Congratulations, you have a beautiful baby and most likely a body that can prove it. A woman’s body goes through many changes during pregnancy. The uterus grows larger and causes your center of gravity to shift forward. This can make the muscles of the lower back, hip flexors and back of the neck tight. The extra weight of the breasts also leads to tight chest muscles, round shoulders and a tight neck. This leads to postural changes that often remain long after pregnancy. The altered posture leaves you vulnerable to an array of conditions, such as lower back and knee pain that were not present before conception. Changes in blood volume and other hormonal changes during pregnancy, as well as sleep deprivation after, cause fatigue. It should be no surprise that you may be left with less stamina after delivery than before. And of course, the most visible change in the body is most often in the abdominal area.

What Now?
Despite these physiological changes that leave a woman’s body in a very different state after pregnancy than before, you can regain your pre-pregnancy figure. But you’ll want to approach your workouts safely.

The presence of relaxin, a hormone present in the woman’s body from the moment of conception until 6 weeks after she stops nursing, causes connective tissue such as ligaments to soften, and therefore joints within the body to become hyper-mobile and therefore less supportive. Muscle tone is oft en decreased during pregnancy leading to an overstretched abdominal wall (or even Diastasis Recti, a separation of the abdominal muscles) and weak pelvic floor muscles, as well as sagging butt ocks, weak inner thighs and flabby arms.

A Targeted Approach
The Pilates method, created by Joseph Pilates, is not only safe, but also one of the most effective ways of toning the abdominals, back, buttocks and pelvic floor while increasing stamina and bringing the body back to overall muscular and postural balance. Pilates works the body from the inside out working from the corset of the body, the transverse abdominus (TVA), outward. The TVA is the deepest abdominal muscle and the most central muscle of the body. It is often referred to as the “powerhouse.” Anatomically, once the TVA is strong, it can then support the rest of the body both below and above the waist. Along with the TVA are the internal and external obliques and finally the rectus abdominus. All of these muscles become stronger with the practice of Pilates. The focus of the method is on controlled and continual movement from the center, the body is always in active motion. Pilates works the body from head to toe in a safe and effective way increasing the body’s stretch and strength, creating a more balanced physique, greater ease of movement and an overall more functional life.

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More and more children are getting ahead in the longevity game.

By: Jay Apking

It is a snowy Saturday morning in Cincinnati, Ohio and high-school student Brooke is doing a mat class at The Pilates Loft.  She has become somewhat of a regular thanks to her mother Mary Howard who has been a client at the Loft for several years now.  “I started doing Pilates and the first thought I had was, ‘why did I not know about this earlier in my life?!’” says the energetic Mary.  “The second thought I had was ‘I have to get Brooke over here right away.’  I just don’t want her to have the same health issues that I have and I know Pilates would probably prevent that.”  The health issues Mary is referring to are something to which most adults can relate; stiff back, poor posture, loss of flexibility, and every day aches and pains.

Julie Toren, co-owner of The Pilates Loft adds, “It is the future.  People are starting to realize Pilates not only helps to correct injuries and normal problems caused by aging, but prevents them from ever occurring.  Smart parents like Mary are getting their children involved while they are young, in hopes of making their lives easier as they get older.”

Eli is a nine year-old athlete in Knoxville, Tennessee.  He is on all-star baseball and basketball teams and wants to be a professional in either of these sports one day.  He realizes the Pilates he is doing may give him a big advantage, but that is not the only reason he does it.  “It’s fun,” says the talented young man.  “I like it because of all the different things I get to do.  Rolling and stretching and getting stronger…it’s like eating healthy food that tastes good, too.”  His mother, Leslie Andrews, agrees, “I am a believer in it.  If Eli likes it and it is good for him, how could I argue with that?  I am in my late 30’s and I have already regained so much of my younger flexibility by doing Pilates; flexibility I lost when I had Eli.  If he can keep his flexibility, I know it will help him be a better athlete and at least help him stay injury-free.”

It goes much further than that for Jay Apking, owner of Olympus Pilates in Knoxville, TN, “I see a lot of physical benefits for the kids doing it, but for me it doesn’t compare to the mental and emotional benefits.”  Apking not only teaches Pilates, but has his own children’s theatre company as well.  “I have been teaching children in the arts for years.  Before I teach a class or have a rehearsal, I will warm the group up with Pilates.  It clears their heads, gets them in touch with their bodies and makes them more creative.”  

So, can Pilates actually make children smarter?  “Adults complain all the time about nagging pains or injuries,” adds Apking.  “That “pain” gets in the way of life.  It is a mental and physical distraction which keeps us from being our mental and physical best.  What if we can teach children to be more aware of their bodies and eliminate the normal adult pain and injuries as they get older?  It would allow them to be more active and more creative in whatever career they choose.  That sounds smarter to me.”    

This system is already providing benefits to children all over the country and around the world.

13 year-old Valeria Lozano is taking classes with her friends in San Pedro, Mexico. “I decided to join because my friends told me how much fun it was,” says the lithe Valeria.  “I love it because it improved my dance technique and my posture.  I have seen clear changes since I joined in.”

What do we do about Pilates for kids in America?  How do we get our children involved in a program which has been appropriately nicknamed “intelligent exercise?”  Maybe help is closer than you think.

It is not necessarily true that Pilates will make your child smarter than you.  It may not even make your child taller or more fit than you are.  If it gives her or him the opportunity to live a longer and healthier life, especially in a time when exercise is hard to come by, wouldn’t you be wise to let them try it?  And if it makes your child stronger, more flexible and more physically and emotionally secure, the confidence which comes with “intelligent exercise” will last your child a lifetime.  

For more information on Pilates in your area or bringing Pilates to your child’s school system, please visit: www.pilatesmethodalliance.org

Jay has been teaching Pilates since 1997.  He is currently co-owner of BodyMind Balance in Cincinnati, Oh and owner of Olympus Pilates in Knoxville, Tn where he resides. His background includes golf and theatre. He was a member of the golf team at the University of Tennessee, where he earned his undergraduate degree.

He is also the director of Great American Child, a company he founded, focusing on making children healthy, cultured and more well-rounded.

Originally Posted March 2012 on Pilates-Pro.com

by Rachael Lieck Bryce

There are many different kinds of Pilates teacher training programs, which can leave students and potential future Pilates teachers puzzled over which one is best for them.

Much of the confusion dates back to the death of Joseph Pilates in 1967. Mr. Pilates never trademarked his method, so each of his personally trained disciples went out into the world to teach Pilates, some sticking close to Mr. Pilates' original vision, others adding their own personal flourishes--all of them calling their practice “Pilates.”

Every so often at Power Pilates, we get a client letter that really makes us smile.  This letter came in to one of our Client Service Representatives this past week.  Elleen, who wrote the letter, was nice enough to let us share with all of you:

Here is the background as to why I love Power Pilates.  My mom needed help 10 years ago with some of the chronic illnesses she was managing.  I searched and searched for what could make her abdominals muscles strong enough so that her back could be what it needed to be.  We both lived in a farm community in CA where the word pilates was a foreign language.  So,  through the process of my search, I found pilates, began learning from a book written by Alycea Ungaro, doing the Introductory level that was in that book 2 times a day.   My goal was to learn it well enough in my body, to translate it to mom to relieve her pain.   What I discovered was that it relieved MY pain, both in my physical and emotional state (nasty divorce happening at that time), and I could adapt enough of it to help mom on the days she was able to physically do this.   It helped her walking, it helped her balance, it helped the stress level, I restructured my body without knowing it as I worked to help mom!!!   2 years later, I moved to Boston, mom was stable, divorce was long done and over, and so I bought a one way ticket, took 3 suitcases, and moved.   I did not want to do career 1 (degree in Chemistry, minor in Math and Physics), did not want to do career 2 (tutu maker for designers, costumes and wardrobe for musical theatre, etc), decided that what I LOVED was pilates, so I began to research what was it that I had learned.   After months of searching, I found Power Pilates – how it embraced and preserved what Joseph Pilates had done, how its mission and purpose lined up with me, and how to my great surprise, there was an affialate here in Boston – Kathy Van Patten!!!  I was still doing the Beg series once or twice a day, and took courage, signing up for a certification workshop.  I went to Kathy’s studio to speak to her.   I watched her and her passion.  I listened, and because our daughters had all 3 been at San Francisco Ballet at the same time in the school, there was a understanding between us.  She accepted my reservation for the workshop and I studied, worked, read, to be ready to absorb EVERYTHING that would be offered. 

Took about 5 min fo