We usually picture the upper back as rounding backward, right? But if Pilates has taught us anything it's that each person is different. Maybe you've noticed that some of your students have flat thoracic spines. As you watch them move, perhaps you've noticed that the upper back also seems to...
The Oov is a great tool for challenging balance and stability. The shape compliments the natural curves of the spine, making it very useful for building control in the core, stretching, and rehabilitation.
If the Oov is so great, why isn't everyone using it?
One reason is that many students...
The Reformer repertoire is almost ready! I've been filming and writing, and filming and writing to get it ready for you on January 1st. Until then, here's a little preview of the Reformer chapter to hold you over.
Elephant can be a difficult exercise to learn. A common mistake is to let the...
Seeing a plus sign on a pregnancy test means big life changes are ahead! In addition to the excitement (and maybe some nerves) you feel, many expecting women have a lot of questions about how to take care of themselves and the growing baby during pregnancy.
What kind of exercise routines are...
Group classes are a great cost-effective way for many students to enjoy Pilates. A room of people who are all interested in Pilates and their health promotes a sense of camaraderie and fun.
However, when the class has a mix of newbies and more experienced students, it can be tricky to...
Washer Woman I, also known as Roll Up 1, Hamstring 1, or Hamstring Stretch, helps to strengthen upper body control and lengthen the back of the body. With so many things to focus on in this exercise, we mustn’t forget to keep our knees actively straight but not locked. Locking your knees...
There are too many bad planks in this world!!! This makes me so very, very sad! Relying on our skeleton to hold us up usually means that the lumbar vertebrae are getting all the load and are suffering.
Here is a video from a few years back (gosh, my hair was long!) I'll teach you how to first...
I recently visited Body Awareness Studio in Atlanta, Georgia. I took a konnected Reformer class with studio owner Leslie, met two instructors, Sara and Susan (19:15) and observed 81-year-old Pilates student Wendy's session. (27:00).
I was lucky to be able to take a Konnector Reformer class with...
This past week I taught at the 19th Annual Meeting of the Pilates Method Alliance in beautiful Monterey, CA. What a location, what a conference.
Everything about it was wonderful! I heard from several other attendees how the location was one big reason why they decided to attend this year's...
Here is a list of commonly used terms you'll hear in a Pilates session.
Abduction: shoulder blades moving away from the spine, same as protraction
Adduction: shoulder blades moving towards the spine, same as retraction
C-curve: flexion of the spine, a rounding