Tag Archive for: Rivercity Pilates North Liberty Iowa

Do you feel a little awkward getting on and off the #Pilates reformer?

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picture of pilates reformer.If you’ve been on the Pilates Reformer you know it is an amazing piece of Pilates equipment. It is supportive, yet challenges you and it really helps your body do so many different movements that create strength, flexibility and balance in your body. You also probably know that it’s not always easy to maneuver on the reformer. And by maneuver I mean get into position for an exercise and transition to the next exercise. It often can make the most fit person feel clumsy and awkward as they are trying to figure out how to best get on or off the Reformer or practice their transition between exercises. So don’t feel bad if you too have felt this way!

In fact, as a teacher I encourage my clients to celebrate this awkwardness, celebrate the way you have to think about and strategize about the way to best get up or down from the reformer, celebrate how you have to focus to maintain your balance and not fall as you try to gracefully stand up while leaning on the moving carriage. Why celebrate? Celebrate because transitions on the reformer teach our body to transition in life. They challenge our bodies in sometimes unexpected ways…which is what I like to think of as great training for life.

What do you want to be able to do in life? Reach down and pull weeds in your garden? Sit down on the floor with your kids or grandkids and then be able to somewhat gracefully get back up? Catch yourself when you step on an unexpected object that causes you to lose your balance. Learning to get on and off the reformer with control and grace will help you maintain your mobility, flexibility and strength and will help you train for those life skills!!

So next time you are feeling a little awkward transitioning on the reformer change your thought process. Think of the transition as part of the exercise that you are practicing. Just like it takes practice (lots of it) to be able to do your Teaser, it takes practice to learn how to transition between exercises. Remind yourself there is value in being able to transition between movements and even in awkward positions. Remind yourself that every time you practice those type of movements in the controlled, safe environment at the studio you are better training your body to avoid injuries in your daily life activities. You are keeping your body agile, training your balance and training body to move better in any situation!

The world did not blow up, and I did not feel like a failure!

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I’ve been practicing Pilates for a little over 3 years.   When I started, I took a combination of privates and small group classes, but since I retired, I take mostly private sessions – and a few semi-privates.    When Carey encouraged me to come to a Pilates class offered by a visiting instructor, I was terrified.  My comfort zone is now in private sessions with a teacher I know very well!

You have to understand, for the last 15 years of my work life (before retirement) I traveled between 20-30 weeks per year.    I watched a lot of reality tv in hotel rooms.    I have anxiety when I think of personal trainers and fitness instructors from watching the Biggest Loser on TV. I’m pretty sure I’d have a heart attack, or a total body collapse if I was in a gym with a trainer yelling at me to run on the treadmill!   So in my head, I pick the safest route, and generally that does not include taking a fitness class with a new instructor.   I did join a gym locally 4 years ago.   I went for maybe 2-3 months to a couple of classes a week – but the classes involved lifting weights without much personal attention (or detailed instruction) – so I was terrified that I would hurt myself and I quit going.

The class I was invited to was called Restorative Pilates.   Ok — that’s a pretty non threatening title, so I’m not sure why it frightened me.   I had no idea what to expect.    I knew I had met the instructor before, and I was pretty sure that he was not the yelling and screaming type!

On that Saturday morning, I decided to put on my Pilates pants and go to class.   The first thing I noticed was that I wasn’t the only one that was nervous.     There were other students in the class going up to Carey and asking her to tell the visiting instructor that they had this or that going on – so they would be modifying some exercises.     Another student was really nervous that she wouldn’t be able to do some of the exercises.     Uh Oh.   It was time to start class.

What was class like?   It was terrific.    The guest instructor (Len) started teaching.   We started with the most basic of Pilates fundamentals – breathing.   Len’s cueing was amazing and after practicing breathing for a few minutes – we started at our toes – and flexed and stretched most every muscle in our bodies.   When he asked us to do hundreds – he gave so many modifications that everyone could feel good about doing their best hundreds – and after class, I felt great!     I went, I completed the class, the world did not blow up and I felt really good about class!    Here’s a tiny sample!

The moral of the story? Don’t be afraid of taking a class from a different instructor!  I learned things from that class that I use every day to make my body feel better!   Len’s ability to paint a picture that compared Pilates movements to everyday tasks gave me new ways to visualize the exercises that I was doing and I had a great time!     Of course, I took some pictures and a few videos so I would have them for this blog, and it seemed like after the class — everyone was feeling the same way!

Quit looking at your neighbor in Pilates class!!

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cheatingMost of us are naturally visual learners when it comes to movement.  In many ways this can be very helpful.  When our body is trying to figure out how to do a new skill or movement it needs all the input it can get to try to figure out what it is trying to accomplish and how to do it.  Visually seeing something is one of the many ways that your brain processes what it is trying to do.  The problem with visually watching something and trying to repeat it is that when we don’t do the movement exactly like what we  saw we get frustrated and sometimes overwhelmed!  We start to feel like we are failing or not getting something out of the movement because it does not look a certain way.

As Pilates teachers we know that the goal of an exercise is not to “look a certain way”.  The goal of an exercise involves gaining strength and flexibility in a balanced way as you do a skill like articulating through your spine or moving your leg in space while supported from your core muscles.  Accomplishing the goals of an exercise can look very different in different bodies.  This is why as teachers we often try to use our words to describe an exercise instead of just demonstrating an exercise.  We also try to give options in a multi level class on how you can do the movement best in your body.

At our studio we have a variety of clients, with a variety of different body shapes, sizes and different injuries or ailments.  You can often peek at a Pilates class and see many different bodies doing what looks like very different things even though they are all doing the same exercise. If you are new to the Pilates method of exercise and just starting to take classes this can be super confusing.  Because we are not accustom to taking verbal cues to learn new movements, the first thing new clients often do in class when learning something new is look at their neighbor and try to repeat what they are doing. But what happens when your neighbors in class are doing what looks like two completely different things?  Your brain and your body get overloaded with confusion!!!

So my best advice for new clients is to try to avoid just watching other clients to learn exercises.  Do your best to listen to the explanations of the movements and the goals of the exercise that your teacher is saying.  If this is hard for you…you are not alone!  Know that this way of learning often takes some practice- so don’t be too hard on yourself! Try not to worry what the movement looks like but instead focus on how it feels.  If you have specific questions about how you could get the most out of an exercise in your body definitely ask your teacher.  If you are not comfortable doing this in class or before or after class, maybe try a one on one session where your teacher can give you individual attention on each exercise.

Pilates Inspiration of the Month – Cheryl Johnson

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 Inspiration of the Month
April 2017 — Cheryl Johnson

When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?
Several years ago Peg Schollmeier started things off by telling me how helpful Pilates was for her and that I should give it a try. A little while later I did an introductory session with Carey, but still I did not start a regular practice of Pilates. Last spring, Shelley offered me private classes as part of her instructor training. I could feel how it worked my lower abdominal muscles.

But, I still did not start participating in classes or continue a regular practice of Pilates partly because of being out of town and somewhat because I was a little nervous doing the mat classes as I was worried I wouldn’t do the exercises correctly or keep up. Around Christmas, I signed up for the Pilates mat class package and decided that I had to commit to doing Pilates regularly. I had an upcoming trip in February to Machu Picchu and Galapagos and I wanted to be able to enjoy this active trip. They promised me I would feel and see results and I have! My goal was to do a teaser at Machu Picchu!

How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing?    
I try to do 4-5 mat classes a week and I’m not sore after doing this many classes!
What benefits or improvements have you noticed in your body and life from doing Pilates?
I have been told all of my life to stand up straight and had trouble doing so. Now, I know that the secret to this is not throwing your shoulders back, but in engaging your core, especially your lower abdominal muscles and doing the “abdominal scoop”. I noticed in everyday movements that I feel myself engage my core now in order to bend over and stand up, picking up grandchildren, and in balancing and carrying things.
Importantly, on my trip I noticed how much easier it was to hike on uneven ground, jump out of and pull myself back in dinghies, and climb multiple steps. I am in general much less achy as I get up in the morning.  I feel better than I have in a long time!
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?  
I love the feeling of Swan and how it strengthens my back. The Pilates exercises have so many different components and variations  that as I have become more familiar with them I find I can concentrate on aspects to improve and push myself with each exercise.   Shelley has been so patient and encouraging in stressing over and over the fundamentals and how to do them correctly in her classes. Combining mat, barre and dance with Nancy is fun and brings out my inner ballerina. Carey’s morning class pushes me to do more including incorporating the challenging “stretcheze band” and the big ball with the Pilates exercises. I have never been bored with a “routine” class.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing Pilates?
Do it!  I love the supportive and encouraging atmosphere at Rivercity Pilates. You will see so many benefits. I did reach my goal and was able to do a teaser on Machu Picchu with all kinds of people watching!! A teaser that still needs work, but I did it!

 

If your back is tight and achy…try a Pilates Tower class

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The Pilates Tower classes are some of our most popular classes for good reason.  The Pilates Tower classes give you an amazing all over body work out that leaves you feeling stretched, lengthening and more mobile in your spine.  The Pilates tower looks like it sounds.  It is a metal tower-like structure that has various springs attached to it as well as a wooden bar called the push through bar.

The tower’s various springs and structures are designed to support your body and give your body feedback during exercises.  What this means in plain English is that you can do movements that strengthen and stretch you body and specifically your back without straining!  One of my favorite examples of this is the Roll Down on the tower.  The springs of the roll down bar support you so that you can use your abdominal muscles to do a very controlled roll down to the mat and back up.  For many people this task would be impossible without the support of the equipment. And why would you want to do this exercise?  This exercise strengthens you core muscles and at the same time stretches the usually tight muscles in our back, leaving your back feeling amazing!! Check out the video below showing this exercise( I often call it the anti-sit up exercise!!)

Another favorite exercise of mine on the Tower is called the leg springs series.  Does the thought of lying on your back and holding your legs up in the air scare you?  Is it hard for you to straighten your legs in this type of position because your back and hamstrings are soo tight?  (picture..)

The leg springs have a strap that your foot rests in and they are designed to help you hold your legs up in space while you are lying on your back, without straining!!  Why is this important?  This position allows us a very effective way to strengthen our back and core muscles in a supported way and at the same time helps us create more flexibility in the backs of our legs.  When our core muscles get stronger and our muscles lengthen and stretch in a balanced way.. our body feels better and moves better on a daily basis.  Check out the video below where I talk about and show a few of the leg spring exercises.

If you are one of the many people who suffer from a chronically tight, achy back you will not be disappointed with a Pilates Tower class. We’re  guessing you’ll walk away wondering how an exercise class can be such an effective workout and leave your back and body feeling so amazing.  Most people find themselves asking,” Why did I wait so long to try that??”

Try a complimentary class today!!

 

Do you know your T-Score?

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trent1Sharing this blog today written by Trent McEntire of McEntire Pilates.  Trent has been sharing his discoveries and method with those seeking to overcome their own movement limitations for 20 years.  As someone that became a professional dancer after rehabilitating his own severe movement restrictions established at birth due to Cerebral Palsy, Trent McEntire understands how the quality of life is affected by how well you can (or can’t) move your body. 

The 44 million people with either osteoporosis or low bone mass represent 55 percent of the people aged 50 and older in the United States, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation. Pilates exercises can help to reverse the effects, but how do you really know it’s working?

The best way to measure risk of Osteoporosis is through a bone density test. A bone density test uses X-rays to measure how many grams of calcium and other bone minerals are packed into a segment of bone. Areas of the bone typically tested are in the spine, hip and forearm.

How to Read a T-score?

tscoreResults of a bone density test provide a T-score, which indicates how your Bone Mass Density (BMD) compares to that of a healthy 20- 35 year-old. By age 30, a person’s bone density is at its peak and should ideally be maintained at this level throughout their life. As BMD decreases from this peak density, the risk of fracture increases.

The T-score is in units of standard deviations (SD) and determines whether your bones are more dense (+) or less dense (-) than those of a 20-35 year-old adult. A score of -2.0 can indicate that the person has Osteopenia, a precursor to Osteoporosis. At a level of -2.5, the diagnosis based on the T-score is Osteoporosis.

When I work with my clients, I encourage them to know their T-score, so that I can use the results as part of my assessment. The T-score also serves as a measurement tool to identify how a person is improving throughout the program. When a client that I have been working with brings in a doctor report that states their bone density is increasing, it’s an amazing experience!

If you’d like more information about Bone Density testing, click here.   If you know your T-score, or if you have a bone density test scheduled in the near future – please bring in your scores so we can add them to your file!