How hard you work in a group Reformer class has little to do with the level of the class. Whether beginner, intermediate or advanced, you will get your best results if you deeply contract core muscles throughout entire exercises. A common mistake that cuts down significantly on the effectiveness of Reformer exercises is to allow …
One of the little mentioned benefits of Pilates is how it gets you in touch with your body as it moves through space. This ability is called kinesthetic awareness. With this awareness, you feel your contracting muscles and can identify where the effort is. Combine this awareness with the fact that Pilates exercises involve …
Without the pull of gravity, we wouldn’t stay put on this planet. While it is therefore essential, at the same time, it puts stress on our bodies especially our spines. As we age, this constant downward pull, combined with mechanical wear and tear, causes the discs between each vertebrae to lose their cushioning ability. We …
From someone who, twenty-five years ago, taught ten classes of high-impact aerobics per week, I can vouch for the brilliance of Pilates’ gentle, low-impact approach. As we age, our connective tissues (the tendons and ligaments that connect our bones together at the joint capsule) become less elastic and thus more prone to wear and tear. …
With Pilates, you get quite a bang for your buck! Not only do you strengthen and tone, which is what gym exercises do, but you also improve posture, balance muscles and improve movement patterns. Pilates’ goal is to improve functional capacity in everyday movements. You stand, sit and walk more efficiently thus decreasing stress on …
With the popularity of Pilates came the advent of the group reformer class. If Joseph Pilates, a stickler for proper technique, were alive today, he would probably not be too pleased. The essence of Pilates is to recruit the aligned body’s deepest muscles in each and every exercise. It takes a lot of knowledge, body …
To avoid the all-too-common shoulder slump with accompanying forward head, here’s a simple solution. Perform a shoulder roll: shrug your shoulder to your ears, pinch your shoulder blades together and then press your shoulders down. As you do this roll, notice that the muscles around your shoulder blades become active. Now, stay “in touch” with …
One of Joe Pilates’ seminal principles was that if an exercise is done correctly, then only a few repetitions are necessary. He believed that the body should be worked correctly and efficiently. To remain true to this enlightened principle, it is important to start a Pilates exercise with this in mind. Take your time to …
Why should men choose Pilates over weight lifting or, at the least, supplement gym workouts with Pilates? For as long as I have been teaching Pilates (26 years), it has never gained popularity among men.
No need to miss the invigoration of your workout while you travel. Here is a simple,15-minute routine that requires your motivation and a little space to move. Nothing more!