Our Studio Fitness Blog

My (Sort Of) Day Off From Pilates

As I type this up, sitting out on our back porch, I'm reflecting on the fact that this was a wonderful holiday weekend.  The weather finally cooperated and the sun did come out!  

This 4th of July, my husband Michael and I went on a 17 mile bike ride yesterday around the Great Swamp (he has his laptop outside as well, and is now Googling info on Trek and Cannondale bikes).  I'm less familiar with this part of New Jersey, but after playing around on the computer, I realized that it would be a somewhat hilly ride.  And unfortunately, just as we began our journey, I learned that my gears were a bit shot.  I plowed ahead, though, encouraged by Michael, and probably expended three times as much energy as necessary versus had my gears worked correctly.  I felt like Fred Flinstone driving his car, legs working at a quick pace, kicking up a dust cloud, screaming, "Wilma!"   However, even though I worked harder, I constantly had keep your hips forward and shoulders back and down playing over and over in my head.  One more occasion where Pilates training has crossed over to everyday life.  When you do Pilates on a regular basis, be it on the Reformer or the mat, you realize the importance of alignment, of creating a stronger and more flexible spine, use of the breath (good for those hilly inclines), and so much more.  

We were on the last leg of our journey, and noticed a 'Pick Your Own Blueberries' sign.  We decided, since the last part of the ride included a long, steady hill before the final coast back down to the car, to finish the ride and drive back.  We knew if we got off the bikes, we wouldn't want to get back on, and we still had a ways to go.  So we ventured on, made it to the finish line, and pointed the car towards blueberry heaven!

We parked our car, bikes now dangling on the bike rack, and made our way into Hillview Farms.  We were each given our own pails, the kind children use at the beach, but our prize was going to be a lovely shade of blue vs. the usual golden sand.  We made our way to the blueberry patch, and reflected upon the fact that something so simple could be so rewarding (we ate a few as we filled our pails, so yes, we knew it was rewarding... and so very tasty!).  This place was a discovery we made purely by accident, but as we made our way back to the store to have our booty weighed, we knew we'd be back one day soon.  That's because Lorraine, who was friendly, informative and funny, too, told us about the fresh peaches arriving in a few weeks!  

Hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather and you were able to do something active and rewarding, too!  Feel like sharing?  We'd love to hear from you! 

 

And the Countdown Begins - Get Me My Pilates, Quick!

I just looked at the calendar, and thought, "Oh, my!"  Count for yourself - there are only 50 days until the unofficial start of summer - Memorial Day.  

Don't get me wrong, I love summer; I love the sun and sand, barbecues, and a great day of beach volleyball.  But ask most people, and they'll say they want to drop anywhere from five to fifteen pounds, and quick!  They want to shape up, tone, and slim down so they look good and feel healthy participating in all of the activities that arise during the summer season.

Lately, I think about how I can squeeze in some extra workout time for myself.  Take the stairs.  Walk to the farmer's market for the goodies that will go into my smoothies.  Get that bike in for a tune-up ASAP.  And what are you doing?  What have you been doing?  If you haven't moved much during the cold, wintry months, be careful.  Don't become a weekend warrior, or you just may find yourself making regular visits to a chiropractor.

I have found myself bugging my husband to get out of bed for his 6am yoga class so he maintains the flexibility to endure 18 holes on the golf course (he's probably on the 15th hole as I write this!).  He'll even ask for some Pilates Reformer instruction once in awhile.  If you are unsure of where to start for yourself, inquire about a Pilates for Golf routine to help you avoid injury.  A golf swing requires one to rotate the upper body while maintaining a stable lower body.  Ask a qualified Pilates instructor to give you a Torso Rotation Test.  If you're looking for a better swing, check out this recent article from Pilates Digest, "Pilates for a Better Golf Swing" and practice what they preach!

If you think that it’s too late to start exercising, I’d have to challenge you and say you’re incorrect.  It’s never too late, regardless of the date on the calendar.  Anyone can do it, yourself included.  Look at one of our clients.  Sophia stopped by last week with her six-month old son, wanting to sign up for some Pilates mat classes to help her get back on the proverbial exercise horse.  As you can see, she looked fabulous doing yoga while she was pregnant.  I see pictures of her, and I'm inspired to move, move, move!  (Not sure where to find yoga near you?  Click HERE to find local classes in your area.)

 

Now, as much as I would love to say that Studio Fitness is the ONLY place that can help you achieve your fitness goals, that would be very far from the truth.  No matter where you decide to take classes that help you strengthen and lengthen, just get out there and do it so you’ll be bathing suit ready when the calendar says sand, sun and fun!

Take our quick poll and tell us if you're ready for summer.  And always feel free to stop by for a class at Studio Fitness!

 

Pilates for Life

Someone close to me recently experienced a back injury.  It was on a normal Sunday.  We had played tennis in the morning, but it wasn't until he was doing something so simple later that night, something he does every single day, that his back seized up. 

Okay, this someone is my husband.  I had already gone to bed, so I wasn't even aware of the pain he was in until the next morning.  He went to work, but ended up coming home early; he has rarely done this in the entire time we've been together.  He struggled through that first week, going to work one day, and then working from home the next.  Then, he worked from home that whole second week, with a few breaks for short, strained walks in the afternoon, and some trips to the chiropractor.  My husband is someone who does not like to take medicine, but he finally broke down and went to a doctor who prescribed a low dosage steroid.  Thankfully, he's up and moving, and back to work.

Now why should you care about my husband's back injury?  Well, did you know that Pilates can play a role in the healing process, with better body alignment and body awareness education. The likelihood of injuring yourself also decreases after practicing Pilates over a period of time, due to your increased strength and flexibility.

There is a woman I know down at the Jersey Shore.  She teaches Pilates, and whenever I can, I try to schedule some one-on-one time with her for an invigorating Pilates workout.  My husband likes to say that she's my mentor... he's not really wrong.  And because I respect her and trust her implicitly, I suggested to him that he take my appointment this weekend to learn more about Pilates and how practicing it can strengthen his back to prevent further injury. 

I went with him to the private session.  She reviewed the basics, she went through some beginner to intermediate exercises with him, and he was breaking a sweat.  I was merely a model for her to demonstrate correct positions and movement.  But I still had a good time, even learned a thing or two myself.  It's always good to get back to basics.  And I even caught my husband correcting his posture the next day.  He saw me looking at him in a crowded room and smiled; he knew what was going through my mind. 

Pilates isn't just a class you take once or twice a week.  It builds mind-body awareness that carries over into the everyday.  We'd love to hear how Pilates has helped to change your life, whether it was rehabilitative, or something you just happened to stumble upon, and got hooked.  Share your comments below.

Until next time!