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“I have a question about a client with Attention Deficit Disorder, ADD. She takes medication for it and sometimes it works better than others. I try to minimize distractions in and around the studio and I try to be very clear with my queing. Is there something I could be doing to focus her? Your thoughts on that would be very helpful.” — Susan
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Great question! Personally, I haven’t worked with a client who’s told me she’s ADD and on meds, but I’ve had numerous clients with distraction issues - whether it’s from chronic pain, emotional, work-related, or they just have that personality of wanting to be doing anything but exercise!
In my experience, doing a consistent Pilates program should help improve her focus over time, but there are definitely some things you can do to assist.
Continue reading ‘Teaching Pilates To Clients with Attention Deficit Disorder’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on April 23rd, 2009, in Exercise and Fitness, Pilates, Pilates-Teaching Tips, Uncategorized.
Tags: Attention Deficit Disorder and Exercise, Pilates Training and ADD, Teaching Pilates
This Foot Care Question was just submitted to my inbox by Nicole, thought perhaps there are others out there searching for answers on how to alleviate foot problems and curious to know if exercise might help.
“I have some problems with my feet. Hyper mobile forefoot and hypo mobile mid-foot with some posterior tibular tendonitis.”
“I was wondering if there are foot care exercises I could do to help?”
Thanks for your question about exercises for your feet. It is impossible for me to give you specific exercises that I think would be beneficial without actually having a chance to see you, work with you, and evaluate your feet.
Based on your comments about the problem, I do have some thoughts about what I would look for, and I am confident that yes, there probably are some specific foot fitness exercises that you could do to help improve your feet.
Continue reading ‘I Have Foot Problems - Are There Foot Exercises that Can Help?’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on April 17th, 2009, in Exercise and Fitness, Foot Care Tips, Pilates-Teaching Tips, Uncategorized.
Tags: Foot Exercise, Foot Fitness, foot problems, Pilates, Pilates training program
Watch Susan Boyle, singer live her dream on Britain’s Got Talent!
So there aren’t too many things that hit my inbox that send instant chills down my spine, and tears streaming down my face… But this did it!
Whatever your hopes and dreams, or goals and visions be it personal, professional, health, family, or life…
May you experience a shift in perspective today to strengthen your belief in yourself and your ability to achieve your potential!
Please close your eyes and attempt to clear your mind for 30 seconds.
Then, read the questions below and enjoy this video clip:
- What is the “right” age for accomplishing my greatest dream?
- Do I hear the laughter and believe the doubters when I am mocked for expecting life’s very best?
- What great possibility have I forced myself to stop considering?
- Who will be inspired or benefit directly when I succeed?
- When will right now become the best time to begin?
(forwarded message & questions from — Your friend, Andy Andrews)
Continue reading ‘Do YOU Have a Dream?’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on April 15th, 2009, in Goal Setting.
Tags: Achieve Your Dreams, Goal Setting
Designing safe and effective Pilates training programs that are client-specific, goal-oriented, and help improve whole-body health is the primary function of a great Pilates teacher. You can know lots of good exercises, but it’s the subtle changes, adaptations, or order for workout sequence that help your clients get the results they are looking for from their Pilates program.
The Pilates program outlined here was designed by an Apprentice Teacher and is being used as an example for a critique on designing effective Pilates programs.
This blog posting is meant to assist Pilates teachers, and especially new Pilates trainers with assistance in thoughtful and safe exercise selection to design safe and effective workout programs. I do not recommend that you precisely follow this program, but analyze the program and my comments and suggestions - then use this information to help develop your critical thinking skills, make good exercise choices, and design great Pilates programs for your clients.
As a more-experienced teacher, I enjoy helping the students in my teacher-training program develop their critical thinking skills. It thought there may be other new teachers out there who would find this information useful.
Continue reading ‘Beginner Pilates Program Design - No Neck Flexion’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on April 14th, 2009, in Pilates-Teaching Tips, Uncategorized.
Tags: Pilates Teacher Education, Pilates Workout, Pilates Workout Program Design, Pilates-Teaching Tips
I have to say that I am grateful for my gymnastics, dance, and Pilates training - especially in regards to body awareness. I’m sure it’s why so many dancers and athletes are embracing Pilates as a component of their injury-prevention and cross-training program. And it makes sense why so many of my clients over the years have started Pilates, because of an injury or problem that limited their ability to participate in general exercise programs. I feel blessed and fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with great coaches, teachers, trainers and mentors, but I know that not everybody out there has had the same experience.
The old saying, “You can’t fix it if it ain’t broke…” Well if you’re not aware of what you’ve been doing to “break” it - how could “fixing” it even begin to solve the problem. The first “fix” has got to be with the mind-body connection and improved body awareness, or old bad habits will be impossible to break.
Regardless of your athletic or dance background, or how old you were when you started your first exercise program, or what physical shape your body is in - it’s never too late to improve your health AND strengthen your mind-body connection! It just takes the desire to work on it - and a good coach to guide you along the way!
Continue reading ‘Body Awareness, Exercise Safety, and the Potential Pitfalls of a Bad Personal Trainer’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on April 2nd, 2009, in Articles, Exercise and Fitness, Health, Pilates.
Tags: body awareness, exercise program, Exercise Safety, Fitness Training, Health, health and fitness, Personal Training, Pilates, Pilates Training, workout program
Yesterday I switched things up for my regular aerobic workout and did my cardio on the rowing machine. Whew…I forgot what a great whole-body workout you can get on a rowing machine.
If you’re one to always head to the treadmill, bike, or elliptical machine - I’d encourage you to check out the benefits of adding even a few minutes of rowing to your aerobic workout program and here’s why:
Continue reading ‘Rowing for Cardio and Health’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on March 26th, 2009, in Exercise and Fitness, Health.
I’ve been focusing a bit more on my own Pilates workouts lately - and it’s such fun to discover new things about the same old exercises I’ve been doing and teaching now for fifteen years! It’s never boring, and regardless of whether I’m teaching a client, or giving myself a workout - I’m amazed at what I continue to learn about the benefits and subtleties of the Pilates system.
Here’s my revelation for the week! (or perhaps it’s just today’s revelation - and something else will pop up eager for me to share tomorrow.)
I’ve always cued my clients to begin learning their exercises with the awareness of working within the framework of the Pilates “Box.” Think about the torso from shoulder to shoulder, and hip to hip. Every exercise starts from the center of the box, moves away from, and back to center. The farther away from center you move, the stronger you have to be to maintain balance, control, and core support for your exercise or movement. Feeling where the corners of the “box” are help create an awareness of being evenly distributing your weight and staying centered. Great concept!
So when the knees bend in towards the chest on any exercise where should they go?
Continue reading ‘Knees Over Chest Is Best - For Getting Great Benefits from Pilates Training’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on March 23rd, 2009, in Pilates, Pilates-Teaching Tips.
Tags: balance, body awareness, control, core support, exercise program, Fitness Training, flexibility, Health, health and fitness, Pilates, Pilates Box, Pilates Exercise, Pilates Matwork, pilates method, Pilates System, Pilates Teaching, Pilates Workout, Pilates-Teaching Tips, strength, Wellness
Have you ever heard the term “Monkey Mind” and laughed with the visual of a bunch of monkeys jumping around being crazy and wild? And can you relate to a feeling of having those little monkeys running around in your head causing your thoughts to bounce from one thing to the next and making it difficult to concentrate on what you’re doing or get anything done?
We are bombarded with millions of bits of information every second of the day. Our brain has to sort, dump, and store based on relevance and importance for our survival and to insure that we enjoy pleasure and avoid pain. In today’s society - television programs, commercials, and even YouTube have us eager to input micro-blasts of information and entertainment - rapid fire commando style. We look for instant gratification, expect to point-click, and get what we want. The faster you can get results -the better, and if it takes more than a few minutes you don’t feel like you have time to wait.
Does this lifestyle make sense to you? Are you happy having to check your cell phone and text messages every couple of minutes? Do you ever reach a feeling of overwhelm? Wonder why you can’t get it all done? Have you ever gotten completely frustrated with your progress? Or just wish you could have a moment to think!
Continue reading ‘Focus on Health - The Benefits of a Peaceful Mind’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on March 4th, 2009, in Articles, Health, Stress Management.
Tags: Add new tag, Breathing, Health, Meditation, Monkey mind, Peace, Pilates, stress reduction, stress relief, Tai Chi, Wellness, yoga, YouTube
AHHHHH… The Great Outdoors!
I find that nothing helps adjust my mental attitude like time spent outside in Nature paired with some vigorous physical activity.
It might be a walk, skate around the park, jog, bike ride, or self-taught “circuit boot camp” (stopping at every park bench, bridge, and piece of playground equipment to do an exercise or stretch.)
Continue reading ‘Stress-Reduction Tip: Fun in the Great Outdoors!’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 9th, 2009, in Health, Stress Management.
Tags: bicycle, boot-camp, circuit training, Exercise, fitness activities, Health, jog, lower stress, reducing stress, skate, Stress Management, stress reduction, stress relief, walk
Considering the large number of clients I’ve seen with chronic back and neck pain, and the great results they’ve had from participating in Pilates programs with me, I strongly agree with the findings from this recent research article I read in SOAP notes from PT Products.
Continue reading ‘Pilates Exercise Programs for Chronic Back and Neck Pain’ »
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 4th, 2009, in Health.
Tags: Back Pain, exercise program, neck pain, Pilates, Pilates Exercise
