pilates

Stability Chair at Work

I often try to convince people that their bodies would be happier if that sat on a stability ball at work. When I worked in an office I sat on a stability ball and it was, if nothing else, a great conversation piece. Very few people take me up on the offer, however.

But my Dad did. And then the next day his office banned them because of a potential work hazard. I was annoyed because that is actually really short sighted (unless everyone at work has very expensive ergonomic chair that is actually ergonomic). Sure, anyone can fall off a stability ball, and I understand that we work in a litigious society, but all the research on sitting on a stability in schools or offices only shows the benefits. Kids do better in school. People remain more attentive (you’re less likely to fall asleep when you are sitting on a ball). Balls are more ergonomic than most office chairs so they are better for your back and hips.

A couple weeks later my dad received […]

Stability Chair at WorkMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:48-04:00

Instructor’s Personal Journey: Jeannine

Like many little girls, dancing and all the pageantry associated with it fascinated me. Love of the arts and dance in particular always remained with me although I was sidetracked many times throughout life. Eventually, when I began modern dance training and continued with ballet, I realized a personal commitment to ceaseless practice created the illusion of effortless movement. Pilates was incorporated into that training. My goal was and still remains to attain freedom expressed through elegant motion achieved only through a self-imposed physical, mental and spiritual discipline acquired by practice.

Personal Euphoria

Instructor’s Personal Journey: JeannineMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:51-04:00

Obliques vs. Rectus

I’d like to have a boxing match between our oblique muscles and our rectus muscle. Your rectus is the six pack muscle that everyone in the world wants. It allows you to flex forward like when we curl the upper body off the mat for our ab exercises. Your obliques are larger muscles on the side and front of you body that enable you to bend from side to side and twist, but they also help you curl forward with the rectus. Nobody seems to care about obliques and it’s a bit sad.

I’m pretty sure the obliques would win in a boxing match—if nothing else there are four of them. Pilates is all about obliques, but I don’t think most people care a lick about them.

The six-pack muscle is important, don’t get me wrong, and I want a six-pack too, but since it is one of the muscles furthest from the center of the body, it offers the least amount of structural support. In pilates we are all about structural […]

Obliques vs. RectusMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:51-04:00

Pilates is Easy

Think Pilates is easy? You probably aren’t doing it right. Every time I take a pilates class I’m surprised at how difficult it is, and I like a tough, challenging workout. There are exercises that I didn’t find difficult at first, but once I understood them better (from years of practice) I found them to be my most challenging. Many of the beginner exercises are actually the most difficult. And when I’m not doing an advanced exercise as well as I should, it’s usually going back to one of the beginner exercises that will make me realize how I should be moving my body in order to do the more challenging exercise properly.

Even an exercise like ab prep–it seems easy, but it’s not at all. You are basically lifting your head and shoulders off the floor. Many people mistake it for an abdominal crunch, but the exercise is so much more, and once you discover all the intricacies, you can find what may seem like the simplest exercise extremely rewarding.

It may not happen right […]

Pilates is EasyMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:55-04:00

Brooke Siler

I had a wonderful time as the Art of Control Pilates Conference I attended last week. I came away with new ideas to incorporate into my classes, and I was really excited to have gotten to train with all these famous pilates people. I couldn’t wait to tell friends and family. The problem is, outside of the pilates world, most of the people I trained with are not famous. It’s kind of a letdown to come home excited about getting to work with someone famous in your eyes and have people not entirely relate.

Brooke Siler wasn’t a letdown though. Of all the presenters listed at the conference, Jay and Brooke were the two that intrigued me the most. I thought I would just attend all of Jay’s workshops because he is an elder and comes from California. Brooke is in NY, so I thought I’d probably get a chance to train with her at some point. I’m so glad I went to her reformer workshop.

She is a wonderful teacher, with a great, fun-loving […]

Brooke SilerMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:52-04:00