November 6, 2009

Pilates (guest post by Suzy Stout)

Congratulations on the weight loss, Kathy! You are doing great. Keep that momentum going. I cannot take credit for the 3 pounds, but with Pilates, you will certainly notice your clothes fitting better; longer, leaner muscle tone and improved posture in no time. You will be more aware of your body, especially your abdominals, as you learn to engage them with every breath.

Kathy has progressed from the 5 Basic Principles of breathing, pelvic placement, ribcage placement, shoulder stabilization, and cervical placement, through some Matwork and onto the Reformer that you see pictured in her latest blog. The Reformer begins to add resistance to your arms and legs while keeping your core engaged in every movement. It is a challenging total body workout, but you get to lay down for a good part of it. How great is that?? As I have aged, I find that I don't need or want to work out as hard as I did even 5 years ago. All that heavy breathing and jumping around is ok in small amounts, but I find I crave a calmer, gentler form of exercise that hits all the trouble spots between the neck and the knees. Pilates is all that and more.

I am trained in the STOTT PILATES method and have found it to be much more functional than some of the other methods of Pilates out there. Because STOTT is very anatomically based, I am able to modify the exercises to accomodate any level of exerciser, from beginner to advanced. The attention to form and technique is crucial to Pilates practice and will determine if you achieve the results you want. For more information about STOTT PILATES, go to http://www.stottpilates.com/. If you would like to try a session of Pilates and see if it is for you, give me a call at 574-970-2000. Group Mat classes utilizing small props are also offered on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. and your first trial class is free! Just let me know if you would like to join us.

As for Kathy, we are going to get back on track next week since our schedules clashed this week. She will be moving on from the Reformer to the Cadillac and I am sure will have lots to share about that particular piece of equipment.

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