tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27021694698491364072024-02-19T19:07:07.847-05:00Heid PilatesJesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-79147922233023672752013-05-09T10:46:00.000-04:002013-05-09T10:48:39.934-04:00Music and MovementI have the most creative group of clients. I really do! For being in a small community, I have been blessed with clients who are gifted in so many areas and music is one of them. I have found it particularly interesting that as I have given them corrections, one will say "I hear that all the time from my [instrument] teacher " or "That is something I focus on a lot as I play my [instrument]". <br />
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So, what is this correlation of music and movement? Most of us are aware that ballet and Pilates go hand in hand, but music and Pilates? Well, for one thing, musicians, like dancers, have to be very aware of technique, posture, and placement to prolong their careers. And if these things are not in place, there will be consequences, often life-altering ones. I was acquainted with a young 20-something pianist who had to retrain, starting back from the very beginning, due to tendonitis in his wrists and forearm strain due to poor alignment while playing. <br />
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The other thing is breath. Musicians are very aware of their breathing patterns, even if they don't play a wind instrument. It helps with phrasing, posture, relaxation and coordination. The difference is the type of breath. Dancers are used to holding their abs in and breathing through the expanse of the ribcage, expanding the intercostal muscles in a thoracic breathing method. Most musicians use the diaphragmatic breath associated with the belly breathing technique more utilized in yoga. But, nonetheless, breath is so very important for movement! So, as I instruct my clients to breathe in the "Pilates way" during our Pilates sessions, I also stress the importance of simply breathing and not getting stressed about it so much as to impede our exercises. <br />
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Let me introduce you to three of these awesome musicians:<br />
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Mary, my fabulous flautist, flutist, flute player, whichever term you prefer, who never stops moving:<br />
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Barry, my amazing pianist, who, by the way, has equally amazing feet, from a ballet dancer's point of view:</div>
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Lucy, a world-traveling violinist with the most gorgeous British accent you could ever imagine:</div>
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When I told Lucy to keep her shoulders out of a certain exercise, she said her violin teacher tells her that all the time, which led to our conversation about the similarities between the practice of music and Pilates. This is what first sparked my interest in writing this blog post. So, thank you to these wonderful people for sharing a bit of themselves with the rest of us!</div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-39882349928558006712012-11-22T23:53:00.001-05:002012-11-23T20:15:19.121-05:00Four Lengthening ExercisesI have a really fun client, Pat, and she is helping me demonstrate these four lengthening exercises. We are starting with a warm-up exercise that stretches the body, then we move on to Single Straight Leg Stretch, Roll Over, and Balance Control. Before you say anything about not being able to do one or more of these, please take note that Pat is a septuagenarian. (I really hope she doesn't mind me saying that!)<br />
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For our warm-up exercise, we are starting lying on our backs in neutral spine, with the knees bent, feet in line with hips. </div>
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From here, on an inhale we extend our right leg and left arm, keeping the foot flexed and on the floor, and the arm just hovering above of the ear. (Taking the arm to the floor tends to pop the ribs upward.) This should feel (I try not to say that since we all "feel" things differently, but I'm saying it anyway *wink*) very lengthening, with the energy flowing out the fingertips overhead and the extended heel. The oppositional stretch is elongating the middle of the body.</div>
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We return to the original position on the exhale by floating the arm down and dragging the heel back into place. </div>
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Then, we do the same thing on with the right arm and left leg...</div>
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... holding for the stretch, then returning it back to the starting position. </div>
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After repeating this 2-3 times per side, we will transition into moving both arms and legs at the same time, being careful not to take the lower back out of neutral position as we do so. Repeat 2-3 times.</div>
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The second exercise Pat is demonstrating for us is the <strong>Single Straight Leg Stretch</strong>. Starting on our backs, we raise the left leg up toward the sky with the right leg pressing into the floor. On an exhale, we lift our head, neck and shoulders off the mat, inhaling to grab hold of the shin or ankle, making sure the lower back is imprinting into the mat. On the exhale, we are gently drawing the leg closer towards our bodies for a soft double-pulse. </div>
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Inhaling to switch legs, we exhale to do a double-pulse on the right leg with the left leg securely pressing into the floor. Note that the body does not change position as the legs switch. </div>
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Notice that Pat's feet are reaching through the arches without pointing the toes, which makes for less foot cramping. This also feels great with flexed feet for even more stretch in the hamstrings!</div>
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**The next two exercises should not be done if there are shoulder or neck injuries.**</div>
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The third exercise is <strong>Roll Over</strong>. This is one of those exercises that requires a good deal of lower back flexibility. Make sure to stay off the neck at all times, and allow the triceps to help out a good deal when learning this exercise. With these inverted exercises, the focus isn't necessarily how far back the legs are going, but how much the spine is being supported in flexion. So, keep pulling the abdominals toward the spine at all times! We are not simply folding the body!</div>
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Starting with both feet aiming toward the sky, we lower the legs down just below 90 degrees, then pressing the sits bones (or sitz bones, if you prefer) up towards the sky as the legs swing overhead, feet reaching toward the back wall on the inhale. </div>
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We need to remember in this position (I repeat) to stay off the neck and stay on the shoulder blades. We can either keep the legs parallel to the floor, or as Pat is showing, touching the toes to the floor behind our head. *wow*</div>
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On the exhale, we roll through the spine, articulating so that we feel each vertebra coming down, increasing the mobility of the spine. Here too, the triceps can engage to keep the roll down from speeding up and the hips from crashing to the mat. The tricep work will decrease as this exercise becomes easier over time. This exercise can be repeated 3-6 times.</div>
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The last exercise begins the same as the Roll Over. To transition into the <strong>Balance Control</strong>, as our feet are behind our heads, the arms swim around to the sides and reach back to the feet. </div>
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Holding on to one of the ankles, the other foot floats up as high as we can make it go as we complete an exhale. The tendency here is to roll back down onto the hips. One hint to making this exercise fly is to extend the arms away from the top of the head, reaching the held ankle as far away from the head as possible. </div>
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Inhaling to switch legs (reaching the arms overhead along the floor)...</div>
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And exhaling to switch legs. Repeat 4-6 times, or 2-3 sets total.</div>
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Finishing with both legs back, we roll through the spine, just like in the Roll Over.</div>
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So there we have it! These exercises are all great for making the spine feel more mobile and elongated. Thanks so much to Pat for letting me photograph her (Check out her awesome hand-knit socks!) and for demonstrating these wonderful exercises. I want to be like Pat in 30 years: young at heart and young in spine!</div>
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<em>"The art of contrology proves that the only real guide to your true age lies not in years or how you THINK you feel but as you ACTUALLY are as infallibly indicated by the degree of natural and normal flexibility enjoyed by your spine throughout life."</em> </div>
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~ Joseph Pilates in <u>Return to Life Through Contrology</u></div>
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Happy Thanksgiving!</div>
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Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-91926602456282900882012-07-26T00:26:00.001-04:002012-07-26T00:33:33.681-04:00Deeper Roots - Not So Pilates Related OK, so this doesn't really have much to do with Pilates, but it is certainly noteworthy. Emma and I went to the ballet tonight, the pas de deux evening, at the amphitheater in Chautauqua, NY. I had heard from a new acquaintance that Cynthia Gregory, a famous ballerina from American Ballet Theatre in the '70's and '80's was going to be visiting a friend in Chautauqua today. I carried my camera to the ballet studios where the kids took classes this afternoon in hopes of seeing her there, but she was nowhere to be found. After that I sort of forgot about the whole thing... A lost cause. Then, during intermission at the ballet performance tonight, I spot her. No doubt it's her. None. This is a woman who was one of THE ABT ballerinas of my formative years. What an icon. And here she was, in view. I prodded Emma to go get her autograph, then promptly kicked myself for not going and getting a grainy picture of her with Emma with my cell phone camera. I then texted Mark, he sent Charlie down to the amp with my real camera, and we moved our seats a few rows behind hers to catch her at the end of the show. I was so giddy and nervous my plan wouldn't work. All the little Workshop II girls streamed by her as everyone exited, not knowing who they were passing, and I was swimming against the flow, desperately trying to get to her without looking like I was stalking her. I was star struck, to say the least, and a couple hours later as I am writing this, I am still a bit jumpy. But she was so lovely, so beautiful, so sweet, and was happy to take a picture with us. I look like a deer in headlights because I just couldn't believe my eyes. There she was. And we were with her. It was a moment I won't forget.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The lovely Cynthia Gregory with Emma and me in Chautauqua, NY.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-49907916218963920612012-07-12T12:34:00.000-04:002012-07-12T13:10:57.604-04:00Roots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday I returned to my roots and took my annual ballet class, ballet being the thing that led me to Pilates. The special thing about it was that I took class standing at the barre next to my lovely 11 year-old daughter, Emma. This was the first time we've taken class together as students, not as teacher and student. It was fun cheering each other on silently as we executed the combinations in different groups. As Emma is trying so hard to create the muscle memory needed for ballet technique, my muscle memory kicked in, in overdrive, while the muscles didn't really have the capacity to follow through. Thankfully, I had enough of it left because of all my Pilates and Booty Barre work to get through most of class. I even surprised myself with some things, like the height of my arabesque which I am certain came from keeping my spinal muscles strong and healthy with Pilates. It is truly amazing how the body remembers movement when you have had enough repetition. It just hit home to me that even when we don't have as much time to practice Pilates as we would like, there are always benefits that we are receiving, and the body is slowly but surely filing the information for us, either in our brains or muscles. Let's not psych ourselves out by saying we are not in good enough shape to take a Pilates class, but come as you are, be smart, use modifications where necessary, and accept where you are today, making it a stepping stone for what's to come tomorrow!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Emma, with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. Emma just completed her first summer ballet workshop at the Chautauqua Ballet School. JP and Patty are the directors of the Chautauqua Ballet School and Company in the summers, North Carolina Dance Theatre during the year, as well as former stars of the New York City Ballet.</span>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-57881980750142528982012-07-03T15:05:00.001-04:002012-07-03T15:10:36.401-04:00The Booty Barre!I just got word this morning that I am now officially a certified Booty Barre instructor! I'm really excited to be adding this to my repertoire. Check out the website (<a href="http://www.thebootybarre.com/">www.thebootybarre.com</a>) for more information on this full-body workout that is so intense, one of my clients has said it is tougher than P90X! And this particular (female) client flies Black Hawks! So there!<br />
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Booty Barre incorporates Pilates, yoga, and a bit of dance to make for a great hour where you don't waste a second. And this workout is <em>not</em> limited to females. Men are fully welcome to join in the fun. I will be teaching the Plus class as well as the Flex N Flow class at Evangelical Fitness Center at 210 JPM Rd, Lewisburg, PA starting the last week of August. (I'm teaching Pilates in Chautauqua, NY until then.) The Fitness Center's phone number is 570.524.2600 and the website is <a href="http://www.evanhospital.com/health-and-wellness/fitness">http://www.evanhospital.com/health-and-wellness/fitness</a>.<br />
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On the good side of this, it is exciting to see all the bright-eyed, unjaded young ladies as they are already so determined in life. I remember being there, in that state of mind. So much to look forward to. So much ahead. What an exciting time! Somehow I feel it was appropriate to be doing this on my 40th birthday. Milestones all around! I'm still young. I still have lots to look forward to. That's what I tell my clients in Pilates and I believe it for them. Why should I think any differently for myself?</div>
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School of American Ballet, 1989</div>
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Happy to Share! 2012</div>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0Chautauqua, NY 14722, USA42.2086974 -79.46502742.2072274 -79.4674945 42.210167399999996 -79.462559500000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-29704861911138451142012-05-27T14:59:00.000-04:002012-05-27T15:03:06.064-04:00Sad Goodbyes...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a photo of me from about 23 years ago at the beautiful school where I studied ballet with amazing teachers and dancers. This is the Orcutt-Botsford School of Dance (otherwise known as the Enid Knapp Botsford School of Dance) in East Rochester, NY. After Mr. Orcutt's death, the school was purchased by St. John Fisher College, which you can see on the right side of this photo. Sadly, the college chose to dismiss Enid Knapp Botsford's wishes of keeping this amazing spot in the world for world-class ballet training. Instead, the college is moments away from demolishing it to create space for a new school of business. My heart breaks every time I think of this happening. How fortunate I was to be one of the last generations to learn the art of ballet here from esteemed teachers such as Luba Gulyaeva, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jurgen Schneider. At the time, I took the facility for granted, not realizing that most young aspiring dancers do not get to set foot in a place like this. After having a career as a professional ballet dancer as well as a ballet teacher, I now know how special, rare, and irreplaceable this place is. I am saddened that art is once again disregarded. Two others who have graduated from the school have written this lovely article: <a href="http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120517/OPINION02/120516005/Remembering-Enid-Knapp-Botsford-School-Dance">http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120517/OPINION02/120516005/Remembering-Enid-Knapp-Botsford-School-Dance</a><br />
Many memories go along with this school, and those can't be demolished so easily.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-82432242075902308862012-05-27T10:06:00.001-04:002012-05-27T10:07:43.465-04:00Barre Certification DVD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzF5sR5Gb1b05RL940BWafbfqaKHh8V0Ml9QDJGwZi5xm0Rb_VcnPAJOBXvkfvBSEOJtfTVmq8dsFQH1_OlFgc2Jkh0Ldqz-vNUMDrC1RkWLq6liLYY0ePWLP276fJFWcKOmkNLM-bw9oB/s1600/Booty+Barre+Flex+N+Flow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzF5sR5Gb1b05RL940BWafbfqaKHh8V0Ml9QDJGwZi5xm0Rb_VcnPAJOBXvkfvBSEOJtfTVmq8dsFQH1_OlFgc2Jkh0Ldqz-vNUMDrC1RkWLq6liLYY0ePWLP276fJFWcKOmkNLM-bw9oB/s320/Booty+Barre+Flex+N+Flow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Flex N Flow Biceps</div>
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Flex N Flow Stretch</div>
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Post Booty Barre Plus class - Nice and sweaty!</div>
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Two very gracious friends, Erin and Joce, donated time, sweat, and lots of energy to help me create my certification DVD for the Booty Barre, an amazing workout that stems from the Lotte Berk method and incorporates Pilates, dance and yoga. I know my teaching wasn't perfect due to a bit of nerves on my part, but they were the best models ever! I got nervous after completing the arm section that I hadn't actually pressed "play" properly since there wasn't a recording light on the front of the camera. So I ran over quickly to check that before we completed the remainder of the hourlong class to check that it was all OK, which, of course, it was! I could only imagine what Erin and Joce would have done to me if I had put them through a whole class only to not have it record properly! Haha! Then, during the ball section, I dropped the ball as I reached to grab it from behind my knee, and had to run chasing after it like a 2 year-old. I hope the lovely people (and I say that with all honesty as I got to meet two of them at training) at the Booty Barre will be able to see that I've studied and studied and studied for the last three weeks to teach the two types of classes with the integrity that they are seeking. I'm very excited to hear what they think!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-59566057304538577112012-05-13T15:26:00.000-04:002012-07-03T15:13:38.545-04:00Barre AddictSo my first barre class (yesterday) was a moderate success. This week all I did was eat, sleep, and breathe with my Booty Barre manual just so I didn't completely draw a blank in front of a roomful of people. The studio at Evangelical Community Hospital's Fitness Center was packed... I mean packed. It just so happened to be all women, but I heard that some men at the gym just might be curious enough to try it. We moved to the beat as everyone sweat buckets. Most people loved it, or so they told me, yet some people may have tried to shoot me with eye-daggers. I hope to have lots of returning Barre devotees! I think the women who especially want something more cardio than Pilates thought this was a great combination of the principles of Pilates while really getting their heart rate up. Once I get my video in and have it reviewed, I will officially be certified as a Booty Barre instructor, so keep an eye out for it at Evan's Fitness Center! (210 JPM Rd., Lewisburg, 570.524.2600) These classes will be free with membership, which is a great deal if you investigate similar classes across the country!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-26152838207683047432012-05-04T23:36:00.000-04:002012-07-03T15:13:12.426-04:00Booty Barre Certification TrainingI'm currently in Maryland at a weekend-long training session for Tracey Mallett's Booty Barre method. So far, I can still walk, but it's a tough workout and I really prepared ahead of time to make sure I could get through this. Thankfully! If you haven't heard of all the barre methods out there that are quickly becoming mainstream in the fitness world, they stem from the old Lotte Berk method. It's described as a combination of Pilates, yoga, and dance, and it's a full-body workout, so don't let the name fool you. (No dance experience required.)
This particular method, The Booty Barre, is the one I chose after researching oodles of them. It's a lot peppier than some of them. You get to groove to a good beat for the whole class. The movements and positioning are very specific and modifications are provided for many physical issues such as plantar fasciitis, knee pain and back pain. The exercises are taught and executed with integrity. The thing I <i>really</i> love about The Booty Barre is the cardio intervals. Each class has at least two cardio intervals and let me tell you, you feel it! Besides the barre work, the method also includes arm, ab, back extension and flexibility sections in every class.
So watch for The Booty Barre coming soon to Evangelical Community Hospital's Fitness Center in Lewisburg, PA! Join me in some serious fun that will make you feel awesome and keep you coming back again and again!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-37355173384827555202012-04-30T18:26:00.002-04:002012-04-30T18:26:54.564-04:00Pilates on Huffington PostMy husband is a Huffington Post addict and every once in a while I will get sucked into the endless abyss of useful and not so useful information. There are some pretty interesting articles about Pilates on there, and this one, I thought was handy for those on the fence about whether or not to jump into Pilates. The journalists write of the benefits of a single session, and the downside of the cost of getting into a routine of apparatus classes. But the mat classes, they determine, are financially doable. So take a look, and then jump on in to a Pilates class if it strikes your fancy!
<b>"We Tried It: Reformer Pilates"</b>
<a href="http://http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meredith-melnick/pilates-reformer_b_1452732.html"></a>
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meredith-melnick/pilates-reformer_b_1452732.htmlJesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-60744436138937711502012-04-28T23:00:00.000-04:002012-04-28T23:00:32.525-04:00I am so inspired and excited this week! I am not taking the credit for this because my client did all the work, but this particular client (and you know who you are) has been taking duet and group classes with me for almost a year and a half. She reported to me that she is over an inch taller than she was a year ago! Where the cervical and thoracic spinal areas meet has straightened (which a doctor told her could never change) and she looks fabulous! She walks with better posture and has so much more body awareness than when she began this Pilates journey. Thank you Joseph Pilates! And to all my clients who would like to run with this and grow to be 6 feet tall, well, I guess everyone is allowed her own dreams. I'm off to having sweet dreams myself now. Ciao!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-57004587462244771732011-07-11T23:56:00.010-04:002011-07-12T00:02:52.819-04:00Ten-Minute (Plus) WorkoutI know I've been MIA, and I apologize for that! Life has gotten away from me, but hopefully this super-extensive blog post will make up for lost time. If you have been following any Pilates news whatsoever, and feel as I do that Pilates news has been taken over by the state of Pippa Middleton's backside, then read on for something a bit more newsworthy! Here are the real exercises that will help get you feeling great mentally and physically, and you don't even have to be related to a royal to get the benefits! <br />
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We've now gone over the <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/04/ten-minute-workout-continued.html">first five exercises</a> in Joseph Pilates' system as well as the <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-daily-five.html">Ab Series of Five</a>. Let's do a quick recap and add on from here so you can more easily practice these with flow. (Remember, flow is one of the <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/03/but-seriously-for-sunday-six-key.html">foundation principles of Pilates</a>.) <br />
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The sequence is as follows:<br />
1. <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/05/your-daily-vitamin-hundred.html">Hundred</a><br />
2. Roll Up<br />
3. Roll Over<br />
4. Single Leg Circles<br />
5. Rolling Like a Ball<br />
6. <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-daily-five.html">Single Leg Stretch</a><br />
7. <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-daily-five.html">Double Leg Stretch</a><br />
8. <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-daily-five.html">Single Straight Leg Stretch</a><br />
9. <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-daily-five.html">Double Straight Leg Stretch</a><br />
10. <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-daily-five.html">Criss Cross</a><br />
11. Spine Stretch Forward<br />
12. Open Leg Rocker<br />
13. Corkscrew<br />
14. Dart<br />
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I will explain in further detail the exercises which I have not gone over yet. (The others are explained in a previous post labeled <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-daily-five.html">Your Daily Five</a> from April 22, 2011 and in <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/05/your-daily-vitamin-hundred.html">Your Daily Vitamin: The Hundred</a> from May 17, 2011.):<br />
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<strong>Roll Up: </strong>Lie on your back with legs straight and "glued" together. (The traditional exercise calls for gently pointed feet, but if this gives you cramps, start with flexed feet.) Arms are overhead with ribs knit together in the front. On an inhale, bring arms above shoulders, then exhale to drop chin toward the chest and peel your spine off the mat as your feet flex. The fingertips reach above the feet as the waistline pulls back. Do what I like to call a "tug of war" with your fingertips and your back beltloop, so you can feel the oppositional stretch through your back as your abs pull into your spine. The ears are in line with your biceps. Start the rolldown by inhaling the abs further into your spine and squeezing the legs and glutes together. When the lower back reaches the mat, exhale as you articulate through to the top of the spine and bring the arms back to the starting position. <strong>Modification</strong>: Bend your knees to start, with the feet on the ground, and use your hands to walk yourself up, at which point you can stretch through the legs and do as described above. Reverse this motion, walking your hands on the backs of the legs to work your way down to the mat. <strong>Advanced</strong>: Follow lovely ballet dancer Allison in the following video. Note how she doesn't raise the arms above the shoulders to begin, but starts by keeping the arms by the ears as she peels her spine off the mat. That really adds a good deal more work to the already challenging exercise, so only do this once you have perfected the Roll Up! <br />
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<strong>Roll Over: </strong>Start by lying supine on the mat (facing up) and legs slightly below 90 degrees to the mat and arms imprinted down by your sides. If you need to bend the knees a bit due to hamstring tightness, you may do so to complete the exercise. Otherwise, keep the legs straight and inhale to lift the legs to 90 degrees and imagine you are lifting the hips up and over a barrel, reaching the toes towards the back of the room, legs parallel to the floor, or if you are particularly flexible, toes to the floor. At this point, make sure you are only rolling onto the shoulder blades, not the neck. Open the legs hip-width apart, flex the feet, and on the exhale, begin to roll down, articulating through the spine while pressing through the heels. Once you have come down to the hips, lower the legs to the starting angle and bring the legs together. Now you are in position to repeat the exercise two more times. After the third rep, the exercise is reversed, meaning you begin with the roll over with the legs separated, connecting them for the roll down section of the exercise. <br />
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<strong>Single Leg Circles: </strong>Lie with your back on the mat, legs stretched on the mat, and arms along your sides, palms down and fingers reaching down towards the feet. Bring the right knee toward the chest, and extend the toes up toward the ceiling, straightening the leg as much as you are able. Firmly plant both hips into the mat throughout the exercise. Inhale the right leg left across the body while pressing the arms into the mat. Exhale, while bringing the leg down to about 45 degrees and around, back to the starting position with the right foot pointed up to the ceiling. Really let the exhale help you return the leg by contracting the lower abs fully into the spine. Repeat four more times in this direction. Then do five reps in the reverse direction, inhaling the leg straight down about 45 degrees, and exhaling it across the body and back up to the top. Be careful not to let the hips rock during the exercise. This is accomplished by solidifying the transversus abdominis, otherwise known as the deepest lower abs, into the lower back. Repeat with other leg in both directions. <strong>Modification</strong>: Keep the bottom leg bent and the foot on the floor during the entire exercise and keep the upper leg bent throughout. <strong>Advanced</strong>: Elevate the bottom leg off the floor a couple inches, raise the chin to the chest, and either put the hands behind the head supporting the head with interlaced fingers, or reach the arms straight overhead. <br />
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<strong>Rolling Like a Ball: </strong>This is one of the more fun exercises, once you get the hang of it, as well as one of the most "feel-good", massaging exercises. I'm going to recommend a softer surface for this exercise, either with your mat on a carpeted surface, or using my favorite mat of all time, the <a href="http://heidpilates.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-favorite-pilates-mat.html">Aeromat Elite</a>. Sitting on the mat, pull your abs back into the spine until your spine is in a C-curve, with chin lowered toward the chest. Bend the knees in, keeping them either together or slightly open, and hold onto either the ankles or the shins. Lift the toes off the mat to start by balancing on the sit bones. Pull the abs so deeply back into the spine on the inhale that you begin to roll back, allowing yourself to go only as far as the shoulder blades. At this point, make sure you do not flatten out the back, or else your hope of rolling back up will dwindle quicly. Keep the C-curve by continuing to pull the abs into the spine with the shoulders rounded, pulling the knees towards them. Exhale as you rock back up to the sit bones, ideally balancing there without touching the toes to the mat. <strong>Modification</strong>: Instead of holding onto the shins, hold behind the hamstrings so the lower legs can be used as leverage to return to the top. <br />
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<strong>Spine Stretch Forward: </strong>Sit on the mat wit legs stretched forward and as straight as you are able. Flex the feet and sit high up on the sit bones. If you need to sit on a cushion to make this possible, do so, by all means. Reach the hands forward, arms parallel to the floor, and imagining you are growing up from the top of your head by an inch or so. Shoulders are stabilized by drawing the shoulder blades together and down the spine, without letting the rib cage splay open. Inhale at the top, then exhale into a deep C-curve, with the abs drawing into the spine, fingertips and waistline playing "tug of war" with the ears almost level with the biceps. Inhale as you articulate through the spine, stacking the vertebra, one on top of the next, until you are in your tallest position at the top. <strong>Modification</strong>: Hands start on the mat and walk forward and back keeping contact with it at all times for support. <br />
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<strong>Open Leg Rocker: </strong>Now we're getting into some real fun! Sit on the mat, rolling so you're balancing on the sit bones as in Rolling Like a Ball with hands holding the ankles or shins. From here, extend the legs as straight as possible and open about mat-width apart. As you inhale, pull the abs back into the spine to keep the C-curve as you roll back onto your shoulder blades. Exhale to roll back up to balance on the sit bones. Here you have the option to keep the C-curve as you balance at the top, or to come up to a flat-back position. The second option is more advanced as it is easy to snap the lower back forward to balance, and letting the pelvis push forward. <br />
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<strong>Corkscrew: </strong>Lie with your back on the mat and heels connected in a Pilates-V position with legs pointing up to the ceiling at 90 degrees. Arms are reaching down by your sides, imprinting your shoulders into the mat. Head stays down on the mat and abs drawn down into the spine. Circle the legs to the right on the inhale, keeping the left hip imprinted into the mat. Exhale to complete the circle going down and around to the left, returning up to the starting position. Repeat with the circle starting to the left. Work up to 5 sets of this. <strong>Modification</strong>: I am demonstrating the modification for Corkscrew in the following video. Instead of reaching the arms down by your sides, slide your hands under your hips. This will help protect your lower back by making it easier to imprint that region of the spine. Always imprint your lower back into the mat when you have two legs elevated. <br />
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<strong>Dart: </strong>Lie on your front with abs pulled up into the spine and legs "glued" together. The arms are on the mat with palms down and the forehead resting on the mat. Inhale to lengthen through the top of the head, causing your spine to go into a slight extension as the forehead floats off the mat and the fingers walk down towards the feet. Exhale to return back to your starting position. Work up to 8 repetitions. <br />
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Add them all together, and this is what you get: <br />
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So there you have it, and if you go from one exercise to the next while following me in the video, it's just about 9 minutes long. Feel free to skip an exercise if it feels too advanced right now, perform it at a slower speed, or do the modification. (Joseph Pilates states in <u>Return to Life Through Contrology</u> that one should "not sacrifice knowledge to speed in building your solid exercise regime on the foundation of Contrology", otherwise known as Pilates.) Stop immediately if you are feeling pain beyond sweet discomfort! Please make sure you have your doctor's permission before starting this program. If all your ducks are in a row, try to get through this short workout at least three times a week. It will get easier as you become more familiar with the exercises. And most importantly, have fun, laugh, whatever your heart desires! I know we've had a lot of laughs doing the Open Leg Rocker for the first time in classes, and it really helps to get people to go for it and not be shy. Good times! <br />
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~JessJesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-20972114854890392812011-06-13T23:54:00.000-04:002011-06-13T23:54:17.960-04:00We Make Great LemonadeI went to teach at the Magee Center in Bloomsburg tonight, and the whole building was locked up tight. Thankfully, it was a beautiful day, and we made the best of what could have been a frustrating situation. We had class on the lovely lawn under the grand old trees! We had a first-time experience of creating a makeshift dressing room out of Pilates mats for one devoted student coming fresh from work, and had a blast working-out in the fresh air. I think a few ants relocated from Bloom to Lewisburg on my person, but other than that, it was an unforgettable class which included a few giggles at the fact that we were in some interesting Pilates poses not far from the highway! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqlr2SdcuWnpr2yLzLq0Vk2It1SgtQshKhVarBtykfaPv2uuBlpP2lMW7ELchOUVyTkBL6099rVNHPIh6mp4_uMLmPVjjd4g5mtRsPmkx-GSlEkL-m695R19Vacqx_McnMLXeN6-U2Kuy/s1600/Pilates+on+the+lawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqlr2SdcuWnpr2yLzLq0Vk2It1SgtQshKhVarBtykfaPv2uuBlpP2lMW7ELchOUVyTkBL6099rVNHPIh6mp4_uMLmPVjjd4g5mtRsPmkx-GSlEkL-m695R19Vacqx_McnMLXeN6-U2Kuy/s320/Pilates+on+the+lawn.jpg" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-82602061988076199272011-06-05T23:13:00.001-04:002011-08-19T22:41:56.187-04:00"Get up and go... Just do it."Have you ever been concerned that you are too old to try a new form of exercise? I'm often so proud of the people that come in to my class as they are no longer, well, teenagers. Most teenagers, unless they are dancers, probably don't see the need for Pilates just yet. They often have naturally firm and strong cores, not having yet had metabolism changes, pregnancies, injuries, or just plain gravity fighting against them. So, in walks a "middle aged" man or woman, having never taken a Pilates class, let alone knowing what one entails, to experience his or her first Hundred or Saw. To have that kind of courage inspires me. <br />
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If you have two minutes, watch this short video by Ari Cohen of a 99-year-old woman, Ruth Kobin, who is studying Pilates. She started practicing it at age 91, so if you feel you're too old to start something new, ditch that thought! Ruth has a lot of great advice in this short interview such as "I use what's good for me [regarding exercise]. In fact I've learned what's good for my body. If you listen to your body, it'll tell you." "...and if I stretch and exercise, I feel a lot better. So it boils down to keeping active." "So often I have to push myself. Just say 'Ruth, get up and go... Just do it.'"<br />
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Ari has more of Ruth's life and style advice written out at <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-cohen/life-and-style-advice-fro_b_870690.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-cohen/life-and-style-advice-fro_b_870690.html</a>. Besides nixing the blue jeans, I think these are some quality points to ponder! Try something new soon (like Pilates *wink*wink*) and don't waste your energy feeling self-conscious because everyone's focusing too much on themselves to care what you're doing. Hey, ballet-girl here got herself into a Zumba class and had a great time. <br />
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I hope you've found this extraordinary woman as encouraging as I have regarding her views on exercise! I haven't yet had someone her age take one of my classes, but to see people walk in to class in January and plug through class, maybe with a bit of frustration, and finish up the session in June feeling like a pro, is truly a thrill. You can do it, too! Get up and go... Just do it!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-48486704926247123092011-05-17T20:42:00.008-04:002011-05-18T22:12:07.135-04:00Your Daily Vitamin: The HundredThis may be a tough pill to swallow for some, but The Hundred is an excellent exercise to get the circulation revved up, fire up the abs, and get you ready for what's to come in the rest of your workout. I personally like to do it to warm up the finger tips and toes in the dead of winter. It really works! On top of it all, it really gets some fresh oxygen into the lungs. I'm including a video clip of myself doing two sets of the ten you want to work up to. <br />
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1. Start by lying on your back with your toes pointed up to the ceiling. You can always bend the legs for a modification. Remember to imprint the lower back into the mat, which means you have to fully engage the lower abs. I also like to rotate the legs slightly from the hip joint and squeeze through the inner thighs throughout this exercise, just to add a little somethin' somethin'. Reach the fingertips long along side your body, reaching past your hips. Think of the shoulder blades sliding down the spine and creating the greatest distance you can between earlobes and shoulders. This will aid in the next step of bringing your chin toward your chest, like you're cradling an egg between neck and chin, which is where your head will stay for the entire exercise. This will also help you to have a great view of the lower abs, making sure they scoop! <br />
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2. Now, pump the arms up and down like you're slapping water. Inhale for five pumps of the arms and exhale for five. That's one set. Gradually work your way up to ten sets, continuing the breath, equaling one hundred pumps of the arms. (This is a good place to work on <strong>lateral thoracic breathing</strong> a.k.a. sideways ribcage breathing. Don't let the front of the ribs splay open; keep the ribs knit together.) If you're feeling really strong in the lower back, lower the legs to a point that you can maintain your lower back imprinting into the mat. You can work your way down to about a 45-degree angle with the legs. If you <em>do</em> feel your lower back peeling off the mat, raise your legs a bit or bend them into a tabletop position with the knees bent at a 90-degree angle and shins parallel to the floor.<br />
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3. Finish up by relaxing your head and shoulders onto the mat and hugging your knees into your chest, giving yourself a nice little back stretch. If the front of your neck is feeling a bit tense, just drop your nose from side to side, which will release the tension in the neck flexor muscles. <br />
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I hope this explanation and mini-demo help with your execution of The Hundred! Try to do The Hundred daily before you go on to the other Pilates exercises. Please feel free to ask any questions that you have regarding the exercise if you need further help.<br />
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This post is dedicated to Stephanie. I kow The Hundred is your fave!!!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-61853413928347108342011-04-22T08:00:00.034-04:002011-06-05T23:33:54.886-04:00Your Daily Five<div>No, I'm not referring to five daily servings of fruits and veggies! Whether it's called the Ab Series of Five, the Fabulous Five, or some other name, this is a great set to commit to memory. Brooke Siler encourages in her book <u>Your Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge</u> to "commit these to memory and perform them every day without fail. You will increase your abdominal strength tenfold!" And I completely concur!!! </div><div></div><div>Once you get these down, the whole set will take you between 5 and 10 minutes, a time commitment that is easily achievable. With all of these exercises, focus on keeping the abs drawn in to the spine and the spine (focusing on the lower back) imprinted into the mat. You will want to check either visually or with a hand pressing down between the hip bones that the lower abs are fully engaged and drawn in, not pooching up. Always think of <strong>scooping</strong> the lower abs. The other thing to remember as you raise your chin toward your chest is to always imagine holding an egg at the front of your neck underneath the chin so that the egg would neither be crushed nor roll off.<br />
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First up, you'll see a video clip of myself doing the five exercises all in a row, and as you can see, it does not take long when you do them back to back. After that, I will explain each one individually with a picture for a visual cue. <br />
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</div><div></div><strong>Single Leg Stretch:</strong> Lying supine (on your back), draw your right knee into your chest as your head and shoulder blades are lifted off the mat. Grab the knee with your left hand, and put your right hand on your right ankle. The left leg is extended straight but off the mat at a height at which you can keep the lower back imprinted on the mat. Softly point the feet. Exhale as you complete this stretch. Inhale to switch sides, bringing the left knee into the chest with right hand (left hand on left ankle) and lengthening out the right leg off the mat. Complete the stretch with an exhale. (5x each leg)<br />
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<ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIuLazIS4scYed8oisU86AKMGkHWoBcL_y7KX6C2pMmU826NOSnfZqvVsxHmWIVaAIK8Mz1FBgOdDREqm9olTkZhs4w5Zu4jmj-0LKu_E1YHxHZD62N7MNE-XruN6Hc8kckdb-uUFnOhW/s1600/Single+Leg+Stretch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIuLazIS4scYed8oisU86AKMGkHWoBcL_y7KX6C2pMmU826NOSnfZqvVsxHmWIVaAIK8Mz1FBgOdDREqm9olTkZhs4w5Zu4jmj-0LKu_E1YHxHZD62N7MNE-XruN6Hc8kckdb-uUFnOhW/s320/Single+Leg+Stretch.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></ol><strong>Double Leg Stretch:</strong> Lying on your back (supine), bring head and shoulder blades off the mat and both knees into the chest, holding onto shins with your hands. Inhale to reach arms by your ears at the same time as you extend connected legs off the mat at a height at which you can keep the lower back imprinted on the mat. Exhale to bring arms and legs into beginning position. Do not let your upper body move throughout this exercise. (Work up to 10x)<br />
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<strong>Single Straight Leg Stretch:</strong> Lying on your back (supine), bring head and shoulder blades off the mat. Keeping both legs as straight as you are able, bring your right leg towards chest, grabbing it with both hands behind the calf or ankle as left leg extends, hovering off the mat at a height at which you can keep the lower back imprinted on the mat. Fully exhale to draw it a bit closer to your chest. Inhale to switch legs, and exhale to stretch the left leg up. (5x each leg)<br />
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<strong>Double Straight Leg Stretch:</strong> Lying supine (on your back) with hands behind your head (more advanced) or placed under your seat (modified), raise head and shoulder blades off the mat. Both legs are extended as straight as you are able up to the ceiling and slightly turned out from the hip joint. Squeeze your seat and your inner thighs together. On the inhale, lower your legs down toward the mat, keeping them straight, only lowering to a height at which you can keep the lower back imprinted on the mat. Exhale to use your lower abs to draw the legs back up to your starting position. Be aware that when you begin working on this exercise, you may only lower your legs a couple inches before you feel your lower back begin to pop off the mat. This is normal and acceptable. Your movement range will increase over time. (Start at 5x, working up to 10x)<br />
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<strong>Crisscross:</strong> Lying on your back, lift head and shoulder blades off the mat with both knees bent in toward the chest. Hands are behind the head and elbows are wide. Think of creating a flat plane from elbow to elbow throughout this exercise. On the exhale, straighten the left leg (hovering off the mat at a height at which you can keep the lower back imprinted on the mat) while you twist the upper body to reach the left elbow toward the right bent knee, keeping the flat plane between elbows. Do not let the elbow cross in towards your face! This may mean the elbow does not touch the knee. Inhale to come back to the center with the upper body while the legs are switching places. Now exhale to bring the left knee into the chest while the right leg extends, bringing the right elbow toward the bent left knee. The rotation should come from the upper body so that the hips are not lifting off the mat and try not to lower the upper body as you transition from side to side. (5x each leg)<br />
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This series is challenging, I'm not going to lie, but very doable, especially with modifications. Begin slowly, with purpose, and you will feel the difference almost immediately. <br />
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You can find Brooke Siler's book <u>Your Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge</u> at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Your-Ultimate-Pilates-Body%C2%AE-Challenge/dp/0767919823/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303395729&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Your-Ultimate-Pilates-Body%C2%AE-Challenge/dp/0767919823/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303395729&sr=8-1</a> .<br />
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Have a great day, and don't forget your daily five!<br />
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~JessJesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-23886221127058910752011-04-15T12:40:00.000-04:002011-04-15T12:40:18.957-04:00Fun Friday -- Pilates Fails (Do NOT try these for yourself! Learn from others' mistakes!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are two exercises we are NOT going to perform in class! Do NOT attempt these at home, because then you'll really be needing some serious Pilates work, if not something more drastic. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This first one starts out impressively (though Joseph Pilates certainly never had this in his exercise regimen), but then he seems to crave a very aggressive form of spinal realignment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OK, so this may not be truly funny, but I'm sorry, I just can't stop laughing every time I watch it. Talk about increasing flexibility!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2HaBiEtcAto?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a fabulous Friday! Well, at least better than these two people...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">~Jess</div><br />
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</div>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-80456733768801083542011-04-10T15:53:00.006-04:002011-04-10T20:05:26.340-04:00Ten-Minute Workout, Continued...As I was finishing painting a room last night, I was thinking of painting relative to Pilates. It's a stretch, I know, but here were my thoughts: Painting a wall is pretty much immediately rewarding. You can see a huge patch of color going onto the wall. Like when you go to the hair salon and get a great new color and cut, there's lots of change with not much effort or time put into it. Painting trim is like Pilates. It takes a long time to get it just how you want it (with a bit of frustration along the way), so the rewards aren't as apparent initially. But when it's completed, it's what really gives the room the shining touch. Pilates may take a while to apply the principles correctly, but each class brings you one step closer to your goal. In fact, Joseph Pilates was quoted as saying, "After ten sessions you'll feel the difference. After twenty sessions you'll see the difference. After thirty sessions you'll have a whole new body." Even if you don't have a whole new body, you're certainly on your way, and much healthier for it! <br />
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One point that my students often get stuck on is the breathing. They may say to me, "What?! I've been breathing my whole life, and now I have to <em>relearn</em> how to do it???" Well... yes. Lateral thoracic (sideways ribcage) breathing is so important to executing the Pilates movements correctly, as well as to holding your body correctly out in the "real world" to prevent injury. So here again, we're taking one step at a time towards our goal. It may not happen today, or tomorrow even, but one day, it <em>will</em> happen. That moment of realization will be so rewarding because it wasn't immediate. After that, it's like riding a bike; you won't forget how to do it. <br />
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I got some good feedback for the first Ten-Minute Workout post, so I'm going to go with that flow. Following is a list of the first five exercises from Joseph Pilates' book <u>Return to Life Through Contrology</u> (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Return-Life-Through-Contrology/dp/0961493798"><span style="color: purple;">http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Return-Life-Through-Contrology/dp/0961493798</span></a>)<br />
so that you can start your first ten minutes <em><strong>today</strong></em>! Also, if you need a little help with exercise execution, follow twins Kimberly and Katherine from Pilates on Fifth (find them on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/"><span style="color: purple;">http://www.youtube.com/</span></a>) for great explanations and demonstrations. And if you prefer reading explanations, my all-time favorite Pilates book for simple yet thorough descriptions is Brooke Siler's <u>The Pilates Body</u> (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Body-Strengthening-Lengthening-Body--Without/dp/076790396X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302465820&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Body-Strengthening-Lengthening-Body--Without/dp/076790396X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302465820&sr=8-1</a>).<br />
<strong>1.</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Hundred: Work up to 100 movements.</strong><br />
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<strong>2. The Roll Up: 3 repetitions.</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/hd8iuKlp_iM/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hd8iuKlp_iM&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hd8iuKlp_iM&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
<strong>3. The Roll Over: 5 imes with legs close together, 5 times with legs apart.</strong><br />
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<strong>4. The One Leg Circle: 5 times with each leg.</strong><br />
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<strong>5. Rolling Back (aka Rolling Like a Ball): 6 times.</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/cxo9eIMAtmg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
So the moral of this story is, start with ten minutes, don't give up, and you <em>will</em> see the rewards. Find a Pilates instructor that you gel with, and stick with the program. You won't be sorry. At this time next year, you could be feeling a year older, or you could feel five years younger.<br />
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~JessJesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-89288430841813268122011-04-08T05:00:00.001-04:002011-04-08T05:00:05.995-04:00Fun Friday -- Pilates in Stilettos<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdMQ3U68iu1HUL2RzpZ8aRkH6nd2hZSdSNXD16pTzrslHugJBfOcHXcwnoBaupSMpDjFw-gBlercw4jT_DZuq8zuE44Q-CN7d7hD0znWe3lmcx7zlqyzWT8wPgT_cffb3DqnD2pHt8IbD/s1600/ballet1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdMQ3U68iu1HUL2RzpZ8aRkH6nd2hZSdSNXD16pTzrslHugJBfOcHXcwnoBaupSMpDjFw-gBlercw4jT_DZuq8zuE44Q-CN7d7hD0znWe3lmcx7zlqyzWT8wPgT_cffb3DqnD2pHt8IbD/s1600/ballet1.jpg" /></a>I've never been able to withstand wearing high heels for long periods of time. In fact, I would rather wear pointe shoes, the torture chambers that they are, for an evening out instead of most heels. Despite the fact that their form leaves much to be desired, these women took Pilates to a new level... literally about 4 inches higher. Maybe we can add this to our Tuesday evening repertoire?!? This is quite amusing, so if you have a couple minutes to kill, check it out:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.luxist.com/2011/04/06/pilates-in-heels-the-experiment/">http://www.luxist.com/2011/04/06/pilates-in-heels-the-experiment/</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Have a great weekend!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>~JessJesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-20389910568215003142011-04-03T02:00:00.012-04:002011-04-03T02:00:03.650-04:00The Original Ten-Minute Workout! Who Knew? Joseph Did...I've begun to read Joseph Pilates' book <u>Return to Life Through Contrology</u> and as I excitedly first opened the front cover, the thought crossed my mind that maybe this book was going to be archaic and just not applicable to our times. Maybe his writing would be in terms that just wouldn't make sense to me and that I would have to spend hours deciphering. But I have been quickly proven wrong. <br />
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Wow. Despite the fact that it was published first in 1945, its relevance to today's problems and issues are probably even more applicable than they were in the middle of last century! He writes of "this Modern Age" and how hectic and crazy it is with such things as "telephones, automobiles, and economic pressure" as well as dealing with crowds, rushing, pushing, scrambling, etc. that is "so characteristic of our day." If only he could see us now! With our ever-connectedness to our computers, phones, ipods and the like, there is no downtime for us to relax our minds. Joseph knew that this was depriving people of rest, energy for recreation, and much needed sleep. <br />
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He offers a wealth of wisdom and science toward helping a person become an entirely physically fit being. His key points include exercise, obviously, namely his own method of Contrology (what we today simply call "Pilates"), but also proper diet, good sleep, enough relaxation during the day, and even his own way of cleaning oneself! If you're dying to know what that last particular method includes, it involves a scrub brush sans handle so that one is forced to twist and turn to reach all areas of the body, and also thoroughly scrubbing to stimulate circulation and clear out the pores so that they can "breathe", which I somehow see as similar to reteaching our lungs to breathe properly, not with what he labels "lazy breathing." <br />
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What caught my eye most in the first section of the book is the wonderful encouragement he constantly doles out, reminding his readers that "PATIENCE and PERSISTENCE are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor." Joseph's first challenge is to perform the exercises starting simply with ten minutes, four times a week, and gradually working up from there. How easy is that! <strong>Ten minutes at a time!</strong> Even the busiest of people can probably find ten minutes, four times a week. As he states, "Make up your mind that you will perform your [Pilates] exercise ten minutes without fail." <strong>He created the first ten-minute workout.</strong> So easy! So let's do this thing!<br />
<br />
~Jess<br />
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Want your own copy of <u>Return to Life Through Contrology</u>? Find it at these sites:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Return-Life-Through-Contrology/dp/0961493798">http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Return-Life-Through-Contrology/dp/0961493798</a><br />
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<a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Pilates-Return-to-Life-through-Contrology/Joseph-H-Pilates/e/9780961493790">http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Pilates-Return-to-Life-through-Contrology/Joseph-H-Pilates/e/9780961493790</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.betterworldbooks.com/pilates'-return-to-life-through-contrology-id-0961493798.aspx">http://www.betterworldbooks.com/pilates'-return-to-life-through-contrology-id-0961493798.aspx</a>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-52924513823650405022011-03-27T05:00:00.001-04:002011-04-02T23:47:39.589-04:00But Seriously, For Sunday: The Six Key Principles of PilatesMy latest book acquisition is one that I'm <em>really</em> excited about, and I won't judge you if you're not equally bursting. It's called <u>Pilates Anatomy</u> by Rael Isacowitz and Karen Clippinger. I've not only been very anxious to study more anatomy to aid my sharing of Pilates, but I was also thrilled to see Karen Clippinger's name as co-author. When I was a student at Pacific Northwest Ballet School, she worked closely with the dancers in the company, and I had the privilege of having a private kinesiology session with her. She is now a sought-after presenter in the areas of Pilates, dance, anatomy, and biomechanics while also being an anatomy professor and a teacher of Pilates certification programs. <br />
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The first chapter, before delving into the land of anatomy, is focused on the six foundational Pilates principles: breath, concentration, center, control, precision, and flow. I'm going to summarize each briefly and how each contributes to the mind/body connection, according to Isacowitz and Clippinger. (You may have heard that Joseph Pilates did <em>not</em> call his method "The Pilates Method", but actually named it <strong>Contrology</strong>.)<br />
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<strong>Breath:</strong><br />
Breath is the "fuel of the powerhouse", and integrates all parts of the system: the body, mind, and spirit. "In this view breath can serve as a common thread that runs through all the foundation principles, in a sense sewing them together," the authors state.<br />
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<strong>Concentration:</strong><br />
Concentration is the focus directed to perfecting a Pilates exercise. It should include a focus on the alignment of the body as well as the stabilization of the muscles that one plans to use for that exercise.<br />
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<strong>Center:</strong><br />
Center relates to a person's center of gravity, "the point at which the body... would be totally balanced in all directions." Since every body is unique, each one will have its own center. Center also has to do with the core, or powerhouse, as Joseph Pilates named it: the muscles that provide greatest support for the lower back such as the lower abs, glutes, inner thighs, and the back muscles themselves. A third reference for center is a general feeling of balance from within one's self. <br />
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<strong>Control:</strong><br />
Control is based on the refinement needed to master an exercise. So as one progresses and skills improve, greater control can be seen through "fewer and smaller errors, exact alignment, greater coordination, greater balance, and greater ability to reproduce the exercise successfully over multiple attempts, using less effort and avoiding excessive muscle tension," Isacowitz and Clippinger explain.<br />
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<strong>Precision:</strong><br />
Precision is the exact way an exercise is performed. The authors explain that the movement may not be so unlike other forms of exercise practices, but the execution of the exercise is different. I myself can think of several yoga and Pilates exercises that may appear alike at first glance by someone who is not aware of the intricacies of each, but as one explores them further, the differences become apparent, such as the yoga Plow vs. Pilates Roll-Over, or the yoga Candle vs. Pilates Jackknife. "Precision can be associated with the activation of isolated muscles and at the same time with the integration of the required muscles to create movement," they continue. Isacowitz and Clippinger state that precision is a primary key to achieving one's goals in a particular exercise. <br />
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<strong>Flow:</strong><br />
Lastly, flow is something to aim for, and may only come after extensive practice and understanding of a movement. Not only should the individual exercises flow, but the entire session should do so as well. The authors quote Pilates protege Romana Kryzanowska as describing this method as "flowing motion outward from a strong center." I love that statement, and feel that I can almost visualize flow as something emanating from my core as I perform an exercise. <br />
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So there you have them, the six elements that work together to hone your Pilates technique as well as help you live a healthier life through their use in regular daily activities. <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whether</span> you use Pilates as a method to create the physique that you desire, or you use it as a de-stressor mentally, or a combination of both, these fundamental principles are the stepping stones to help you achieve your goals. After all, Joseph Pilates himself stated in his book, <u>Return to Life Through Contrology</u><strong>:</strong><br />
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"The acquirement and enjoyment of physical well-being, mental calm, and spiritual peace are priceless to their possessors... [and] it is only through Contrology (a.k.a. Pilates) that this unique trinity of a balanced body, mind and spirit can ever be attained."<br />
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What a great quote to focus on as we enter into a new week of Pilates classes and a new week of life, with refreshed bodies, minds, and spirits. And a special thanks to Pilates experts Rael Isacowitz and Karen Clippinger for their literary collaboration that, I'm sure, will have a positve impact on many.<br />
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I hope to see you all in class soon!<br />
~Jess<br />
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Find <u>Pilates Anatomy</u> at these websites:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Anatomy-Rael-Isacowitz/dp/0736083863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301802105&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Anatomy-Rael-Isacowitz/dp/0736083863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301802105&sr=8-1</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.basipilates.com/boutique/product/135/pilates-anatomy/">http://www.basipilates.com/boutique/product/135/pilates-anatomy/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0736083863">http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0736083863</a><br />
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<a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Pilates-Anatomy/Rael-Isacowitz/e/9780736083867">http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Pilates-Anatomy/Rael-Isacowitz/e/9780736083867</a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></strong></em></span><span style="color: #333333;"><strong><em></em></strong></span>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-62174336032454787002011-03-25T08:00:00.000-04:002011-03-25T08:00:22.739-04:00Fun Friday -- Cookie Monster Does Monster PilatesSo I was looking for celebrities who proclaim Pilates has changed their lives, or maybe at least their physiques. I found the usual: Jennifer Aniston, Michelle Obama, Madonna, Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman. And I found some that might surprise you: Danny Glover, Hugh Grant, the Cleveland Indians. But then I came across the most unusual, which proves Pilates knows no bounds, whether it be gender, age, body type, race, species... <br />
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Here are two links showing that Cookie Monster, yes the blue furry monster that eats cookies all day long, is a true devotee of the Pilates method! Who knew he was concerned about his core?!?!<br />
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<a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/food/news/article.cfm?c_id=206&objectid=10714459">http://www.nzherald.co.nz/food/news/article.cfm?c_id=206&objectid=10714459</a><br />
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<a href="http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live">http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live</a>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-24392188403640010152011-03-20T19:25:00.000-04:002011-03-20T21:52:18.948-04:00My Favorite Pilates MatA lot of people ask about my mat, which isn't your typical thin mat from Walmart, though I did use one of those for years. When my tailbone just couldn't stand the hard surfaces that I taught on anymore, I investigated into finding a cushy mat that wouldn't grind my tailbone into the floor doing Teaser or my backbone while Rolling Like a Ball. I purchased the thickest one (3/4-inch), which only goes to 56 inches long. I'm pretty tall at over 5' 7", and it works for almost all the Pilates exercises. I usually put another thin mat under it just in case I need to have a slightly longer surface. I have also considered buying two longer, but thinner Aeromat Elite mats and just doubling up. This website, <a href="http://www.ironcompany.com/">http://www.ironcompany.com/</a>, is great, and at the time of this writing, does not charge shipping! Granted, it's not the cheapest mat around, so you may want to see it as a long-term investment and a special treat to yourself. But trust me, your bones will thank you for getting one of these!<br />
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<a href="http://www.ironcompany.com/elitedualsurfacefitnessmataeromataeromat-elite-dualsurface.aspx">http://www.ironcompany.com/elitedualsurfacefitnessmataeromataeromat-elite-dualsurface.aspx</a>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702169469849136407.post-2926556587194470812011-03-20T19:10:00.000-04:002011-03-20T21:51:14.073-04:00How To Roll Your Mat To Keep It CleanEver thought about what's on your mat that ends up on your body? Ew. I have, and so has this blogger, Marguerite Ogle from about.com. I tried Marguerite's technique with my awesomest of awesome mats, the Aeromat Elite, which is not your average thin mat, but instead a 3/4-inch thick mat from heaven. The rolling technique doesn't work as easily, but it does work well enough. Give it a try yourself!<br />
<a href="http://pilates.about.com/od/Pilates-Mats/qt/How-To-Roll-Your-Pilates-And-Yoga-Mats.htm">Tips to Keep Your Mat Clean</a>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08603657740335643458noreply@blogger.com0