September 14, 2022
I knew when I saw my Summer schedule, I knew it would be over before it began, but nevertheless it was absolutely wonderful. I LOVE teaching the S.P.O.R.T Gymnastics team ballet (of course I sprinkle a little Pilates in). This is an extra class for them, so the girls that show up are ready and eager to learn. Ballet brings, poise, elegant, musicality, control and precision. I’m excited to see how the ballet technique will help them in their gymnastics this competition season. If any of the girls want help to clean up routines with movement, I am here to help. Please reach out via email, call or text. Thank you again for your time, your energy, enthusiasm, hard work and dedication.
September is the perfect month to get your Pilates routine back in your schedule.
Even if it’s as little as a 30-minute Private, a 55 min Private or a 55 min Mat Class. Pilates will serve the body well. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been out for a week or more than a year, Pilates will meet you right where you are at. Give yourself and your body some movement.
In the Mat Classes I’ve been making it a point that every other month we use a small prop; small ball, magic ring, or there-band, these props help with better engagement to the muscles and the exercises of the Mat without them. Just a reminder the Tuesday and Thursday 10 am Mat Class is great for, physical limitations and learning the vocabulary of the Mat exercises. Thursday 9am is the advanced class. Advanced meaning: no physical limitation, unless you are confident in YOUR modifications, able to work on; Plank, Roll-Over, Mermaid and know your Pilates vocabulary. In either class you are working on YOUR BODY and truly working on going deeper; in focus, movement and breath.
These days Pilates tends to be looked at another means to Physical Therapy
Most people get told by their doctors to, “go and do Pilates”. If you are reading this, we can confidently say, “we know why!” Pilates is great for pain management. Honestly though, when I signed up for “Body Conditioning” AKA Pilates while at UC Irvine, I wasn’t signing up because I had conic low back pain...nope, I signed up because my roommate said I’d probably like it. When I went into getting certified, I did it because it made me a stronger dancer, it kept me dancing and I was impressed that my back pain was still at bay. I also loved seeing the dancers that I taught apply the Pilates I knew and they got better!
I was at about my 5th year of training, when more people were coming to me saying, “my doctor told me to do Pilates because I have X”. So, my focus became more of ... HOW DO I USE PILATES FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT? I went to a Sports Therapy Center where they had a Pilates area. It was then that I would use any free time I had and go observe, my first ballet teacher, who became an instructor with a focus of using Pilates as a way for Physical Therapy. When she became pregnant with her twins, at about month 6, I was observing and assisting her work with her patients. It was challenging and rewarding. I subbed for her for 6 months, by that time a year later, I felt a lot more confident to help people with their pain. Also, the Physical Therapists were right there when I had questions.
Some pain, people will live with for the rest of their lives, this would be when the person needs a routine. These sets of exercises are the ones they can go to calm pain down, stop it or just get their mind off of the pain. Some pain is temporary, this is when a set of exercises will get them out of pain and their pain doesn’t come back. It can take as little as 3 weeks to a year.
Whatever the case maybe, the body is to move and function in a certain way and when the body stops doing that, that is a sign you may need to change some things.
For me I am so thankful for that time, because, a hip surgery that came with some disappointing news allowed me to see past the news and set myself up with some exercises that I knew would support me and prolong a hip replacement. Even after that I know Pilates is still an exercise I can do and enjoy. “Change your pain into power!”-Lesley Logan. THANK YOU to all have who have brought their PT paperwork with them to move into Pilates.
Client Highlight!
I wanted to highlight a Mat Class client. Never under estimate the power of the Pilates Mat Class. If you know your Pilates history, Joseph Pilates started with Mat Exercises. He made the apparatus to assist the body to be able to do the Mat exercises. The Mat exercises are working YOUR OWN BODY WEIGHT. You’re pulling, pushing, and lifting. Also, his focus was moving the spine in all directions; flexion, extension, rotation, side bending and of course using your powerhouse, Core, to move it.
This client of mine was a single mom who made sure she NEVER missed her afternoon Pilates Mat Class. She was already a mover but she knew she needed to learn more about Pilates fundamentals, so she gave her time to learning them. (I have offered a Pilates fundamentals workshop before, I also have my book that will walk you through them, or giving yourself 4 Start-up Privates will also help get a more grounded foundation.) She had tightness and weakness in areas, but she never steered away from them. Because of this, her tight areas became more flexible and weak areas became stronger. She was focused when breaking down a new exercise and it was important to her to progress forward to the more advanced exercises. She wasn’t doing it for flat abs or a toned touchy, she was doing it more for her “me time”. She would often tell me that by coming to the class, she had gained more confidence in herself, which helped her level up her career life. By the end she was doing her dream job, a realtor. She said, because of her strong back, she felt stronger when talking to people. She was very dedicated and it showed. She will still tell me to this day, how much the Mat Classes helped her to where she is today ...and that she hasn’t found another Pilates instructor like me she might be buttering me up, but I will take it. Grab your mat, find your spot on the floor and I’ll see you at the first breath.
