Welcome to the Surprise Pilates Blog! Together we will explore topics related to Pilates, Life, and all things Health, and Wellness. Subscribe to our blog so you will receive new posts emailed directly to you. Feel free to pass this along to friends and family or suggest a topic you would like to see featured here. Thanks so much for reading.
It’s becoming more and more common to see a Pilates Reformer in a Physical Therapy office. I think that is wonderful! After all Joseph Pilates began rehabilitating injured soldiers during the war and then later working with injured ballerinas. Pilates is rooted in finding symmetry in the body and creating balance where there is imbalance.
Read MoreThere are plenty of ways to workout or burn a few calories so what makes Pilates special? What can Pilates really do for you that another fitness class can't?
For starters - Pilates is so much more than a 'fitness class'. Will you get fit - yes but that is just the beginning of the changes you'll see with Pilates. Joseph Pilates said "In 10 sessions you feel different. In 20 sessions you see the difference and in 30 sessions you'll have a whole new body." That's a pretty bold claim and yet I see it happen again and again in my studio.
Read MoreWhether you call it double leg work, footwork on the reformer or any other name, it’s an important part of Pilates. Often performed at the beginning of class, but it should not be mistaken as ‘just the warmup’ phase. Footwork on the bar can show us and teach us many important lessons if we tune in and let it.
Read MoreI recently had some of my college girlfriends visit for the weekend. We had a wonderful time catching up, eating out, throwing axes, eating out, going to a cookout, walking the arboretum and … eating out! Are you seeing a theme for the weekend?? Let’s face it social time is often wrapped around eating. One of my girlfriends said after I ate a piece of Kentucky Chocolate, “If Lucie eats it then it must be okay!” While I am flattered she feels that way about my choices, I thought it might be time for some real talk!
Read MoreEveryone deserves and needs a vacation and Summer time is a great time to get away. Vacations allow us to unplug, disconnect, and refresh. Checking out of your daily routine from time to time also allows us to check back in with more vigor and enthusiasm. Simply put vacations are good for our emotional and mental health.
Read MoreI enjoy working out. I love Pilates. I love running. But some days I just don't feel like it! Not every day do I bounce out of bed and feel like moving. Most days I do but occasionally I'm tired, burned out, stressed or just plain lacking motivation. Here are my go to motivators for those days:
Read MoreSelf Care seems to be all the buzz! I’m glad we are making the effort to take care of ourselves. But I also feel it’s something we should be doing anyway! Regardless - I am glad to see more women and men making an effort to prioritize their health and well-being.
Read MorePeople repeat it, believe it and live it. But … as a former advertising and marketing person I’m hear to tell you just because it’s catchy and repeated …doesn’t make it true! Anybody remember how eggs were bad for us for a while … all due to marketing? And Snackswells was a health food … all due to marketing. (Side note- I don’t even want to think about how many Snackswells pudding cups I consumed in the 90’s thinking I was eating healthy!!!)
Read MoreEvery time I encounter a new student, I begin by asking about their body. Do they have aches, pains, a past injury, a chronic condition, pregnancy, post-partum or so on. All of these things matter for me to be able to teach the best possible session for them. Pilates is individual. It should be personalized for the body at hand.
Read MoreI like to think of myself as still young and active despite the age that appears on my birthday cards each year. I think of age as more of a mindset. We all know people our age who seem so much older than us! We also know folks who seem to never age. (That’s the group I want to join!)
I do believe in many ways you are only as old as you feel. Joseph Pilates said, “If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old. If it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.”
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