Pilates Manhattan Blog

Pilates for Men

mongoosebodyworks — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:24:04 +0000

Men have been a bit slower to sign on to a Pilates program
then women, but the gap is beginning to close. Men do Pilates for the same
reason women do; to get in shape, stay in shape, recover from an injury, improve
a sport, look better and feel better. It is more common that men come to Pilates because they have been referred to a studio by their DR. or wife to remedy their aching back, herniated disc, poor posture etc. and less so because they are
curious about Pilates. But however it is that they get here, they tend to stay.
The myth that Pilates is easy is soon broken and once they start to see changes
they are hooked. Men that do Pilates tend to fall into the a few categories:
men who don’t like to exercise and therefore find Pilates more enjoyable then
the typical workout, men who love to exercise and want yet another modality to
challenge themselves with, men who have an injury and NEED Pilates, and men who
sit a lot and want to reverse their slumped posture. Which is really not all that
much different from women!

Mongoose Bodyworks

A boutique Pilates studio in Soho, NYC

Relief from back pain- Pilates

mongoosebodyworks — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:06:52 +0000

Pilates has become well known for its ability to alleviate back pain. I have even had
orthopedists and back surgeons referring clients to our Pilates Studio. Of course
not every teacher is equipped to handle each case. An instructor who has been
through an average Pilates program will most likely have learned some anatomy
and is familiar with a few back issues as well as the contraindications for
these conditions. If the teacher has been teaching more than 3 years it is possible
that she/he has taken continuing education in spinal pathologies. It is best to
read the instructor’s bio or to simple ask them if they have had experience with
your condition. There are also Pilates schools that are much more thorough, and
a graduate from one of the more comprehensive schools will produce a teacher
who can handle back issues on day one. At my studio, Mongoose Bodyworks we see
clients with spondylothesis, spondylolisthesis, stenosis, arthritis, scoliosis,
osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease and other disc pathologies. With each
of these conditions the mechanics of the spine become essential to the clients quality
of life. We can’t necessarily reverse the condition but a lot can be done to
manage the pain and facilitate an active life style.

Halle Clarke

Mongoose
Bodyworks

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Best Pilates Studio in NYC

mongoosebodyworks — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:58:25 +0000

Mongoose Bodyworks opened in Soho, NYC in 1999 and is owned and operated by one time professional modern dancer Halle Clarke. Originally conceived as a boutique Pilates studio, Mongoose Bodyworks has expanded to offer massage, Reiki and Cranio-Sacral Therapy.

Clients come to Mongoose Bodyworks because they know they will receive the best Pilates that NYC can offer. All of the instructors come from schools with comprehensive
training and a focus on anatomy and biomechanics. This high level of instruction
ensures that your Pilates sessions will change your body.

The goals of the clientele at Mongoose Bodyworks range from alleviation of pain to getting a balanced and challenging workout. Sessions can be taken as Privates, Duets or Small Group Classes, and all sessions incorporate the Pilates equipment. Our philosophy is to empower our clients to learn how to move in a way that builds a strong and pain free body.

Mongoose Bodyworks is committed to providing you with the best Pilates experience possible. Start your path to well being at this established NYC Pilates studio located in
the heart of SOHO.

Mongoose Bodyworks

soho, NYC,

What is Pilates Fusion?

mongoosebodyworks — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:56:46 +0000

Pilates is an exercise technique
that was developed about 80 years ago and has had a growing popularity in the
last 20. In the even more recent years it has become common to combine Pilates
with other techniques such as yoga, ballet or even tango. So what exactly does
that mean? It probably means something different in each case. There are a lot
of attributes that makes Pilates “Pilates”. There is the choreography (the
movements themselves), the specialized Pilates equipment and the principles
(the philosophy behind the movements.) Some of these fusion techniques are
simply adding in Pilates mat exercises into the movements of yoga or fitness
training. Other times fusion classes may be incorporating the ideas of engaging
the core to stabilize the lumbar spine, a uniquely Pilates principle. And some even use the Pilates equipment but
have made up new exercises on them. Each of these examples may have some level
of success. And I suppose it really
boils down to what your goals are and why you have enrolled in the class in the
first place.

The thing that Pilates does best is simultaneously reeducate
movement patterns while increasing strength and flexibility. The result is a
happier, stronger, better aligned body. I can’t help but think that the best
solution is to take Pilates on its own and then also take your ballet, tango
yoga etc. Otherwise you may be missing out on the depth that Pilates has to
offer. However, it is a testament to effectiveness of Pilates that so many
other movement genres have tried to fuse with it. For Pilates based in the idea
of alignment and strength come visit us at Mongoose Bodyworks, a boutique Pilates
studio in Soho, NYC.

Halle Clarke

Mongoose Bodyworks

Pilates, Soho, NYC

Pilates and Sciatica Relief

mongoosebodyworks — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:43:10 +0000

The term sciatica refers to the symptoms associated with
irritation to the sciatic nerve. The symptoms may include numbness, tingling,
loss of sensation or weakness on the affected leg. The condition that causes
the nerve irritation is either from disc pathology, muscle tension in the
piriformis and gluteal muscles or restriction in the neural sheath that encases
the nerve. Once the cause of the nerve symptoms are identified then the proper exercise
can be performed. A comprehensively trained Pilates instructor should be equipped
to handle such situations. If the nerve compression is coming from the disc
then the Pilates instructor will teach the lumbo-pelvis stabilization exercises
that are central to the Pilates Method. If the symptoms are stemming from muscular
or neural tension, the instructor can demonstrate
simple and safe release exercises that will undo some of this tension as well
as introduce correct movement patterns to insure that the piriformis muscle doesn’t
tense up again. Many of these exercises can be done at home once they are
properly learned. Stretching usually is done in the late phase of retraining,
as when it is performed while the sciatic nerve is inflamed it may re-irritate
the area.

All of our instructors at Mongoose Bodyworks can work with
clients suffering from sciatica. If you have sciatica please feel free to
contact us with any questions or to make an appointment.

Halle Clarke

www.mongoosebodworks.com

info@mongoosebw.com

A boutique Pilates Studio in Soho , NYC

Prenatal Pilates in NYC

mongoosebodyworks — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:40:47 +0000

During the mid to late stages of pregnancy the body begins to
secrete relaxin, a hormone that softens the ligaments throughout the body. This
loosening of the joints allows the pelvic basin to open during childbirth. The side effect of relaxin is that all of
joints in the body are more susceptible to misalignment, especially those in
the lower back and pelvis. Pilates exercises to strengthen the “inner unit” can
directly address this hyper mobility. Pilates uses breathing and gentle
exercises to bring strength and awareness into the pelvic floor, multifidi and
transverse abdominals. The combination of these three muscles creates stability
and control in the low back and pelvis. Creating stability can avert pain and
nerve related issues, such as sciatica, that are so common during pregnancy.

If you are interested in prenatal Pilates in NYC you can
contact us at info@mongoosebodyworks.com.

Halle Clarke

www.mongoosebodyworks.com

A boutique Pilates studio in NYC

Can Pilates gives me a flat belly?

mongoosebodyworks — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:15:23 +0000

I need to get my stomach flat and I cannot get on the floor or
put pressure on my knees. What exercises can I do?

A flat stomach is the result of using both
the inner outer unit muscles of the pelvis. The inner unit is the pelvic floor,
multifidi and transverse abdominals. The outer unit are more global muscles
such as the obliques and rectus abdominus. And of course cardio work is necessary if
weight loss is needed.

It is the inner unit that is most often over
looked. Pilates exercises are designed to cue the inner unit first so that a
strong base is created before one starts to move. With your limitations you
will need to do exercises that are either standing or sitting. Let’s start with
a simple standing exercise to engage the inner unit.

Stand with your feet parallel, your spine
long and your head looking straight ahead. Put one hand on your belly and one
on your lower back, wherever is comfortable. Before starting imagine that the
top of your head is lengthening up to the ceiling. Even just this small
movement can start the engagement of the inner unit. Take a breath into your
lower belly and as you exhale draw your hands in towards the center of your
body, so you are narrowing your body from front to back. Your pelvis and back
should not change position. In Pilates this is called a “belly breath”.You can
also do this with your hands on the sides of your waist and as you exhale
imagine that the sides of your waist are also drawing in as you lengthen the
spine upward. Each of these exercises should be done 10X. If you start to get
dizzy , you should stop immediately. When you feel better start again but this
time do the exercises sitting down with smaller breathes. These exercises can
be done 3x a day to start to build endurance into these muscles.

Good luck!

Or come visit us at our Soho, NYC Pilates
Studio.

Halle Clarke

www.mongoosebodyworks.com

594 Broadway #904

New York, NY 10012

Pilates in Soho, NYC

Pilates studio in Soho, NYC

mongoosebodyworks — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:40:09 +0000

I was very fortunate to begin my studies with the late Kathy
Grant at NYU in downtown NYC. These first experiences set the tone for the
kind of teacher I wanted to become. Twelve years later I opened my own pilates studio
in Soho NYC. At this time I was active in teaching workshops in a conference setting. My workshops were generally about the use of imagery and bio mechanics. In 2002, I presented in the second
Body-Mind-Spirit conference in Santa Clara, CA where a met Nora St. John. That
relationship led to being in the first round of teachers hired for the now
international faculty of Balanced Body. I
currently host Pilates certification workshops for Balanced Body at Mongoose
Bodyworks.

Halle Clarke

www.mongoosebodyworks.com

A boutique Pilates studio in Soho, NYC. Come visit us! All levels are welcome.

Pilates teaching tips

mongoosebodyworks — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 18:54:57 +0000

As the owner of a Mongoose Bodyworks , an established Pilates studio in Soho , NYC , I have the privilege to hire new teachers and to watch them grow into really wonderful practitioners. The ones who really blossom are the ones that are continually committed to learning. Although most certification programs have continuing education requirements, they are usually only a fraction of what one can do. Take Pilates workshops as often as you can!
I would also suggest developing a sense of touch. Using your hands to guide and inform your Pilates clients in both subtle and direct ways is an invaluable way to boost your means to communicate.

Halle Clarke

www.mongoosebodyworks.com

Pilates Soho NYC

Soho pilates studio owner talks about Pilates and injury

mongoosebodyworks — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:00:28 +0000

Here is an article Stacy from zeel.com wrote.

There’s no doubt that shaping up after a big fall can be tough. That’s one of the reasons why Pilates can be so incredibly useful, says Zeel expert and NYC studio owner Halle Clarke.

When it comes to rehabilitation (whether due to injury or to years of inactivity), it’s not just about getting back to a place of physical fitness; it’s equally important for your muscles to relearn certain movements that may have become inhibited over time. Pilates does just that, and can be applied as both an exercise and a neuromuscular re-patterning technique. Halle explains what you need to know.

Compensation patterns. Imagine this. If you hurt your left leg, naturally, you’ll start placing more weight on your right leg to compensate for the injured limb. As you begin to heal, you continue to place added pressure on the right leg because your muscles have become accustomed to functioning in a new manner—even if it’s a less efficient one. In the end, that added weight can cause a domino effect of discomfort and injuries. Pilates offers a gentle way to prevent or reverse these patterns.

Time heals all wounds. If a muscle becomes severely strained, you may need a few weeks to allow your body to heal, depending on the nature of the injury, before you can really take the muscle through its full range of motion. Yet this rest period can turn into a real balancing act. The longer you wait to start moving again, the more likely it is that your body will begin to create patterns of compensation. Pilates may be gentle enough to reintroduce movement to the muscle without exacerbating the injury.

Muscular re-patterning. When injured or de-conditioned, muscles essentially suffer memory loss, as noted by the example above. Some muscles will begin to contract too quickly, some too slowly, and some not at all. Pilates can re-pattern the muscles. Through this re-education process, it’s possible to instruct the muscles when to become active and fire, when to contract, and how to do it.

A friendly reminder. As you now know, without re-patterning, your muscles can develop compensated habits. Ultimately, this causes them to work inefficiently, leading to all sorts of physical aches and ailments. Proper movement doesn’t reinstate itself. Rather, your muscles need to be reminded of what it feels like to engage in healthier, more efficient patterns – which Pilates is perfect for. Many pain issues can be resolved by coordinating muscle movement in this manner.

www.mongoosebodyworks.com

Pilates in Soho, NYC