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Your Pilates Lifestyle July-August 2020 Fitnews

YPL July August newsletter

July-August 2020 Fitnews Newsletter

Catch up on the latest Pilates and fitness news with my July-August 2020 newsletter.

One of my Pilates clients witnessed a sea turtle mama come ashore, dig her nest, and lay her eggs on the beach behind her home before returning to the sea. She shared a few moments with YPL.

Joseph Pilates Wunda Chair seldom gets the respect it deserves. Granted, Pilates apparatus tends to be strange looking, and the Chair is no exception. Why is it called a Chair? What can it do that’s unique? Find out.

If you’re a caffeine consumer, there’s no reason to hang your head — it’s a good thing. And if doing lunges is part of your fitness repertoire, make sure you’re performing the movements correctly.

How Our Muscles Work

An animated guide to muscles

illustration by TabletopWhale.

Understanding Our Bodies – Muscles At Work

When we talk about Pilates Contrology, it’s about the mind-body connection. We want our bodies to react in a certain way at our command. Here’s a fascinating animated look at how that process happens under our skin – good to know when we’re doing The 100! (Clicking on the image above will take you to the illustrator’s portfolio. Clik on the image there to watch the animation.)

Contrology – The Heart of Pilates

Pilates balance chart

Getting the Most Out of Your Pilates Practice

Joseph Pilates developed his breakthrough Contrology fitness concepts nearly a century ago. To explain his revolutionary exercise workouts he diagramed the importance of a physical and mental practice that, when followed, results in superior conditioning.

At YPL, the Classic Practice focuses on achieving the rhythmic harmony that naturally occurs when mental clarity and physical conditioning are in synch. The feeling you experience after powering through a challenging workout is one of accomplishment, control, and exhilaration.

Join me for a class or session and discover how Contrology can dramatically improve your workout experience and level of fitness.

Keep Those Wrists Flexible And Limber

Do These Wrist Exercises For Greater Mobility

You don’t have to be a student of body weight training to get plenty of benefit from these easy to perform wrist exercises. They can be done just about anywhere, anytime, and the results could offer significant gains in your Pilates practice and everyday living.

Our wrists are complex structures comprised of bone, tendon, muscle, and nerves. Keeping them loose and limber while we go about our often repetitive daily activities, often using some form of computer or tablet, is a challenge.

This brief video is a great guide to keeping our wrists healthy and in top notch condition.

Pilates For Men? Seriously!

Tony demonstrates excellent Teaser form on the tower apparatus.

Tony is an excellent student determined to wring every possible advantage from his Pilates fitness program. His dedication has certainly paid off as can be seen from his excellent Teaser form.

How Men Benefit From A Pilates Fitness Plan

Unlike running, swimming, weight lifting or many other fitness pursuits where you’re likely to find men working out, Pilates doesn’t immediately come to mind as an option for male physical training. In reality, Pilates is perfect as a solo activity or as the focal point for a broad cross training regimen.

While other exercises are easy to picture, Pilates doesn’t immediately conjure up a physical image. Ha! As we know, when done correctly Pilates thoroughly and completely challenges virtually every single part of the anatomy. And these days you’re seeing more and more Pilates being practiced at the highest levels of professional sports by athletes whose contracts depend on the flexibility and specific strength found in the program.

Balance, Strength, Endurance, Flexibility

Generally speaking, Pilates focuses on building, strengthening, and developing the core. But there’s much more than that, in a progressive training program that at the highest levels approaches the impossible.

Men’s major structural weak points are tight hamstrings, hip flexors, shoulders, and chest. Pilates incorporates stretching these areas in both basic and advanced workouts, with exercises designed to loosen and lengthen the muscles and tendons that cause so much trouble for so many men spending too much time at a desk.

At YPL, I don’t train a lot of male clients, for reasons that mostly stem (I think) from unfamiliarity with the routines and an overall impression that it’s mostly just for women. On the other hand, some of the biggest compliments I’ve received have come from that small percentage of men who are exploring the benefits of a full Pilates training schedule.

If you’ve got a man in your life who could use a low-impact fitness program that delivers positive results quickly and safely, encourage him to check out Pilates.

What Is Pilates Controlology?

Advanced Moves Performed On The Reformer

When we talk about Controlology, we’re referring to the connection between the mind and the body. That connection is important whenever we’re performing our Pilates movements, and it’s essential when practicing the advanced moves on our apparatus.

Whether you’re a Pilates professional or a first time beginner, this video from Munich’s Bluebird Pilates Studio is a perfect demonstration of what that connection means and why it’s so critical in our practice. And before anyone asks, no, I don’t teach these exercises at Your Pilates Lifestyle!

I’ve included this clip just for inspiration for your own Pilates practice (but definitely not for comparison purposes!). Whatever level you work at the principles are the same -concentration and control (mind/body connection) being an integral part. Deepen the work by being fully present in each exercise you perform and make it the best that YOU can make it!

 

Six Ways Pilates Will Improve Your Life

Pilates is the perfect low impact fitness workout for any bodySix Pilates Benefits For Everyday Health

This short list of my most popular Facebook posts explains why Pilates is the perfect low impact, all around fitness workout for young and old of both sexes and just about every interest.

Whether you’re a woman dealing with osteoporosis, a professional athlete focused on improving his or her game, a casual runner trying to get the most out of a 5K, or just interested is improving your brain power, there’s something here for anyone who wants to improve their quality of life.

  1. Exercise May Help Knees More Than Glucosamine And Chondroitin This NPR article questions dependence on supplements for joint health.
  2. 6 Ways Pilates Can Improve Your Running I love it when I can show how Pilates may be the best go to all around workout for improving your running routine.
  3. Pilates For The Professional Athlete Flexibility and stretching are just as important as strength and speed to one NFL player.
  4. Strong Women Make Stronger Women This YouTube video from the International Osteoporosis Foundation offers five ways to decrease the risk of contracting the disease.
  5. Sweat Your Way To A Healthier Brain Is exercise good for the brain? You bet! NPR article proves you can sweat your way to a smarter you.
  6. The Art of Pilates Control This gorgeous video by Munich’s Bluebird Pilates studio is an inspirational example of Pilates control.

The Physical Art of Pilates Control

Pilates Control by Bluebird Pilates in Munich

This is a great example of Pilates control at its best. Bluebird Pilates in Munich uses a variety of studio equipment to demonstrate the ultimate in controlled Pilates movements.

Obviously, not everyone (or most of us for that matter) will achieve this level of precision and expertise. However, we can all benefit from striving to achieve our own personal best, and keeping this video in mind while performing our own practice is a good place to begin.

I hope that you enjoy watching it as much as I did.

Ready For The Pilates Chair?

Your Pilates Lifestyle workouts include the ChairPilates Wunda Chair Offers Advanced Training Benefits

One piece of equipment that nearly always invites questions is the Pilates Chair. Because it requires real body awareness and core control, it’s usually not part of a new student’s workout. Here’s an online review that summarizes a Chair routine.

For advanced students, it offers significant fitness benefits, and there are an astounding number of exercises that can be performed. For instance, for those familiar with a regular gym’s stairstep apparatus, the Chair can deliver a cardio experience that’s just as intense while also including balance that can’t be duplicated on a machine.

Balance Plus Strength Plus Cardio

Jen uses her abs to lift while balancing with her forearms in a move that requires body awareness in order to build core and upper body strength. Glutes, thighs, and calves also get a workout.

If balance, cardio and toning from arms to legs is on your checklist, ask about YPL’s Chair workout when you book your next class.

Fall Into Fitness! September Mat, Arc Sale

Pilates makes you stronger every day!Fall Into Fitness – Floor Exercise Special

Feel that? Fall is definitely in the air! And if you’ve been cruising through the summertime heat and humidity, now’s the time to get back on track with your Pilates fitness schedule.

To help ease the re-entry, YPL is having a 15% off all Mat and Arc classes throughout the month! Enter promo code “floor2013” at checkout and you’ll see big savings on all class and package purchases.

Get Strong! Start Today

Offer good on any single class, class packs, and combo packages. But hurry! Offer ends 9/30!