For new instructors embarking on their career in Pilate they are often eager to share their new knowledge with their clients and come into the studio with a long list of repertoire that they wish to share. What they don’t realize is that Pilates is not only about the repertoire, but it is also about the client. Each session having a life of its own.

When the client comes into the studio it is important to observe their disposition, mood and anything that is going on with their bodies. This may include stress from work (might want to work on breathing and relaxation exercise), monthly cycles, and other issues or problems that may arise.

Sometimes the easiest way to find the clients disposition of the day is to ask “How Are You?” or “How is your body feeling today?”. Also, I always start the session with a Roll Down as a tool to see where the client is physically on that particular day. Great way to start a session as well as to observe anything that may be going on with the body. Also I like to finish with a Roll Down just to check in on the results of the session.

By being sympathetic to the client and the energy they give off on that day you will be assured a more successful experience as well as longevity in the client instructor relationship.

Efficiency in movement is one of the key principles when doing Pilates. Efficient movement will translate into balance as well as focus the movement to the desired muscles. I often talk with my clients about the compensation in movement and how it will cause poor movement patterns, negative feedback to the body and even possible injury. So when you are doing your exercises think of the quality of the work and don’t accept anything less than the purest the movement has to offer

Pilates is a great activity for Cross Training. As an instructor I get bombarded by offers for workshops that include mostly Pilates for Golf - but also, Pilates for Tennis, Pilates for Soccer etc, but the bottom line in all these activities is that Pilates is for Cross Training.

Pilates does not take the place of another activity - rather it will enhance your performance. I have worked with Cyclists, Runners, Triathletes, Swimmers, Weight Lifters, Yoga Teachers and the list goes on and everyone has mentioned that Pilates has improved their performance. 

Why? - Because Pilates teaches the correct mechanics of movement. Through more efficient movement they are able to keep their focus on their sport. By awareness of where they are in space they are able to be in better control.

So whether you want to get your golf score down - or just have a better gym workout - Pilates may be the answer for you.

The other day I was talking with one of the clients in the studio as he was stretching before his session. Apparently he is very prone to cramps and finds that if he does some active stretching before his session he is less likely to cramp during the session. So this sent me to the web to see what articles I could find on Stretching to Prevent Cramps - there is a lot out there but much of it seem inconclusive. So based on experience I would like to make the following suggestions.

1. It is always a good idea to warm up before exercising. I recommend a light warm-up before running, as well as a warm up which we do in the studio before you start the main part of your pilates routine. The warm up is intense enough to make you work - but should not wear you out.

2. To the warm - up you can also add some stretching, preferable after your initial exercises when the blood is flowing through the body. Suggests stretches might include
     Hamstrings - either with a sit and reach, or use a strap or a rope to get an active stretch.
     Thigh Stretch
     Calf - or Runners Stretch.

Ask your trainer about specific ways to stretch these muscles and see if over time this will alleviate cramping within your pilates sessions.

After all - as much as we all cramp in Pilates, it is really not a lot of fun.

The Pelvic Curl or Bridge is one of my favorite exercises. Often I do this as one of the first exercises in a session. I find it wakes up the spine as well as creating a mental focus to the body. By doing this exercise early in a session you are truly creating a Mind - to - Body connection.

To begin the Pelvic Curl lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. I like to place the feet about hip width apart, but there are some clients that I have place the feet wider, and some who I have place the feet together. Speak to your instructor about the best position for you,

To initiate the exercise I want you to simply feel like you are pulling up a zipper, starting at the pubic bone. This should create a hollowing feel in the lower abs. Focus your inhale into your ribs, as you exhale pull up the zipper and rock the hips back - another cue here is to tuck the pelvis - pressing your lower back into the mat then continue to lift your bottom from the mat. Continue to articulate your spine off the floor until you are on the upper back - in between the shoulders. When you are at the top of your bridge take an inhale - as you exhale articulate back down through the spine one vertebrae at a time, through the lower back and eventually back into a neutral pelvis. Repeat the exercise 5 times.

While you are doing the exercise focus on the feet being planted firmly on the floor. Think about the legs rotating inward - toward one another, this will help you to relax your buttocks. Focus on doing the exercise with the abdominals and the hamstrings (the back of the legs). One of the things key for me when teaching the exercise is to get the buttocks to relax so there is not a lot of tension in the lower back.

If you have been diagnosed with osteoperosis check with your doctor before doing this or any other exercise. Also be careful if you have any disc issues in your spine. If you don’t know if this exercise is good for you - ASK!!!

Recently I have noticed that as the “young at heart” / “weekend warriors” are getting on that the activities they are participating in seem to be causing chronic problems in their bodies. I am seeing more and more men over 45 with degenerated discs. I am no doctor, but the one thing that these gentlemen seem to have in common is a love of working out. I can only think that over the years the lifting of heavy weights accompanied by poor form has resulted in these spinal injuries. Injuries which in some cases result in complete and total bed rest.

Isn’t his what we are trying to avoid by exercising regularly? Can’t this be avoided?

By finding a well qualified trainer this can be avoided, and more and more people are finding their way to Pilates in order to release the tension in their backs.

Through the Pilates the client is led through exercises encouraging correct alignment as well as safe and effective movements. These movements can then be integrated into their daily lives allowing them to be pain free from the conditions that begin to happen in their backs.

Also many of the exercises encourage strengthening right at the back giving the feeling of a lengthened spine. This is where the Pilates may actually give the client the feeling that they are taller - or they may actually regain lost height. In my opinion this will decrease the pressure on the back so that the person will have a healthier spine.

So if you are feeling back pain, it is worth having this looked into and know that Pilates might be one way to restore a Healthy Back

Pilates is a full-body system of specific sequenced exercises performed on the mat and specially designed equipment. The method is centered around the concepts of awareness, balance, breath, centering, concentration, control, flowing movement, and precision. The principle of Pilates is to uniformly develop the body and mind. For best results, Pilates should be practiced 2-3 times weekly in approximately one-hour-long sessions. Pilates may be practiced in a group or private setting, based on the individual’s needs financially and physically. Price ranges vary approximately $14-$20 for a group mat session, to upwards of $64-$90 for one hour of private instruction. Pilates could be performed at home, but proper instruction and quality equipment are essential to its success.

The Pilates method is an exercise/movement technique which trains practitioners to integrate the use of mind and body during the performance of its exercises. Through this integration, Pilates creates positive overall physical benefits. Thorough training of Pilates teachers/instructors is necessary to maintain the quality and safety of Pilates method practitioners. 

The PMA® recommends that anyone wishing to teach the Pilates method:

• Participate in a Pilates exercise program prior to attending a teacher training program.
• Attend a comprehensive training program, and maintain a commitment to education.

The following are general guidelines, questions, and information you can use to help search for a qualified Pilates teacher:

1. Are the instructors trained through a comprehensive training program?
2. Did that training program require a written and practical test, lecture, observation, practice and apprentice hours?
3. How many total hours were spent in the training program? (The Pilates Method is a knowledge based method of exercise and training. Time spent in certification training produces qualified teachers.)
4. Does the instructor have any other movement related teaching experience.
5. How long have the instructors been teaching Pilates?
6. What is the instructor’s/ studio’s philosophy and specialty? Are they able to handle special needs, injuries and rehabilitation?
7. Does the instructor or studio teach the full repertoire of Pilates on all pieces of apparatus?

Many women find Pilates to be one of best exercises to do, both during and after their pregnancy. One the top reasons Pilates and pregnancy go together so well is that Pilates is great at building core strength. If your abdominals, back, and pelvic floor muscles are toned, they will support a more comfortable pregnancy and delivery. Pilates is also famous for helping new moms get their figures back after baby is born!

Another great reason to do Pilates in pregnancy is that Pilates is very adaptable. Most Pilates exercises can be modified as your body and abilities change. The modifications help you keep the intent of the exercise, but adjust the form to work for your body.

Get Good Instruction

First, check with your doctor of midwife.

If you have never done Pilates before, it will be important for you to find a pre-natal Pilates class, or an instructor who can give you a lot of one on one attention. It is not recommended that you begin doing Pilates on your own if you haven’t already worked with the fundamentals.

If you do already have a Pilates background, it is still ideal to take a prenatal Pilates class or work directly with an instructor. However, there are a number of DVDs, videos and books that can support your practice.


Food, Water, and Energy

You are already eating for two, but if you are exercising you are burning more calories and losing water through perspiration. Therefore, you will want to increase your caloric intake and stay hydrated.

Prenatal Pilates is not particularly strenuous, but you will want to make sure to pay attention to your body (and baby)and pace yourself. Your energy levels will be changing and you don’t want to over do it. One clue fitness experts use a lot is the talk test. If you are too winded to talk in a casual tone and tempo, it is time to slow down. Other signs that you need to take a break are dizziness, feeling faint, nausea, racing heart, shortness of breath, uterine contractions, bleeding or leaking fluid, and headache.

As Your Body Changes

As your baby grows your center of gravity will shift. You may find that you need to be a bit more cautious when doing certain things that you are quite used to doing like getting up and down for mat work, getting on or off the reformer, or working out on an exercise ball.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy promote flexibility in the joints and muscles. Women do experience more strains to their muscles and ligaments during this time because their bodies are wisely making them more “stretchy”. You will want to be sure not to overstretch. Working in a smaller range of motion is often a good way to tune into the subtleties of an exercise. For example, this would be a good time to work with tuning in to the inner core muscles, breathing well, and gently working with oppositional stretch.

About the Scoop

At a certain point, not too far along, your scoop just isn’t going work or look like it used to. The point will be to keep a definite sense of the engagement of the abdominals and pelvic floor, and do what you can without working too hard, after all there’s somebody in there!

There is a condition that sometimes occurs later in a pregnancy called, “diastasis”, where there is a separation of the abdominal muscles. If you do have a diastasis you will want to modify carefully with your instructor, or pause your Pilates workouts until after the baby is born.

Here are instructions for testing whether you have a diastasis from About’s guide to exercise Paige Waehner, in Pregnancy Today:
“To check for ab. separation, lie on your back with knees bent and place your fingertips about 1 or 2 inches below your belly button, fingers pointing toward your feet. Lift your head as high as you can and, if you feel a ridge protruding from the middle of your belly, that’s a diastasis. Pay attention to how you feel, and if you experience any discomfort in your abdominals or back, stop!”

Past the First Trimester

Once you are into your second trimester it will be time to stop doing exercises while lying flat on your back. This is recommended because of the possibility of obstructing blood supply to the baby. It is also recommended that you not put your feet over your head. That’s not to say that you can’t prop them up. What it means is that your hips stay down. You will want to eliminate any sharp percussive movements from your routine. An example would be vigorous sidekicks, and of course, reformer exercises with the jump board will be out.

Pregnancy could be a very rewarding time to tune inward and connect with the core of Pilates, the exercise principles: centering, concentration, control, precision, breath and flow. Working with these principles will not only enhance your workout experience, but they also offer skills to bring to the birth and care of you baby.

I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the current BASI Teacher Training and to wish them luck on their final this weekend. I have really enjoyed working with each and every one of them and wish them well in their future.

Larry

After a relaxing holiday away from the studio and well off the beaten path I find myself back in the studio and ready to tackle 2009. In spite of the news and the failing economy I am still coming into the New Year with optimism and am willing to share in some ideas on how to help you keep up with your commitment to yourself and your Pilates.

I know that purse strings are tight, but remember that one-to-one sessions are not the only way to maintain your regime. Consider doing a mat class - you may like it, a semi-private session with a friend, or if you need to be assigned to a partner we can help. Who knows, within a semi-private session you may develop a new friendship, it happens all the time. We also offer group reformer classes and I am very open adding new group classes to the schedule.

To help you with the decision to try a small group class if you mention this blog posting I will offer you the following special rates:

10 Duet Sessions Pilates $500

5 Duet Sessions $270

10 Mat Classes $166.5

6 Mat Classes $112.5

10 Reformer Classes $225

5 Reformer Classes $135

I hope this is a help and I look forward to seeing you around the studio.

Larry Hall