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HOW TO BREATHE DEEPLY

by Deborah Slade, APOGEE Pilates Instructor,
Power Pilates Comprehensive trained instructor.

Breathe properly and you'll energize every Pilates movement. Joseph Pilates described breathing as “the first act of life.” In his book Return to Life through Contrology he wrote, “Above all, learn how to breathe.” It sounds simple enough, since breathing is automatic. But as result of our relatively sedentary lifestyles most of us take shallow breaths—often at less than half our lung capacities. The result is low stamina, poor posture and tense, unstable muscles that cannot perform optimally. Breathing correctly oxygenates the blood and nourishes the cells while eliminating toxins, improving circulation, alleviating stress, and rejuvenating the spirit.

In Pilates, breathing is considered the essential link between the mind and body and the foundation for all movement. Coordinating exercises with patterns of inhaling and exhaling not only supports the movement but also aids in concentration, control, and flow—three other fundamental principles of the method.

It’s not easy to breathe while moving. In fact, most of us hold our breath when facing difficult tasks. But breathing properly while keeping your abs “scooped” will allow you to perform your Pilates exercises with greater ease and find your workout even more satisfying.

Pilates in the Fitness World

Hi all, This is Dr. Howard Sichel writing to support the PPBlog that Andrea Dow has been so diligent in keeping up. I received an email from a director of a large well established fitness facility in Westchester yesterday. You can imagine how many certifications she has under her(many) but what followed in her email was quite revealing to me. It follows:

I have been in the health and wellness industry for 25 years, being one of the first "class" to become a certified fitness professional through the American Council of Exercise. Our club saw the value of being a certified instructor way back when the renegades were running around teaching classes with flat backs, locked knees and the philosophy of no pain no gain. I valued every morsel of knowledge I absorbed and was able to share with my class.

I am now the Director of Member and Community Events in the largest health and wellness facility in Westchester County, New York and have been here for 25 years when I started as a dance instructor....moving up through head choreographer, membership director of all Club Fit locations and now events and wellness....and through all of the forward movement in my career, I have always kept classes and personal training which kept me on the pulse of the club.

Healing Foods

Did you know that the shape and color of certain foods can be indication of their health benefits? Read more to find out what foods you can eat for optimal health and wellness.

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. Science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red just like the human heart. Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and research shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

Lisa Rinna Loves Pilates

Lisa Rinna is a self proclaimed Pilates fanatic according to PilatesStyle Magazine. The Hollywood star has been doing Pilates since 1996 at Mari Winsor's studio in California. Rinna is famous for her roles on Days of Our Lives, Melrose Place and more recently the 2006 season of Dancing with the Stars. She does a Pilates workout every other day and even did Pilates during both of her pregnancies!

Part of Rinna's success on Dancing with the Stars was undoubtedly due to her Pilates training. She is quoted by author Heidi Dvorak as saying "Danding is hard on your body. Ballroom shortens your muscles and makes you tight. I did Pilates in between rehearsals, and it enabled me to do everything. I never got injured like many of the other competitors. It increased my strength, endurance and flexibility."

The Cafeteria Blues

Our friends at EatingWell magazine have an interesting tip for saving the environment and your waistline. It's easier than you think....simply skip using the cafeteria tray!

Here is how going "trayless" will help save our planet and our bodies: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, leftover food is the biggest contributor to waste (by weight) in the United States. We throw away a whopping 96 billion pounds of food waste every year. Without food trays at colleges and universities around the country, food waste will be greatly reduced. When students at the University of Vermont went trayless for one day, they decreased their food waste by 44%. In addition to food being saved, water is conserved by not washing the trays. One school found that for every 1,000 trayless meals served, 200 gallons of water were saved! Without a tray to pile foods high, people will undoubtedly be eating less, too.

School days are here, make this easy change during back to school season whether you are eco-conscious or health-conscious.