It is very important to find the right Pilates Teacher/ Class for your needs. 

A common enquiry I receive is..

"I have been told by my Doctor or Physio to find a Pilates class.  I wondered whether you teach group classes".

Whilst I understand, not everyone can afford one to one Pilates, if you have an injury and have been advised to find Pilates, a huge group class could actually be more harmful than helpful.

Pilates, taught in the right way, can be fantastic for injuries, back pain, rehab etc. BUT.. if you go straight to a group class, the exercises will not be specifically for your needs and this is where a lot of people make mistakes and end up hating Pilates and saying it made them worse.

In this situation, it is far more beneficial to find a teacher who understands your needs on the phone and then go and see him or her on a one to one at least once before attending the group class. 

"I want to lose weight, can Pilates help me"?

Well, this is a tough one because in the early stages of Pilates when the movements are slow and you are learning technique, it is not a cardio workout for weight loss.  Once you know what you are doing, it CAN be, but at first, it will tone you and lengthen your muscles.  Your posture will improve and your total well being will be better.

"I am pregnant, can you recommend a group class?"

Make sure you find a specific Pregnancy Pilates class and tell the teacher the truth about how you are feeling. I wouldn't recommend taking up Pilates in the final trimestre.  But from the early stages it's great.  A group class not specifically aimed at pregnancy is not necessarily beneficial.  Always tell the teacher at the start.  Your teacher may not want to teach you in a large group and she/he may not have insurance to do so.

Pleae send me your questions.  I would love to continue answering your queries further.

Sarah x

Dear Everyone,

This is my March Newsletter. If you are not on my newsletter monthly mail out, please contact me and I will add you to my list.

Thanks

Sarah x

•         March Majorca Retreat
•         Questions and answers
•         Pregnancy article – Caroline Sylger Jones – I have contributed!
•         The Pilates way to Clean out your cupboards for Spring
           – read on by Sweaty Betty blogs
•         Nuala Coombs in London for Teachers to attend

Hi Again,

Ah.. I can happily say Spring is finally in the air as I write to you today.  The sun is shining. It’s bright and dry. My studio is warm without the heater.  How lovely. In 17 days, I am off to Majorca with my Pilates group.  I do still have places, but only because a few of you have tried to book a place and flights are non-existent, apart from Gatwick on these dates.  If you are in London and you would like to come along, I will offer you the early bird price if you want to come along and you can fly from Gatwick! 19th March until 21st March.  A lovely long weekend of Pilates and Massage.

This month I have been quoted in another article. This time the article is about pregnancy and exercise. Written by Caroline Sylger Jones for the National last Tuesday 23rd February.  If you want to read the article, please ask me to email the attachment to you.

I am looking into retreats for later in the year and have been asked many questions.. here are some questions/ answers I have for you all.

1.       Will I be doing a Pilates retreat in France.
Answer:  Possibly.  There is a hotel I will be looking at, close to Monaco and I may look at options there. I will not be going back to Burgundy again because of the bad treatment I had from Lady Lyell, who owns the house.

2.       What month will the next retreat be?
Answer:  June I think, but I rely on you to tell me when you want to go. 

3.       Can you organise a retreat for me and my friends early June or July in Europe?
Answer: Yes, please tell me how many of you, what you need and where you would like to be and I will budget it for you with a massage therapist.  3 people is a good starting point for me to publicise and invite a few more guests if necessary.

4.       Can I come to the retreat on my own?
Answer: Many of my clients come on the retreat on their own and end up making great friends afterwards.

5.       Do you take beginners?
Answer: Yes.

6.       Do you take clients who have been doing pilates for years? If so, how do you manage with mixed groups?
Answer: I am used to teaching mixed ability small groups.  We ALWAYS start with the basics and then build on from there. EVERYONE, whether a beginner or intermediate student, will benefit from a matwork retreat.  It is surprising how much you can cheat in classes and by starting in such an intense workshop style, you will definitely advance over a weekend. 

7.       Will I remember everything after the retreat?
Answer: Yes, most of it, but I will give you notes and you can write on them and if you live outside of London and want to come to me once a month for top ups, you can.  Many people do.

Please feel free to ask me questions and I will endeavour to answer you. Remember, I write articles and exercises that you can do on my Sweaty Betty Blog. This month, you can read the article on the 100 and Swan Dive and you can also learn how to clear out your cupboards whilst doing Pilates! http://community.sweatybetty.com/expert-Sarah/post/2010/02/23/Cleaning-your-cupboards-out-for-exercise!.aspx

Please do go on there and send me some comments.  I’m eager to answer. And, you can follow me on twitter.  Look me up.  Sarahpilates.

For teachers - In June, I am bringing a colleague over from France.  I have done training with Nuala Coombs and I can totally recommend her workshop.  The workshop, here in London on June 6th will start or finish with a class.  If you are interested, click on the link and book directly with Nuala.  I will see you there!

http://www.thepilatesconsultant.com/workshops/index.php

You Can Learn My Secrets For Teaching A Great
Mixed Ability Pilates Class Using Straightforward
Information That You Can Use Immediately
 
During the workshop you will learn:
•         How to plan and teach the perfect mixed level Pilates class
•         Discover why your teaching style may effect your presentation
•         How to adapt your teaching style to achieve best results
•         How using small equipment can make your life so much easier

AND MORE.. READ THE REST ON NUALA’S LINK….

A short note today. I just drove back from Manchester to London and I'm very tired.

Just to say - March 19th is my Pilates and Massage retreat in Majorca and I still have places left.  I will still offer Sweaty Betty readers the early bird price if you quote this blog.  So, take advantage of being here and have your discount on a lovely holiday away.

By the way - driving with Pilates in your mind. Shoulders, seat placement, leg length to the pedal and breathing.  Pilates is a way of life and not just for the studio. If I hadn't thought about my posture and position on the seat, I would be in agony right now. My back would be stiff, my shoulders would hurt and even my neck.  When you drive, be aware of the lumbar spine and whether you are sinking or sitting on your sitting bones and lengthening up. Ensure your seat is supporting you. Make sure your hip is not higher than your knee.  Check the distance of the leg to the pedal.  If it's too close, your knee may hurt.  IF you are stuck in traffic.  Spend time circling your shoulders and breathing long breathes. (this stops frustration too!).  Flex and point your toes every now and again.

Don't stop concentrating on the road and other drivers, but do think about how you hold yourself and you will get out of the car feeling a lot easier and less stiff.  If you have a long drive, stop half way for a stretch and even a roll down.

Good luck

Sarah x

While the winter is still very much upon us in the UK, let's think about getting fit and healthy and ready for Spring.  Have you gone through your wardrobes lately?  Do you still fit in all your old summer clothes?  I think I'm writing this for me and not you!!  If I write this down, maybe I will get busy. Cleaning out our wardrobes is GREAT EXERCISE.

How high are your cupboards?

How low are your shoes?

Let's start by standing in front of the cupboards.  Take a deep breathe.  In through the nose and out through the mouth.  Lengthen your spine.  Pull your tummy in to notch 3 of your belt.  Breath wide and full into your ribcage.  Close your eyes for a moment and focus on your core strength.  (that way you don't have to look at the bomb site you are about to approach inside your cupboards). Now, you are ready for exercise.

Open the cupboard doors with your shoulders down and neutral spine.  Eyes up at eye level.  Let's start from the bottom of the cupboard up.  Bend the knees as you breath out and lower yourself down to the floor.  As you lengthen your arms into the cupboard, ensure you continue to hold your tummy in and keep your shoulders in their pockets at the back.  Now, Take your shoes out of the cupboard and as you twist your torso to the right or left, make sure you are twisting from the middle back.  Place your shoes on the floor.  Stand up tall.  Lengthen the spine all the way to eye level.  Circle your shoulders 3 times and bend the knees and down you go again.

Now - let's start on the shelves.  Lengthen your arms.  Shoulders down.  Breathe out to reach into the jumpers and bring them out.  Turn the body to place the jumpers on the floor, ready to sort out.  Turn back to face the cupboard and then come up to standing.  Pushing through the heel as you stand up tall.  Tummy still in and shoulders down.  Circle the shoulders 3 times. 

Ok, we now have a pile of shoes and a pile of jumpers sitting on the floor.  Probably best to sort them out first before we end up with too many heaps of clothes and total dispair!

So.. Roll down to the floor, to mobilise the spine and take yourself onto all 4s with your tummy still in at notch 3.  Sit back onto your heels in a childs pose for a moment.  Then sit yourself down with your legs out in front and a straight, flat back.  OK, if your hamstrings are tight, then bend your knees.  If you have a wall behind you, I will allow you to lean against it, but don't sink.  Now then - have the legs open and the pile of clothes between your legs and now with a long spine, sort through the clothes you want and fold them neatly.  As you lengthen the spine, like a spine stretch forward, ensure you keep your pelvis still.  Imagine that you are sitting on 2 cheques underneath your sitting bones.  Both cheques are worth a million pounds to spend on new clothes.  (wouldn't that be worth it?) Now you can continue stretching the spine forward to sort the clothes and stack your spine up bone by bone ready to fold or throw out.

When you have finished this pile of clothes sorting, roll onto one side and on to all 4s.  Now tuck your toes underneath you. Send your bottom up to the ceiling to stretch your legs.  Soften your knees and roll up through your spine.  Again, mobilising your spine on the way up to standing tall.

Continue this process until you have gone through all your cupboards and by the time you have finished your workout, you will feel you have achieved SO MUCH.

I'm off to start my clothes sorting exercise now.

I will see you in a year's time!!!!

Oh.. maybe once you've taken all the charity clothes out of the house for a bit of weight lifting, or sold them all on ebay, you might end up running down to your nearest Sweaty Betty store and buying some new lovely spring clothes ready for the sun to come out again. 

Enjoy your day. 

Ok.. that's a silly question isn't it..

Unless you are reading this in Australia of course where it's mid summer.

My Pilates and massage retreat is almost here. 19th March in sunny Majorca. I still have spaces so if you want to get out of the cold and come to a little warmer climate then get in touch and I'll send you a booking form.  Have a look on the website for more information.  www.sarahpilates.com

I want to be able to respond to all of the nice comments I am getting on my Sweaty Betty blogs, so do feel free to write your Pilates questions and I will endeavour to answer them in the best possible way for you.

Sarah. xx

Today I will introduce you to the Swan Dive.  The exercise is such a lovely way of working the upper back in it's modified form.  There are the advanced versions, but I am giving you the modified version to begin with.  I find that most people miss out the feeling of the small range isolation of the muscles that you can feel between your shoulder blades. So here we go.

1. Start lying down on your front with your arms out to the side.  Create a v-shape between your elbows and have flat palms of your hands on the floor.

2. Pull your tummy into notch 3 of your belt (see previous articles I have written) and have your nose just off the floor as though there was an invisible pea underneath it.  The neck should be relaxed and don't tense the buttocks. Try not to tense the shoulders.  Imagine gravity underneath you dropping your shoulders to the floor - to get you to switch them off.

3. With your eyes looking down and length out of the crown of you head, leave the arms loose on the floor and try to lift the upper body about an inch or two off the floor.  Then check again - the shoulders. Are they tensing?  Have you changed the length in your neck.  To be totally precise, you must switch off the shoulders, relax the arms and if you are feeling the musles between the shoulder blade and a bit higher, you are winning. FANTASTIC.

If you are not feeling the correct place, you may be lifing too high and using your neck and shoulders.  Isolate.  Switch them off.  Keep the neck long.  Allow the muscles of the upper back to gently peel you up and down from the floor, whilst keeping your arms totally relaxed.  IF you feel this in your lower back you can try tilting the pelvis.  This exercise should NOT be felt in the lower back.

If you want to advance a little bit, you can come up the same way.  Then add an extension of the arms, by adding a little support on your flat hands and extending the arms at the elbow.  Make sure you have not let your shoulders come up to your ears.  Lower yourself gently back down.  Get the elbows down first. Switch your arms off and allow your back to lengthen you back down on the floor again.

Ask me questions if you do not understand any of this.  I can help you reach your goals.  Try to do these exercises properly.  In a large group class, you are missing out.

Don't forget, I have 2 spaces left on my retreat in Majorca on March 19th.  You can explore your Pilates exercises further.  Get the most out of your classes.

See you soon for another one.

Sarah x

Hi Pilates friends,

Today I want you to add on a challenge.  You know how to breathe. You now how to set up and add pelvic tilts. NOW...

Consider your base position (see previous articles) and lie on the mat with your knees bent.

Have big toe, little toe and heal gently pressing into the floor.  Do not allow the knees to turn in or out.  Imagine you are lying on train tracks, which lie on the outside edge of your body.  Stay within those lines.  Keep the balance of the hips by imagining a glass of wine on each hip staying completely still.  Think about the lower back and how it feels against the floor while your feet are still on the floor.

Now with the tummy in at your notch 3 of the belt (see previous articles), Breath wide and full into the ribcage and try to pick ONE foot off the floor without changing your set up base hundred position.  Can you do it?  WIthout spilling the wine all over the floor? 

If you can keep your hips stable, GREAT.

Now, is your leg light or are you feeling all the tension in your thigh and hip?  Try to switch the weight to the pelvis and tummy and not in the thigh and hip.  Work on the core or your body and the leg should be in the 90 degree angle at the knee for about 20 breathes.  As you lower the foot down - do you notice the hips moving?  Shifting from one to the other.  This should NOT have happened.  The balance should have been there.  Very bad - you may have just spilt wine all over the floor.

Try exactly the same with the other leg.  Keep the stability in the centre.  Notice whether one leg is easier to lift than the other. 

This is your single leg challenge of the 100. 

If you want to try more,

Pick up the first leg with control and imprint (for safety) into the lower back.  Just bring the leg towards your chest so you are out of neutral spine. (your natural curve challenge).  NOW add the 2nd leg whilst imprinting.  THEN.. if you are ok in your back and already feeling your tummy and NOT your hips, gently encourage the legs away into a 90 degree angle at the knee.  NOW check your back before you do anything else.  Is it in the same position as it was when your feet were on the floor? Or have you arched your back?  You should still be in neutral.  If you are and you are only feeling your tummy then you can further increase the challenge by extending your legs straight out.  Again, check your back.  It MUST NOT arch.  The whole of this exercise is controlled and you MUST keep breathing.  20 breathes with 2 legs up there.  Only for as long as you are in control. Do 10 breaths if you want and increase the amount you can do each day!

Good luck with the 100.

Yet another exercise you can do FREE OF CHARGE on this FIT FOR Free month with Sweaty Betty. Just the floor and a mat are required.

Please ask me questions, I am always happy to answer.

Have a good weekend.

Sarah x

Pilates "is not a fatiguing system of dull, boring, abhorred exercises repeated daily 'ad-nauseam.' Neither does it demand your joining a gymnasium nor the purchasing of expensive apparatus. You may derive all the benefits of Pilates in your own home."

--Joseph Pilates, Return to Life Through Contrology, 1945 

One of the reasons Pilates has drastically increased in popularity is because it can be easily performed at the gym, in a group class or in your own home.

While there are some pricey Pilates machines on the market, you don't need to spend a fortune to do Pilates.  The equipment is NOT an essential ingredient to Pilates exercises.  

So what's your excuse???  Write to me and ask me for an exercise.  I will happily promote and give you an exercise to practise and comment about.  Do get in touch.

Sarah.

 www.sarahpilates.com for pilates holidays, pilates retreats, Pilates one to one training, Pilates at home,

This really choked me.  I love it when my clients (some who I only meet for a weekend) comment.  It makes everything worth while.  It's why I do what I do.

Hi Sarah,
 
I got the dvd. I am just watching it through for the first time before trying it out and had to email you - it's brilliant. It's like having you in the room with me. I've tried many Pilates DVds and teachers since going to your retreat last year and trying Pilates for the first time, but nothing ever seemed quite the same and I've just been reminded why. Nobody has quite lived up to your perfectionist instruction, and I mean that as a compliment! After a very nasty hip flexor injury in January last year and 4 months of pain and limping, your teaching somehow enabled me able to stand up on both feet at the same time again- something months of physio had failed to do. I'm very much looking forward to working through the dvd.

Coming to your retreat was a real breakthrough for me, and I do hope to come again one day. 

 
Thanks again!
Michelle