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!

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.

After playing with the Wii Fit only a couple of times, I am a happy to report that I am a fan of the fun, interaction, and health benefits that this gadget can provide!  Last night my family spent 6 hours playing Wii Fit games together!!!  Tennis, Baseball, Boxing, Bowling, Golf, balance games, yoga.  I think we explored the gamut of options!  I can honestly say that I can feel my abs this morning – so core muscle strengthening was definitely happening, and I wasn’t one of the folks that spent tons of time playing! So can only imagine how sore a few other people might be today!  We had more fun, spent more time laughing, talking, and encouraging each other in competition that the evening flew by and nobody wanted to stop playing.

While I wouldn’t want to spend all my workout time on the Wii…I think it’s a great option for friendly competition, a way to check-in on your health status with weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), goal setting, and some basic fitness testing for strength, balance, and control.  This gizmo provides instant feedback to see where you’re at, games and skill challenges to improve your health, and a way to do something besides just be a couch potato in front of the TV.  I also think that the balance awareness and assessment tools are excellent.  More about that in an upcoming blog post!

Do you Wii???  If you’re doing or teaching Pilates and haven’t tried this yet…find a friend who’s got one – create your Mii (your own personal cartoon version of you!) and go play!  I’d love to hear what you think about using Wii Fit as a tool to help your clients track improvements with their health and check-in with Posture and being “on center” for balance and body control that is such a key aspect of Pilates training.

Share your Wii Fit experience!

Here are a few frequently asked questions, and Five Tips to find a Great Pilates Teacher near you:

Q. I use Pilates books and videos at home, why should I participate in lessons at a Pilates Studio or Health Club?

A. Books and videos can be good tools to help you remember what you’re doing. However, nothing can replace the eye of a qualified and experienced Pilates teacher to help you understand the exercises and find the right muscles to do each exercise correctly. Books and videos will show you the basics of the exercises, but won’t help you become aware of the ways you’re cheating, or help to identify your bad habits and assist you in correcting them. Also, not every exercise is for every person. Following exactly what’s on a video may be dangerous for your body. Besides, just doing Matwork is only half of the system, so you’re missing out on half the benefits Pilates has to offer. Use of both the Pilates equipment and mat exercises is the ideal and best way to utilize the Pilates system.

A Qualified Pilates Teacher Can Help You:

• Find the right muscles to get the most benefit from the exercises.

• Learn how to modify or tweak the exercises for your body to be in safest position.

• Identify which exercises are appropriate for your body and which exercises you should skip or wait awhile before adding to your workout.

Q. How do I know if my Pilates instructor is a qualified teacher?

A. Great Question! Anyone can call themselves a Pilates Teacher – If they’ve read a book and watched a video, participated in only a weekend workshop, or completed an intensive 500+ hour Comprehensive Pilates Teacher-Training program.

To the uneducated consumer, without asking questions, you may not know if your teacher has the background and experience necessary to really help you get the most from your Pilates training experience.

The Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) is an international non-profit organization to provide information and education to Pilates teachers and consumers.

The PMA^TM recommends that anyone wishing to teach the Pilates method:

• Participate in a Pilates exercise program prior to attending a teacher training program.
• Attend a comprehensive training program, and maintain a commitment to education.

The following are general guidelines, questions, and information from the Pilates Method Alliance that you can use to help search for a qualified Pilates teacher:

1. Are the instructors trained through a comprehensive training program?

2. Did that training program require a written and practical test, lecture, observation, practice and apprentice hours?

3. How many total hours were spent in the training program? (The Pilates Method is a knowledge based method of exercise and training. Time spent in certification training produces qualified teachers.)

4. Does the instructor have any other movement related teaching experience.

5. How long have the instructors been teaching Pilates?

6. What is the instructor’s / studio’s philosophy and specialty? Are they able to handle special needs, injuries and rehabilitation?

7. Does the instructor or studio teach the full repertoire of Pilates on all pieces of apparatus?

Q. How do I find a Pilates studio with qualified, comprehensively-trained Pilates teachers?

Five Tips To Locate a Great Pilates Teacher Near You:

1. See what’s listed in your local phone book under Pilates.
2. Inquire with your local health clubs.
3. Call sports medicine / physical therapy / or kinesiology / chiropractic clinics and ask where they refer their patients for Pilates Training.
4. Check with the Pilates Method Alliance. The PMA is an international membership organization for Pilates. You can search on their website to locate a PMA member Pilates Teacher/Studio at http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/curntmemb.html
5. PilatesStyle Magazine also has a good studio referral network at http://www.pilatesstyle.com/web/directory.aspx

Remember…Pilates is for Every Body! Find a Great Pilates Teacher and check out what Pilates can do for you.