Your 7 Day Pilates Challenge

By request, we are starting an exploration of extension. This will be one of many that we do. This week, we explore what it means to find length in the spine without doing massive backbends. I used to think that extension could only exist if my feet were touching my head. But, after lots of studying in my own body, I have found that the more I allow the extension to stay away from my lower back and work its way up my spine the more strength I feel in my body. In this week’s class enjoy the mini extension exploration. And, take it a few times because the thing about relearning extension is the more you do it the more your body remembers!

Before you start Pilates, there’s a few things you should know: 5 things to know before you start Pilates Exercises.

There is a series of exercises on the Mat called “The Abdominal Series of 5” that you can do whenever you want, where ever you are. And, if you’re doing it right you’ll be feeling it in less than 3 reps of each variation!

The Boomerang! Not just any mat exercise. But, almost every mat exercise!

I used to just say Boomerang was a rolling Teaser. But, as I made this class the truth is it’s more than that. It’s the rollover, it’s the seal, it’s the double leg kick arms, it’s inner thighs of spine twist and so many more.

Boomerang is often skipped in a mat class because it has so many moving parts, so this week’s class gives it the spotlight it truly deserves… Have fun thinking about the Boomerang for a full 30 min!

See you on your mat,

xx~LL

Aside from the host of benefits you will feel almost as fast as you start doing Pilates, here are just some of the many reasons I believe you should do Pilates…

When I first discovered Pilates it was on the mat. I was invited to a mat Pilates class and I fell in love with how it made me feel. I honestly didn’t even know, see or get on the equipment for almost two years. I couldn’t tell you which was better in Pilates the Mat or the Reformer.

Whether you’re a Pilates enthusiast or teacher here is a list of what you can treat yourself to support and deepen your Pilates practice.

Ever see some of the Pilates Mat exercises and think that they are too advanced for you? Jackknife, High Scissors/Bicycle, Control Balance and Corkscrew all require us to go upside down! But, how do you do that and not feel compression in your lower back? Or, how do you lift your whole body up and not rest in your neck?

Well, this week we take a look at what it really means to stand on our shoulders! I loved playing with this week’s class and not only did I feel more lift I also got a ton of stretch. It’s so easy to make exercises look right. But, if we focus on anchoring aka standing on our shoulders we can actually do them right!

Have fun standing on your shoulders this week!

xx-LL

This workshop is more than “beginner exercises.” In fact, we won’t spend a lot of time on the levels or order. So it doesn’t matter where you are in your Pilates or teaching practice. Or, even your Pilates background. Bring yourself, your notebook and your Cadillac questions!

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard “I hate Stomach Massage” or “Why do we do this?” And then, there is lots of love for Tendon Stretch until we take a leg off… In this week’s mat class we channel our Stomach Massage in many of our Mat exercises. I hope that by the end you at least like a little bit what the Stomach Massage does to help your Mat practice. And, to make it a little fun we rock out with our Tendon Stretch! I know you’ll have fun with it! I really did.

Having trouble getting your Pilates Peach up and over? In this workshop we will go over exercises that you can do to help teach your body (or another body) to get those hips up. Also, we’ll go over a progression of “overhead” exercises. Learn building blocks to “advanced” exercises like Overhead, Roll Over, High Frogs, Control Balance and more. Bring your inversion exercise questions with you!

We will go over tips for those who don’t have access to other equipment as well as options for if you do! After this workshop, you (those you teach) will see possibility for standing on your shoulders and getting that bottom up!

So, here is the deal, I do feel my heart rate go up while doing Pilates. I also feel it go down and then up again. Some sessions are less intense and others can be made more intense and you can add the jump board in and totally move the dial on your heart rate. But, is Pilates a Cardio workout? Well, most of the time I would say no. And, maybe sometimes yes.

What if we didn’t start with the Hundred? What if we started with Pushups? Would that make Teaser easier? Harder?

This week let’s flip class around to see the magic behind the madness of Pilates! It may just answer most of your Mat related questions.

See you on the mat!

In my personal Pilates practice, I’ve been noticing that while I can connect to my second seat quite well. I have been leaving my lower core hanging out! It’s so funny how our bodies like to “forget” something we already worked on ages ago. But, needless to say, I’ve been cheating a bit.

The midline is an often underused area of our bodies. It’s easy to think you are squeezing your inner thighs only to find out when you get to the shoulder bridge that your knees roll out and you’re not engaging your inner thighs at all!

This week LL focuses on finding that inner thigh connection with or without a prop. She uses a magic circle. You can use one if you have one or a squishy ball or yoga block will work as well. If you don’t have any props you won’t need them. Your imagination and attention to detail will wake up your inner thighs as well.