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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’ »
Tags: Attention Deficit Disorder and Exercise, Pilates Training and ADD, Teaching Pilates
Posted in Exercise and Fitness, Pilates, Pilates-Teaching Tips, Uncategorized by Aliesa George on April 23rd, 2009.
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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’ »
Tags: body awareness, exercise program, Exercise Safety, Fitness Training, Health, health and fitness, Personal Training, Pilates, Pilates Training, workout program
Posted in Articles, Exercise and Fitness, Health, Pilates by Aliesa George on April 2nd, 2009.
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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’ »
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
Posted in Pilates, Pilates-Teaching Tips by Aliesa George on March 23rd, 2009.
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I was eating lunch today and talking shop with one of my Centerworks-trained, PMA Certified Pilates teachers, and we ended up on the topic of: How to effectively get clients enthusiastic about Pilates, AND keep them signing up for lessons so we can really help them see the benefits Pilates has to offer.
So I had to put on my thinking cap and work through what I’ve done in the past 25 years as a health professional, and particularly in the last 15 years as a Pilates teacher to motivate my clients to stay committed to their exercise program. I feel very fortunate that I’ve always had a very busy training schedule and most of my clients have been with me forever. Well maybe not forever, but some clients have been consistent for well over 10 years, and my most recent clients have been enrolled for at least 3-5 years!
Everyone that has stuck with it has been with me since they started. Now I realize that the last sentence seems kind of funny….but that IS the real question!
WHY have they stuck with it???
And how do we get more people to experience, enjoy, and continue with a long-term wellness program?
If you’re a Pilates teacher, personal trainer, or parent these principles will apply! If you’re a client - struggling to stay on the exercise bandwagon, you can easily apply this information to your workout program too.
Here are Six Ways To Help Your Clients
Stick with Their Pilates Workout Program.
Continue reading ‘6 Ways To Help Your Clients Stick with Their Pilates Workout Program’ »
Posted in Business, Health, Pilates, Pilates-Teaching Tips by Aliesa George on December 10th, 2008.
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Darlene Asks about Pilates and Pregnancy…
Dear Aliesa,
I am teaching a Pilates class and one of the participants has
told me that she is pregnant. She has been doing Pilates for
a while and is strong and knows her limits, but I am looking
for a resource where I can research the limitations and
contraindications for a pregnant participant.
Can you recommend some reading or a website I can rely on
to give me correct information? This is a mat class only.
Thanks very much for your help,
Darlene
Great Question Darlene!!!
You’ll find a few guidelines for Pilates & pregnancy in the PMA Pilates Certification Study Guide. If I remember correctly, Dawn-Marie Ikes did a session or two on this topic at the PMA conference in 2005 & 2006, it was great information. If you have access to a copy of the course outlines for either of those years, I think you’ll have the info you’re looking for. You might check on the PMA website for Dawn-Marie’s contact information www.PilatesMethodAlliance.org and request info directly from her.
Continue reading ‘Pilates and Pregnancy: Exercise Guidelines - Resources for More Information’ »
Tags: ACE, ACOG, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Council on Exercise, Health, Pilates, Pilates Method Alliance, Pilates-Teaching Tips, PMA, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exercise Guidelines, Wellness
Posted in Health, Pilates, Pilates-Teaching Tips by Aliesa George on November 30th, 2008.
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Wii Fitness… What Fun!
I may be a bit behind the times when it comes to enjoying the fun and benefits of all the new interactive video game products on the market - like the Nintendo Wii Fit… but recently my techno-geek boyfriend purchased a Wii Fit for home. (He’s had one at work since they first hit the market.) Being a bit shy about actually getting a computer to do what I want, for me is intimidating, never mind the hand-eye coordination it takes to “win” a computer game…..I was never any good at these games as a kid.
I have to admit my extreme skepticism about the benefits of staring at a TV screen and using a computer game for fitness. But am always excited to hear about new ways to inspire and encourage people to increase their exercise and activity level, and ANYTHING that people enjoy doing that involves movement can be a great way to improve health and fitness.
Continue reading ‘Health Benefits, Fun and Fitness with Nintendo Wii Fit’ »
Tags: balance, Baseball, BMI, body awareness, Body Mass Index, body mass index bmi, Bowling, Boxing, computer game, exercise program, Fitness, fitness activities, fitness products, Fitness Training, flexibility, games, Goal Setting, Golf, hand eye coordination, Health, health and fitness, health benefits, health status, interactive video game, muscle strengthening, Nintendo, nintendo wii, Pilates, Pilates Exercise, Pilates Workout, Posture, posture improvement, skill challenges, strength, Tennis, video game products, Weight, Wellness, Wii, Wii Fit, workout, workout program, workout time, yoga
Posted in Health, Pilates by Aliesa George on November 30th, 2008.
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I recently had someone drop me a contact request for Pilates Teacher Training information and thought she had some great questions that might be helpful to post in my Centerworks Pilates blog.
Think I may turn this into a regular section and update & add posts with questions as they come in.
It’s so important that students interested in making the transition from client to Pilates teacher ask good questions and gather lots of information before making the decision about who to enroll with for their Pilates Teacher Training Workshops and apprenticeship.
With the commitment of time, energy, and finances it takes to invest in your Pilates education - you want to be sure you’ve found the best program for you!
Continue reading ‘Questions About Becoming a Pilates Teacher’ »
Tags: blog, Centerworks, Centerworks Pilates, Pilates, Pilates education, Pilates Equipment Workshop, Pilates Mat Workshop, Pilates Teacher Education, Pilates Teacher Training, Pilates Workshop, Pilates Workshops, teacher ed program, Teacher Education, teacher training, Teacher-Ed, workshop, Workshops
Posted in I Want to be a Pilates Teacher, Pilates by Aliesa George on July 3rd, 2008.
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I’m frequently asked for referrals from people across the country (and the world) in search of a Great Pilates Teacher or Pilates Studio that they can check out and take Private Pilates lessons and join group Mat and Pilates equipment classes.
Here are a few frequently asked questions, and Five Tips to find a Great Pilates Teacher near you:
Continue reading ‘How to Find a Great Pilates Teacher’ »
Tags: Health, health club, mat exercises, Pilates, pilates books, pilates equipment, Pilates Exercise, pilates instructor, Pilates Matwork, pilates method, Pilates Studios, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Workout, Private Pilates, referrals, workout
Posted in Health, Pilates by Aliesa George on May 12th, 2008.
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I recieved this question about Pilates training by email today, thought it relevant for a blog posting:
Question: Is Pilates appropriate for someone with peripheral atrophy? Balancing is becoming more & more difficult so yoga is no longer an option. If appropriate, please tell me where I might find a certified teacher/instructor. Please advise.
Answer: I do not feel it’s appropriate for me to answer this with a specific yes, or no – because I’m out of my scope of practice to recommend Pilates for a specific person, with a specific medical issue. (Especially someone I’ve never seen or worked with!)
However, here are my personal thoughts on the subject:
Continue reading ‘Pilates Training and Peripheral Atrophy’ »
Tags: atrophy, balance, blog, body awareness, Exercise, exercise program, Fitness, Fitness Training, flexibility, Health, Kinesiology, Mat, medical issue, medical specialist, muscle diseases, nerve, nerve and muscle, physician, Pilates, Pilates and Posture, pilates equipment, Pilates Exercise, Pilates Matwork, pilates method, Pilates Studios, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Teaching, Pilates Workout, PMA, Posture, Private Pilates, quality of life, strength, therapy, training session, Wellness, workouts, yoga
Posted in Health, Pilates by Aliesa George on May 12th, 2008.
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