Tag Archive for: Pilates North Liberty Iowa

#MarchMatness2016 #anybodypilates

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 From Benjamin Degenhardt:

Every day in March, participants across the global Pilates community share content related to Joseph Pilates’ traditional Mat exercises.

Using the connective power of the hashtag, all the magic will happen in the social media networks of those that participate in this unique campaign and want to share their love for Pilates. Each day is dedicated to one exercise from “Return to Life through Contrology”, the original book by Joseph Pilates.

IT’S NOT A CHALLENGE. IT’S NOT A CONTEST. IT’S A CELEBRATION OF UNIVERSAL PASSION!

Check out more details on Benjamin’s website!!

From Carey:

As a Pilates geek I absolutely LOVE the idea of March Matness!  A whole month to celebrate the amazing Pilates mat work and really the method that has influenced my life and the lives of others so profoundly!!  I love to see the content that other Pilates enthusiasts post and of course love to participate.

One of the things I absolutely love about the Pilates work is how adaptable it is for any body no matter what size or shape you are, no matter where you are in your movement practice.   As an instructor I often find the pictures and representation of what Pilates is in social media are often…intimidating, unrealistic for many bodies and doesn’t do justice to encouraging people to try this amazing work!

So I’ve decided that my postings and participation this year in March Matness will be geared toward highlighting how the Pilates Mat exercises that Joe created can be adapted to any body. I of course love the beautifulness of highlighting the Pilates Mat exercises in their ultimate form and will definitely be showing people where they are going with an exercise. But my goal will be to show you the benefits of each exercise in your body, in your life, and in your Pilates journey (even if you’ve never done Pilates!!).  Video instruction of course is never as good as in person work with an instructor but I’m hoping that you’ll be able to see how your body might be able to incorporate the Pilates work into your body and get excited about the possibilities!  I’m hoping you’ll join along and share your journey and include pictures and video of where you are at in your Pilates practice.

[tweetthis]Celebrating #MarchMatness2106 with #anybodyPilates ! #pilateslove #pilatesforeveryone #returntolife[/tweetthis]

I’ll be doing daily videos and pictures talking about each exercise Joe created and be giving you some tips and ideas on how you can adapt the exercise to where you are right now in your body.  Join the fun and use the hashtag #MarchMatness2016  and #anybodypilates and we’ll share and highlight you on our website and social media sites as well!!

See you on the Mat!!

 

 

 

Pilates Posture in the bathroom????

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Do you ever think of your posture when you go the bathroom?  Me neither until recently!! I was super excited to get a new “posture device” this week called Lumo Lift.  The Lumo Lift is a small tracking device that can be worn on your bra strap or shirt that lets you know when you are slouching.  As a Pilates instructor I spend my days talking to clients about Pilates in their daily life and how just by being aware of their daily posture and movement habits they can change how their body feels. I even dedicated a whole month last year to educating people about how to incorporate Pilates at your Office!  So when I saw this new device designed to help you maintain your posture throughout your days…I had to have one!!   I’ve only had my Lumo Lift a few days but I have to say I love this thing already!!IMG_6095

The Lumo Lift can be set to have as much or as little delay as you want( from instant to a 2 minute delay).  I set mine at 5 seconds so that it pretty much tells me immediately when my posture is not ideal by vibrating.  The Lumo Lift of course is fabulous when I sit at my desk to do computer work but what I love the most about the Lumo Lift is that I am starting to think about my alignment and posture at times when I would never normally think about it…like in the bathroom!!  I had to just giggle the first time that happened!!

As a Pilates instructor I spend my days teaching…usually walking around clients, spotting them, giving them cues, etc.   I’ve been amazed at how often I was getting buzzed while I was teaching.  I found myself leaning over clients to give cues and even slouching or rounding my shoulders as I was talking through verbal cues to clients.  I feel like just in a few days my awareness of my body has increased and I’m easily training myself to keep moving and aligning my body in ways that help me create balance in my body.   I’m excited to have found such a great tool that I can use to incorporate my Pilates principles and ideas into my daily habits!!

Want to learn more about the Lumo Lift?  Check out their website here.  Want one of your own?  You can learn more about Lumo Lift and purchase a Lumo Lift by clicking below:
Buy LUMO Lift Body Sensor Now

 

 

 

 

Do you “have a Pilates Instructor”?

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I was with a friend the other day ago and a moment came up where she introduced me to another friend of hers.  Immediately she said ” This is my Pilates instructor Carey” and then she paused just slightly and added “and my friend”.  It made me smile inside as I could tell by her pause that she almost felt bad for introducing me first as “her Pilates instructor”.  When the truth is, I can think of nothing more complimenting than to introduce me as “your Pilates instructor”!!  If you are a Pilates instructor or a teacher of any kind I’m guessing you can relate.

You see as a teacher I’m very passionate about what I teach and consider it an amazing compliment if you consider me “your teacher”!  Because “having  a Pilates instructor” is very IMG_7081different than just going to the studio or gym to take a Pilates class and it’s completely different from just going to see an instructor for your Pilates sessions.  When you “have a Pilates instructor” it means:

1.  You have created a movement practice in your life and you have a teacher who is part of that practice wherever you are.  You probably hear your Pilates instructor’s voice in your head when you find your shoulders scrunching up by your ears and when you do something amazing with your body that you would have never dreamed you could do- you probably send your instructor a note knowing they will love to hear about it!!

2. It means you have a movement instructor that knows your body, your personality, and your health goals about as well as anybody and is truly dedicated to helping you use movement to enrich your life!

3. It means you will always have a teacher in your movement journey to guide you, answer questions and support you.  Even if you have moved away from your instructor or maybe don’t physically see them on a regular basis, “your Pilates instructor” will always be part of your life and part of your movement journey.  “Your Pilates instructor” will always be there to cheer you on in your health and movement journey!

To all my Pilates students who refer to me as “your Pilates instructor” know that I’m honored to be a part of your movement journey and your life!!

 

[tweetthis]”Having a Pilates instructor” is sooo different than just going to Pilates class! [/tweetthis]

 

Pilates for your heart!!

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As you may know February marks American Heart Month, a month dedicated to bringing awareness to heart health and what you can do to keep your heart healthy and strong.  Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States? Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease.  Did you know that Pilates can play a big part in your life to helping you keep your heart healthy and happy?

It turns out some of the most common causes of heart disease include:  lack of exercise, being overweight, high blood pressure and stress. All things that a regular Pilates practice can help you with!

Long before heart disease was a common household term Joseph Pilates was talking about the benefits of his method of exercise (which he called contrology) in terms of heart and whole body health.  In his book Return to Life, Joseph Pilates states,”Contrology exercises purify the blood in the bloodstream and whip it into instant action with the result that the organs of the body receive the benefit of clean fresh blood carried to them by the rejuvenated bloodstream.”   He also stated,” you should be exercising every muscle in your body in order to improve the circulation of the blood so that the bloodstream can and will carry more and better blood to feed every fiber and tissue of your body. These exercises induce the heart to pump strong and steady.”

So how can the Pilates method help you keep your heart healthy?IMG_6884

1.  Pilates can get you moving!  The Pilates method of exercise can be adapted to ANY body and can give you the tools you need to add more movement into your life!  Adding safe, efficient movement into your life can help you lose excess weight, get stronger, feel more energized and better condition your entire body.  Movement is a key component to creating a healthy body and a healthy heart!

2.  Improve circulation!  Joseph Pilates specifically designed his exercise method to increase blood circulation and improve whole body health.  By learning to breath properly and coordinate breath with whole body movements you will stimulate your body to work more efficiently inside and out!

3. De-stress ( and lower that blood pressure!)  Exercise is a natural de-stresser and a mindful movement practice like Pilates that combines breath and movement can be especially effective in helping you create a sense of calm in your life and your body!

Want to learn more about how Pilates can help your heart?  Schedule a complimentary Pilates session today!

 

I need to get into better shape before I start Pilates again…

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I’ve been teaching Pilates long enough that I have clients that have been seeing me for years which quite frankly I find pretty amazing!  I adore that clients have found a love for Pilates and incorporate it into their life and am super honored that they continue to choose me as their instructor throughout their journey.

Recently I had a client come back in after being away for awhile.  This is a client I knew quite well and who I knew had been battling some health complications over the years I’ve worked with her.  When she came back in we had a pretty honest talk about why she hadn’t been back in sooner and I really appreciated what she told me.

She mentioned that she kept telling herself that she needed to get in better condition before she came in.  She said she was embarrassed at how far out of shape she had gotten and quite honestly didn’t want to disappoint me.  I can tell you she’s not the only one who has thought something like this or told me this.

My heart kind of sank when she said these things. All I could think of is that just like I tell my kids, “I’ll love you, support you and will be there for you no matter what”…..I have the same sense of non judgmental support for my clients.  Part of what I love about my job is being part of people’s health and wellness journey no matter where they are in their bodies or their life.

Mindful movement can be so healing, energizing and life changing in so many ways.  Movement can help you from a physical and spiritual stand point when you are going through “stuff” ( you know… the stuff that happens to everyone at some time like injuries, illness, family problems, life problems, etc).

As an instructor I love showing people that you don’t have to be doing the hardest, most grueling exercise for it to be an effective tool in your life.  Learning to move safely in your body where you are at any given day is a gift that can change your life.  Learning to listen to your body and find movement that feels good and is effective can change your health and your happiness.

So I have to tell you some amazing things happened within just a week of this client starting Pilates again.  First of all the second time I saw her, she was moving amazingly better and was already feeling a difference in her body (and I could see the difference!).  By the second week it was a dramatic enough difference that she sent me this note:

WE received a compliment tonight!  My husband has been really busy the last couple of weeks. He has been going to work really early and coming home super late.   The first thing he said to me tonight when he arrived home was, “Wow, you are moving so much better since you started Pilates.”  Yeah for us!

(I love those type of notes by the way!) You might be wondering what kind of amazing exercises and sessions we did to get such great results?  Well, we had done three 25 minute sessions( which included some talk and discussion time) over 2 weeks.(Yep…that’s it!)  We did a lot of breathing, fundamental Pilates movements and some exercises using the Pilates equipment.  We started with the basics and did exercises that helped her body find a sense of ease of movement while working in a space she was comfortable.  Nothing crazy or out of the ordinary…but the difference it made in her body and her life was pretty amazing.

So if you’re feeling like you need or want to get back to your Pilates practice but maybe you have some similar thoughts going through your head about why you’re not coming back in……know that I would love nothing more than to help you get started again wherever you are in life and in your body!

P.S. If you’re reading this and I’m not your Pilates instructor I can tell you that your Pilates instructor feels the same way I do!

Practice what you teach: Sometimes I surprise myself…

As someone who teaches movement for a career I have to tell you sometimes I am honestly surprised at how strong, flexible and functional my body is.  I’ve been keeping track of my Pilates practice since the beginning of the year for this blog and I have to tell you I don’t workout in the traditional sense very often.  It’s pretty rare that I take a class or spend an entire 40 or 50 minutes doing Pilates.

plankoffThe other day ago I challenged my 12 year old son to a plank off as our staff was trying to do some extra planks as part of the studio’s 6 week Challenge designed to motivate clients to move more.  I managed to hold a plank with pretty good form (or so I think) for 3 minutes and 48 seconds.  If you’ve held a plank before you know this is not easy!!  Considering how little I actually “workout” in the traditional sense…I was pretty happy with that and it made me really look at what I’m doing for my movement practice and why it’s so effective.  Here’s what I decided….

I play….. a lot.   I sneak in little sequences of movement through my days doing things like practicing what I want to teach to clients, laying on the floor while hanging out with my kids and sneaking in some exercises or movement, I go for walks and runs with the dog and my kids, and sneak in occasional squats or planks leaning on my kitchen counter and of course I teach Pilates 5 to 8 hours a day (which if you are a Pilates instructor you know does not mean I get to workout 5-8 hours a day!!)  My teaching time is kind of like the rest of my life…play time.   I’m generally teaching with my words, walking around clients giving feedback and cues and occasionally am showing a movement or exercise.

IMG_0887So what’s my secret?  Here’s what I discovered by accident!  Last week I had a day where my teaching schedule included Return to Life Mat Class ( a class that goes through Joseph Pilates’  mat sequence as he laid out in his book) and also some private sessions.  As I was teaching a private client later in my day I had a moment where I got that intense feeling of work in my abdominal muscles much like I get when I’m doing the work myself.  At that moment I had a little aha moment where I realized how much I often “do the muscles engagement and probably sequencing of muscle engagement” part of the movement with my clients as I’m teaching.  When I’m teaching I often find myself trying to put myself into my clients body in my mind so I can help them figure out how to move better and obviously as I’m doing that I’m engaging muscles with them.  When I’m teaching a class I often use my body to show a movement without actually getting down on a mat and doing it.

This is just a theory, but I have to believe that this engagement of my body while I teach only helps to strengthen my body and also just plain helps me make moving a continual part of my life.  It also reminds me of how lucky I am to be able spend my days doing something I love that keeps my body healthy and strong!  #jobperk

P.S. I would love to hear what other instructors think about how their teaching hours effect their overall health, strength, etc.!!