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.

Innovations in Pilates is a landmark work expanding the Pilates Method in an entirely new direction. The Pilates community is genuinely excited by this new development with programs and workshops now running to teach this additional focus to students and teachers of the Pilates method.

We are now selling a dvd of the book at Movements Afoot.  Since the book is being published in Australia,  the dvd is a more affordable way of getting this info.  It is only $54 (tax included) compared to $105 for the book.  I have this book on hand at the studio.  You are welcome to come by and see it to get an idea about the dvd.

I am also excited to announce Anthony is coming in April to teach.

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.  To Register, click here

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.

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

One of my friends had this picture on Facebook.

At Movements Afoot we jokingly talk about mooning.  Why?  It gets you to learn how to use your hip joints which is needed in most activities.

A lot of people locked their hips.  The hip joints is a much stronger mobile joint to hinge at then from your spine.  Many people blow out their backs because they are using their backs as the fulcrum to pick thinks up.  A safer action is to squat to lower your body to the floor.

By learning to use the hip joint correctly,  the legs have to do more work. When the legs are working correctly, it also changes the quality of tone in your core.

Stand poorly and tighten your abs.
Your posture doesn’t change.

Now stand well and engage your abs.
Notice how your posture immediately changes.

]]> http://movementsafootblog.com/2011/10/14/mooning-techniques/feed/ 0 40.745342 -73.990191 40.745342 -73.990191 Body thinker Mooning http://movementsafootblog.com/2011/10/05/pilates-teacher-eve-gentry-and-irmgard-bartenieff/ http://movementsafootblog.com/2011/10/05/pilates-teacher-eve-gentry-and-irmgard-bartenieff/#comments Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:01:17 +0000 Lesley Powell http://movementsafootblog.com/?p=3067 Read more]]> Pilates teachers do not realize the tremendous influence Irmgard Bartenieff had on our work.  Eve Gentry, a second generation Pilates teacher, took  the BARTENIEFF FUNDAMENTALS into her pilates practice.  Many Pilates teacher certification programs have been influenced by this work.  

Eve Gentry was one of the founders of the Dance Notation Bureau.  She had studied with Irmgard Bartenieff when she lived in New York City.

Come Experience these principles to enhance your practice and your teaching with Dr. Dianne Woodruff.  Last year at Movements Afoot, my body went into heaven using the Bartenieff Fundamentals to enhance function.

INTRO TO BARTENIEFF FUNDAMENTALS: MOVEMENT PRINCIPLES FOR LIFE

With Dianne Woodruff  CMA, PhD

November 5 & 6   9-5 PM.  $450  Register by 10/15  $425  To register, click here

Take this workshop to learn how your body is designed to move. In this course, understand the basics that keep us moving elegantly and efficiently on two feet. Teach them to your clients for lifelong readiness to move. Wake up and tune up your muscles, nerves and connective tissues for movement. The basics of movement organize your body so it is responsive to your wishes and needs. 

Re-vamp your exercise life If your exercise program is not working there’s probably a reason. Your body is organized in patterns that support everything you do but most conventional exercise programs skip over this. When you lack these patterns your exercise program may be a struggle. Maybe you drop out and think you are just not suited to exercise. You could be right. You need something else. 

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

Working out with certain kinds of pain can weaken the nerves and/or exacerbate the injury.

When a client has back pain that is not disc or nerve related, I look at their posture and how they move during their sessions.  Many injuries are caused by poor habits, repetitive motions and poor support/mobility of the body.  I use the Bartenieff Fundamentals/movement principles to evaluate their form and teach better function.  Teaching extension exercises of the spine and hips are very important.  Most lowback clients are very weak in their backs and legs.

Sometimes when teaching extension work, clients complaint of pain.

A lot has to do where the movement is being initiated.  For instance, neutral pelvic bridge is an excellent exercise for backs.  Because they are weak in their legs, they will push from their backs.  Too much posterior tilt at the beginning of the bridge can kick out important muscles of the hips and legs that help extend the hips.  These muscles are important in standing.

Another big problem is getting clients of understand pelvic stability with leg mobility.  Some clients unleveled their pelvis to lift their legs.  This could lead to back discomfort.

Differentiation of thigh bone

Irmgard Bartenifeff’s Thigh Lift is a precursor to all Pilates mat exercises.

Can the client differentiate the thighbone from the pelvis?  So many are tight around the hip sockets.  They lift the leg up partially from unleveling the pelvis.  My goal is to teach them the amazing hip socket as the hinge for movement instead of the disks.

Therapeutic Muscle Stretching on the Pilates Equipment

(with mat, Reformer, Cadillac and Wunda chair variations.)
When: April 14, 15, 16,  2012.

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

Cost $800
Early Bird special  $750.

TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE

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.

Click on above link for a great article in NY Times

When you sit, do you know where the sacrum is.

The sacrum is the triangular bone in the back of the pelvis.

Tilt the top of the sacrum backwards. Feel how this curves and flexes your upper body.

Now reverse it and arch your back.  Notice how the weight goes towards your pubis and your lower back arches.

Find the place of the sacrum between those two movements.  This is neutral.  Placing the top of sacrum in the correct place can be like a shelf for your spine.  By placing the bones in the correct position, your muscles will know how to work better.

From Google's Body Browser

Work IN vs. Workout

There were so many gems from the workshop with Marie-Jose Blom.

To get to the deep stabilizers, you need to concentrate on working slower to turn on the correct muscles.  Our large global muscles are like rock and roll.  Lots of power and pizzazzz.

The “Work IN” invites the deep stabilizers to facilitate movement without compression.  Many injuries are happening when overtraining prevents the body from moving well.

Try walking with bracing your torso in a crunch.  How does it affect your legs?

Now imagine a gentle corset like the new Spanx.  You should walk and dance with freedom.

From Google's Body Browser

Marie-Jose brought in newer info about the abdominals.  It really made me rethink how I was cueing and thinking of them.

Muscles have different qualities of tone; fast and slow twitch.  Another way to think about them as global and local.  Marie-Jose’s image for these kinds of muscles is of a light switch.  Your superficial muscles are like the light switch that you turn on and off.  The local muscles are your deep stabilizers that are like dimmers.

We need to turn the dimmers on slowly before adding the big lights switching on or off.

The transverse abdominus  is a corset especially the old fashion where you tie in back.  The fibers do not have the same contration as other muscles.  Widening the transverse to the back will flatten the front and give support for the spine.

• Widen the transverse
• In towards the spine
• Up with the pelvic floor

This is the wiup (whup).  This is a quick nickname that I came up with.  It has been amazing to bring this imagery into my session with students.   It made such a positive change!!