49 W. 27th St. Mezzanine B, New York City 212-904-1399 www.movementsafoot.com

Therapeutic Muscle Stretching on the Pilates Equipment

Click here to register

With Anthony Lett
When; April 14, 15, 16,  2012. 9-5


Cost $800   Early Bird special Register by 3/15/2012  $750.
Anthony Lett, author of Innovations in Pilates will present a  three day workshop covering all of the theory and major stretches selected from his popular Pilates book.
Workshop includes;

• Joseph Pilates philosophy and stretching
• Relationships between core strength, good posture, dynamic exercise and flexibility
• Case studies and Flexibility interventions
• Anatomy revision-muscle function animations and experiential practice
• Deep and effective Therapeutic Muscle Stretching for the Calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, adductors, gluteals, trunk, arms shoulder and neck.

The workshop will leave you with new insights into Pilates, new class formats, and a whole bunch of new and exciting repertoire. Backed up by 3d muscle function animations and a mostly practical content, your Pilates teaching will feel invigorated and so will your clients!
About Anthony; Anthony is the author of Innovations in Pilates. A student and teacher of Pilates for 25 years, he has qualifications in Philosophy, sports science, exercise medicine, mind/body medicine and clinical anatomy. Anthony has presented his workshops in various parts of the world to Pilates audiences and runs his practice in Melbourne Australia. His workshops are known for their good humour and relaxed but thorough approach.

DVD is on sale now of this book $54 (tax included)

In running a Pilates Studio and training teachers, I am seeing new teachers having problems developing a practice and following.  Many teachers run in seconds before their sessions begin.  They need to know the importance of making connections with clients and learning their fitness goals, levels and injuries.

When I was bartending, making any kind of contact improved my tip.  When I did not, the tip amount went down.  It could have been as simple as talking about the weather. Making your service personalize is how to begin to create a following in addition to your education as a teacher.

Last week I took class with a teacher who was not developing a following in her classes and privates.  She did come early, but made no attempt to talk to students waiting for her class.  While waiting for her to come into the classroom,  I found out more information about her students than she did.  One woman had only took mat classes.  The teacher did ask if they had done Pilates, but did not go in depth what was their true experience.

She interpretted as a lot of experience and taught material too advanced for their fitness level.  She taught swan on the tower.  I would never teach that exercise until I saw their fitness level with pulling the straps or swan on the reformer.

The teacher made no personalized comments to the students.  There was only 3 of us.  Not once did she call us by our names.

She was fired soon after this.

I started Movements Afoot when there was a trademark war.  We weren’t allowed to mention Pilates in any of advertising.  It was through my teaching on the physioball, pilates mat and other classes that the studio grew.  Making clients feel comfortable, challenged and motivated are essential to growing your career.

49 W. 27th St. Mezzanine B, New York City 212-904-1399 www.movementsafoot.com

Pilates Equipment Teacher Wanted NYC

Freeing the Shoulder by Lesley Powell for Pilates Pro: a more in depth article

Relax your Neck – Liberate your Shoulders
With Lesley Powell, Franklin Method Teacher, Certified Movement Analyst, Balanced Body Pilates Faculty
$60  Early discount sign up by first of the month.February 11, 2012  Saturday 11 AM – 1 PM

When you embody the body’s natural support structure, ‘you’ don’t have to ‘work so hard’ to stay upright and moving forward in a world of ‘stress’.  Discover the flow and ease that exists within you. Lengthen and balance shoulder and neck musculature to dance through life with free healthy shoulders, a liberated neck and a dynamic supportive spine.

The counterbalancing effect of the shoulder blade is especially helpful in arm elevation. Dancers, gymnasts and anyone attempting to reach for the coffee container on the top shelf needs to be able to lift their arms effortlessly without disturbing their centers or increasing tension in the shoulders, back and torso.

In this workshop, you will learn simple and profound ways to catapult your shoulder experience to a beautiful new awareness and then integrate this magical sensation into your daily life movements. Use this every day and embody easeful shoulders and an easeful life. This workshop is highly recommended for dancers, movers, shakers, yogis, desk sitters, children, grown up kids, sky divers, swimmers and anyone who carries a bag.

49 W. 27th St. Mezzanine B, New York City 212-904-1399 www.movementsafoot.com

I am starting a Pilates Equipment class for Special Populations starting Thursdays 2 PM in February.

If you know anyone interested, they can sign up online or call the studio.

The class is designed for students with injuries and special conditions.
Since most classes can be too fast, this class is designed at a slower pace with modifications depending on each person. 

There is a 3 person minimum.  Limited to 6 persons.

Single class signed online $32
5 class card  $155

If you have students interested in this kind of class, please pass the word.  If this time does not work,  have the client call/email about other times.  I would love to start other times if there was interest.

Smile and notice how the muscles of your face activate.  

Now place your hands on your lower abs and smile your lower abs.  

Feel the abs contract wide against your pelvis.  

Feel how you created your own internal spanx.

Pilates is more than abdominal workout.  It is about connection of the entire body.  When the lower and/or upper body works in harmony with your torso, you create better alignment, strength, balance of tone and mobility with your entire body.

Newcomers to Pilates sometimes get stuck on the idea that a hard muscle is a functional muscle.  A lot of people are hardening their muscles that is destroying correct movement of the body.

As you advance in your practice, Pilates repertory has more sequencing of movement and level changes.  This teaches you to have dynamic stabilization of your body.

49 W. 27th St. Mezzanine B, New York City 212-904-1399 www.movementsafoot.com

Teachers,

Happy New Year!!  We have an exciting year ahead to support your education as a Pilates teacher.

Anthony Lett joins us in April teaching a workshop based on his fabulous book. Innovations in Pilates.  Finally there is a book for professional Pilates teachers beyond just learning the repertory.  We are selling a dvd of his book at the studio, a more affordable price.  Since the book is published from Australia,  the costs of the book and shipping is expensive.  Please feel free to come by the studio to view the book.

Pilates Lab for Teachers: Muscular Imbalances
With Shelley Studdenberg $60   
Register by the 1st of the month $50 * see overview date

Mondays 1:30-3:30

• Pelvis   1/16/2012
• Lower extremity – knee and foot 2/27/2012
• Upper extremity shoulder  3/26/2012
• Disc  4/23/2012
• Neck  5/21/2012

Franklin Method: Series of workshops

See Workshops for All
With Lesley Powell

• Relax your Neck – Liberate your Shoulders February 11, 2012
• The Knee March 10, 2012 3 -5
• The Spine May 12, 2012  3 – 5 PM

Anatomy in Clay®
with Marcy Schafler
Sunday 10 AM -6 PM  $275  
Early discount see dates below

• April 1     Core        Early bird discount by 3/15  $250
• June 3     Legs    Early bird discount by 5/15  $250
• August 5  Arms      Early bird discount by 7/15  $250

Therapeutic Muscle Stretching on the Pilates Equipment
With Anthony Lett
When; April 14, 15, 16,  2012. 9-5
Cost $800   Early Bird special Register by 3/15/2012  $750.
Workshop includes;

• Joseph Pilates philosophy and stretching
• Relationships between core strength, good posture, dynamic exercise and flexibility
• Case studies and Flexibility interventions
• Anatomy revision-muscle function animations and experiential practice
• Deep and effective Therapeutic Muscle Stretching for the Calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, adductors, gluteals, trunk, arms shoulder and neck.

The workshop will leave you with new insights into Pilates, new class formats, and a whole bunch of new and exciting repertoire. Backed up by 3d muscle function animations and a mostly practical content, your Pilates teaching will feel invigorated and so will your clients!
About Anthony; Anthony is the author of Innovations in Pilates. A student and teacher of Pilates for 25 years, he has qualifications in Philosophy, sports science, exercise medicine, mind/body medicine and clinical anatomy. Anthony has presented his workshops in various parts of the world to Pilates audiences and runs his practice in Melbourne Australia. His workshops are known for their good humour and relaxed but thorough approach.

DVD is on sale now of this book $54 (tax included)
Pregnancy Workshop
Sun Date: 6/10/2012 From: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
with Joy Puleo $250 Early Bird Discount by 6/1 $230
Understanding the stages of pregnancy and its effect on maternal movement and exercise protocols. Applications will be made to Pilates and fitness.

Working with Clients with Back Pain using Pilates Repertory
With Lesley Powell
July 21, 2012 2-5 PM  $120  Early Bird Discount $110 before 7/1

Developing Pilates programs for adults with back pain associated with ruptured, herniated, bulging and/or degenerative discs.

Pilates teachers are often engaged in preventing or improving chronic or intermittent back problems. Some of the most commonly diagnosed causes of back pain relate to disc pathologies. To be effective and not put clients at risk, it is important for the programs we design to contain relevant, customized exercises with intentional, flexible goals.

This workshop will focus on disc problems and basics of how they might affect the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. Attendees will review related trunk anatomy and spinal biomechanics. We will then actively apply this focus to specific Pilates repertory, determining whether an exercise is indicated or contraindicated.

To register and more info for Teacher Workshops

To register and more info about Franklin Workshops


How Yoga Can Wreck your Body in New York Times

There is a wonderful article this week in the New York Times about yoga.  There is also a bigger issue to address.

 A lot of students think pushing hard to almost an injury is a hard workout.

Many new students trying Pilates for the first time complain about being not hard enough.  The majority lack awareness and deep internal connections of how to stabilize.  If you are doing legs in straps or leg springs with no center control,  you can be pushing from your back.  Rudoph Laban had a wonderful concept of Stability/Mobility.  To mobilize a part of your body, you need to stabilize somewhere to facilitate any simple movement.

When you are weak and you increase the load, a lot of times you will initiate your poor habits to do the exercise.  When I do leg springs with a quiet spine, it targets the legs.  I have had many clients complain that their back hurts in legs springs.  One has to look at their form and retrain how they perform the movements.

The majority of new clients coming in, have no clear idea of how to stabilize the torso.  When you find it,  it has a lot of lightness.  They are very much into the more superficial mucles of the torso and body.

More does not equal more.  Awareness, concentration and precision in form is key to any fitness routine.  This is the “MORE”

With Lesley Powell, Franklin Method Teacher, Certified Movement Analyst, Balanced Body Pilates Faculty
$60  Early discount sign up by first of the month.  February 11, 2012  Saturday 11 AM – 1 PM

When you embody the body’s natural support structure, ‘you’ don’t have to ‘work so hard’ to stay upright and moving forward in a world of ‘stress’.  Discover the flow and ease that exists within you. Lengthen and balance shoulder and neck musculature to dance through life with free healthy shoulders, a liberated neck and a dynamic supportive spine.

The counterbalancing effect of the shoulder blade is especially helpful in arm elevation. Dancers, gymnasts and anyone attempting to reach for the coffee container on the top shelf needs to be able to lift their arms effortlessly without disturbing their centers or increasing tension in the shoulders, back and torso.

In this workshop, you will learn simple and profound ways to catapult your shoulder experience to a beautiful new awareness and then integrate this magical sensation into your daily life movements. Use this every day and embody easeful shoulders and an easeful life. This workshop is highly recommended for dancers, movers, shakers, yogis, desk sitters, children, grown up kids, sky divers, swimmers and anyone who carries a bag.

Whether it is your own body or teaching others, movement and fitness should make you feel better mentally and physically. The wrong fitness will make the body rigid. If your exercise regime does help change your posture, why are you doing it?

In my own private sessions with my Pilates teacher, I am amazed how great I feel afterwards. Sometimes it is not a lot of exertion that would be expected in a workout.  What it does create is BALANCE.  We all have issues of imbalances and overwork issues.  The biggest overwork issue these days is how much we are sitting at our computers.  Even as I am typing this, I realized that I was slumping.  Even though it is effort to sit well,  my body thanks me in the long run.  My back and neck feel better as I sit up well.