy the process. They know that movement and exercise time for their body is not a quick fix for anything.  They are able to see the big picture of health and happiness.  They realize that their consistent habits will add up over time to things much bigger than fitting into their skinny jeans.. things like living longer, feeling good in their body so they can take amazing vacations or keeping up with their kids or grandkids…
  5. They surround themselves with like-minded people.  Sticking with something is never easy and it’s even harder if all of your friends and family are unsupportive and don’t get what you are doing and why. Having a trusted movement teacher or trainer who is on your side can make a world of difference. Having a workout friend who is on the same path of trying to keep consistent can give you just the support and camaraderie you need.  Having a place and space in your life to workout where you feel supported, loved and actually enjoy makes the process so much more fun and enjoyable and easier to stick with.

At Rivercity Pilates we are passionate about movement and what an amazing health tool it can be in your life.  Our staff is here because they love being “those supportive, like-minded people” in your life!  Our staff is on the same life journey as you. We are on a daily journey to use movement in our life consistently so that we too can live our best life.  Our daily interactions with our amazing clients inspire us in our own movement journey.  The studio is our “happy place” and we really hope it will become yours too.  If you are looking to add movement into your life we would love to meet you and introduce you to the studio, our staff and all of our fabulous inspiring clients!  Click here to schedule a complimentary private session to get started today!!

When’s the last time you were coached?

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Often times I find that our male clients end up starting their Pilates practice because their wife or significant other convinces them to try it.  Once they get into the studio and start practicing Pilates on a regular basis they start to realize they actually enjoy the work and can feel the difference in their body.

I was checking in with a wife of one of our new to Pilates male clients this morning and she mentioned something that got me thinking a little bit more about how we teach Pilates.  She said he mentioned,” It’s been a long time since I’ve been coached and I’m really enjoying the instruction and coaching.”

Coaching is one of the things that really separates Pilates from any other fitness trend.  Pilates Instructors are trained to coach each body to learn exercises and movements that are very specific to their body.  Pilates instructors are not just worried about giving you a workout, they are trained to educate you on how to move your body more efficiently so that you can get a better workout and move better throughout your life.  Pilates instructors are trained to give you movement tools that you can use in all the other movements you do outside of the Pilates studio setting.

If you’re someone that enjoys learning new things or maybe you were an athlete in your younger years (or still are) you might find that learning to practice Pilates is something you’ll really enjoy!  Schedule a complimentary session at Rivercity Pilates today and let the coaching begin!!

A “slept wrong” morning & Pilates magic…

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Have you ever had one of those days when you wake up and immediately know that you “slept wrong” ?  By “slept wrong” I mean you wake up to immediately find that the muscles in your back or neck hurt and it hurts to move? I had one of those days this week.  It was an early morning for me as I had 5:30 am clients, and when my alarm went off at 4 something I immediately knew I had “slept funny”.  The muscles around my right shoulder blade were kind of screaming at me and it hurt and ached when I did even a shoulder roll.  I wasn’t too concerned as I just assumed that it was caused from how I slept and that eventually it would go away.

I played with moving my shoulder and arm as I got ready to go into the studio and it was feeling slightly better when I went in, but it was definitely still there and not feeling great.  After getting to the studio I decided that I was going to do some Reformer work with my morning clients.  As I often do before I teach I decided I just wanted to jump on and do a little of the work I was going to teach.  This always helps me connect with the work and just get my brain ready for teaching(especially at 5 in the morning!)  I wasn’t sure how any of this was going to feel on my shoulder, but decided to try it anyway.

So I did my Footwork, my Hundreds, and then when I got to the Short Spine exercise something amazing happened.   I could feel the pain in my upper back and around my shoulder blade going away a little more each time as I rolled down through my spine.  I know the power of movement to balance and even heal the body, but I am still utterly amazed every time it happens in my own body!  I think I did about 15 or 20 Short Spines that day because it felt so good. I was loving just the time to really feel how the exercise and the support of the equipment allowed me to articulate through my whole spine and lengthen out all those tight muscles that had been causing me pain!

If you aren’t familiar with the Short Spine exercise on the Reformer I included a quick video of it below.  Although it looks intimidating at first most clients end up LOVING this exercise as it really supports your body and allows you to move through your back in a way that decompresses your spine, lengthens your muscles and feels pretty amazing!

What is the Pilates Chair??

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What exactly is the Pilates Chair?  The word chair often creates images of a senior workout geared for those with limitations, when in reality the Pilates equipment named the Chair is a versatile spring based piece of equipment that can be great for practicing fundamental Pilates concepts but can also challenge even the most seasoned professional athlete.

In this quick video Carey will introduce the chair and show you just a few examples of different exercises that can be done on this amazing piece of Pilates equipment.

Inspiration of the Month Natalie Suiter

Natalie Suiter IOM
Inspiration of the Month

Natalie Suiter

When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?
Two months ago, I hurt my knee while doing Plyometric exercises. It was so bad, that I couldn’t straighten my leg fully.  I was very frustrated because of the new physical limitations I had, so I started researching what I could do to heal my knee and continue to be active.  At the same time, a friend referred me to a free month of Pilates at RCP.  This was awesome since I had been reading a lot about the positive outcomes of a regular Pilates practice. I spoke with my physical therapist and he said Pilates would be a great addition to my physical therapy exercises.  I signed up and got started right away; excited to heal my knee and continue to be active.
How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing?  
I have been taking 2-4 classes per week.  My goal is to take a variety of classes with a variety of instructors.  I enjoy the different teaching styles and personalities of the instructors.  It’s fun and challenging when the instructors incorporate different equipment in class, for example, one of my favorites, the foam roller. I have learned a lot and I hope to continue to learn as I attend classes at Rivercity Pilates.
What benefits or improvements have you noticed in your body and life from doing Pilates? 
In just 2 months of practicing Pilates regularly, the functioning of my knee has improved enough for me to start incorporating activities I did prior to my injury.  I’ve also noticed improved posture, increased body awareness, confidence, strength and a slimmer figure.
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?    
My favorite exercise is the windmill on a foam roller.  My favorite Pilates classes at RCP are Tower and Foam Roller Mat.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing Pilates?
I think it is hard with all of the health and fitness information available to decide what kind of exercise will get the best results.  Many people want to be thinner, healthier and in better physical shape. However, a lot of the exercise plans or regimens out there just leave people overwhelmed, frustrated and injured; not Pilates. I would consider Pilates to be foundational to a balanced, healthy body! Pilates is fun, challenging and your body will never be the same once you commit to a regular Pilates regimen.