Tag Archive for: Pilates North Liberty Iowa

I don’t like to talk about what Yoga is…

We offer many Yoga classes at Rivercity Pilates.

We offer many Yoga classes at Rivercity Pilates.

I often get asked about difference between Pilates and Yoga. I can tell you I feel very comfortable talking about what Pilates is, the benefits, the order, the anatomy of exercises, the breath,and what it can do for your life, etc. I’m not so comfortable talking about the Yoga in the same way.

I have practiced Yoga off and on throughout the years but I’ve never studied it the way I’ve studied and practiced Pilates over the years. The amount of time, effort and constant digging into the Pilates method I do makes me more and more uncomfortable  trying to share credible information about Yoga. Yoga has been around much longer than Pilates and I know that even though I’ve taken classes and practice on my own I’m a newbie to the juice of Yoga. I don’t have a good deep understanding of the poses and why we do them, the order we do them or how changing something small in the alignment or positioning could change the whole pose. I know too much about movement and it’s complexities to realize I’m not giving it the credit it deserves.

So if you’ve asked me a question about Yoga and I don’t answer it as thoroughly as you might like, I apologize and I’ll gladly refer you to one of our amazing Yoga instructors at the studio who can answer your questions in much more detail!!  For those who are curious about both Pilates and Yoga I often recommend people trying both with a qualified instructor and see if one clicks with them more than the other.  Movement practices like Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, and others can be life changing and I really believe it’s worth taking some time to explore these practices in depth to find one that fits into your life!

Use your fitness band to fine tune your Pilates Mat practice!!

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Today’s Pilates Mat workout utilizes a fitness band as a tool in your Pilates mat workout.  This simple portable fitness prop can be easily integrated into your Pilates Mat work to help you work deeper and more efficiently!

 

 

March Matness 2016: Teaser

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The Teaser is one of the most famous Pilates exercises and for good reason- it is a challenging exercise that really embodies all of the Pilates principles into one beautiful exercise!  The Teaser exercise can also be found in many of the other Pilates exercises…Hundred(low teaser position), Roll up, Roll over, Open Leg Rocker (just a rocking Teaser!), just to name a few…

So what is the key to being able to do a controlled, effortless looking Teaser?( even though it’s a ton of work!)?  Here’s a few tips:

  • Articulation– This is a skill and technique you’ll learn in lots of other Pilates exercise.  We are trying to roll through our spine as we come up into the classic Teaser V shape with our body, versus just popping up in one piece.  Practicing your articulation in other exercises like roll up and shoulder bridge will help you gain strength and flexibility to do your best teaser!
  • Breath– fine tuning your breathing will help you fine tune your Teaser. Ideally we are breathing as we are articulating through our spine versus that ever so common hold your breath and try to muscle your way up version! Practicing your breath while articulating in more basic exercises like Roll Up, Rolling Back and Shoulder Bridge will help you prepare for your Teaser breath.

 

Try practicing your Pilates Teaser with a theraband to help you practice your articulation and breath!!

March Matness 2016: Swan and Swan Dive

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The Pilates Swan and Swan Dive exercises are the first extension exercises in the Pilates mat order.  In previous exercises we lay on our backs and curl the spine forward off the mat rolling through our spine vertebrae by vertebrae.  You can think of swan as a reverse roll up.  We are still trying to articulate and roll through our spine but now we are starting lying on our front side!

If the Swan exercises are not your favorites- you are not the only one.  The Swan can be very challenging for lots of reason.  For many people who spend their days sitting and maybe slouched over at a computer this exercise is hard because our bodies are not accustomed to bending in this direction.  All that sitting and poor posture can cause tight hamstrings, low backs, necks and upper back.  If this is the case for you know that even though it’s challenging for you Swan is actually a really great exercise for you! (Remember the things that are hard for us are often what our bodies need most!) I would even recommend trying to do Swan variations throughout your day.  I included an Office Pilates version of Swan that is great to do just about anywhere!!

Here’s a few tips for your Pilates Swan:

    • Try not to “muscle through” this exercise.  Just pushing your upper body up with your arms is not what the exercise is all about. Try to slowly roll up off of the mat and be sure to only go to a place where you are not straining.  It should feel like work and a stretch but not painful in your low back.
    • Focus on lengthening and decompressing as you roll up from the mat. By drawing your abdominal muscles up and in away from the mat you will create a feeling of length through your whole spine.

 

 

 

March Matness 2016 – The Pilates Roll up

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The Pilates Roll Up exercise is part of Joseph Pilates original mat sequence as found in his book Return to Life and this exercise teaches us some key concepts that we use in the Pilates method over and over again throughout a variety of exercises. Here’s a few things to think about when practicing your roll up variation.

1.  Spinal Articulation and Flexibility:  This exercise is designed to teach us how to move through our spine one vertebrae at a time.  This rolling or curling through our spine requires you to move with control and not jerk or muscle through the movement.  Always pick a version of the roll up that you can do with control so that you can continue to progress by gaining strength in your core and increasing spinal flexibility.

2. Your center is key!  The key to creating a controlled roll up or down is learning how to properly engage your deep abdominals.  By pulling your abdominal muscles in toward your spine you will start to figure out how to move with control and precision through your spine and you’ll continue to strengthen your core muscles!!

3. Don’t forget to breathe!  Joseph Pilates said,” It is the very action of “rolling” and “unrolling” that cleanses your lungs so effectively by driving out the impure air and forcing in the pure air as you roll and unroll”.  Breathing and rolling through your spine go hand in hand.  You’ll find that using your Pilates breath with the movement will help you move better and maintain you engagement from your center.

March Matness 2016: The Hundred for any body

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The Hundred exercise is the first exercise in the sequence of Pilates Mat work and is really designed to warm you up and get you prepared for the rest of your Pilates workout.  Here’s a few of the important components of the Hundreds exercise:

  1.  Breath and timing of breath:  During the Hundred you are inhaling for 5 counts and exhaling for 5 counts and eventually trying to do 100 counts of coordinated breath.  There are so many benefits to this!  First it really forces you to concentrate on taking a full inhale and exhale and helps you learn how to breathe correctly. In his book, Return to Life, Joseph Pilates states,”Breathing is the first act of life, and our last. Our very life depends on it.  Therefore, above all, learn how to breathe correctly.”   The concentration aspect of this breath pattern prepares your body to work, centers your mind and gets you prepared for what’s to come.
  2. Breathing and coordinating movement:  Not only are you breathing in a specific pattern, but you are also coordinating pumping of your arms with this specific breath pattern.  This specific movement pattern again centers your brain and body and helps to warm up the body with movement.
  3. Core Engagement:  Like all Pilates exercises, the Hundred is designed to have you engaging your core muscles to provide a support system for your body.  The idea is that you are stabilizing your torso and legs from your center while breathing and pumping your arms in a specific pattern.  It’s important to find a body position that challenges your core stability but is safe for your body to ensure you get the most out of your Hundred exercise.

[tweetthis]”Above all learn how to breathe correctly.” ~Joseph H. Pilates #MarchMatness2016 #Hundred[/tweetthis]