Pilates Space for Get up and Go!

The days are longer so use that extra time to get up and go! Play golf, tennis volleyball, bike, run, hike, or swim. Do you have the stamina, strength and flexibility to enjoy these activities?

If you’ve got the Pilates Body you’re set . You’re already prepared for the rigors of your sport and able to respond quickly and efficiently with effortless movement. Jump, twist, bend, turn, without worries of injury. Your body is fine tuned with minimal muscle imbalances to slow you down and hinder your progress.

Your Pilates Body will get you where you want to be in whatever sport or activity you love to do. Keep in mind your body is your equipment. Lessons, and practice won’t help unless you have a responsive Pilates Body. Get started, and get up and go!

Spring into Fall

Our summer days are almost gone and the cool refreshing Fall is on it’s way. Why fall back into routines that really aren’t working to make the changes you need to feel and look your best?
Why not try adding Authentic Pillates to your daily routine? It doesn’t take much!
Teach your body to be responsive to your needs. Change your postural habits, your muscle imbalances, and make a difference that will last!!

Spring into Fall  with newly found Energy from learning how to use your body efficiently! Enjoy the things in life  that are passed by because you’re out of energy. Feel Great! Look Great! In Your Body Today!

SPRING AHEAD with our NEW REFORMER CLASSES..and don’t Fall Behind .

TRY THIS : Sit in a slouched positon and read a few pages of your book/magazine. Now try sitting TALL . Was your breathing better? Was your concentration better? Did you feel like reading more this way? If you answered yes, Authentic Pilates will allow you to sit TALL , stand TALL, walk TALL…..for the entire day.

Sports Focus: Pilates and Cycling

Did you know that Pilates training will help cyclists improve their form and cycling distance?  Cycling is an endurance sport with cardiovascular benefits as well. If you look at professional cyclists they need to maintain their form for several hours along with moving their body efficiently. They need to reduce energy expenditure and improve their performance by increasing their cycling time before  muscle fatigue sets in. The Pilates Method is perfect for improving your cycling efficiency.

Pilates = Strength  +  Power

Pilates will give cyclists the core stabilization needed to maintain their posture on the bike, and allow those powerful hip, and leg muscles to do their work. With core strength, and flexibility, the cyclist is able to produce a powerful and supple pedal stroke. Pilates will also develop Thoracic core stability to ensure the cyclist is able to maintain their posture for long periods of time preventing neck, and upperback strain. Plus the “lift” from  this combination of Thoracic/Pelvic strength will decrease the pressure on the wrists!

Pilates = Flexibility

Flexibility in Pilates is accomplished by active lengthening with controlled exercises. Muscles must be moved through the full range of motion  while stabilizing the core.  Postural/Spinal flexibility is key for preventing neck and back problems, improving breathing, and increasing cycling time.  Flexibility in the hip, leg and foot/ankle  is necessary for a smooth and even  pedal  stroke. This will also encourage an efficient, rhythmical and flowing pattern of movement.

Pilates = Movement Efficiency = Strength + Power + Flexibility + Endurance + Flow

The Pilates Method is the only Strength and Conditioning Method that works the body holistcally, insuring efficient  movement, which is necessary for performing your  best. The equation above is the key to maximizing your cycling performance  and having more fun!

Enjoy the Fall cycling weather and pedal away harder, faster and………keep on going!

The Pilates Method Will Transform Your Body and You Will Transcend Your Limits

Authentic Pilates and Weight Loss

Is Pilates a Weight Loss Program?

An Authentic Pilates execercise program will lead to weight loss if accompanied by a healthy nutritional program designed for weight loss.  Let’s simplify this statement.

How To Lose Weight

Very simple: You need to burn more calories than you consume.  A six month long study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism(Redman,et.al, Effects of Calorie Restriction…,1/2007), confirmed that weight loss is based on the number of calories consumed. Your caloric intake needs to be less than your calories used during the day.  Exercising will increase the number of calories used which will lead to weight loss.

Calories Burned: Pilates Exercise vs. Other Exercise

A 145 lbs. person doing Pilates exercises for 1 hour (Excluding apparatus – Self Magazine):
-Beginner level mat 241 calories
-Intermediate level mat  338 calories
-Advanced level mat 421 calories

Other Exercises for 1 hour (Mayo Clinic study 8/19/08)
-Walking (2 mph) 160 cal,  (3.5mph) 243 cal.
-Bicycling(stationary) 448cal.
-Aerobic Dancing 416 cal.
-Running(8mph)  864 cal.
-Jogging(5mph)  512 cal.
-Swimming  384 cal.

Authentic Pilates and Exercise: The Answer

Someone doing an aerobic exercise such as jogging will burn 512 cal., but they will still have to watch their caloric intake as a 1/6 pie slice of Quiche Lorraine is 524 cal., and 2 slices of Cheese Pizza is 580 cal.  The same nutritional guidelines will need to be followed when doing Authentic Pilates.

Authentic Pilates exercises will burn more calories when performed at the advanced levels, however if your sole purpose of exercising is to burn more calories, additional aerobic exercises such as walking or jogging will further increase your calories burned.  Keep in mind those exercises will not have the same effect on your body such as:

1. Authentic Pilates will change the shape of your body –clothes fit differently
2. Authentic Pilates will tighten your waistline
3. Authentic Pilates will build lean muscle and improve posture
4. Authentic Pilates is a full body workout and will tone your body
5. Authentic Pilates will CHANGE your body  and restore it’s youth
6. Authentic Pilates + Sound  Nutrition = Weight Loss

Optimal Authentic Pilates Weght Loss Program

1. Decide your goals  or motives for doing Authentic Pilates and discuss them with your instructor.
2. Decide your weight loss goals.
3. Keep a daily food/exercise log to make sure you stay on track and that your caloric intake is appropriate for weight loss.
4. Authentic Pilates  + another aerobic activity will help those pounds melt away.

Be Positive!   

             “Patience and Persistence are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor” Joseph H. Pilates

Think about how you move through the day. Are you limited in certain tasks? Did you have to stop activites that were enjoyable because you don’t move the way you used to? Are you straining your neck while driving? Guarding your lower back, or shoulder when lifting, pushing, pulling or reaching?
If your answer is yes, you are gradually becoming a prisoner of your body. With time, your flexibility, strength, balance,and coordination will continue to decrease, restricting your ability to perform your daily tasks and recreational activities.

Why and What Happens?
We develop faulty postures and movement patterns to get through our day, and the body then follows this path of least resistance. We continue along this path as long as it doesn’t hurt. And then it happens..we need to reach behind and the shoulder is stiff and painful; we stumble and fall going down a curb and fracture/sprain the ankle; we bend to pick up a piece of paper, and the back “goes out”. Forget about playing golf, tennis, basketball, dancing, etc..
We live within a “comfort zone” which becomes smaller with time, and it limits our abilities,
physically and mentally.

What to Do
Figure out what our muscle imbalances and areas of restriction are by performing specific exercises in a controlled manner moving us out of our “faulty” postures and patterns of movement. Work on strength, flexibility, coordination,and balance with every exercise. Learn new postures and movement patterns that will use all of the right muscles at the right time. Become aware of how you are moving through space.
Contrology will teach you all of the above and more. Contrology is a physical-mental conditioning system developed by Joseph H. Pilates 90 years ago. Learn the system, use all of the apparatus. Random Pilates exercises on the mat and reformer should not be equated with Contrology.
Experience the difference and your body will thank you.

Transform Your Body Transcend Your Limits

Pilates Space is where you make it happen.

Eating right is the first step to feeling great the rest of the day.

Eat breakfast when you first get up. Your body has been fasting all night and needs nutrients to to get your system and metabolism going.

Drink a glass of water, then make breakfast which should include some protein, and carbohydrate adding up to about 300 calories. Depending on your caloric goals, try eating 5 or 6 mini meals throughout the day. By eating every three to four hours, you keep your metabolism and insulin levels on an even keel. You won’t experience the afternoon sugar highs and “crashes”. Now you’re ready for Pilates to keep your body primed and ready for work and play!