pilates

Why We Do the 100

Last Saturday was day 50 of 100 days of the 100. That means that we’ve come up with over 50 ways to do the 100….and we now have just under 50 more to go (so don’t forget to share your photos and videos!) Maggie doing the 100 at an historic site in Wethersfield.

The 100 is an exercise that you will find in almost any Pilates class. It involves lying with your back on the mat, body curled up, holding the position and completing 100 arm beats. It typically comes early in class and gets the entire body warmed up by getting your breath going and your blood moving. The exercise engages all of your major abdominal muscles, helping you to build strength that will not only assist you in class, but that you will be able to take into everyday life.

In order to hold your body up for an extended period of time, as you do in the 100, you must have endurance, specifically abdominal endurance. The only way to get endurance is to build it, which the […]

Why We Do the 100Maggie Downie2017-12-29T21:21:21-05:00

Client Corner: The Sow’s Ear

In our new segment highlighting great businesses, goals and adventures of Personal Euphoria clients, this week we visit Glastonbury.

Sarah and Monica in their shop!

Looking for a unique gift? Look no further than The Sow’s Ear in Glastonbury.

When you first walk into the store you’re met with a cozy, rustic vibe making you feel more as if you’re visiting a close friend than walking into a boutique. Surrounded by a collection of new, antique and repurposed items, my eyes don’t know where to look first. Whether you are looking for the perfect hostess gift, a present for the wedding you’re headed to, or home decorations all for yourself, there is truly something for everyone here. The store carries handmade and sustainable items and works with many small vendors that also have a purpose or story, such as giving a portion of the proceeds back to Reforestation in Thailand.

The owners, Monica McCafferty and Sarah Lavalette, have a great story as well. Both flea market junkies, it’s almost as if the two were destined to meet. Monica went to high school with Sarah’s husband […]

Client Corner: The Sow’s EarMaggie Downie2017-12-29T21:28:47-05:00

Learning to Feel

Cami and me exploring sensation through our feet!

We all do no end of feeling, and we mistake it for thinking. –Mark Twain

It is a rare day, indeed, that I disagree with my idol Mark Twain. And while I know he is referring to feeling in a different context than what we perceive and sense in the world around us, I’m not sure we stop and feel enough. And it may just be our ability to feel that keeps us thinking.

It may surprise you to learn that one of my favorite birthday presents this year was a box of rocks. My partner-in-movement, Cate Vallone, from Evolution Pilates and her daughter painted a bunch of small rocks for me. They painted bees, strawberries, little hearts, random colors It was utterly unexpected which made it grand.

The goal is to stand, walk across and just exist in different positions on the rocks to enhance proprioception—the art of feeling. Cate knows I’m not a great feeler. It’s been a running joke between us. I’ll happily foam roll or run half marathons. She thinks those activities are painful […]

Learning to FeelMaggie Downie2017-12-29T21:39:14-05:00

Client Corner: Pilates Powering Irish Step

Katie in her Feis dress.

When Katie Dudley was five years old, her mother encouraged her to take Irish dance lessons, just as she and Katie’s grandmother had done. Initially, Katie was against the idea, until she began classes and fell in love.

When asked what finally drew her in, Katie mentioned, “There is so much I love about Irish step. First of all, the counting can really help you with music and math. It also improves your posture, stamina, and flexibility. When you do Irish step dancing, your teacher can also introduce you to other styles of dance like tap, jazz, and ballet which also improve your technique. You are also introduced to many new people and can make friendships that will last a lifetime.”

Katie’s passion for Irish Step also led her to Pilates. During a summer dance camp, which she’s attended for the past five years, Katie did Pilates for an hour each day. Recently, she began taking private lessons with Personal Euphoria in Wethersfield to continue to enhance her Irish Step.

Pilates focuses on lengthening the muscle while it is engaged and under load (eccentric contractions), which […]

Client Corner: Pilates Powering Irish StepMaggie Downie2017-12-29T21:36:53-05:00

What Am I Doing With My Abs in Pilates?

You may have heard a Pilates instructor say “Scoop the Abs” or “Draw the Belly Button to the Spine” or “Zip the Jeans” or “Engage the abs.” There are multiple ways to say it, but only one way to do it. It’s subtle and can be a challenge to figure out how to do properly. And, as if Pilates wasn’t complicated enough we have this thing called imprint vs. neutral, which is totally different.

If you aren’t sure what imprint and neutral are, check out this video to see the difference, but this blog is really about the fact that imprint and scooping the abs are two different things because people often think they are the same. And that misconception could make your back rather unhappy over time.

When you do pelvic tilts or rock from imprint to neutral your pelvis should move. When you zip the jeans, the pelvis shouldn’t move. Sometimes you Zip and Tuck, but you don’t always have to. It’s important to know that you can engage the abdominals without being imprinted. And that you don’t want to strive to be imprinted all day.

This video has some ways to practice the difference between engaging the abs and rocking […]

What Am I Doing With My Abs in Pilates?Maggie Downie2017-10-25T14:17:26-04:00