I know you know what a circle looks like. But, have you ever tried to make a circle with your body and felt cramped? Or, what about that popping or feeling like your arms and legs are doing their own thing? When you do your Pilates exercises does it feel like you need to make a different shape?
This week’s class dives into all things circular!
As always, 30 min, all levels and all you need is your mat and imagination!
See you on your mat, snag your class here.
xx~LL
Now more than ever it’s easy to feel alone. Isn’t that crazy? We are more connected than ever to our friends, family, our friends’ friends, and random people from around the world who have the same interests as we do. And yet, we feel alone and like we could be embarrassed or more alone if we say the wrong thing or do something uncool.
The Pilates Cadillac is extremely useful to for diving deep into your Pilates practice. It’s one of the most supportive pieces of equipment. The options are endless and all are meant to help strengthen you and prepare you for the Pilates exercises around the room.
We are in our second week of many tips for the Pilates Swan! Last week we took a mini tour through the Swan on the Mat and this week that continues.
“Whenever LL hears that Pilates is easy or that an exercise isn’t hard she knows that there is zero control happening. The body is moving but it’s basically just doing the choreography. When you are doing Pilates with control and a bit of focus on precision every exercise works the whole body.
Hello, my name is Lesley, I often go by LL. I am a wife to a lovely man who rocks my world and supports me like crazy, mom to two Pitt Bulls Gaia and Bayon, a Pilates instructor, Pilates business coach, and a sufferer of digestive issues.
Last night I reached a breaking point. I went to bed with stomach pain again. It wasn’t my first breaking point around this issue. I have no idea if it will be my last. I certainly hope so…
What is your favorite Wunda Chair exercise?
I would love to know! You can tell me below or in a comment on my Youtube video here.
Going on a Pilates retreat? Good, I’m so excited for you! If you are coming along with me on one of my Pilates Retreats we are going to have an adventure you will remember for a lifetime! Yep, I am that confident.
But, how do you prepare for a Pilates retreat? What do you need to bring? What can you expect? Should you be training for it? I remember the first retreat I went on as an attendee. It was a yoga retreat and I knew to bring my mat and some clothes but I had so many questions about what else should I be prepared to do. I had an amazing time but had wondered how much more fun I would have had had I know what to expect.
I always knew my knees hyper-extended. I hated that about my legs. But, I didn’t know how to stop. And, who doesn’t want to be flexible?! But the truth is that hyper-mobility was the reason I broke my leg back in 2014.
When my friend invited me to my very first Pilates class the first thing I asked was “What do I wear?” I mean, I probably should have asked: “what is Pilates?” Or, “why am I doing this?” But, as a competitive runner, I knew what to wear for cardio, I knew what to wear to the gym to lift weights. But, I honestly had no idea what to wear to Pilates. I mean, I hadn’t even been to a Yoga class at this point! So, after my friend laughed out loud at me she sweetly smiled and said: “whatever you would wear to yoga class silly!”
The most frequent question I get when I tell people about my Pilates retreats in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the home of Angkor Wat and many more Temples is “why Cambodia?” And I get it. Seems like an odd place. After all, I live in Los Angeles and could easily hit up Mexico, Ojai, Santa Barbara or some other hot Retreat spots. But, I chose Siem Reap, Cambodia to be the Retreat space for me. So, why do I love it?
Crazy times is the understatement of the year. Living life in this “new normal” somehow is starting to feel more normal. And, honestly, I find I am truly enjoying my new routines. Especially when I don’t listen to the news. Not that I am not staying informed. But, tbh, this time can be one that causes us to live in fear, and wait, hunker down and let time pass. Or, it can be a time we thrive. And, it’s all in how you look at it. Because, if you look back at your life there have been times where “bad things” have happened. Or, at least things that you felt were bad. And while this virus is more than “bad.” It is downright scary. How do we know this disruption in our daily lives is “bad?”
I first fell in love with Pilates on the Mat! I did Pilates almost every day for one hour for a year and a half on the Mat. I couldn’t get enough of it. And, then I discovered the Reformer. And I became OBSESSED! But, I didn’t have a Reformer and it’s not like Pilates equipment classes are affordable enough to go to like a Mat class. I wanted to find ways to get more Reformer in my life without having to go out and get a Reformer.
‘ll never forget the time I bruised my tailbone about 10 years ago. Holy moly, did everything hurt? Not just Pilates! Sitting, getting into my car, rolling over in bed. It was absolutely the worst injury I have ever had and that includes fracturing my tibial plateau. So, when I first began teaching and I had a student complain that many exercises caused her tailbone area discomfort I went on a mission to figure out how to help.
It’s easy to think that going upside down in the Pilates work is all for the “advanced” practitioner! Or, that you are not ready yet. But, I feel that if you use some of the earlier Mat exercises as tools your body will not only learn how to go upside down well it will yearn for it!
In this week’s collaboration with Andrea Maida we discuss the exercises on the mat that go upside down- Roll Up, Jackknife, Corkscrew, High Scissors/Bicycle and Control Balance.
Consistency is pretty much key to anything you want in life. And, that is the truth for Pilates too! But, what if you are just starting your Pilates practice? How do you even do that? What does that look like? Is there a difference between Pilates and Yoga? Or, what if you had a Pilates practice but life happened and you are wanting to pick it back up again. But, how? Whether you are a true Pilates beginner or just beginning again there are so many benefits to a Pilates practice that the first key to getting started is to start. Right where you are!
