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.

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.

My own search for the wellness Holy Grail

Our society is so wounded up by youthfulness.  But shouldn’t the real holy grail be wellness.  It is always changing especially as we are aging.

My last year’s resolution was to get back to me and taking care of myself.  Isn’t it odd that I as a business owner of a Pilates wellness studio, have trouble taking care of myself.  I am moving all day but I demonstrate on and off.  I don’t consider this a workout because I am concentrated on the client and not myself.

This last year I have put aside time to take ballet class, take private Pilates sessions and some somatic classes like Feldenkrais and Hanna.  Last summer I hurt my knee hiking.  It is definitely sliding around, but I am not in pain.  When I get my form correct, my knee feels great.

As an ex-dancer, most aerobic activity either aggravates my knee or I am bored.  Getting back to dance, I feel spiritually and physicality great.  The slow bar warmup allows me to get my knee warmed up and not clicking.  It is moving the entire time so I definitely feel the heart rate go up.

Finding time for my own Pilates practice has helped so much.  I don’t know how people can work out with no guidance.  My teacher challenges me and balances my body.  We all have overuse injuries popping up whether it is like me pulling on springs all day or the person sitting all day at the computer.

I love the somatic work.  I see it as a moving meditation.  Somatic practices like Feldenkrais, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Hanna and BodyMind Centering help put my mind and my nervous system on a new calming journey.  Again, going to class helps me focus my mind.  Running your own business is so stressful and my mind turns frequently on what I need to get done.

So What will be your search for your own Holy Grail?

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.

with Lesley Powell
Dates: Sun   10/23/2010
Time:  10 AM – 4:00 PM
6 hours PMA approved $200

We take walking for granted. When we lose the ability to walk comfortably, we lose our freedom to do things. Poor posture, lack of strength and mobility and diminishing balance skills affect our gait. This course is an introduction to how the body moves in gait and how as trainers we can plan a workout that encourages better walking skills.

We will learn observation skills about how the body moves and applications using the Pilates repertory to improve mobility and strength in relationship to gait. Applications to the Pilates repertory will also include modifications with diminished range of motion.

Section I The spine Posture is key in walking. Poor posture can affect the mobility of our hips and legs in walking. We will look how the spine moves in an ideal healthy walk. Learning observation skills about walking and simple movement exercises can help us evaluate our client’s movement patterns. Lesson plans will evolve around how to increase mobility, coordination and strength using the Pilates equipment and balance tools.

Section II The lower body This is an introduction how the lower body moves in gait. Pilates is a wonderful way to train for better tone and mobility. The coordination of our muscles is different with closed chain in standing than open chain and close chain lying prone, supine or side. Observation skills and program development will be learned to help the senior improve their gait skills.

To Register

Pilates Lab for Teachers: Muscular Imbalances

Shelley Studdenberg returns again with a series of learning how to see and make changes using Pilates repertory.  I have studied w. Shelley for years.  Observation is a skill.  Each time that you work w. a master teacher like Shelly, you get to new layers of seeing and understanding the body.
$60   Register by the 1st of the month $50 * see overview date

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

Shelly Studdenberg brings to this workshop her amazing knowledge of being a Pilates teacher, a certified Rolfer and advanced studies about the body. She will teach you the skill of observation, and how to use the Pilates/ other movement repertory to make positive changes in your client’s well-being. Shelly has influenced the master teachers’ careers at Movements Afoot
Mondays 1:30-3:30  Click here to register

• Overview – Structural overview 2 parts   9/26 & 10/24 must sign up for both  $120  Sign up before 9/16 $100
• Spine   11/28
• 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

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.

Pilates Forum for Teachers

A chance for Pilates teachers to come together.
Free Event

With Lesley Powell  Friday 6/3 7:10 PM – 8:40 PM

• A movement class with Lesley Powell to introduce new upcoming concepts of the body.
• Come together.  Pilates teachers. Share. Workout.  Problem solve.  Laugh.  This meeting will be moderated by Lesley Powell.  Come with ideas, questions about the body, problem solving about professional issues (i.e. Difficult clients, non-payment by clients, burn-out, etc.)
• Bring any questions about the body, Pilates exercises and teaching.  We will take time to explore issues coming up, your designed workout for your client and questions about learning to see movement.

click here to register