Tag Archive for: Pilates North Liberty Iowa

What’s in a Name?

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Pay attention to the names of those exercises when you’re in a Pilates class at the studio.   Why?   It may give you a clue to whether you’re doing the exercise correctly.

Case in point.   Me.

When I began doing Pilates, I hadn’t worked out in 2 years.    I was out of shape, and I had aches and pains most everywhere.    I started Pilates because it was low impact, and because when I took equipment classes, the equipment helped me with movements that were really hard for me during mat class.   If you’ve tried to do crunches and experienced back & neck pain — then I know you know what I mean.    16 months later, I am still learning exercises.   Every time I think I have one figured out, I hear the instructor saying words I’ve heard hundreds of times, I make an adjustment, and the exercise feels new to me.

picture by MarchMatness.com
picture by MarchMatness.com

Most recently – it happened with Spine Stretch.    I take one or two mat classes a week (if you count my private sessions when Carey makes me do mat), so I’ve done spine stretch in a class over 100 times.     Suddenly a few weeks ago, I actually felt my spine stretch!   Let me be clear.   I’ve always felt some stretch.   Usually, I felt a hamstring stretch during that exercise.    I’ve felt my shoulders stretch.   But when I focused on breathing as Carey coached me, when I tried to take note of every cue she gave – I felt my spine stretch.   Now it’s becoming one of my favorite reward exercises because it feels so good.   You know what a reward exercise is — right?   The exercises between the really hard ones that you really enjoy?   When I concentrate on the cues I’m given, I feel that spine stretch in my spine, in my hamstrings and in my neck and shoulders.

[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Do you wonder why a #PIlates exercise is named because you feel it somewhere else? [/tweetthis]

The lesson for other students?    The names aren’t just for the instructors!    The names help us understand the exercise.    Joseph Pilates must have been pretty incredible.    He came up with all the exercises that we do in classical pilates and all the equipment that we use.   If he decided to name something spine stretch, the name is probably a clue that the student would feel something in their spine!      Pilates is a journey, and there’s a lot of learning and thinking along the way.

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I follow pilates hashtags on twitter now, because I learn a lot.   There are stories about Joseph Pilates, the benefits of Pilates, and videos of many professionals doing the various exercises.  I saw a tweet last night where a student had posted a Tumbler photo of herself doing backstretch (I think), and she called it elephant.   I would tell her, what I wrote here.    Pay attention to the name of the exercise, because Mr. Pilates knew what he was doing.    Whether it’s an exercise like spine stretch or long spine, to the animal exercises like seal or elephant, there’s always something in the name and an elephant just didn’t have triceps to work!

Becky
Rivercity Pilates student, and part time blogger!

For those of you that might want to perfect that spine stretch — here’s a video from the RivercityPilates YouTube channel.

Carpal Tunnel Problems?

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Whether you had a recent injury to your hand or wrist or perhaps a surgery, you’ll find this 25 minute mat workout user friendly!

 

[tweetthis]Have you had #carpaltunnel #surgery? Do U need a “no-hands” workout?[/tweetthis]

My Back Hurts…..

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What does a Pilates instructor do when her back hurts?

I have to admit I have not ever had to deal with chronic back pain, but like many people I have an occasional day when my low back aches or hurts.  Many times it is after I have been driving in the car longer than normal or sitting at the computer too long.   Some days I couldn’t tell you exactly why it happens.  So what do I do?  Pilates!

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My go to treatment for a tight achy low back is to move and stretch and use some traditional Pilates exercises.  I turn to the same wonderful work that I use with my clients day in and day out!  I generally focus on stretching and lengthening the backs of my legs and my hips.

[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Help! I teach #Pilates and I have #BackPain[/tweetthis]

Some of my favorite exercises are Single Leg Circle followed by stretches for my hamstrings and inner and outer thighs, Shoulder Bridge followed by a supported bridge stretch (with a yoga block under my hips), a slow straight leg lower with a foam brick under my hips to lengthen my psoas and just hanging out in child’s pose.

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For me the movement helps almost immediately and I continue to play around with finding movements that help my body feel good.  Often times a sore low back is a reminder that I need to incorporate more mindful movement into my day,  be a little more aware of how I’m moving my body and how much I’m sitting throughout my day.

One of my favorite lessons learned from my Pilates practice is that we are much more powerful and capable than we think when it comes to healing and taking care of our bodies.  So if you’re feeling a little achy or tight don’t be afraid to try out some movements at home.  Listen to your body and trust that your mindful movement practice can change how your body feels!

 

 

What is the Pilates Reformer?

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Are you new to Pilates?  Ever wonder what is this thing called the Reformer?

Part scientist, mechanical genius and anatomy and movement guru, Pilates creator Joseph Pilates created a movement system he called “Contrology,” accompanied by a variety of equipment he referred to as “Apparatus.” The Apparatus was designed to help accelerate the process of stretching,strengthening and balancing the entire body. The best-known and most popular piece today, the Reformer, was originally called the Universal Reformer, aptly named for “universally reforming the body.”

In the video above you can watch Rivercity Pilates owner Carey Sadler during part of her Reformer workout.  The Reformer workout is a specific sequence of exercises designed to flow together to give the practitioner a complete body workout.  Practitioners learn these movements individually in the beginning and then continue to practice the sequence of exercises, adding in more challenging exercises as they progress.

Learn more about the Pilates Method of exercise, the Pilates Reformer and other Pilates equipment by scheduling a complimentary private session at the studio.

 

Carey

 

Shelly’s Story: 12 months of Pilates Teacher Training

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IMG_1933Today, as I finished another tally sheet for my teacher training log book, I realized that I have been on the road to becoming a Pilates instructor for just over a year. Wow, how the time has flown! Knowing that I have let other things in my life take priority over Pilates in the past month, I decided to take this opportunity for some self-reflection. So, I set aside my long, ever-present to-do list, and reflected on what I have accomplished in my first year in the Body Precision Comprehensive Teacher Training Program, and where I want to focus my energy in the upcoming months.

Before moving forward, I took a few minutes to look back at why I decided to go through the Body Precision Comprehensive Teacher Training Program….
I decided to go through the program for both personal and professional reasons.  On a personal level, I wanted to learn the method in more depth and refine my own practice.  I enjoy learning on my own, but do best when I am part of a structured program, so the Body Precision Comprehensive Teacher Training Program seemed like the best way for me to take my practice to the next level.

On a professional level, I wanted to learn the method so I could incorporate Pilates principles and exercises in to my work as a physical therapist. Pilates incorporates many principles that are familiar to me as a physical therapist and I think the method will be a good addition to my practice. It was important to me to learn the method in more detail before incorporating it in to my professional practice.

Then I thought about what I have accomplished in the past year…
I completed all of the workshop hours and a little less than half of the observation hours, practice teaching, and lessons required for the comprehensive program. More importantly, I gained a deeper understanding of the Pilates method and learned what most of the exercises feel like in my body, or at least what they feel like right now.   And, most surprisingly, despite adding more “requirements” to my life, I found better balance. Better balance between work and personal life. Better balance in my emotions. Better balance in my body.

What has been my biggest challenge in the past year?…
Time!   When I contemplated starting the teacher training program, I was concerned about the amount of time I would need to dedicate to the program. I have a full-time job, and then some. I had just finished a 4 year graduate program, had a paper to revise, and had a fall class to teach. Did I really have time for Pilates? Maybe I needed to slow down and take a break. Was I really ready to jump in to another commitment? Well, I decided to take the plunge and I am glad I did. Finding time to dedicate to Pilates has been a challenge, however. I try to combat the challenge by scheduling time each week for observation, practice teaching, and my own practice. And when all else fails, I remind myself that even if I get in as many hours as I would like each week, I am still making progress.

Where I want to focus my energy in the upcoming months…
Getting back to scheduling time for me! Fall is a busy time of year for me, much like it is for other people…. It is back-to-school time (I teach a physical therapy class in the fall semester), football season (Go Hawks!), and a busy time of year for work-related conferences. Amidst all of the other demands on my time, I want to get back to making Pilates a priority on my schedule. I always feel great when I walk in the studio… the hard part is putting it on my schedule.  So, for the next few months, I am going to focus on getting Pilates on my schedule at least three days a week!

Shelly
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Do you think you need to stretch more?

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Something I hear often from people when they know I own a Pilates and Yoga studio is,” I am soooooo unflexible, I really need to take Yoga.”  It is true that that many people could use more flexibilty in their bodies and a mind body practice like Yoga may help, but I find that most people don’t understand the process of how to gain that flexibility.  I get the impression that many people believe they need to sit around and stretch more and that would do the trick.  That if they just sat on the floor with their legs in a V and leaned forward into a stretch on a regular basis that would make them more flexible (and it might help a little!)

Just stretching is often not the answer.  In the Pilates method of exercise we work on creating uniform development in the body.  In simple terms this means we create balance in the body around our joints by not only stretching what is tight but also strengthening what is weak.  Joseph Pilates knew that the best way to create this balance in our body was not by isolating a stretch or a single strength training exercise (like a bicep curl), but ideally we teach our body to move as a whole while using our mind to fine tune our alignment and keep our body in balance.  You see this is how our body works on a day to day basis.

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We don’t stop and think about picking up a bag of groceries and what muscles we are going to use, we just do it.  If we are healthy and our body is pretty balanced this movement happens easily and with not too much effort (which is ideal) and truly engages the whole body.  The Pilates method of exercise is designed to teach you how to move your body through various planes of movement with ease, balance and proper alignment so that you can re-create those patterns of movement in your life.   By practicing your alignment and balancing your body in your Pilates practice you will find that your muscles naturally lengthen, your spine moves with ease, and you’ll have flexibility you never dreamed of (without having to sit and stretch for hours.)

Not sure if you believe me yet?  We’ve included below a short Pilates workout that is easy enough to do every day.  Take our challenge and simply add this mini workout in 3 times a week for the next month and let us know what happens…