The Importance of Set Up

I remember when I first started teaching Pilates, I would give a brief but necessary set up and then have the class begin the exercise. It drove me absolutely crazy when people didn't listen to the set up. And it especially drove me bonkers when they just lounged through the set up and then quickly jumped and jerked their body into the exercise. Now, granted, I didn't have the training or knowledge I have now, so I probably couldn't have gotten them too much deeper into the exercises, but it still drove me nuts that they didn't try when I was trying so hard to help.

At some point in my more recent, extensive classical training this stopped occurring. It's not just set up. It's part of the exercise and that's how I treat it both in teaching and in personal practice! There were even times when I was struggling through the set up and I wondered if I would even be able to do the exercise!

Just the other day I was teaching pull ups (pictured above) in a duet chair class. I progressed them into the position. I worked them through a prep. And then I paused them for about 5 seconds and gave them a series of set up cues. "Curl your spine a little more, push down into your palms, wrap your shoulders and connect them into your back, lift your abdominals in and up..." And right before I was even able to tell them the action part of the exercise (lift the pedal) one of their pedals floated right up! The organization of the body truly led them into the exercise!

Now of course she didn't know her pedal was supposed to come up, so she put it down right away. But when she later finished the exercise, even though she couldn't do the full range of possible movement (she could barely lift the pedal half way), I had to tell her that she couldn't have followed my directions more perfectly, and because of that, she will master the exercise before she knows it!

Do you pay attention to set up? Or do you try to chit chat through set up? Do you know how much deeper set up can get you into an exercise?

The Pregnancy Diaries: Oblique work

Let's talk obliques today. Yes those side abdominal muscles that absolutely everyone loves to work out! The ones that help get rid of/keep away those dreaded love handles. Yes. Those muscles. The muscles that as a pregnant lady I love to feel sore!

Since becoming pregnant,  my primary powerhouse has been compromised and as I progress through the pregnancy, I have had to take a lot of exercises out of my workout. This has still left me with a variety of exercises to choose from, but all the ones that everybody else loves to hate (ahem ab series anyone?) have either been taken out or modified to focus on the other areas being worked rather than intensely challenging the abs. The result: Not very sore abs.

That is except for the obliques! It's almost ridiculous how aware I have become of my obliques, but more specifically, when I can work them.

As you may know, Classical Pilates sticks to the order of exercises that Joseph Pilates himself used to teach in class. This doesn't mean classes are the same from week to week, he still had hundreds of exercises that we can't get through in one hour... We take one exercise out, put another in, change equipment, try a variation, etc. He had many reasons for his order and sequences, but a big point of this order was to integrate the muscles of the body throughout class so that by the end of the class, your body is working as one. You start out with the hundred to get your blood flowing, your lungs taking in fresh air, and to wake up the abdominals. You progress through the roll ups continuing to wake up the abdominals and get them working fully. Single leg circles then bring rotation into the hips. But by the end, it's the fancier stuff! Why do you think we save teaser and front support till the end of a mat class? It's not to make you perform the hardest exercises when you are the most tired. No. We wait till the end because these exercises most definitely require the entire body to be integrated and work as one.

Now back to the obliques... Because of this sequencing of exercises I knew that my obliques were getting a thorough workout, but I didn't realize how much they were working until recently. It's not like I always made it a priority to do crisscross, side sit ups, and twist series all in one class. Yes those exercises are more specific to the obliques, but it doesn't mean they are the only exercises that work those muscles. Recently though, the majority of my abdominals are 'taking it easy,' as I'll put it. They are not not working, they just aren't working the same. They kind of get to just hug the baby. And in some exercises the baby gets hugged more than others. But in a lot of the exercises, when most of my abdominals are 'taking it easy,' the obliques fire up and carry me through!

I love my side sit ups, and boy do I make sure to do those every class right now. But who would have thought that my obliques would still be helping me through teaser!? Especially if I'm on the box holding the handles (On days when it works for me)! And the knees off version of knee stretches (exercise pictured above on the right)... I get excited every class that I can still do them. And boy do I feel my obliques helping me along!

Probably the biggest surprise lately was just the other day. I was teaching a couple clients teaser from the twist series on the chair (exercise pictured above). I wasn't teaching them the whole thing right off the bat, I was just having them practice holding their teasers at the top since it's a little more awkward than most teasers. They did exactly what I was telling them, but they couldn't wrap their head around where they were actually going with the exercise. What were they working towards? So decided to show them. After a fair warning that I might or might not be able to do the actual exercise, I jumped on the chair to give it a try. And I did it! Absolutely shocked myself! I didn't even master that exercise till after I finished my 600+ hours of training. And, out of all the different teaser exercises, it was one of the easiest teasers for me to currently hold! Way more oblique than the others!

Funny how I didn't realize the power of my obliques till I had a baby popping out in the middle the of my primary powerhouse...

The Pregnancy Diaries: Adjusting my Diet

I wrote this post two and a half weeks ago and never got around to posting it... I guess you could say life got in the way and time slipped away from me. But here you go. I'm finally posting it! I was 19 weeks pregnant when I typed it up :)

I've definitely started to pop out. Nobody can deny it or just tell me I look normal anymore. And my workouts are definitely modified. But about 3 or 4 weeks ago, right before most people noticed I was starting to show, my body definitely started changing. My stomach was out a little, my glutes had gotten a bit larger (chest too), but I hadn't gained any weight. At first the self conscious, brainwashed-that-thin-is-in girl inside of me was kind of excited that I wasn't blowing up like a balloon right away. But then I went to work out and it hit me. If I'm not gaining weight because I'm not eating the right foods to get the good nutrition the baby and I need, then sooner or later the baby will still take what it needs at my own cost. And if I'm not eating the protein I need, its going to start taking my muscle.

Now I have spent that last couple years working hard for that muscle and I am not going to give it up without a fight! Abs, yes, those have to go a little. But arms? No! I've always had a weaker upper body and love that I actually have built an incredible amount of strength recently up there. (Incredible for me anyways.) So, as much as I wanted to use my pregnancy as an excuse to eat ice cream every night without gaining weight (which I was doing...), I had to address my nutrition. I am going to be gaining weight and I want to make sure that it is good weight. And since I can't continue with my previous eating habits, or I am just left waaaaaay too hungry, I made a few new rules for myself.

1. Protein: I need it everyday! Sometimes I tend toward a vegetarian lifestyle and totally leave out the protein. And although I am eating tons of fruits and veggies when I do this, if the baby isn't getting enough protein, it's going to take protein from somewhere else. Since my last vegetarian kick, I've had to be more conscious of my protein intake. Currently it's usually chicken sausages or eggs, but on days when I feel like neither, I'll put a little bit of protein in my fruit smoothie.

2. Cravings: Give in! It's hard for me to tell when I have cravings, because if I feel like something I eat it. I've always been this way. If I don't, then I end up eating 15 other things trying to find a substitute. But if I were to narrow down my cravings, I would say that they have been bananas (read: potassium), eggs (read: protein), apples and peanut butter (read: more protein). I believe that my body is craving what it needs and there is no reason for me to deny it. Now if I start to actually crave ice cream, I'll probably assume that I need sugar and calories, but fruit and peanut butter kind of take care of that one.

There is just one thing I cannot get the hang of.... How many times a day am I supposed to be eating. I would say eat when I'm hungry, but lately I almost always feel hungry! I am eating constantly! And on the random occurrences when I am actually full, I continue to eat because I'm used to it... Fruit is a good thing to go towards during these times.

This whole pregnancy eating thing is just comical! I have one hungry baby!

New Year's Resolutions

Hi, this is Carla! You probably think I'm a bit late with this post, don't you? And you've got a good point. It is a month and a half into the New Year.  So how do I explain being this late jumping onto the resolution bandwagon? First of all, I'm not jumping on. I don't believe in New Year's resolutions. I never have. I've never made one. Yes, I eat this healthy and maintain this weight having never made a New Year's resolution. In fact, it's likely because I have never made a New Year's resolution that I am able to eat healthy and maintain my weight. Here's why.

For one, I don't see New Year's Day, tomorrow, Monday, the first of the month, or any other day as a fresh start for a dietary change. If I decide to make a dietary change, I make it now. Even in the middle of the day. Similar reasoning for exercise or any other changes.

Also, I think the heavy restrictions that people put on themselves is nearly impossible. Here's an example. When my kids were little, I'd tell them to get in the car. Then I'd yell at them to get in the car. Then I'd yell asking why they weren't in the car yet. Every time we left the house it was the same thing. I'd resolve not to yell. It never worked because eventually I would yell. So, how did I fix it? First of all, restrictions will always end up in failure. "I will not yell" is doomed to fail. What needs to be done is a positive change. Get down to the bottom of what the real problem is. For me the real problem was that it took ten minutes for the kids to get in the car. The fix for yelling was not "not yelling" it was telling the kids to get in the car ten minutes before we left. Yes, that worked. And sometimes they would have to wait for me.

Here's how you apply that to diet. Say you're craving carbs mid-afternoon. Well, that's a couple hours after lunch. Perhaps you had a carb-filled lunch and it's a blood sugar swing. Maybe include some more fat and protein in your lunch since it stays with you longer. I eat like Mark Sisson of Mark's Daily Apple (www.marksdailyapple.com). I have found that eating in this manner has stopped the blood sugar swings I used to feel. Or perhaps the food you are eating is not nutrient-dense, so your body triggers hunger a few hours later because even though it is getting enough calories, it's starving for nutrients.

So this is how I made dietary changes over the years (not all at once like resolutions). I ADD to my diet. Recently I added 3 cups of greens per day. I've seen HUGE changes in my energy level! Determine where you're lacking and add that. Another fairly recent addition for me is three different colors of vegetables per day. Yes, now it's BOTH 3 cups of greens AND 3 different colors of vegetables. Honestly, with all this healthy food in my body, there's not much room left for that sugary snack! Nor do I want it! My body knows what healthy food feels like, and that's what it now wants. It's a gradual process or you're setting yourself up for failure. One thing at a time until it becomes habit.

What about exercise? Of course, *I* think you should come see me for a pilates session. :) But seriously, add something accessible to you. "I will go for a walk after dinner at least three nights per week." Or, "I will take a fitness class one day a week." Again, add slowly. Do not say something like, "I will workout every day." You need to 1) Be specific and 2) Be reasonable knowing it's not the only change you will ever make to your workout routine.

Though I'm against New Year's resolutions, I am not against making changes for the better in your health. I think it should be done more regularly than once per year and at a more reasonable pace. Once the change becomes a habit, it's time for another change. Oh, and never feel guilty about a treat! Just remember, a treat is a treat and doesn't happen every day .... if it's every day, it's a regular part of your diet and not a treat!

disclaimer - I am not a nutritionist

Client Profile: Brian

"Part of the reason my surgery and recovery were such a success is due to how Pilates prepared my body."

When Brian, 24 years old, first walked into our studio back in January of 2012, he walked in with no flexibility and severe back pain. He had a herniated disc bulging on the left side of his spine sending constant pain through his left hip and down his leg.  He went from being very active to practically not exercising at all. His movements were limited and his flexibility was lacking, but he knew he needed to do something. He needed to gain flexibility and also to build core strength to help potentially relieve his back. 

His first classes were at a very slow pace with only the safest exercises included. If this meant we could only work for a half an hour instead of the full hour, then we were prepared. It wasn't about pushing him past limits. We wanted to be sure that we were helping him build the core strength and body flexibility that he came in looking for in a very safe, yet effective way. Before long this extra caution was no longer needed. Although he was still limited from a lack of flexibility, it was no time at all before he was doing a full range of exercises and we started seeing incredible changes in his flexibility. This was before his surgery! After his microdiscectomy, he came back quickly and he came back strong! He has only continued to grow stronger and more flexible since then, and has grown into one of our strongest clients.

So without further adieu, here is Brian!

1. When did your back pain begin?
My back pain officially began back in the Spring of '07 during high school baseball season. The severe pain didn't begin until August of 2011.

2. What was your fitness routine prior to your pain?
I was very active prior to the onset of severe pain. Working out 5-6 times per week along with golf, soccer, and softball mixed in between. My workouts consisted mainly of running/biking along with crossfit/circuit type exercises either using body weight or light weights

3. How did your back pain affect your fitness routine? How did you adjust your exercise?
Before the severe pain started, I was physically able to do whatever I wanted. There were times when the pain would increase after working out but it was always manageable and never kept me from continuing my workouts as planned.

When the severe pain began in Aug '11, my fitness routine pretty much came to a screeching halt. I tried to keep up with my running, but each time I finished a run it seemed like the pain would get worse. I quickly began rehab to help ease the pain while attempting to strengthen that area of my back. The rehab would help ease the pain for 15 minutes to an hour, but never for any length of time longer than that. Around the beginning of October of that year, I completely shut down all exercise besides what I would do in therapy a couple times per week.

4. Why did you decide to begin taking Pilates? What did you hope to gain from the classes?
Well, after going from being active every day to doing absolutely nothing but laying around, I kind of started losing my mind. My Mother had been doing Pilates for a while and even had me try it a few times in high school. That is where I was first introduced to it. When I was trying to decide on types of exercise I could participate in without damaging my back any further, Pilates and yoga were the first to come to mind. When I moved to Cincinnati, I remember Kevin mentioning that Morgan was in the process of training to become a Pilates instructor along with her Mom. Looking back, it's kind of crazy how it all fell into place so perfectly.

What did I hope to gain? Well, to be honest, the ability to bend down and put my socks on! Seems crazy, but it was the little things that really bothered me about my back situation. So flexibility was what I had hoped to gain the most. The core strength came to a close second. Sitting at a desk all day was miserable and I knew I needed to strengthen my core to help with posture and in the long run, take a lot of pressure off my lower back. So Pilates was the perfect fit for my needs!

5. Did you notice a difference in your back with Pilates?
Yes, I not only noticed a big difference with my back but I noticed a big difference with how my whole body felt from Pilates. It was amazing how great my body felt after each class causing me to quickly become addicted.

6. Did Pilates help you in any way with your surgery?
Even though my surgery was inevitable, Pilates was a major help in preparation. We knew how much of a toll surgery would take on my body so our goal was to strengthen my core has much as possibly before my 4/11/12 surgery date and impending recovery. Part of the reason my surgery and recovery were such a success is due to how Pilates prepared my body.

7. How would you describe your recovery from surgery?
My recovery was anything but pleasant. I began a walking program the day after surgery increasing distance/time depending on how my body was feeling. After a month of walking, I was able to begin strength exercises on a Swiss ball. Let's just say I wasn't the biggest fan of the Swiss ball rehab. In my mind I knew how much Pilates helped me before my surgery so I knew it would be the perfect way to rehab my back along with the rest of my core and body. So June 13, 2012 about 2 months exactly after my surgery, I was back in the Pilates studio. It was amazing. Since Pilates doesn't just focus solely on the area of pain, I was able to do plenty of exercises while keeping the pressure off of my lower back. Before long, I considered Pilates as my rehab.

8. How would you imagine your surgery and recovery would have gone without Pilates?
This question is kind of hard for me to answer because I simply cannot imagine how things would have gone without Pilates. I'm not sure how my body would have healed, but there's no way I would have recovered as quickly or as safely. I definitely would have pushed myself into the gym performing exercises that put a lot of stress on my back. Pilates has given me a whole new perspective on using my core to support all movements from the gym to every day life.

9. Why did you decide to continue taking private Pilates classes three times a week once you fully recovered from surgery?
Addiction. Maintenance. Fun. After my surgery, I realized that I needed to adopt a healthier lifestyle where the main focus was preventive maintenance for my back. How was I going to accomplish this goal? Step 1 Pilates. Since I wasn't able to do much else after surgery, I started taking Pilates three times a week to replace my usual workouts. Pilates is now considered my main workout supplemented by lifting weights at the gym to build strength around my core. Step 2 Diet. After discussions with doctors and others who have had similar surgeries, eating healthier was always one of the main points for preventing another surgery. I went from a chicken nugget and fry diet to a more plant based veggy diet and haven't looked back since. Step 3 Stretching. During all of my doctor/therapy/chiropractor appointments, flexibility was brought up and laughed at every time. Pilates essentially unlocked my flexibility and now I make it a point to stretch for at least 30-45 minutes every day.

I slowly worked on these 3 steps since my surgery and it has been about 4 months since I've been serious about it all. It's hard for me to explain how much better I've felt these last few months but I couldn't imagine dealing with my surgery without these changes. I owe it all to Pilates. The new diet and stretching help a great amount, but Pilates has truly changed my life for the better.

The Pregnancy Diaries: Changing My Mindset

Hi there! It's Morgan today!

We've been a little absent on the blog lately (Me even more so than Carla), but with a new year comes a fresh start, new ideas, and some big  news! I am pregnant! My husband and I are expecting a baby in July! We are absolutely thrilled and have some amazing things happening in our personal life right now!

In my professional life, being a Pilates instructor and all, I am so thrilled to go through this amazing learning experience! After my 600 hours of training, which I completed last spring, I am trained to teach pregnant women. But it's all in theory. I would have no way to truly understand or even imagine how Pilates would actually feel during pregnancy without personally going through the experience! Plus, pregnancy is so individual. So of course the Pilates nerd inside of me wanted to take full advantage of this opportunity! I am going to start keeping a diary of my Pilates experience throughout my pregnancy and I want to share it with you through this blog.

Today, I want to talk to you about my mindset! But first, a little bit about where I am in my pregnancy. I am 17 weeks into my pregnancy, well out of my first trimester and into my second. Very few people can even tell I'm pregnant by looking at me. Two weeks ago only my husband and I, my Mom  (who has worked with my body through our Pilates training together), and probably my Pilates instructor could tell I was pregnant. My abs changed a little bit, but really from the visual outside, not that much different. I was still able to do a very strong workout. I was working out at an upper intermediate level minus the emphasis on the abs. I could still keep my pace up, and do a large number of exercises with very few modifications. Two weeks later, I am starting to pop out a little more although some tell me I look like I haven't gained anything. And with each passing week, my workouts get a little more mild, although still very strong. Going backwards was very hard for me to accept so that brings me to what I want to talk about today: my Pilates mindset.

Why and How I Had to Switch my Mindset

Ever since I started Pilates I have been competitive with myself. I always want to do better and perfect my form whether I am trying to do advanced exercises at a very slow pace or maintain a quick tempo as I do triple the exercises at a super quick pace. I always have had a goal and the more advanced that I have become, the harder I keep setting my goals.  Ever since I got to the advanced level, which at one point was one of my goals, my goals have been to strengthen myself so that I am able to do specific, very difficult, fancy exercises. I like exercises like candlestick, dismounts off the reformer and off the ladder barrel, variations of tendon stretch, and evil exercises on the chair. Basically if it looks impossible or maybe like torture, I want to do it! I find it amazing how strong the body can get and the ways in which it can move.

As soon as I found out I was pregnant, this had to change immediately. I can't make these goals anymore. I had to change my workout almost right away. I had to take out everything that had to do with balance, since my center of gravity will be changing in the upcoming months. (To me this was basically everything I categorize as "fun.") I also couldn't keep up my tempo, since I was so exhausted for the first trimester. (I have recently been able to pick my tempo back up, which has been rewarding.) And finally I can't do anything bringing my legs overheard, which also takes out some of the intermediate exercises.

Basically, imagine yourself as a golfer. You aren't really competing with those around you. You compete with yourself to try to get better each time you leave the course. Now imagine somebody told you that you were going to get worse over the next 9 months. Your scores were going  to get higher and you were going to lose technique. You need to continue to play golf, but you weren't allowed to push yourself to get better.

That is pretty much how I felt. And it took me a while to refocus. Instead of the focus being the abdominals, it is now important to strengthen the inner thighs, the obliques, the pelvic floor... Basically I'm preparing myself to give birth while also maintaining the strength that I have built in my arms, legs, shoulders, and any other extremities.

If I was just an intermediate or beginner Pilates student, I probably wouldn't have experienced any changes in my workout thus far. I'd just notice I was a little tired during my workouts. However, since I went from being an advanced student to being a pregnant, intermediate student, not only did my workouts change, but my mindset had to change too. It took me the second two months of my first trimester to adjust and I was not enjoying my workouts as much. I thought they were boring in comparison to before.

Now, however, after a little mindset readjustment, I am back to loving my workouts again! I had to constantly remind myself of why I am really doing Pilates. Before, I happened to be doing Pilates mostly for fun. I love it and enjoy it.  But in all reality, I am really doing this because it keeps me healthy. I stay fit, I stay motivated, my body stays healthy and protected from injuries. These reasons are truly why I do it. I just lost sight of that since I have so much fun! And now, every time I leave the studio, I still love the healthy, strong feeling that I get. I just had to readjust my mindset a little bit and remind myself of ALL the reasons I love Pilates. It's not just the fancy tricks, but I'll be able to get back to those favorite exercises soon enough!

What do I eat?

This weekend I had the, umm, pleasure (?) of working both concessions at my kids' football game and the Goetta booth at my parish festival. In both places I was selling a bunch of stuff I'd never dream of eating. At the Goetta booth, I mentioned I had never had Goetta because I'm allergic to monosodium glutamate (MSG). A lady answered, "That stinks, MSG in in almost all processed food." And she's right, even "natural" foods have it, though "natural" foods tend to label it "yeast extract." Yup, that's right, MSG is often a hidden ingredient and is in a lot of that stuff you buy at Whole Foods. Trust me, I've learned that the hard way after getting a gut wrenching stomach ache after eating hidden MSG. Here's a list of how it's hidden: Truth in labeling article.

As I was eating one of my favorite foods last night, brussels sprouts cooked in my cast iron skillet in organic bacon grease with organic bacon, I got to thinking .... Am I truly unlucky to not be able to eat much processed food? Let me take another sip of my homemade latte made with organic espresso and non-homogenized whole milk and think on that a bit more .....

Yeah, that's a bit of sarcasm. Sorry, I know it's a cheap form of humor, but it does make a point. What about all the delicious food I do eat? My snack yesterday was a handful of raw macadamia nuts and organic 72% dark chocolate. Is that better than chips or not? I think it is! Or what about my lunch? I hadn't been to the grocery, so I had one of those, "What's in the fridge?" lunches .... an organic chicken/apple sausage and some celery topped with raw almond butter.

Honestly, when I looked around at the festival, there was not any food item I wanted to eat. Even the "healthy" ones were questionable .... like the corn SOAKED in MARGARINE!! Do you know how bad margarine is for you? Here's one article, there are many more out there. Most of the other foods were some sort of combination of bread and sugar, usually fried. Most of it doesn't even look like food.

I often get asked, "If you don't eat processed food, sugar, or grains, what DO you eat?" I'm not qualified to give nutritional advice, but I can answer that question.

I eat fresh, whole foods like meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables, potatoes (all varieties), quinoa, and wild rice. I use fats like butter, olive oil, coconut oil, and for cooking over heat, safflower oil. I've tried coconut oil but my cast iron skillets don't like it as much as safflower oil. I cook on cast iron, which is naturally non-stick. Did you know the fumes from non-stick pans will kill birds? If it's bad enough to kill a bird, what's it putting into your food? I have a whole milk latte in the morning, and once in a while eat full-fat cheese. I also like to drink red wine. If I'm hungry, I eat. I never feel like I'm denying myself like I did when I thought things like, "I really shouldn't eat that, I'll gain weight," when I was eating grains and processed food. Now, I eat when I'm hungry, I don't when I'm not.

Once in a while, on the rare occassion I want ice cream, I'll eat Graeters because it's made from natural things like cream, sugar, etc., but even then I order the child-size scoop. I almost never eat something that has weird ingredients I can't pronounce.

He's holding the photographer's soda, haha

When I was young and I ate healthy (though I ate grains when I was younger), people teased me. Now that I'm almost 50, many of those same people are now asking what I eat. We don't have to diet, botox, and cut out fats to look young. We need to eat real foods, exercise, and lead a healthy lifestyle. It's that radiant health that looks beautiful .... not a lack of wrinkles. It's healthy hair, healthy skin, and a healthy body that we desire. And the nice thing is, it's eating healthy foods that taste great that will give it to you. Once you get off the processed stuff, it no longer even looks good.

I'll try to put more of my recipes on the blog now that we're done with wedding planning so you can see what I mean. You won't miss the processed stuff. But you might have to go to the grocery more often because fresh food rots!