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I read an article the other day and it said, “Pilates isn’t a mind-body exercise in the meditative way that Yoga, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong are, but it does use your mind to influence and improve your body.”
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It seems evident to me that this author has probably never experienced a Pilates workout! And in my study of Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and meditation,Â
I believe that these great mind-body methods are more similar than one might think for improving whole-body health.
Here’s Why:
All have underlying principles & philosophies behind the exercises.   And even meditation (sitting still) is an exercise!
Each Mind-Body method has a system of utilizing the breath, and specific breathing patterns to improve technique and maximize benefits from your practice.
All require, concentration, coordination, and improve whole-body health, balance, and body control.
It’s not just, let’s move the body, but let’s be aware, in-tune, and conscious of what we’re doing, how, we’re doing it, the initiation point, end point, and in-between points for every movement.
I think it’s wonderful that we have options for focused fitness and enhanced wellness for improved mind-body health.  There is a method out there to help meet the needs of each of us as individuals. And if you want to develop and fine-tune your skills, cross-training and exploring different mind-body methods may give you an increased appreciation for your body, health, and the ancient wisdom that is at the root of each of these techniques.
Look for my series of upcoming posts on the benefits of each of these great mind-body methods.
- Pilates
- Yoga
- Tai-Chi
- Qi Gong / Chi Gung
- Martial Arts
- Meditation
And I’m curious to know… What’s your  #1 favorite Mind-Body Wellness method? Answer the survey, and if you have a moment – tell me why it’s your choice in the comment section below.
Tags: Chi Kung, Meditation, Mind-Body Exercise, Mind-Body fitness, Pilates, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, yoga
Posted in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Health, Meditation, Mind-Body Health, Pilates, Polls & Surveys, yoga by Aliesa George on February 24th, 2010.
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Enjoy Whole-Body Strengthening Without Any Fancy Equipment!
A great body position on push-ups, makes the exercise so much easier to do! And with great technique you’ll be getting a lot more bang for your buck from every repetition to improve your upper body strength and fitness.
Push-ups in Pilates normally are done at the end of a Mat workout, but they’re a great exercise that you can do anytime, anywhere without any fancy equipment to maintain your fitness.
To Start the Exercise:
- Stand with your feet in a V-position, arms extended over your head.
- Walk your hands down the front of your body while you bend forward to reach the floor.
- Walk your hands out on the mat taking 3-5 steps to get into a long and strong push-up position.
While you are getting into your push-up position…the following things should happen in this order:
- Heels lengthen away from the head
- Tailbone tucks under and reaches towards the heels
- Lower abdominals lift up and in
- Glutes & Inner thighs squeeze
- Shoulder blades pull down the back
- Spine lengthens through the top of the head
To do a Push-Up and keep a great body position, the sequence of what happens is really important.
Inhale to lower the whole-body, exhale, pull the low belly up, shoulders down, then engage the muscles under the shoulders, around the ribcage and into the belly to help lift the body up while straightening the arms.
Here’s a video clip with my fitness tips and a Push-Up demo to help you improve your body position and Push-Up power.
Have Fun Practicing Your Push-Ups!
Tags: Chest exercise, Exercise Tips, fitness tips, Pilates Mat Exercise, Pilates Matwork, Push-Up Exercise, Push-Ups, upper body strength
Posted in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Pilates, Pilates Exercise, Pilates-Teaching Tips, Videos by Aliesa George on February 22nd, 2010.
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Well, here is the question of the day!
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There are so many different reasons that each of us is inspired to exercise. And your inspiration might change throughout the year. Finding the motivation factor to keep fit is one of the keys to success.
I believe that if you know what motivates you, you’ll be more apt to do whatever it takes to stick with your workouts. And if your reason isn’t important enough…well you might workout occasionally, but not enough to really reap the benefits you’d like to achieve.
So take a moment to answer this question on my poll for the day. And then on those rare and occasional moments when you’re feeling un-motivated, and un-inspired to “get your sweat on…” perhaps you can think back to your response to this survey and recommit to your self and your health to get your tennies on (or swim suit, or Pilates attire) and make the most of your workout!
If you’re one of those die-hard, “I never miss a workout” types – Congratulations, You are truly inspirational and it shows in your attitude, commitment, and physique.
I’d love to know the WHY behind your #1 reason too, but there’s not a fill-in the blank response on the poll form, so if you’re inspired to comment and share, please pop your thoughts into my comment form below.
Have a Fit & Fabulous Day!
Tags: Exercise Poll, Fitness Survey, Reasons to Exercise, workout
Posted in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Health, Pilates, Polls & Surveys by Aliesa George on February 19th, 2010.
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Ahhh the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Canada. A great time to cheer on our countries athletes and watch the best in the world excel in their sports. Those of us who are now glued to the television are enjoying hours and hours of thought provoking stories, and phenomenal demonstrations of athletic performance.
So far the Olympics have been met with both tragedy and success! Is there a sport that I don’t like to watch? Not yet…Most of the winter sports have me sitting on the edge of my chair and seem to be for speed demons!
Last night the commentators were quick to point out that Winter Olympians are a fearless bunch, and I have to agree.
Here’s a quote from American Todd Lodwick on his comparison of real-life to ski jumping.
“The best way I can describe it is to go up onto the thirtieth floor of any building, and then get in the car and drive that car off the top roof, and then land safely. That is pretty much what it is.”
So I’ve got to ask…
- Would you willingly volunteer to take a wild ride like this? And not just once…but over and over again until you’re confident, in control, and know that 99% of the time you’re going to land safely!
- Would you even consider jumping if you had the slightest thought that you might fail?
- Does this sound like FUN to you?
These great athletes from all over the world have spent endless hours practicing their sports, paying attention to diet, nutrition, cross-training, injury-prevention (or rehabilitation) and many have still had to work, take care of their families, and handle other responsibilities.
And they are now reaping the benefits of their dedicated efforts by being the best in their sports and selected to represent their country in the Olympics! Way to go – I’m proud to cheer you on!
If these athletes can juggle life with Olympic training to achieve success in their sports, perhaps those of us with regular lives can also strike a balance to achieve success, whether it’s for fitness, business, or other endeavors. The drive, determination, and motivation that these athletes share definitely lights a fire of inspiration under me to make better choices and continue striving for success until I reach my own “Olympic-sized” dreams.
Do the stories of Olympic athletes help to motivate you? I’d love to hear what’s helped inspire you to stay focused on achieving your dreams.
Tags: 2010 Winter Olympics, Goal Setting, Goals, motivation, Olympic athletes, Olympic dreams
Posted in All Posts, Diet and Nutrition, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Goal Setting, Olympics by Aliesa George on February 19th, 2010.
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It seems like stretching is sometimes a low priority when time is limited and you want to get a great workout. Is your goal to warm-up for your more vigorous activities? Do you want to increase your flexibility? Are you aware that WHAT you stretch, HOW you stretch, and WHEN you stretch really does make a difference?
Here’s a great health article that was recently in The San Diego Union-Tribune about dangerous stretching techniques and the benefits of dynamic stretching before exercise. It also includes some great tips on how to stretch safely, and a few examples of good stretching exercises for your post-exercise cool down stretching routine.
Are you on track with your flexibility training exercises to stretch safely for your fitness workouts and sports performance goals?
Tags: benefits of stretching, cool-down stretching, dynamic stretching, flexibility, Stretching, Stretching Exercises, stretching techniques, Stretching tips, warm-up stretching
Posted in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Flexibility & Stretching, Links to Interesting Articles by Aliesa George on February 17th, 2010.
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I recently came across an abstract on PubMed.gov about the prevalence, distribution, and effect of pain among adolescents with Cerebral Palsy by Dorlap & Bartlett.
Out of their sample of 230 teenagers studied, 64% of the girls and 50% of the boys reported that they had experienced pain in the last 6 months. Foot, ankle, and knee pain seemed most prevalent, low back pain was also reported.
The Study Concludes:
“The high prevalence of pain and its effect on daily activities suggests a need for greater focus on health promotion.”
My Thoughts on Health Promotion and Pilates:
I would love to see some research done on Pilates to reduce pain and improve motor function for adolescents with Cerebral Palsy. All I can go by is the actual improvements that I’ve seen with my CP clients!
Over the past 15 years I’ve had the opportunity to work with three CP kids, (2 were short-term clients, one has been consistently participating in Pilates programs for more than 12 years) All three of these amazing kids showed dramatic improvements that they carried back into their daily life activities.
I have seen changes in gait, motor control, balance, flexibility, strength, body awareness, confidence, coordination, and the list goes on…
One of my CP clients has transformed from extreme pigeon-toed gait and tripping over her own two feet on a regular basis, to trying out for the basketball team in high school, taking ballet classes for a while (requires external rotation of the hip and the ability to move in a toe-out position) wearing high-heeled shoes for her school dances without fear of falling, and she even learned to roller-skate! If you can’t keep your feet both facing forward, roller-skating is not an option.
All these activities she was unable to even consider before Pilates, and the day I knew Pilates had made a dramatic difference was when her grandmother brought her in for a lesson and said to me, “I went to see my granddaughter’s perform in a play last weekend, and I had to go back and see the show twice! I missed her entrance…  She used to walk with a funny gait and now she walks just like everybody else.”
The combination of strengthening and stretching that is at the core of Pilates equipment training makes it an optimal choice for helping improve balanced muscle development which leads to better body alignment, strength, and flexibility. The fact that on the Pilates Reformer you start flat on your back and work to stretch and strengthen the hips, knees, ankles, and feet actually targets the most prevalent reported pain that this study brought to light.
The muscles of child with Cerebral Palsy might be a bit more tightly contracted, and more resistant to increasing flexibility, but in my experience, just like anybody who has a tight muscle, it will require consistency with the right exercises and activities to begin achieving positive improvements.
It’s evident to me that regardless of your physical condition, the right exercises done consistently over time can only lead to one outcome – health improvement! In my experience…Pilates can be an excellent choice to reach this goal.
Tags: Adolescents Exercise and Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy and Exercise, CP, Health Promotion for Cerebral Palsy, Pain and Cerebral Palsy, Pilates and Cerebral Palsy, Pilates and CP, Teenagers with Cerebral Palsy
Posted in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Health, Pilates, Pilates Exercise by Aliesa George on February 15th, 2010.
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Breathing well is the first step in developing strength with length. If you have a hard time maintaining the length of your spine when you’re standing still, how the heck are you going to make it happen when you’re bending forwards, backwards, sideways, and twisting?
One of the things that keeps Pilates exercises so challenging, regardless of how long you’ve been doing them, is the concept of developing strength with length. The muscles of our abdominals and back are the ones that help provide the lift, length, and space between the ribcage and hip bones.
Here’s a video with a few thoughts on practicing better breathing habits to help improve your ability to be long and strong. Start practicing this, and then learn how to apply it to all of your Pilates exercises (and other fitness exercises) to get maximum health benefits from your workout program.
Tags: Breathing, Core Strength, Fitness, Health, Pilates Exercises
Posted in All Posts, Breathing, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Pilates Exercise, Pilates-Teaching Tips by Aliesa George on February 1st, 2010.
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If you’re one of those folks who has a tendency to lock your knees, and may occasionally be bothered with knee pain… Here’s a video with a quick and easy exercise you can practice just about anywhere to help strengthen the muscles around the knee joint, become more aware of the difference between a locked and unlocked knee, and learn how to stabilize a straight knee without locking the joint.
The benefits of this simple kneecap dance exercise include: Less time standing with your knees locked, stronger quadriceps, freer movement of the leg, and better tracking of the patella (knee cap), which all help to reduce knee pain.
Have fun playing with your dancing kneecaps!
Tags: Knee caps, Knee Exercise, Knee Exercises, Kneecap, Kneecap exercise, Locked Knees, Patella Exercise, reduce knee pain, Strengthen Knees
Posted in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Pilates-Teaching Tips, Videos by Aliesa George on January 28th, 2010.
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Are you interested in staying healthy and injury-free? Foot and Ankle strength, flexibility, and alignment is critical! Our ankles assist with balance, help us run faster, and jump higher. One missed step off a curb, or quick turn on the basketball court, soccer field, or during any other sports activity and if your ankle turns… you’ve got pain, swelling, and are sidelined from the activities that you love to do!
You don’t have to be plagued by chronic ankle pain and problems. There are lots of great ankle strengthening exercises that can help you get fit, and enjoy all the sports and fitness activities you enjoy participating in.
Here are 4 of my favorite ways to help be sure your ankles are in top training condition!
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Pilates Reformer Exercises
Toes, Arches, Heels, Lift & Lower…The first four footwork exercises on the Reformer are excellent for strengthening the feet and ankles. Add in the five exercises in the Stomach Massage series, (Round, Hands Back, Reach, Twist, and Stretch) and running and you’ve done ten great ankle strengthening as well as some great whole-body, core conditioning in your Pilates Reformer workout program. |
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Standing Footwork Exercises
The standing footwork exercises are a wonderful way to work your ankles and improve your balance all at the same time!
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- Rise on your tippy-toes and then lower your heels 8-10 times.
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- Bend your knees, lift your heels, straighten your knees (staying high on your toes) then lower the heels 8-10 times.
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- Reverse this action of rolling through the feet (Rise on your toes, bend your knees staying on the toes, lower the heels, straighten the legs) 8-10 times.
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To add variety to your Standing Footwork exercise program, these exercises can be done in a V-Position, Parallel, or One Leg at a time.
Bonus Tip: Watch your legs and feet in a mirror to be sure that your alignment stays great – Knees over ankles, ankles over toes…no wobbles. |
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Theraband Ankle Exercises
Using a theraband is a great way to strengthen the foot and ankle with a little more resistance, but not have to work against your entire body weight. Line the band up lengthwise along the sole of your foot, and hang onto the ends with your hands. Practice pointing and flexing the foot, as well as doing ankle circles against the resistance of a theraband. Strive to work through a full range of motion in all directions for maximum benefits. |
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Centerworks® Super-Ankle Board
Turning an ankle is one of the most common sports injuries, and the Centerworks® Super Ankle Board is one of the easiest ways to stretch and strengthen the medial and lateral sides of the ankle joint and reduce your risk of injury. The strength and body awareness you’ll gain with the Centerworks® Super-Ankle Board is what’s required to pull your ankle back to a centered position if it starts to roll out! Standard wobble boards do not work this range of motion or provide the reference points needed to ensure that you’re using the right parts of the foot and ankle for correct lateral/medial action. Use this Super-Ankle Board regularly and chances are slim that you’ll never blow out another ankle again! |
For Pilates Reformer workouts, find a studio near you. Everything else you can practice on your own at home or add to your current workout!  It doesn’t take a lot of time to improve ankle strength, just a few minutes focused on your feet a couple of workouts a week, and you’re on your way to staying healthy, fit, and injury-free!
You can find all of these great foot and ankle care products at Centerworks.com. Get a copy of the book Fantastic Feet with the Standing Footwork and Theraband  exercises. Buy Therabands from super-easy to advanced strengths, and get a Super-Ankle Board all online in the Foot Care Products section at the Centerworks store.
Tags: Ankle Exercises, Ankle Flexibility, Ankle Strength, Ankles, chronic ankle pain, Foot Exercises, Foot Strength, Pilates Ankle and Foot Exercises, Sprained Ankles, Theraband Exercises, Twisted Ankle
Posted in All Posts, Articles, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Foot Care Tips, Pilates, Pilates-Teaching Tips by Aliesa George on January 27th, 2010.
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Have you tried using Kettlebells for your workout program? According to the American Council on Exercise, Kettlebells are a fantastic way to build strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance quickly and effectively.
Enjoy a cardio and strength conditioning workout in a short 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes on a treadmill and another 30 minutes lifting weights. The time savings alone for those days when you’re wondering how you’re going to get a workout in is great inspiration to give Kettlebell training a try!
Plus, the calorie burn for working out with Kettlebells is huge! Approximately 20.2 calories a minute. Which is equivalent to running at a 6-minute a mile pace or cross-country skiing uphill at a speedy pace!
Read the ACE research study and checkout the exercises in this 6-week Kettlebell training program developed by ACE exercise physiologist Fabio Comana, and consider using Kettlebells to keep your body healthy and fit.
Tags: ACE research study, American Council on Exercise, benefits of Kettlebells, Kettle bell, Kettlebell, Kettlebell Exercise Program, Kettlebell research, Kettlebell training, Kettlebell training program, Kettlebells
Posted in All Posts, Articles, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Links to Interesting Articles by Aliesa George on January 20th, 2010.
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