The “Real” Benefits of Pilates

by Laurette Ryan

www.balancepointpilates.com

Pilates, as we’ve all seen numerous times, has a laundry list of benefits. They range from the physical to the emotional and mental and at times the spiritual. Pilates teachers will espouse the toned muscles -especially fantastic abs or six-pack you will get by doing pilates exercises. They will say you’ll be longer and leaner. You’ll be more mobile and flexible and strengthen your “core” . Teachers will tell you- you will improve neuro-muscular coordination, improve your concentration and reduce stress.

I am always rambling on to anyone who shows the least bit of interest in starting an exercise program all the amazing virtues of Pilates exercise, Joseph Pilates, Pilates history and the wonders of the fit & healthy lifestyle. At times, these slightly interested individuals seem to look at me with a face that says a. I’m sorry I brought it up, or b. how can I gracefully escape or c. wow, she is obsessed, the rumors are true!

However, personally, I am always impressed when I hear the benefits of training directly from my students. I know by heart the list of benefits, but when one of my students relates to me a story about how their exercise program has helped them in their daily lives, that’s when I feel fulfilled. Those stories spur me on,as a teacher, to keep preaching and teaching Pilates, health and fitness.

One of my favorite stories is about the ladies who went to Egypt,( they participate in one of my 50+ age groups). They came back from their amazing vacation and told me how excited they were, that they could swing their legs on up and get on a camel to ride of to a fancy dinner which was schedule for their tour group. Or the woman who went to China and had to use those restroom facilities which require you to straddle and squat , a feat she was sure would have been difficult, if not impossible, except for her dedication to attending our class. The gentleman who after attending Pilates for a year was able to kiss “The Blarney Stone”, he was a big guy and well over 6 feet tall. Real benefits here for middle-aged and older adults to help them to keep enjoying adventures in their lives.

I, also love to hear the stories, maybe less adventurous, but nonetheless priceless. The person who spent some time with her mother-in-law and had to keep lifting the relative’s wheel-chair in and out of her van. She was so thrilled to be able to do this and additionally to have no pain or soreness afterward.

The women who have bounced back with vigor after childbirth. The many individuals who have found recovery from accidents, surgeries and injuries to be not only completely possible , but easier .

Knowing the effects of their stories to inspire me, I asked one of my classes today to write down, what Pilates and exercise in general has done for them. Here are some of their responses.

“ Exercise helps alleviate the stiffness that comes with aging” and “able to do more gardening without the aches and pains. Feel good after class.”

Peggy writes “ am 8 mos. Post hip replacement, and starting this exercise class 2 mos .ago- definitely more flexible and strong. More importantly I feel empowered to restore wellness.”

Also- “recently, I stumbled and would have fallen, I’m sure, but was able to catch myself because of my “core” strengthened by regular exercise.”, Deanna.

I myself also have a real life story . Just last November, I returned home from the Pilates Method Alliance Convention very late at night. The next morning very early, I was half asleep wearing overly long fuzzy pajamas, I went to descend a stair case and on the top step…I went down….literally all the way down , one whole floor, on my back (luge style)- I was thrilled to not have broken any bones but was amazed that not only didn’t I have any bruises – I didn’t have any soreness, misalignments or discomfort of any kind! I have to attribute it to a flexible spine and strong core, all the result of regular Pilates practice.

So instead of a laundry list, here are some real life benefits. Keep moving – Do your Pilates today !

Laurette

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By Laurette Ryan

www.balancepointpilates.com

Pilates has been for a while one of the hottest workouts around. I remember WHEN…before the media hype, before the celebrity endorsements, before it was a multi-million dollar industry. I remember when there were not 50 zillion “Pilates” “Certifications” out there. I remember getting a paper pattern and detailed instructions on how to “build” the wunda chair. Now there are a ton of equipment companies and as many chair designs as that! I remember feeling lucky when Pilates started to get popular, more people were interested in class.

In 1993, I taught a mat class that had 2 students, until the health club owner took it off the schedule in favor of a Step n Body Blast class. Then in 1999 I had a mat class that went from 4 regulars to 25 people jammed into a little aerobics studio in the span of about 2 weeks after Madonna said-she did Pilates-I was excited. 12 years later my excitement is turning to an overwhelming nervousness and apprehension about the future of “Pilates”.

I put Pilates in quotations because I would like to say true Pilates, but at my age, there may not be enough time to fully resolve that issue. So let’s just say that there is “Pilates” and then there is Core conditioning, Ab toning group exercise, stretch and lay there , dare I say unsafe, ineffective group and private sessions, on and off equipment masquerading as “Pilates”.

A lot of this fake Pilates comes out of the group exercise and Personal training realms, however due to the immense popularity of this industry we now have a new problem. “Pilates” teacher training programs taught by those with limited actual experience- teaching there own version of Pilates to student teachers who go and teach it to other students. Additionally there is little or no mentoring of these new teachers. They are told (lied to) that they are teaching “real” “true” “classical””authentic” “Pilates”. They believe it. They believe it with all their well-meaning little hearts …but in fact they know so little of “Pilates” it would be comical if it were not so tragic. There is a scam being perpetrated on these teachers and on the public. A multi-billion-dollar scam, it’s horrible.

My issue is this, those who are adequately and exceptionally trained in the art of teaching “Pilates” suffer a deep injustice. 1. They are often criticized undermined and slandered by false teachers who know not of what they speak, 2. They lose income to such teachers, 3.Potential students are turned off,injured and leery of Pilates, because of their experiences with poorly trained teachers.

Let me interject I believe there are a few good ways to skin a cat and I’m not advocating any particular lineage of “Pilates”, however when the “cat” is not in fact a “cat” but is instead a skunk!, there is a difference.

I have had the privilege of teaching to a diverse group of Pilates teachers recently, all wonderful lovely people. What I most noticed was the number of Pilates teachers who were unfortunately ill-informed and educated about “Pilates”. I was so thrilled that at least they were there, seeking out expanded educational opportunities- that is huge. I was a little worried though, that these particular teachers are the ones teaching large groups in the public arena about Pilates.

Pilates professionals, we are losing the battle, and the public IS suffering, and “Pilates” is being maligned, there is no doubt about it. Noting the amazing growth the Pilates industry has seen in the past ten years, I can see why the need for teachers has grown. That is why group exercise organizations have jumped in to fill the gap. They Don’t KNOW “Pilates”-FACT-!!! I could be more polite….but I’ll turn 50 next year- that’s what happens! Teacher Training is a great revenue stream for them, can you blame them?

So now what do we do? So many, are adverse to having one governing body? What would they do?

If we stay as it is, more of the corrupting of the “Pilates” method will continue until Joe becomes some eccentric old white haired guy in bathing trunks who did sit-ups and “Pilates” as in Contrology exists no more. We need a democratic governing body, we need an entry level foundational test, we need required continuing education. In a perfect world only those who were mentored and nurtured by wonderful experienced “Pilates” teachers could one day, hang out a shingle declaring themselves, “Pilates Teachers”, but this ain’t no perfect world, in case you haven’t noticed.

We need to stand together -I truly believe that- and it will be hard. The reason I have, for 10 years supported the idea of the PMA is just for all of these reasons, and it’s not always perfect either, but I have felt, it’s a malleable enough organization to be guided by the will of it’s members. Does the PMA have to be IT? No, but is there another democratic international organization out there with a third party exam? If you want to start one go ahead, more power to you….or you could work with the one we have that exists not in some utopian fantasy- but in real-life, flaws and all, but striving to be better all the time. This is not an ad for the PMA, this is a wake-up call to those of you who think you can go on forever teaching “Pilates” -the good stuff and not be affected by the marauding hoards of ill-trained Pilates instructors out there.(okay -marauding hoards-is a little over the top)

Bottom line is the public is being duped—every single day, and the reputation of my profession is suffering. I’m getting a little mad..(if you ask anyone about me-that takes a whole lot!)

I am passionate about what I do- this is my life, it’s what colors the tapestry of my spirit .

We can’t lose “Pilates” we have to stand together. ……now I’ve got to go breathe……

Pilates & Peace

Laurette

for more info on PMA  go to : www.pilatesmethodalliance.org

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Is Pilates Different?

By Laurette Ryan

www.balancepointpilates.com

www.LauretteRyan.com

Recently, I was engaged in one of those crazy online “discussions” where a person asked “So, what makes Pilates different from other forms of exercise?” And just like it goes, at times when you are online, I couldn’t tell whether the “asker” was under the impression that Pilates was in fact no different, or they just wanted others to defend their personal position as to why it was different and see if it matched her contentions??? I, of course strongly believe Pilates is different, more importantly though I felt my clients thought it was different. The problem was, I so strongly believed this, that I never actually asked them what they thought.

I have spent the last couple of weeks asking! I’ve asked my clients, I’ve asked Pilates teachers, I’ve asked people online….and what I found out – made me smile, because I found out that what I know from a scientific and experiential foundation is what they believe too! Everyone who answered also replied that they expected to continue to practice Pilates for a lifetime! Let me repeat— a lifetime!

Interestingly, all student felt that they experienced a feeling or sense of having “lengthened” their muscles. Every respondent participated in other physical fitness activities. A few had then given up their other activities completely and solely practiced Pilates.

Whitney Arruda who runs on the treadmill and does free weights at home,has been practicing Pilates for 6 years on and off, said, “I find Pilates very effective, I have always been a runner to stay in shape, but after I started doing Pilates I found that Pilates lengthens the body and strengthens muscles that I didn’t know I had and other forms of training don’t reach. Pilates is a full body workout that lengthens and strengthens the body using your own body mass/muscle, Pilates gets the deeper muscles and not just the ones on the surface like many types of training.”

Carrie Brooks : “The word “lengthen” is a good summary word for Pilates.

Most students reported using principles like proper breathing, core engagement and a focused mind, which they learned in Pilates, in their other sports and activities. These Pilates enthusiasts recognized that Pilates was a system of exercises which focused on “whole body movement” Let me be honest, anytime anyone stated that -I was getting a little giddy. I could tell they “got it”. They might have started for a toned tummy…but after practicing they are all finding the joy in an efficiently balanced, functionally intelligent body. The consensus was that they had not previously understood- the what , how, or why of strengthening and using deep muscle groups like the transverse abdominus. ( I like to call it- your suck-in muscle, you know pretend your on the beach and that cute guy/gal walks by…you know-your suck-in muscle!)

“Pilates makes me feel longer, stronger, and more centered. My posture has changed drastically and I was recently deemed a half inch taller at a physical this year. I considered myself to be 5′ 4 1/2″ since my teenage years. When the nurse claimed that I was 5′5″, I had to ask her to please remeasure in order to convince myself that I “grew” in my late twenties!” says Kristen Reynolds,Pilates Teacher and Physical Therapist.

Lavina McKenna replied, “It really helped my posture which I can see now in old pictures of me. It toned and shaped better than all other types of exercises that I had ever done.”

The Teacher was noted as a very important factor in the effectiveness of the pilates workout. Although, it is a topic of much debate, I think this emphasizes the need for setting guidelines or parameters like third party certification as a way for the public to find a qualified teacher.

When asked to explain why Pilates is different?,Tracy Maurstad, PMA-CPT  of Las Vegas Pilates replied, “Interesting challenge Laurette. It’s hard to distill down something we’re so passionate about isn’t it? Pilates is not about how your body LOOKS. It’s about how your body WORKS. Looking good just happens to be a nice side benefit! Traditional weight training comes out of body building. Think about a body builder. On stage. Posing. Looking good. But not MOVING. Pilates uses full body movement emanating from a strong core not to get bigger, but to get better.” she also added, “…The concentration required. If you’re talking about The Housewives of Whatever and doing a Pilates exercise, you may be doing exercise, but you’re not doing Pilates. Practicing Pilates requires your full attention. The motion without the mind won’t get you there. Imagine your spine growing another inch, or a powerful magnet being dropped between your hip sockets, even just a little more weight into the ball of your big toes and the feeling of the exercise completely changes. I call those “Pilates moments”.

Is Pilates different? YES, those who practice properly agree. They may continue with running or weight training or cardio, but they need their Pilates. Nothing else substitutes. So whether my the “online-asker” of the question is satisfied ..I don’t know. What most importantly matters is, people do think Pilates is different and is effective and intend to practice it their whole lives.

Whitney summed it up, “I enjoy Pilates…. I find that it makes me feel good about my body and myself and also helps me mentally with stress from work/life.”

Pilates makes life better.

Now -go do your Pilates….

Laurette Ryan

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Duration : 0:10:45

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By Laurette Ryan

Balancepoint Pilates

www.balncepointpilates.com

I’m sure by this time many of you have seen that hilarious fake info-mercial by Mr. Jimmy Kimmel entitled “Hottie Body-Humpilates”.  I, like many if not most of you, got a good chuckle.

I would like this opportunity to respond to “Humpilates”. Part of me wishes Mr. Pilates himself were alive and could go on Mr. Kimmel’s TV program and teach him the Saw or Roll-over in his classical manner (as seen in Mary Bowen’s home movie reels…if you know what I mean). I admit that fantasy, my Pilates friends, really makes me chuckle or lol, if you wish. I was wondering why I would have such an evil fantasy…I’m thinking that Lolita San Miguel, Mary Bowen and Ron Fletcher could go on Kimmel and teach him a thing or two…Too bad Kathy Grant isn’t with us- she’d show him why Pilates is for men- she could have taught him a little respect! ….And what about Romana, could he survive Romana?, well he’s probably got a personal masseuse, he might be okay.

I’m normally quite reasonable, a peace-loving individual with a good sense of humor. So why did I want to see Mr. Kimmel suffer a little? I’m sure his piece was all in good fun, it’s not actually called Jimmy K’s Pilates. There are two reasons. First, it’s the “-ilates” thing. People tack the “-ilates” onto everything…Cardio-lates, Yoga-lates, Spin-ilates,Dance-ilates Box-ilates, I’m just waiting for Driv-ilates and Sleep-ilates. I’m sure all these fusion classes are great fun and serve a need, but the public unfortunately can get a little confused…what is Pilates, really? … is the Warrior pose part of the repertoire? They can’t figure it out.

(Can you imagine going in to get a broken leg cast and getting a cast AND a pedicure …..you might wonder how pink toenails helped fix your broken bones- it’s what our students are thinking).

So obvious “Hump-ilates” is a joke….. but it does perpetuate that line of thinking which is- add “-ilates” to anything and you have the hottest new workout.

Secondly, have you noticed how Hollywood so often makes Pilates the punch-line? I laugh, because I can laugh at myself. Pilates teachers and enthusiasts probably get a laugh too and we’re happy to see ourselves recognized by popular media. What happens though, is that as we seek to gain professional recognition in our communities, stereo-types are created which do not portray us in a credible or favorable light. Do you think those stereo-types encourage the middle-aged blue collar worker with back pain ,(whose Doctor recommended he exercise) to seek out a qualified Pilates Professional to help him out?

Pilates is an amazing way to strengthen, condition, improve and yes, I believe heal your body. People don’t laugh at Dental Care…(*they may have though, years past-when dental care was a side-business of your Barber) This may be reason to think about the trend for Group Exercise Teachers to get a “Weekend Mat Certification” ….think about it. Dentist are considered professionals. Would you even consider going to a Dentist/Barber these days?

I feel we need to be vigilant in few ways to keep pushing our profession forward. The support and promotion of a Third-Party Credential, adhering to a recognized and accepted Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice guideline are keys and however we get there..the fact is- we must. The Pilates Method Alliance ( www.pilatesmethodalliance.org ) is at this time, the only organization offering this, that I am aware of. (If there are any others meeting this criteria, please feel free to share them with us.)

So, Mr. Kimmel -Thank You for your very funny skit and Thank You for making us take a moment to consider our profession, it’s current state and our future direction.

Mary Bowen’s website : www.pilates-marybowen.com

Lolita San Miguel’s website : http://lolitapilates.com/

Ron Fletcher’s website: http://ronfletcherwork.com

Yours in Peace and Pilates,

Laurette

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Duration : 0:3:58

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Expert: Susan Perry
Contact: www.sweatbydesign.com
Bio: Susan Perry is the owner of Sweat by Design fitness studio.

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Duration : 0:5:3

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Duration : 0:3:58

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