An Animated History Of Pilates

I just found this perfect video which explains how Pilatees got started andmentions some of the most exciting results of this wonderful exercise technique. Please enjoy this, realizing once again, the phenomenal effectiveness of Pilates and then be very proud of yourself for coming to class...

What's So Good About Pilates?

I found this video on an integrative health site today. The commentator says in a very short spiel what I tell my students every week. Please enjoy this short clip from an informative and useful health website:

http://www.integrativehealthreview.com/uncategorized/why-pilates-is-great-for-strength-and-balance/

See you in class!

I'll Take My Chances...

I noticed that one of my new, older Pilates students hadn't been back to class, When I saw her in the lobby, I asked her how she was doing and told her that I missed her. She complained that her back and hips hurt. Pilates is the single best way to strengthen back and hips. Urging her to come back and work on strengthening her back and hips, she said she wasn't coming back. When I reminded her that the less you exercise them, the more likely they will freeze up and hurt even more, she politely told me she would take her chances. Her words hung in the air. As we exchanged pleasant goodbyes, I felt stunned. What frame of mind would I have to be in to decide "to take my chances" on getting a frozen, painful back and hips if I knew I had options? Getting older and weaker is part of life but it doesn't mean we can afford the luxury of just sitting down (unless we want to make that chair our home). Even younger people face the same physical challenges as seniors: we are either building up or degenerating.

Helen Mirren is one of the most beautiful and fit women on the Red carpet today. Her body is unbelievable. I can't prove it but she looks "Pilates" strong and svelte to me. Her figure always amazes me. Wonder what she might look, feel, and move like if she had decided to take her chances and not care for her body? Frankly, it is so easy to give in to apathy when you get older. But some of that comes from feeling so physically poor that it starts to affect your mind. I've been there and, so help me God, I won't go back. It isn't as much about vanity but more about self-respect and honoring this God-given body.    I have no problem letting someone care for me if get sick or infirmed. Today I want to be in the solution, not the problem. I'll take my chances with Pilates. I've featured this YouTube video before but I'm putting it up here again to inspire us all to keep on taking good care of ourselves. Enjoy...

Here is a 100 year old woman talking about doing Pilates...
Here is the link in case the video doesn't come up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRP9ZEZ6IlE

Here she is actually doing Pilates:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jQZjEbt8_Y&feature=channel&list=UL

Pilates makes P90X Easier

I knew it but this week proved it. Pilates is the athlete's secret weapon.  After making it through Week one of P90X, I have no soreness and more strength. I use the breathing I teach my clients and it really fuels hardworking muscles. At my age, 56, I ought to have bailed out on day two but the extra layer of strength I already had in my small muscle groups powerfully supported me. I feel like a winner. I am so up to this 90 day challenge. I have taught that athletes who take Pilates have an edge over those who don't. They are stronger and much less prone to injury. I'll add that the exercises in P90X can be very hard on the back. Because Pilates strengthens the accessory muscles of the spine on all three planes of movement, I was able to support my spine in a healthy way. A couple of the exercises were too detrimental to  my back so I modified them to take the pressure off my spine. Yoga has captured the national attention but it simply cannot conmpare to the benefits of Pilates. Pilates is intelligent exercise.

Pilates and P90X: Confessions of a Plump Pilates Teacher

I can hear the faint sound of screaming from the Pilate's community. Nothing could be further apart in strategy and sensibility than Pilate's and P90X. In the beginning of my learning about Pilate's, I was excited to know that I could work out in a no to low impact way, actually reshape my body in the most beautiful way, and lose the aches and pains of aging. The idea of a hard and fast exercise plan repulsed me as I fell deeper in love with Pilate's. For a while, I got into fantastic shape and stabilized my weight because I had healed the mind body connection. But then it happened. At 55, I began the serious entry into menopause. I didn't start yelling more, crying at the drop of a hat, or any of the other imbalances in attitude and behavior expected. I did start to hold weight at an alarming rate. In six months, I gained 30 pounds. What the heck?! Frustrated and humiliated, I kept trying to get it under control and I couldn't. At the same time, a relationship stress issue aggravated some deeper inner turmoil that I thought I'd dealt with.  Teaching Pilate's or any other exercise with extra weight is anathema to any instructor. Because of the peace I'd developed in the mind/body place, I never thought of just hanging up my career although there was a time when I would have. I do love and trust my body so I knew it had it's reasons for the way it was responding to life.

In the meantime, my dear friend, Sara (in her 30"s), had begun using P90 and turned into a super model. Yes, I paid close attention to that and the other changes she was making in her life. She got off sugar (with few exceptions), started eating clean for a lifestyle, and seemed happier than ever. I love a good success story especially if I see it unfolding right in front of my eyes. Knowing what her weight had been before she started, I figured that if she could do it, then so could I. I never have had the sense to stay away from some big challenge that obviously seems impossible to someone my age. So I started working out with her 1- 2 times a week. God knows, I looked so goofy and weak.

I kept on with my goofy self and sure enough I started to get stronger. Lesson: when you have nothing to lose but weight, goofy doesn't matter. Plus, my workout partner was so gracious and has some pretty funny memories. Can I tell you how much more motivated I am when I work out with her? Little things like that make alot of difference.

Because I know I can do it now, we start P90X on April 1, 2012. This Friday, we photograph (good for her, so sad for me), weigh , and measure. I forgot that she's entering us in a contest. Eeek!

The food plan won't start until Sunday but I went ahead and got off sugar. I use Tim Ferris' Slow Carb Plan from his book, "The 4-Hour Body." It's simple and finite. From being on it for only three days, I am down four pounds. I like the food, too. My body is so relieved to be off sugar that it began stabilizing right away. Go check this out for your self.

I recently read the quote: "You crave what you eat." That is so true.

Now, I still had to deal with the relationship stuff. I have some skill in this area but I'll admit I couldn't fix this one. I felt both terrified and so very angry. God had already planned my rescue. On Sunday, I had my hysterical crying fit where He showed me that I hated Him for allowing yet another sick person into my life. I had to admit it before I could quit it ( and ask for forgivenes). It brought up a level of pain that I didn't know was there. It was hard but necessary to admit I had these awful feelings. They were driving my desire to eat the very things my body reacted to with weight gain. I had tried in vain to soothe them away with the wrong food. It wasn't alot of food all the time but it was simply wrong for my aging, sugar-sensitive body.

So what about Pilate's and P90X?  That's what so wonderful...when I do a P90X workout and then do Pilate's behind that as I teach the next class, Pilate's undoes all the bad body sensations caused by the very strenuous P90X exercise. Pilate's has that magical ability to heal the body from so many things. I now have the best of both worlds working for me.

We will blog our progress to help any other takers on the P90X on a new blog. I'll give you the new link in the next post.

Hey, always remember to bring your own sunshine with you wherever you go...

Healing Bodies

I not only love to teach Pilates but thrill to help others heal the tension, aches, and pains that trouble them.  Last week I helped a dentist to relax his neck and shoulders so that he could be comfortable as he treated his patients all day. How incredible is that?  Every time I get the chance to heal a pain, my dedication to Pilates grows stronger. Yesterday, one of my favorite women (I have a whole lot of favorites) came to class with a migraine headache and a clenched neck and shoulder area. She amazed me first by coming to class. Women our age tend to hurt and then isolate at home. We began working out and, shortly after, she noticed how much better she felt. By the end of class, her relief was complete. That kind of outcome can bring me nearly to tears. I love Pilates because it made my body beautiful but I also consider it to be a ministry of healing.  I guess it's the same feeling a doctor gets when his patient gets better. Of course like a doctor, having motivated and responsible patients makes all the difference.

Try these at work or any time you feel tension and pain in the neck and shoulder areas. If you really want to solve the problem, get yourself to a Pilates class ASAP!

Always bring your own sunshine with you wherever you go...

Pilates on the Ball

I recently began including the exercise ball in my mat classes. Working on the ball steps up the routine to a more strenuous level. You have to use the entire abdominal girdle just to stay on it, let alone exercise. I like it but I have noticed a slightly less enthusiastic response from my students. It may have to do with the fact that the moves actually require the use of larger muscles along with accessory muscles. We definitely are working harder. I had considered a ball class but for now,  I'll add in a few ball moves and keep it at that.

Check out these ideas for adding ball movement to your repertoire:

Always bring your own sunshine with you wherever you go...