Pilates for Brides (and Grooms!)

Getting married?  Instead of doing that whole, “I know I can lose ten pounds before the wedding if I just stop eating chips/bread/carbs/sugar” or whatever, think about starting a series of Pilates classes or sessions before the wedding at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit.  Going sleeveless? Think of how we can help transform those arms and shoulders!  Especially if you still have a few months, we can help you work on any trouble spots that are bugging you.

Another cool thing about starting a Pilates practice before your wedding?    You can improve so many other things that maybe you aren’t thinking about but that can make your special day even that much more special.  Picture yourself walking down the aisle—you don’t want to be walking down with bad posture!  Pilates can make a real impact on that. I have several clients who have told me that they have been complimented about their good posture after several Pilates sessions.

And if you are engaged now, I am sure you already know about the stress that can come along with the planning and preparation of the wedding—not to mention I am sure there will be a bit of stress and nerves on that special day.  Pilates’ focus on breathing and awareness of our breath and its connection to our bodies and minds will not only help center you during your practice, but can help you on the big day as well.

And if you want to feel “sleek, sexy and powerful,” don’t forget about our awesome Piloxing classes that we have started.  What a great way to bring out all those attributes as well—and hey, they couldn’t hurt for the honeymoon either!

And hey future grooms, you know we want to help you get into shape too! Pilates isn't just for the ladies and we have lots of clients who are men as well. Pilates is for everyone!  And all these same suggestions apply to you as well (ok, well maybe you won't be going sleeveless, but you get my point).

So if you are looking for a way to sculpt those muscles before your wedding day (and possibly drop a few pounds too), and you want to be at your best by feeling great and looking amazing, contact us at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit to talk to one our certified trainers about what program might work the best for you.  Put this part of your wedding planning into our hands. We will take great care of you and get you ready for that once in a lifetime day!




Check us out at our booth at the Diva Bride Bridal Show on July 24th!

 

10 Reasons to Try Pilates

 

1. Lose Inches From Your Body: Pilates is a great way to firm up every part of your body, and lose inches.

2. Improve Your Posture. Remember your parents telling you to stand up straight?  Pilates will help you do this naturally. 

3. Improve Your Flexibility.  This is a key factor as we age, but is important no matter what your age.  I have had very physically active clients who came in tighter than people who never work out at all. Pilates can dramatically improve your flexibility and range of motion.

4. Help prevent Osteoporosis.  Resistance training is great for strengthening the body and preventing osteoporosis.

5. Improve Your Mental Health: With the Pilates' focus on breathing throughout exercise, it helps you focus on the present moment which can help improve your mental health.

6. Minimize Back Pain.  You may have heard before that having a strong core will help your back immensely.  Many people with chronic back pain can be helped with a regular Pilates practice.

7. Pilates is the perfect exercise for everyone.  It is great for men, women, young and old and people of all physical ability.  All exercises can, and will be tailored to your physical fitness.

8. Moms--Fix that Baby Belly.  Many women who have had babies suffer from what is known as diastasis, which is separation of abdominal muscles.  Our Pilates instructors are trained in ways to heal that problem and therefore minimize that "baby belly."

9. Personalized Attention from Trainers:  Pilates is one of the few exercise programs, even with group classes, in which you are constantly getting the attention of highly trained Pilates instructors.  You aren't going to get this at the gym.

10. Improve Your Sporting Activities.  Pilates is great to help improve your other physical activities for all the reasons above.  Check out my posts specifically on Skiing and Golf.  And if you have questions about another sport, please let me know.

Pilates and Golf

Image via Wikipedia

I love the hot weather and summer—seriously it is my favorite time of year.  The heat doesn’t bother me a bit and I love all the outdoor activities you can participate in—tennis, swimming, biking and of course, golf.  I have several clients are big golfers and have seen the real benefit of Pilates on their golf game. 

So there are a couple reasons why Pilates is so great for golf.  First, and the one we always go back to in Pilates, is a strong core, or center (if you want to know more about the core, check out my earlier post here.)  Pilates exercises focus on this core, to strengthen the deep abdominal muscles.  If you core is strong, you will have more force to hit those power shots in golf.

Also, if you think about the game of golf, because everyone who plays always hits the ball from the same side, it can become easy to have little “tweaks” in muscles, and for the body to become imbalanced.  Pilates does an amazing job at getting the spine, and the entire body into alignment.  We always evenly work each side of the body, and it becomes apparent not just to the trainers, but to you yourself, as you continue to work on your Pilates practice, where you are weak, and what side of your body is stronger.  Your personal body awareness increases, and we are able to focus where it is necessary to bring that balance back. 

As I have also discussed before, Pilates is an amazing practice to increase flexibility.  As your muscles and body become more flexible, just think how that will help your golf swing.  If you are stiff in your shoulders or back, that is going to hinder how well you can hit the ball.  If you muscles are flexible and strong, you are going to improve your game immensely.

Finally, because a big part of Pilates practice is mental, Pilates will also help your focus by teaching you to concentrate on your breath in relation to your body.  Having this intense focus will also certainly help your golf swing by allowing you to direct your energy on the swing and not get distracted or lose your concentration.

As a personal note, I have several clients who have told me how much their golf games have improved—they were psyched and I am always happy when my clients can see their progress in other places in their life.  If you are a golfer and would like to know how to direct your Pilates practice toward improving your golf game, be sure and let me know.

Massage! It's a Good Thing

I seriously love massages—if I could only have one every day, I think every day stresses would be so much more bearable!  Of course that isn’t possible, but in an effort to make it that much easier for my clients to relax and find balance, I am happy to say we are now offering massage right here in the studio.  We have set up a separate room with a relaxing massage table and environment and we have a wonderful therapist available to give massages on Tuesdays and Sundays.  Heather Chaney is a licensed massage therapist who is studying to be a physical therapist and makes it one of her personal missions to help work out that tension that we carry with us, or to help loosen up those muscles after a session here at the studio.

If you have ever had a massage, you know the instant benefits of relaxation and calm that can reduce stress and soothe sore muscles—but did you also know, according to a recent Mayo clinic article, as well as an article in Newsweek, massage can help reduce blood pressure, boost immunity, and manage anxiety and depression?  If you are already taking care of your body by exercising with us, why not take the next step and schedule a massage too?  Who couldn’t use a boost in immunity?

Heather can also offer some unique angles to her massages that you won’t often see from other massage therapists.  First, she can utilize a tool called the “fusion therapy tool” which is a small metal tool that Heather uses while massaging that is particularly amazing at targeting larger muscle groups.  This tool is great in helping clients who want to increase mobility and function and is great for people with past injuries, ailments or muscular restrictions.  Heather can also use the Pilates barrel in her practice, which is a great way to simultaneously stretch muscles and get a massage.  Of course, it is completely up to the client whether or not he or she would like to try these techniques, as Heather is always happy to perform a traditional “hands-on” massage as well. 

We welcome our clients, as well as non-clients, to take advantage of Heather’s services.  And if you are like me, and very busy during the week, she offers hours on Sundays, when the studio is very quiet.  You can schedule directly through our webscheduler, or call Patrea at 281-6762 and we’ll find a time that works for you!

Piloxing!

“Sleek. Sexy. Powerful.”  That is the mantra of our newest class here at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit.  “Piloxing” is a new exercise phenomenon in L.A. and is the brain child of Viveca Jensen.  Now, we traded some jokes about what exactly “piloxing” means (is it a cross between pillow fighting and boxing?)  but in reality it is an intense workout combining Pilates and boxing that is done in a group class setting. Celebrities such as Kirsten Dunst, Heather Morris from Glee, and Haley and Hilary Duff are doing it.  Just think, you can be one of the first in Indiana.

Piloxing combines the “power,” agility and strengthening of boxing with the grace, toning and flexibility of Pilates (i.e. the “sleek”).  These moves are done in varying intervals, and are complemented by some fun dance moves to bring out the “sexy.”  The intense boxing intervals will bring your heart rate up and burn calories (you can burn up to between 400 and 800 per hour class) and the Pilates aspect of the workout will bring the heart rate back down a bit and stretch, tone and lengthen those muscles.  The class is done barefoot (so no fancy footwear required) and utilizes lightly weighted gloves that can be purchased at the studio.  We also incorporate a mat workout to cool down and will provide yoga mats for that part of the program (or you can bring your own if you like).

The class is led by one of our lovely instructors, Anne Hasbrook, who is one of only two certified Piloxing instructors in Indiana! And we have her!  Our first class is scheduled for Tuesday May 3rd at 6 p.m. and we expect to continually add more as demand grows.  Contact us to schedule your class.

For more information, check out piloxing.com and these recent articles from Harper's Bazaar, In Touch, Redbook, and People.  And if you would like to see a video of one of Viveca's classes to see what's in store for you, click here.

So now that you know all about "Piloxing" and have scheduled your class, for a giggle, what else can we come up with to combine "Pilates" with?  "Pilooking" (Pilates and Cooking)? "Pilurfing" (Pilates and Surfing)? "Pilopping" (Pilates and Shopping)? "Pilunting" (Pilates and hunting)? "Pilyaking" (Pilates and kayaking)? "Pi-latte" (Pilates and waiting in line at Starbucks?) Please share if you come up with something cute!  You know, laughing is one of the best exercises for your core!

Zumba with Cesar Acosta!

Image via Wikipedia
It is an exciting Spring around here at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit! We have the privilege to be working with several new instructors and to offer several new classes in our recently remodeled group class space.  Starting April 25th, we are proud to begin offering Zumba with Cesar Acosta.  Cesar is a native of Venezuela and has been teaching Zumba since 2006.  He only teaches his lively classes at a few places around Indy, and 15 to Fit is happy to have him.

Zumba is a workout using easy to learn dance movements set to Latin and International dance rhythms.  The rhythms vary fast and slow and combine those moves with toning exercises--so we can burn calories, sculpt muscles and have a really good time listening to fun music while we are doing it. 

Our first class is being offered April 25th, and will be a small group, so if you want to dance with Cesar, you better sign up quick.  You can see the schedule and sign up here.

Who was Joseph Pilates?

A little history lesson:

Joseph Pilates was the founder of the Pilates method.  He was born in Germany in 1883.  He was quite a sick child, and apparently decided at a very young age to improve his physical fitness.  He was a gymnast, a body builder, a diver and even a circus performer for a time.  It was actually while being interned in a war camp in England during World War I, that he really developed his method which he originally called “contrology.”  During this time, he developed many of his floor exercises that are still incorporated into many of the mat work exercises we still do today.  As he began to try and help rehabilitate people who had serious injuries, be began working on equipment that ended up being some of the classic Pilates equipment, like the reformer (some of the original equipment was based on hospital beds and bedsprings, which if you look closely at equipment today, you can still see this inspiration.

In 1925 he moved to New York (and met his wife Clara on the boat on the way over). Together, he and his wife started their first studio focusing on contrology. Their method focused a lot on the mind body connection in exercise as well as the intense focus on the core of one’s body to strengthen the body.  Due to the proximity of his studio to several dance and rehearsal studios, they had quickly developed a following of many dancers. 

Joseph Pilates died in New York in 1967 at age 83, and obviously his legend has continued.

For fun, check out this video of Joseph Pilates and one of his famous students training.

Some of my favorite Joseph Pilates quotes:

"Patience and persistence are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor."

“I'm not concerned with body building; I'm just trying to make people normal human beings.”

“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.”

“A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balanced sequence, are worth hours of doing sloppy calisthenics or forced contortion.”

“…a body freed from nervous tension and over-fatigue is the ideal shelter provided by nature for housing a well-balanced mind that is always fully capable of successfully meeting all of the complex problems of modern living.”

***Thanks to You Tube, Wikipedia and About.com for so much valuable information!