Pilates keeps you warm on the coldest days!
It’s a brand new year and those resolutions are still warm even if the weather outside isn’t! Make this the year you make fitness part of your daily routine.
Six Ways Pilates Will Improve Your Life
Six 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.
- Exercise May Help Knees More Than Glucosamine And Chondroitin This NPR article questions dependence on supplements for joint health.
- 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.
- Pilates For The Professional Athlete Flexibility and stretching are just as important as strength and speed to one NFL player.
- Strong Women Make Stronger Women This YouTube video from the International Osteoporosis Foundation offers five ways to decrease the risk of contracting the disease.
- 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.
- 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?
Pilates 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.
How Stress Might Affect You
Stress Affects Everyone Differently
We all live with stress in our daily lives – sometimes more, sometimes less. Do you know what that means in terms of your physical well being?
The American Institute of Stress looks at changes that occur to the body when you’re under stress. All the more reason to exercise, breathe deeply, and calm both mind and body.
American Institute of Stress
Floor Workouts Are Fitness Fundamentals
Beyond Basics – Advanced Floor Classes
When someone thinks of Pilates, more often than not they’re thinking apparatus – Cadillac, Reformer or Tower usually come to mind, along with the cable shopping equipment demonstrations.
In reality, quite a few of us – myself included – were first introduced to Pilates as a floor exercise done on a skinny mat at the local club.
Not to take anything away from equipment classes, but a Classical floor exercise will challenge even the most ardent Pilates student. Add props like Magic Circles, balls and bands to target additional areas and all of a sudden the basic mat class is transformed into high energy fitness routine that stands on its own.
Finally, while a self-paced home session based on a web site dvd is better than nothing, professional coaching and equipment makes sure you’re achieving the desired results with maximum efficiency.
At YPL, we define floor work as mat and arc routines. Take the challenge and experience the difference.
Fall Into Fitness! September Mat, Arc Sale
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!
Farewell to Romana
A Living Legend Lost
On August 30, 2013, the Pilates community lost Romana Kryzanowska (1923 – 2013), one of its brightest and most passionate stars.
As a young dancer, Romana suffered a bone chip in her ankle. After becoming disillusioned with her doctors prognosis, she discovered Joseph Pilates.
Following her successful rehabilitation she became his life-long and most famous disciple, and it is through her efforts and others like her that the practice flourishes today.
This 2005 Pilates conference in Paris celebrates Romana and her path to Pilates.
Although I never had the honor of meeting her in person, I have studied under and followed the teachings of others who were either directly or indirectly influenced by this passionate woman. This short video reflects the dedication, exhuberance and zest for life that was Romana.
YPL September, 2013 Newsletter
Ever Wonder What Your Fascia Does?
Wonder No More!
Did you know that your entire body is covered in a web of densely packed collagen fibers commonly known as fascia? Well it is…and it’s extremely important to your overall health and wellbeing. We didn’t hear much about it in the past because it’s been difficult to study and describe, but research is beginning to shed new light on it’s importance.
All About Your Fascia
I recently came across this great article in Runners World which explains it in easy to understand language and, more importantly, tells you what you can and should be doing to keep yours in tip-top shape. If you can’t find the time to read the entire thing, at least skip to page 2 which tells you what you can and should be doing on a regular basis.
http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/understanding-your-fascia