Blog

                                                               Change, Change, Change......

Exercise can sometimes be hard.  Hey, I have starting running in races.  The most I have done is a half-marathon.  Running was a big change for me.  I love it though, but I space out that hard training because I take care of my body.  I treat it with respect.  I balance out that kind of training with Pilates, ActivCore and Kettlebells. 

Our whole person is body, mind, spirit and emotions.  Neglect one area and there will be imbalance.  For our bodies sake, we need to find a balance with exercise also.  Doing just weight training, or Bootcamp, or running alone or just Pilates will not give you that balance.  Add some variety to your fitness regimen.  Mix it up.  Try something that challenges you in an area where you have neglected because it isn't pleasant.  Men are typically very inflexible.  Guys think Yoga or Pilates is for women only?  Wrong!  Men started these modalities of exercise.  So men get to gettin' for your core strength and flexibility. 

Women sometimes do not like to strength train.  I notice women are weak in their upper body but strong in their lower body.  So we work to bring that balance in.  Ladies, keep doing that cardio you love, but add some efficient strength training.  You also need, need, need to work those deeper abdominal muscles after having children and going through menopause.

For proper form in all modalities of exercise, schedule a training session. We bring the knowledge of anatomy and physiology from classical Pilates training.  We correct form, movement and balance in lifting weights, swinging Kettlebells, walking and running.  

Finally, exercise to bless your body.  It is a gift to you to take care of.  Love yourself and be grateful for the temporary home that you are in. 

Our twenty-first century busy lives can produce negative stress.  Science has identified this kind of stress as immune depressing and is a contributing factor in cardiovascular disease and diabetes.  So it is imperative that each of us learn the most efficient ways to de-stress our minds and bodies.  The Pilates modality of exercise follows six principles developed by Joseph Pilates to support health in the body and mind.

Concentration

By this very word, you might think that concentration produces stress.  But in a Pilates class concentration is very similar to progressive relaxation.  You learn to "get out of your head" and focus on the movement of your body.  You also learn to use the proper muscle groups for the execution of the exercise and relax the ones that are not necessary.  In classical Pilates instruction, verbal cuing by the instructor allows the student to perform the exercises without having to look to the front of the room at what the teacher is doing.  This keeps the focus on your own body and not on competing with someone else.

Centering

Centering helps you to engage the deep abdominal muscles that support your spine.  There are a surprising number of folks that are experiencing back pain and tightness in one form or another.  Poor posture, except for an organic problem, is caused by weak abdominals.  Crunches can aggravate lower back pain, and do not reach to the deeper abdominal muscles.  Joseph Pilates call these muscles the "Powerhouse".  This is where the true strength in your body resides.  It is through practice that you develop control of these muscles, not by accident.  A classically trained Pilates instructor understands the anatomy of the "Powerhouse" and is trained to assist you in activating it.

Control

In Pilates, Control is important for the movement of the exercise without using momentum.  Gaining a sense of mastery of the movement of your body is also important for managing stress.  Joseph Pilates said, "Your mind must be trained to master the movement of your body".  Anyone who watches an Intermediate or Advanced Pilates session can clearly see the control that is used to perform the movements.  It has been said to "resemble a beautifully choreographed dance."

Breath

Pilates breath also aids in stress relief by teaching you to breath deeply instead of the shallow breath that most people have.  This type of breath encourages what we call "present time consciousness".  It reminds you to experience life in the present moment and recognize stress and choose to let it go.  Pilates breathing also invigorates the body with life-giving oxygen to support the production of red-blood cells.

Cuing

By verbal cuing a classically trained instructor uses guided imagery to help you understand the movements in a clear and practical way.  You might be asked to roll down "like a wheel rolls" or stand taller "like a magnet pulling you up toward the ceiling".  In generic Pilates classes where the instructor is doing the exercises the students may only learn to mimic the movements or simply perform by rote.  By verbal cuing you learn to make the exercises your own Pilates practice.

Flow

Flow is the beautiful principle that puts your Pilates practice together.  Choppy, scattered exercises can produce more stress in your mind.  In my opinion, when an exercise session lacks flow, it is like ADD.  Someone is instructed on the reformer for a few minutes, then they hop on the mat, then here and there.  It is like a train wreck.  Classical Pilates teaches practical transitions from one exercise to another that do not waste time or energy.  You get a challenging workout, one with strength AND precision. 

In Pilates, we encourage you to lead a more stress-free life.  From the moment you walk in the studio door you enter a different place.  Try Pilates, you will be glad you did.

Have you ever gone to the gym and started to use a piece of equipment but noticed sweat left behind?  Several of my clients have expressed disgust with the unsanitary conditions of the local gyms.  However, the problem is not just a localized issue.  When you have a lot of people handling and using equipment there are germs being transmitted, even when there are not body fluids left behind.

Here is an article from Good Morning America on Germs in Gyms: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=2237306             

Core Design Pilates is one of  the cleanest places to workout.  We follow the tradition of the classical Pilates studios.  Everytime a piece of apparatus or mat is used, the client wipes them off with a disinfecting solution before moving on to the next modality.  That way everyone is responsible for themselves.  There is a deeper meaning to this body/mind modality of exercise than people think. 

What is your opinion on this?  Does it matter? 

To help you better understand how Pilates can change your body and life, allow me to share my personal story with you.

I have been active in the local gym scene since the early nineties.  First, just working out myself and taking lots of aerobic classes.  Then I became a group fitness instructor and then a personal trainer.  I used weights and machines trying to build strength in my body and those of my clients.  What happened to my body as a result was a thick, inflexible set of lumps and bumps.  I spent 6 days a week in the gym trying to be "in shape", but that left me with a bad knee, tight rotator cuff and a weak lower back.  To top it all off, I had very poor posture; forward shoulders and a flat back.

When I found "classical" Pilates or it "found" me, I knew this modality of exercise was a breakthrough.  I loved the way it challenged my strength but I also noticed my muscles becoming more flexible.  Honestly, at first it was uncomfortable because I had so many inbalances in my body.  Then after consistently taking mat classes and apparatus instruction those areas saw marked improvement.

I decided to take the classical training myself.  It has changed my life.  My body appears longer and leaner and I have a true feeling of well-being.  The training is invaluable as it is a vehicle to showing others how to see and feel the benefits of Pilates.  This leads me to ask you, dear reader...."How is your exercise routine helping your body?"

• Do you have good posture?
• Is your breathing deep and slow?
• Are your muscles balanced and symmetrical?
• Is your core strong and stable?

If you answered no to one or more of these questions, consider giving classical Pilates a try.  Start with a mat class to experience the "real" Pilates.  You will learn a lot about your own body and its strengths and weaknesses. If you choose to make Pilates a regular part of your fitness lifestyle, you can, as Joseph Pilates said, "Have a whole new body".

Joseph Pilates developed a unique set of exercises for the body, that is widely known.  However, did you know that Pilates also strengthens the mind?  Centering is the first thing that the instructor asks you to do when you begin a Pilates class.  It is also first on the apparatus.  "Center yourself on the mat" not only applies to your position on the mat, but also refers to what I call "getting into your body".

Our lives are so hectic, and most of us have to multitask all day long.  When you are pushed and pulled in all directions it can rob you of the ability to focus on one thing at a time.  Pilates centers you and brings your attention to your "Powerhouse".

Then you have the ability, once you are centered to apply the next principle; Concentration.  Concentration is the key element to connecting your mind and body.  Turn your mind off of the stresses of the day.  Listen to the instructor as he/she cues the exercises.  Pay attention to the muscles that you are using in a particular movement, and feel them respond to the instruction given. That is the power of your mind!  Use it!

I can tell you from observing many different types of people, those that apply their minds to Pilates are the ones that get the most benefit from it.  If a person allows themselves to be distracted by others or by their own thoughts, they have more difficulty feeling the exercises.

In closing, Centering and Concentration, the first principles in Pilates are the pre-requisites to a productive and focused Pilates session.  Use these in whatever exercise you are taking part in today.  That is the power of your mind!  Use it!