Pilates Patio

Ballet bar exercises?

2014-04-14T09:30:00.000-04:00

I ended 2013 by trying Barre Fitness. Again, it is something that I heard so much about. Everyone would rave about. I'd get clients telling me that it's great BUT that the wouldn't have been able to do it without the Pilates training that they had gotten at the studio. This was nice to hear! I had my reservations. Not that it's not a good workout, but that it wouldn't be accessible to everyone or marketable to everyone. For example, I can't see men doing it, or even wanting to try it. It's hard enough getting men to try Pilates and Pilates isn't nearly as obviously "dancey" and "girly" as ballet bar fitness! Another group I see it not being accessible to are people with knee issues. There is so much standing, squatting, pulsing and more with the ballet bar exercises, I'm not sure how this group would be able to cope? I even found it bothered my knee if I wasn't conscience about my form and alignment. These are some of the reasons that held me back from trying it, not to mention the price. It's pretty expensive given what you're getting. You're in a room with anywhere from 15-30 other people, there is no special equipment except a bar! And the price is around $20/class. That's a lot! But, it was always in the back of mind to try it. An opportunity came up.

I needed CEC (continuing education credits) to keep up my Pilates certification and fortunately STOTT Pilates and Merrithew Heatlh and Fitness has added a Barre fitness stream to the growing number of exercises, so I decided to sign up for it. I didn't know what to expect and wasn't expecting much. It was part of their World Tour in 2013. So it was at the Radisson Hotel in Habour Front in Toronto. I got a bag, mat, towel, waterbottle and other bits and pieces, not to mention I get my much needed CEC's for the year. I was already a fun day!

The Merrithew Health and Fitness' Total Barre session itself was interesting. The session was instructed by Moira Merrithew. I had never taken any classes with her. So that was kind of neat. She's quite amusing and fun to be in a class with, not to mention super strong! Of course, it sounds like she'd been doing this same session many times already. Just as I thought, it was all women! I don't know how many but maybe 60-70? Alot! And it was all day. 7 hours or more of Ballet Bar exercises! I was quickly impressed.

It didn't take long to feel "the burn" in my quads. And then the calves, then the glutes. Then we did arms. We had these great little soft bean bag like weights, that didn't weight much 1-2lbs. But, holy cow! After a certain point of waving 1-2lbs around while doing squats and other things, really starts to get to your arms! It was tough! And I you break a sweat. It's not immediate, and it's not a down pour, but you do start getting warm and warmer and warmer and eventually, you're dripping! It was a lot of fun. It's great because it's to music. You feel like you're dancing. So the workshop/session was filled was a variety of people I think. Lots of Pilates instructors, fitness instructors, dance instructors, former dancers etc. It was fun. Every thing is done in unison so you feel like you're in training for A Chorus Line! :-) Me talking about it, isn't the same as you doing it. So here a few links to videos to try. Oh, and if going to use the excuse that you don't have a ballet bar at home, you can use the back of a chair as a "bar"!

Ultimate 20 minutes barre exercise workout

TRX - exercises on a rope strapped to a wall?

2014-04-07T09:30:00.000-04:00

Now I had heard about the TRX in 2010. Apparently it was created by the Navy Seals or by a former Navy Seal for their training purposes. Don't quote me on this, but it has an interest origin. Not the topic for this post, but definitely a topic for another post. I heard about this new form of exercises and it's growing popularity, so I wanted to try it. I never got around to it in 2010. :-( But, fortunately, I found a place here in Ottawa, actually a place a 10min walk away from my home, that offered a class. When I found out, I immediately signed up! So in the fall of 2012 I did my first TRX class. It was fun!

I didn't know what to expect. It looks easy, but based on my experience of exercises, core training etc. I knew it probably wasn't as easy as it looked. And it wasn't. It was so wobbly! Even something as simple as doing a chest press TRX style was so hard at first! It's amazing how quickly the instability brings out the imbalances in your body. In some cases you have no choice but to "tighten up your core" in order to do the exercise. The TRX crunch looks harmless but after a certain number (I think everyone has their individual threshold), it's almost impossible to pull your knees in towards your chest. Me talking about the exercises only makes so much sense. There are tonnes of videos out there on TRX Training, teaching and showing you all kinds of exercises. That's another great thing about TRX the list of exercises is quite extensive and with each exercises there is always a way to modify it to make more and less challenging.

A few links to TRX exercises, beginner and advances. And again, there is certification to teach TRX.

TRX Advanced Fitness

TRX Basic training
TRX certification

Kettlebells? Swinging a bowling ball around??

2014-03-31T09:30:00.000-04:00

In the past 14 months what I have been up to fitness-wise? Kettlebells is something I was curious about. Now, I have tried a little bit a few years ago. Nothing extraordinary. Just a bunch of women in one of those fitness classes that is a potpourri of exercises using all kinds of toys including kettlebells. It was fun, but it didn't seem all that exciting to me.
A few years later, last year, a friend mentioned the book the 4 hour body to me. Being the curious person I am and being interested in different types of diets, fitness and exercises... I decided to have a look at the book. It was an interesting read. There was a little section about a person who did kettlebell exercises, I think 3 times a week for 4 weeks(?) Anyway, the results were amazing! Of course, she was on the diet suggested by the 4 hour body book, but regardless, the combination of the both was great. So I decided, I wanted to try kettlebells again.
The search began for a kettlebell class. That in itself is a challenge! How hard can it be to find a kettlebell class, you'd think? Well, it's not that easy to find! I eventually found a place, actually through a new friend I made who was training at a martial arts studio that offered kettlebell classes. I went to the first class for free as a "new client" and it was amazing! It was such hard work! And the cardiovascular workout that you get from it is fantastic! I went to a second class and it was free again. That was nice of them. I enjoyed that just as much. Then I signed up. I went weekly for about 10 weeks. It never got easier!
There is a real technique to the swing. When you see someone swinging the kettlebell you think it' all from the arms, but it's not. There's a real technique to the kettlebell swing. Once you get the technique, it's quite the glute workout! ;-) There are so many variations to that basic two handed swing, one handed swings, above your head, around your body, the turkish get up! Now that requires a lot of coordination and skill!

I just want to make a note that to instruct kettlebells there is certification. Agatsu Kettlebell certification

My first post from my phone

2014-03-27T02:15:00.001-04:00

What to say? I shouldn't say this on a Blogger blog but I've been learning about WordPress blogs today! Let's publish!

It's been awhile!

2014-03-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile! Close to 14 months! Writing is obviously not my forte. :-( Sharing, however is. Since the new year, like X number of other people on the planet, I decided I would do a few different things regularly, regularly = weekly. The gym being one of them. Going to the gym throughout the winter months, until the end of March, weekly. Prior to this I was exercising but on my own, at the studio etc. but not at the gym. So I signed up at the gym for 3 months as soon as the new year started and started going. It's be great and I'm surprisingly not bored with it. I don't go every day and I was sick one week but all in all, on average I've gone 3-4 times week. I started following the Cool Runnings Couch-to-5K program. That has been lots of fun and I'm still continuing with it. I actually don't mind running for 20 minutes. It's the 10 minutes after that I mind! I started mixing up the weights, doing more free weights but also adding in the bosu. I started doing free weights on the bosu, standing on it, on the curvy side. And sure enough, I do believe my "core" was benefiting from it. Not as much as it does from Pilates, of course! But it was still having an effect. I decided to google standing on a bosu and see what I got. The first thing on the search list was this: Bad Advice: Standing on Bosu Balls and Other Unstable Surface Training Does what? That's disappointing. :-( It seems unstable surface training does that, trains you to do things well on unstable surfaces but it seems you're now not so great on stable surfaces! There were other hits of course, other ways to use the bosu, other articles related to unstable training, how to strengthen your core using the bosu etc. It seems the consensus is, it's better to lift the weights standing on a stable, firm floor and do stability training on the bosu, i.e. don't combine the two. I guess now I'm off to lift heavier weights at the gym on firm ground and balance on one leg on the bosu without weights!

My next challenge is: to find the best compound exercises to do!

Pilates equipment - "Dangerous! Not safe! You can hurt yourself! You need trained supervision at all times!"

2013-01-21T18:11:00.004-05:00

"Dangerous! Not safe! You can hurt yourself! You need trained supervision at all times! ---- "

The fitness industry and world is so confusing! There is so much equipment both new and old, simple and not so simple in the fitness industry and so many opinions it’s hard to know what and who to listen to. When people think or hear of fitness equipment usually what comes to mind are all the contraptions, pulleys, weights and more you see in a gym. Think about how confusing and complicated all of that must have seems when it first came out. Imagine how many people, if any, knew how any of it worked when it all first came out? It was probably viewed as dangerous, not to be done unsupervised and skeptics and the uninitiated announcing that you could hurt yourself if you do it on your own. Now all this equipment is everywhere and common place. Stores like Fitness Depot and companies like Nautilis selling and manufacturing it for people to use on their own or to purchase for home use. It’s common place when people think of the ‘gym’ to envision of all this equipment and people busily working away on it, running on the spot on a treadmill, pulling on pulleys will increasingly heavy weights on the end of them, lifting varying weights above your head and more. and it’s all acceptable and assumed safe. The entire personal training industry is built around ‘training’ people to use all this equipment and practice on their own whether in a ‘gym’ – a place dedicated to housing all this equipment for people to ‘work out’ on, or in their home. So we’ve established that it’s reasonable to use equipment for exercise whether in your home or in a predetermined location, supervised or not and it be completely safe and acceptable with minimal risk of harm or injury. So why can’t the same be said for the use of Pilates equipment? “There’s equipment in Pilates??”, you may be thinking to yourself. Yes!

Pilates has equipment too and more than just mats, bands and big balls, actual equipment with resistance, pulleys and more. The reformer is probably the most popular piece of Pilates equipment resembling something of a twin bed and with the variety of exercises and muscle groups that can be worked on it, it is more of a home gym. Versions of the reformer are sold online or through infomercials for home use. Pilates industry manufacturers of Pilates equipment sell reformers and more for both commercial use and home use. So, if the manufacturers of this equipment who are also Pilates industry leaders are selling these equipments to home users, why can’t there be studios dedicated to individuals practicing on Pilates equipment on their own, very much like a “gym” for Pilates? Pilates may not be as old an exercise as weightlifting or circuit training or other types of physical training but it is still physical training and a practice that may be done individually. And with all the home reformers and versions of reformers being sold including Costco carrying the Stott Pilates Home SPX reformer, it’s just a matter of time before it’s common place for home owners to have a Pilates reformer down in their home gym and for gyms to add a reformer or two to their equipment offerings.

So the next time a Pilates instructor tells you that is “Dangerous!” or “Not safe!” or that “You can hurt yourself!” or that “You need to be supervised at all times!” while using Pilates equipment and in particular the reformer, think about all the equipment in a gym and what it must have been like the first time it was introduced to the public. Also think about your Pilates instructor. Each one of one of your instructors had to practice on the Pilates equipment on their own, unsupervised in order to pass their exams to be certified and qualified to teach you. And they are no more extraordinary people than you. So why is it any more dangerous, or unsafe, or why can you hurt yourself more than your instructor or why do you need to be supervised and not your instructor when you’re practicing? Granted we all have to learn the basics and develop confidence in ourselves before being able to do anything on our own, but be wary of those that tell you it’s dangerous, unsafe and in short, wrong. Fear is dangerous, unsafe and wrong and those that instill fear in your…it may be worth getting another opinion.

What are your criteria for your Pilates class?

2012-09-08T14:00:00.000-04:00

Pilates class. While it’s nice to say this instructor is the best, I’ll only learn from them, the only person you’re limiting, is yourself. Everyone, including your Pilates instructor, will go through changes in their life and won’t always be there. So being able to figure out what you want out of a class, a minimum set of criteria, will help you find a class that meets your needs. That coupled with the basics of Pilates, you’ll be able to step into any Pilates class and get something out of it. Some possible criteria for a Pilates class to consider:

Location

Timing

Size of the class

Lightening

Flooring

Temperature

Smell (some places smell!)

Whether it’s in a gym or church basement or rented space or in a dedicated studio

People in the class

Is the class challenging enough for you?

Is it easy enough for you?

Are you concerns, injuries, limitations met?

Does the instructor come around and offer corrections/modifications as needed?

The search for the next best thing...

2012-09-07T13:59:00.000-04:00

Now take a look at the instructors, classes and studios you’ve tried since the unfortunate parting between you and your favorite Pilates instructor.

Are you going into every class comparing the instructor with your favorite?

If you are, you’ll never find a class you like!

If you aren’t, and be honest to yourself, what are you looking for?

Let's take a look at the first Pilates class.

2012-09-06T13:58:00.000-04:00

Now that you have looked at other possible factors, aside from the instructor, let’s take a look at the class itself. Ask yourself,

what did you like about those classes?

Which exercises did you like?

Which exercises did you not like?

What did the instructor do to get through those unpopular exercises?

Did you get the attention and correction you wanted?

How did you “perform” in comparison to others in your class?

Did you pick the exercises easily? (If you did, how were things explained in the class?)

Think back to your first Pilates class with your favorite instructor...

2012-09-05T13:55:00.002-04:00

What was your state of mind?

Why did you want to take Pilates?

Did you have an injury that you were hoping to rehabilitate with Pilates?

How did you hear about this instructor and class?

Who else was in your class?

How did you really feel about that first class?

Was it a drop in class, a one time thing?

Or did you commit to a session of classes, i.e. once a week for 10 weeks.

Did you go to class with a friend or group of friends?

Did you make friends at the class?

What was the room like? What the atmosphere like?

Had you done Pilates before this?

What was your previous experience like?

Did this instructor clarify queries and confusions about Pilates that you had been walking around with since, who knows how long?

What were you doing before you would come to class? ( i.e. were you coming from work? Were you going before work? Was it time out on your own away from the family?)

There are so many other factors besides the instructor that may have lead to you decide this is my favorite instructor. I’m not saying this instructor was the best ever. But, to help you find that second best instructor, it may be worth looking at factors aside from the instructor him/herself.

The Pilates Client / Student

2012-09-04T13:51:00.005-04:00

Everyone has a favorite Pilates instructor. Maybe it was their first instructor, or the instructor that finally made some sense out of all that stuff that all the instructors were saying. Then, for some reason, that wonderful relationship and weekly rendez-vous with your instructor has ended. Maybe you changed jobs and moved out of the town, maybe your work is no longer offering Pilates, maybe your Pilates instructor has decided to do other things (how selfish!) Weeks go by, then months and then years. You’ve tried every other form of exercises, you’ve resorted to going back to the gym and doing the usual ‘body plump’ class every week. But the results, feeling and excitement you got with that favorite Pilates instructor just can ‘t seem to be found again. You try every Pilates class you see hoping that this will be the place. A new studio opens up, you’re exciting to check it out. Maybe the new favorite Pilates instructor will be there or better yet, your favorite Pilates instructor will be there, waiting for you! It’s just one disappointment after another. Those first experiences in life are just that, first experiences. They can’t be replicated. And while you may feel it was that instructor, maybe it was more than that. Pilates takes some patience and perseverance to really get. But once people get it, they love it. And usually they get it when they are ready. It could be with the first instructor you meet or the tenth. But take a look at more than the instructor. Think back to your favorite instructor and when you first walked into their class.......

August 2012 newsletter

2012-08-06T23:48:00.000-04:00

Our August 2012 newsletter is out. Find our how
Pilates and help with your kayaking.
Learn about Pilates Elder, Romana Kryzanowska.
Pilates is more that just ab exercises. Learn about exercises to strengthen those glutes.
And more.
http://www.pilatespatio.com/PatioBreeze-Aug2012.pdf

Personal training - Is it really for you?

2012-08-06T23:39:00.000-04:00

Personal training - Is it really for you?
It’s hard to know if personal training is really the right direction to go. There are so many societal pressures, professionally, personally, family, lifestyle, physically and more. Personal training is sometimes the route encouraged when working towards those physical societal pressures. But is personal training really for you?

1. Are you completely inactive and looking for a complete lifestyle makeover? (Maybe what you need is more of a lifestyle coach rather than a personal trainer. Someone who can help you figure out what path your life and lifestyle should take.)

2. Are you already active and moving but for whatever reason have fallen into a rut and need a bit of redirection? (This is a tough one. Maybe it’s a personal trainer, maybe it’s a counsellor, maybe it’s a life coach, maybe it’s a good friend to talk to, maybe is just something new... Trying to shed some light on why you have fallen into a rut may be important than trying to climb out of the rut in the dark only to make it half way and then falling back in.)

3. Are you exercising regularly but haven’t a clue what you’re putting in your mouth? (Perhaps a nutritionist or dietitian is someone to consult. Someone to help you figure out the nutrition and food part of your life. After all, food is a big part of our health.)

4. Are you eating healthy and clean but it’s not making a difference anymore? (Now this is where a personal trainer may be helpful. Some sort of physical activity is required in everyone’s life to keep healthy. A trainer who can help you find the activity that works for you and something you enjoy. And while determining what that activity is for you, going to someone 3 times a week to keep moving will help develop that habit of moving 3 times a week so that when you find the activity that is right for you, it won’t be a chore moving 3 times a week.)

5. Have there been changes in your personal life that have over taken the rest of your life? (Changes in our personal and professional lives can affect our physical health. If this is the case, sometimes counselling or talking to someone about this can help separate the two and focus on the real issue, not just the symptoms.)

6. Has your professional life and career been priority number one the past while leaving you, your health and your life at the bottom of your list of priorities? (Changes in our personal and professional lives can affect our physical health. If this is the case, sometimes counseling or talking to someone about this can help separate the two and focus on the real issue, not just the symptoms.)

For many of us what we're looking for is support. The majority of us deep down inside know what isn’t working and what is right for us but for whatever reason, it's tough to do on our own. Some of us need that exercise buddy, that running buddy, that study buddy, the buddy that you take turns being a shoulder to cry on or that buddy that you vent with, that "buddy" to help you get up and going on the days that are tough to be motivate on yourself.

Where do you find that buddy?

Pilates Matwork - NOT JUST 'CORE' WORK

2012-05-06T12:23:00.000-04:00

The majority of people who have heard of Pilates associate Pilates with “core” exercises, exercises done on the floor on a mat. Many of us have bought a dvd or video, lied on the floor in front of the TV enthusiastically following the exercises presented by Mari Winsor or one of the many Stott dvds or the Pilates for Dummies instructor. Perhaps you’ve taken the weekly office Pilates mat class, or gone to the local community centre every Tuesday night to lie on the floor doing Pilates. However you started Pilates, it was probably on the mat. And it was great at the beginning – feeling more energized, slimmer, more toned, pants and dresses fitting better. In time though, you probably noticed you either reached a plateau, things weren’t getting any trimmer, your ‘core’ was stronger but what about your arms, and legs? The same challenge you felt when you started, wasn’t there anymore. There is more to Pilates mat work than just “core” exercises on the mat. There are so many props and toys that can be used to keep that initial challenge there but more importantly, to get other areas of your body, arms and legs in particular, working. Props such as the Swiss balls, foam rollers, band, rings, toning balls and more. The props and toys are good way to help further challenge the deeper stabilizing muscles thus challenging balance such as the Swiss ball, foam roller, stability cushions. The resistance used during Pilates is never very large however holding a couple of toning balls throughout an entire Pilates class even just a few pounds in each hand, will help work on the deltoids, triceps and biceps giving a more toned arm over time and stronger upper body. Exercises in Pilates aren’t just done lying down. There are exercises that work all planes of movements of the body including rotation. Flexibility is also developed during Pilates, flex bands, foam rollers, Swiss balls and more can all be used to stretch out the legs, upper body, back and more. Posture and articulation of the spine is a large part of Pilates. The body can be benefited in so many ways through Pilates. Pilates mat work is not just “core” exercises.

Some of the areas that can be worked during Pilates mat work:

· Upper body: arms, back, chest, triceps, biceps, deltoids
· Lower body: hamstrings, glutes, abductors, adductors, quadriceps, calves
· Stabilization
· Coordination
· Balance
· Muscular endurance
· Pelvic floor
· Flexibility
· Posture
· Articulation of the spine
· More!

Find out more about the types of classes that can be done in a mat work setting of Pilates. http://www.pilatespatio.com/promotionsOttawa.html

Personal training - Questions to consider

2012-04-09T22:22:00.000-04:00

It can be a tough decision to make when considering personal training. What exactly should you be looking for in a personal trainer? Is personal training for you? How much should you be paying for personal training? How long should you do it for? Where should you do it? What do you want to get out of your sessions? The list of questions goes on. It's a tough decision and finding the right fit and someone who is genuinely interested in you and your life at present how it is, is hard to find. After all, exercise, healthy eating and an overall health life, is a lifestyle, not just something that is done for X months, 3 times a week. It's also not easy to change a lifestyle overnight and that's exactly what is needed to maintain a healthy weight and overall health, a changed lifestyle.

Some of the questions that may be worth considering when shopping around for a personal trainer.

Is personal training for you? (Just because it worked for your friend, it doesn't mean it's going to work for you.)
How much financially do you want to invest in personal training? (While you're doing it for yourself and so it is a financial investment in yourself and you are priceless, it's still something that costs money and deciding how much of your money you want to invest this way in yourself, is worth looking at.)
How long should you do it for? (This can include frequency, how many times per week; how many weeks, months, years; or will you continue with it until you reach a particular goal etc.)
Where should you do it? (There are personal trainers that work for themselves out of their homes or in their own private studios. There are many gyms offer personal training. There are personal training studios that just focus on personal training. Many options to choose from.)
What do you want to get out of your sessions? (Do you want to just exercise and be pushed to your limit? Or do you want to be given a program you do on your own and just review it during your session? Do you want nutrition and a diet plan to be part of your sessions?)
What are your goals? (This is something you to think about before even considering personal training. While the most common goal is "I want to loose weight." you don't necessarily need to go to a personal trainer for that. There are many weight loss programs out there, such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Herbal Magic and more. Really considering what your short, midterm and long term goals are may help determine if a personal trainer is what you're really looking for.)
Do you want a male or female trainer or does it really matter to you?

There are probably many other questions that will come up while you're considering these few listed above.

Our new digs!

2012-04-05T14:39:00.000-04:00

We've moved! Yes, we moved. Not far, just down the hall but we're bigger, better, brighter and closer to the bathroom and front door! Check out our hard wood floors, two rooms, reformer room, matwork room. We have comfortable, clean changerooms. High ceilings, bright sunlight, beautiful artwork and of course, relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.

Pilates Patio
346 Richmond Rd., Suite 210
Ottawa, ON, K2A 0E8
www.pilatespatio.com

SNOWSHOEING

2011-12-13T12:34:00.000-05:00

For those that hate the winter and feel like it drags on and on, getting out and enjoying the season is the best way to make it go by quicker. If you’ve never tried any winter sports or activities, snowshoeing is great winter activity to start off with. It’s as easy as walking.

A bit about snowshoeing. Snowshoes have been around for 6000 years and were one of the earliest forms of transportation. They are as easy to put on as shoes. They are highly maneuverable so you can go where cross country skiers and snowmobiles cannot. Anyone can snowshoe. The learning curve is small with no fancy techniques or theories to learn. Snowshoeing requires a modest level of physical effort and a desire to get out and enjoy the winter weather. Snowshoeing is great for a hike in the woods or for an overnight backpacking trip or alpine climb. It is a very inexpensive activity and great for all ages. So very suitable for the entire family. Simplicity is the one of the biggest assets of this sport. They can be used in all types of snow conditions.

Some things you may not have known about snowshoeing:

· 46% of snowshoers are women

· 12% of snowshoers and children, 7-17 years old

· 55% of snowhsoers are under the age of 45

· 1.4 million people identify themselves as snowshoers

· You burn 45% more calories snowshoeing than walking or running at the same speed.

The physical benefits of snowshoeing:

· Good sport for cross training.

· Low impact and safe

· Provides and aerobics workout combines with strength training and muscle endurance.

· Uses every major muscle group at a relatively high intensity for extended period of time

· Individuals that have substitutes snowshoeing for running during the winter actually improve their running fitness over those who chose to run as their primary source of winter training.

· The demands of snowshoeing can build endurance levels and strengthen quadriceps for runners.

· Muscles used for snowshoeing are similar to those used for walking and hiking hilly terrain. Hip flexors and quadriceps may get more exercise than usual walking due to the lifting motion of each step in snowshoeing.

· Climbing in snowshoes works the hip flexors and extensors, important muscles for cyclists.

· Using poles while snowshoeing gets the upper body moving, conditioning arms, shoulders and back muscles.

Muscles used in snowboarding, continued

2011-12-12T13:00:00.000-05:00

Thighs

Quadriceps and hamstrings play large part in snowboarding. While they do not control your movement and direction as much as the feet and ankles the lower you are the better you balance will be. Maintaining that squatting position requires strength and muscular endurance in the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Hip and glute muscles

These muscles are used to help you steer and carve. It is very common for people who sit all day for work or school to have tight hip flexors. Stretching out the hip flexors is very important. Over all flexibility is also important for snowboarding and injury prevention. There are a number of exercises on the reformer in Pilates that will help strengthen, increase muscular endurance in the quadriceps and hamstrings. Strengthening the glutes and hip flexors as well and stretching out the legs in all planes can be done quite well on the reformer.

Snowboarding is an asymmetrical sport. You’re mounted on the board one leg in front of the other. This means you must be strong in this position but as a result muscle imbalance in the body is likely and the repetitive stress to the muscles of snowboarding can result in postural imbalances leading to injuries. Strengthening both sides of the body equally is important, not just for snowboarding but for all asymmetrical sports.

The lower body does alot of the work in snowboarding. This doesn’t mean the upper body can be neglected. Falling is inevitable. Having the strength to lift and push yourself up off the snow requires some basic upper body strength. When you aren’t picking yourself up off the snow the upper body must be stable. Core strengthening and conditioning is required for this as well as learning how to stabilize the upper body will help.

Breathing doesn’t sound so hard. But efficient and controlled breathing while snowboarding may be tougher. One of the main components of Pilates is breathing, effective, efficient and controlled breathing. Through Pilates training you will learn how to breath efficiently and controlled while being active maximizing your lung capacity and oxygenating your blood throughout your snowboarding.

While snowboarding you’ll need to be able to feel the snow and terrain beneath you. Some kind of proprioceptive training will help with this. This is being able to sense the position, location, orientation and movement of the body and it’s parts. Pilates can offer this in particular on the reformer which allows for more dynamic training.

Pilates can address muscular endurance for various muscles groups including the ones used for snowboarding. Unless you’re a seasoned practitioner of Pilates, you probably will not be able to go through the exercises quickly enough to get your heart rate up enough to benefit cardiovascularly. Some additional cardiovascular exercise is advised.

Ron Fletcher May 29, 1921 - December 6, 2011

2011-12-08T11:52:00.000-05:00

Ron Fletcher

May 29, 1921 - December 6, 2011

The Pilates world lost one of its great visionaries with the passing today of
Ron Fletcher.

Born in 1921, in tiny Dogtown on the Missouri-Arkansas border, from the very beginning Ron's sights were set on the far horizon. Late in his teens, with little formal education and nothing more than a few dollars, a beat-up suitcase and a heart full of dreams, he left the rural south for the lights - and the promise - of New York City.

At first, he found work writing ad copy and taking odd jobs. But a chance attendance at a Martha Graham dance concert changed his life's trajectory and led him to the first of his major callings - dance. With zero formal dance training, but with equal parts certainty, confidence and determination, Ron was able to persuade the indomitable Martha Graham to accept him into her dance company. Working with her - and later with the great visionary choreographer, Yeichi Nimura - Ron found two of the major creative influences in his life. During this period, a nagging knee injury led him to the third - Joseph and Clara Pilates.

Through an illustrious 30-year professional career at the highest levels of the entertainment industry, which included choreography for major Broadway productions, Hollywood movies, the International Ice Capades and nightclubs and cabarets from Chicago to Paris to New Orleans, Ron's work with Joseph and Clara Pilates was a constant to which he returned year after year. Through the travails and vicissitudes of the entertainment industry, as well as through the intense personal challenges of alcoholism, Ron Fletcher continued to work with and learn from the Pilateses. They were his teachers and mentors and he their disciple and protege. From 1968 to 1971 - following Joseph Pilates' death - Ron studied with Clara Pilates as he began to forge the idea that would engage him for the rest of his life - the development, evolution and dissemination of the Pilates method.

In 1971, in a move largely credited with preserving Pilates for the world to experience, Ron opened the first Pilates studio on the west coast, in Beverly Hills, California. Once there, he was hailed by the local and national press as a fitness guru and the publicity he received upon opening his studio was nothing short of phenomenal. In 1978, he published his now-famous book, "Every Body is Beautiful" to rave reviews. And, as Clara Pilates had encouraged him to do, he continued to develop the Pilates method, incorporating into it revolutionary concepts and techniques such as Percussive Breathing, Fletcher Towelwork, Floorwork and Barrework.

In 2003, Ron authorized and endorsed The Ron Fletcher Program of Study, a comprehensive curriculum and school developed to disseminate his unique vision of the Pilates method. The Program of Study received formal state licensure in 2007 and is currently taught at 5 campuses in the United States, as well as in 8 countries around the world.

Ron Fletcher was a generous and spirited teacher, a hands-on mentor, a gifted soul with the heart of a lion, and a master teacher uniquely guided by the graces of his divine higher power. As he was loved by others, so too did he love deeply in return. His clear blue eyes never ceased to twinkle, his sharp mind never failed him and he was alert and articulate to the very end. We who knew and loved him best will miss him deeply and we wish him godspeed and good graces on the side to which he now has passed.

A memorial service is planned for May 5, 2012 in Tucson, Arizona. Per Ron's request, donations can be made, in his memory, to your favorite animal charity or cause.

Photo by Dan Borris

To learn more about the Ron Fletcher method of Pilates:

http://www.fletcherpilates.com/

Muscles used in Snowboarding

2011-12-07T11:41:00.000-05:00

Some of the primary muscles used when snowboarding are core muscles (abdominals, back, pelvic floor), foot/ankle muscles, upper leg muscles, hip and glute muscles.

Core Muslces

A great deal of balance is required when snowboarding so your core muscles (abdominals, back and pelvic floor muscles) will be working and need to be strong. All the exercise in Pilates use these muscles in some form whether as the prime mover or as a stabilizer. Either way they are being strengthened and toned all of which increase your stability and balance while snowboarding.

Feet and Ankles

Your feet are connected to the snowboard, your feet and ankles muscles are working to help you make cuts and turns so injuries to the ankles are quite common while snowboarding. Wrist fractures and sprains, shoulder injuries due to impact from falls and neck whiplash are also common when snowboarding. Increasing the strength in the tendons and ligaments of the ankles, wrists, shoulder and neck can help to minimize injury. Pilates can help with strengthening and toning these areas. Learning to stabilize the shoulder girdle through Pilates exercises will help strengthen muscles, tendons and ligaments in these areas. Specific exercises for these areas are also available on the mat and reformer. There is plenty of reformer work for the feet, calves and ankles. Pilates is done without shoes so the muscles in the feet and ankles must work.

Cross country skiing

2011-12-06T12:17:00.000-05:00

Cross country skiing is not only a great way of enjoying the outdoors in the winter but also a nice full body workout. There are three main muscle groups used when cross country skiing, upper body, core and legs.

In the upper body the swinging action of the poles to push off the snow involves the triceps, back of the upper arm, biceps front of the upper arm and pectoralis major, chest muscles, are used. The triceps and biceps work together when using a diagonal cross country ski stride. When planting both poles in the snow to push off, mostly the biceps are used. When using the skate ski technique, the triceps are mostly used. The pectoralis major muscles are used when using the pole planting technique. The latissimus dorsi muscles are used, mostly in the double pole planting technique.

In the lower body, the gluteus maximus, largest muscles of the buttocks, are used quite a bit in cross country skiing especially in the skate skiing technique, to extend the hip and rotate the leg outwards. The constant pushing off with the legs to gain forward movement involves various muscles of the legs. For example when using the diagonal cross skiing technique the gastrocnemius muscle, calf muscle, is used to both plantar flex the ankle “point your toe” and to flex the knee. This muscle is used quite vigorously in diagonal cross-country skiing. The sartorius muscle, thin muscle running diagonally from the upper part of the outside of the thigh to the lower inside of the thigh is used in the diagonal and skate skiing techniques to help abduct the leg, i.e. move the leg away from the body. The rectus femoris, one of the four muscles making up the quadriceps, is also used to flex the hip and extend the knee.

The abdominal muscles, the rectus abdominus extending from the ribs to the pelvis, are used quite a bit in cross country skiing, especially in the double pole plant technique.

A combination of reformer and matwork will help target all the muscle groups used most when cross country skiing. Matwork targeting the abdominal and the reformer used to target the lower body, arms and chest.

Snowboarding

2011-12-05T12:33:00.000-05:00

Snow boarding is slowly growing since it was invented in 1965 reaching a peak in the 1990s. Consistently increasing in popularity since. Over half of the snow boarders are aged 7-17 and 25% are women. One out of every eight snowboarders is between the ages of 25-44. (18-30years are the largest group) People are taking up this sport at every age.

So what are some of the physical benefits of snowboarding? It’s a physical activity so you’re getting out and about and moving, even if it’s just falling and getting back up again, which is great if your life is relatively sedentary or spent indoors. Recreational snowboarding can burn up to 630 calories/hour and competitive snowboarding, double that!

What is required physically of a snowboarder? A high degree of strength and balance to transition from edge to edge while maintaining balance despite the changes in terrain, speed and weather conditions are necessary.

With the different types of snowboarding there are a different set of challenges.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SNOWBOARDING:

Giant slalom and slalom events are ‘carving” or “downhill” racing events. i.e. the snowboarder runs gates on a dual course like skiing. Longer boards and harder boots are needed for this. When carving at high speeds the boarder’s body faces down the hill most of the time. A high degree of concentric, eccentric and isometric strength is needed to perform well.

Halfpipe, slopestyle and Boardercross events are “free riding” or “all mountain” boarding with spinning flipping, jumping and landing

Skating and Pilates

2011-12-02T13:28:00.000-05:00

Pilates is a form of overall strength and conditioning used in the development of strong core muscles also focusing on breathing, balance, and range of motion. Pilates helps increase joint stability and strengthens deep core muscles as a result leading to injury prevention and improved athletic performance. Even the most basic Pilates exercises can be incorporated into a regular sports-conditioning or fitness regimen such as in a warm up or as a means of working on (neuromuscular) coordination.

Pilates focuses on deeper muscle groups or local stabilizers. These muscles are key when controlling joint movement and maintaining joint stability. Pilates starts training the joints at lower loads and then slowly progresses to strengthening eccentrically (when the muscle fibres lengthen) which will in turn help control the deceleration movements.

Most sports require both mental and physical skill. Pilates allows for the training of both, mental and physical, by requiring a certain level of mental awareness of what the body is doing. Training the mind to be aware of what the body is doing while physically training the body and its muscles will then translate into a mental awareness of the body’s movements during sports performance such as skating.

When skating a certain amount of lower body strength is required. Balance is also necessary so a certain amount of core strength is required. Upper body strength is not as crucial when skating unless skating is part of a sport. i.e. hockey, speed skating, figure skating, ringette etc.

Muscles used when skating are the muscles in the lower body, specifically the calves (gastrocnemius and soleus) and front of the shins (tibialis anterior) to move the ankle joint during the push-off and gliding phases of skating.

Quadriceps and hamstrings to extend and flex the knee, respectively, during the push off and gliding movements when skating.

Gluteus maximus to help extend the hip joint, abductors and gluteus medius to move the leg away from the body (abducting the leg) and external rotators muscles to help turn the leg and kneecap outwards. These are all movements that are commonly used when skating.

Abdominal muscles help keep the trunk of the body stable, helping maintain balance, while the lower part of the body is working.

All these muscle groups can be strengthened through a combination of Pilates exercises on the reformer and mat making skating more enjoyable.

Alpine Skiing

2011-11-30T10:56:00.000-05:00

All muscles perform an action. All movements we perform throughout out our day are made up of a combination of these individual actions performed by out muscles. As a result, more than one muscle is involved in any one movement. So it is reasonable to expect that training for a particular sport or activity involving many different and complex movements of the body would require training a group of muscles. For Alpine skiing the main group of muscles that are used to perform the movement are in the lower body. In particular the groups of muscles are hip muscles, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and muscles in the feet. These muscles groups can be further broken down to the gluteus medius, peroneus longus, adductor longus, gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, biceps fermoris and semimembranosis. (refer to the links and pictures on the website for these muscles and actions.) Let’s have a look at the actions of the body that these muscles can perform.

Gluteus Medius – anterior fiber abduct (move away) and internally rotate the thigh. The posterior fibers externally rotate the thigh
Peroneus Longus – dorsi and plantar flexes the foot (flexes and points the ankles, respectively)
Adductor Longus – adducts, flexes and internally rotates the thigh
Gluteus maximus – extends the hip, externally rotate the thigh, abducts the thigh and assists to stabilize the knee when fully extended
Rectus femoris – extends knee; flexes the hip
Vastus intermedius – extends the knee
Biceps femoris – flexes (bends) the knee and extends (opens up) the hip
Semimembranosis – extends the hip, flexes the knee and pulls the medial meniscus posteriorly during knee flexion (when knee is bent)
While the lower body is working to perform the movement what is the upper body doing? Without good balance, you’ll fall over while skiing downhill. As a result the ‘core’ muscles need to be strong to maintain stability while skiing. These include the abdominal muscles, muscles of the spine and lower back and pelvic floor muscles.

When muscles are performing actions they are contracting in some way. Either concentrically (shortening) or eccentrically (lengthening). When skiing the muscles contract eccentrically. So the muscle is lengthening when it contracts to perform the movement. An example of this would be while you’re skiing you’re in a squatted position using your quadriceps in the same way you would when walking down stairs or in a lengthening or eccentric manner. The rate of the contraction of the muscle is slower compared to running and other activities. A reason for this is that the hip angle doesn’t change much while turning in skiing so the speed of the contraction is relatively slow.

From all this information we can gather that training for skiing should focus on the lower body, eccentrically and at a fairly slow rate of contraction. So slow, controlled movements concentrating on technique will better maximize the benefits of the exercise for the purposes of alpine skiing.

A combination of exercises on the mat and reformer can help get you improve your physical condition for skiing. The resistance provided on the reformer allows for a larger variety of exercises for the lower body. All area of the legs can be strengthened, lying down, sitting and standing. Balance can also be incorporated with these exercises giving the core muscles a chance to develop. All exercises in Pilates involve the ‘core’ muscles including the pelvic floor. Whether these muscles are used as stabilizers or as prime mover, the abdominals are always engaged in Pilates and while skiing.

Staying energized during vacation season

2011-11-29T13:27:00.000-05:00

With the holiday season coming up not only is it a rush to get ready for the actual holiday it is also an increasing struggle to keep from putting on a few pounds and feeling less than 100%. There are all sort of statistics on the number of pounds gained during the holiday season. It’s all very confusing but it seems to be on average about 1 pound is put on during the holiday season. For those that are already overweight this number is higher. Doesn’t sound like much but that 1 pound is hard to loose come January. Over time these pounds add up. There are tonnes of lists on how to prevent weight gain over the holiday period.

SUMMARIZING THE MOST COMMON POINTS........

Eat before the party. (But eat sensibly. A healthy snack, yogurt, fruit, granola..something small but filling and satisfying so that when you get to the party you don’t inhale all the cookies and treats.)
Have one truly sinful treat (..that is satisfying and enjoy it. It’s important not to deprive yourself during the holiday season. You don’t want to feel left out when everyone else is indulging and you’re not. After all, it’s a festive time of the year, enjoy yourself.)
Account for what you eat. (This will help anytime of the year. Keeping a food diary helps keep track of everything that you’re putting into your mouth. If you start loosing track, you’ve probably eaten too much.)
Don’t taste all the food you prepare over the holidays. (If you’ve been entrusted to prepare meals for the holidays, your food probably tastes great.)
Stay active during the holiday season.(Walking to the groceries or parking a little further away from the entrance in the parking lot are all great ways to maintain activity. But if you were going to the gym or doing some sort of regular activities, don’t give it up just because it’s the holidays. A temporary reduction of activities may be necessary but take an exercise break and go to the gym or go to your exercise class and enjoy the time away from all the hustle and bustle. One caution though, try not to use exercising during the holidays as an excuse to eat more. Usually there is an overestimation of how many calories were burned when exercising vs. the number of calories you’re putting into yourself.)
Don’t skip meals.(Eating frequent small meals will help keep the metabolism up.)
Socialize. (Talk and catch up with friends and family rather than just eating with them
Stay hydrated. (Drink constantly, before and during meals. However, drinking alcohol will limit inhibitions and most tend to eat more when they drink alcohol. So try to drink non alcoholic beverages. Not only will you feel fuller but you will feel better.)
Fill up on sensible foods.
Eat smaller portions.
Stay away from snacks. (If you must snack, try sensible options.)
Lots of points to keep in mind. Keep it real simple…eat sensibly, get plenty of rest and take exercise breaks.