Archive for December 2011
Marketing Secrets From the Pros
What can you do to bring clients through your doors? We asked studio owners and program directors to tell us their marketing secrets: What works to attract students to Pilates programs—and what doesn’t work?
Read MoreHow to Handle the Hypermobile Client
Many Pilates clients fight to increase their flexibility. Some struggle to touch their toes, for instance, while others work hard to stretch their shoulders and some are barely able to sit cross-legged. But how do you handle the ones who are as pliable as Play-Doh and fight just to hold themselves in place?
Read MoreA Pilates Approach to Posture and Alignment
Assessing clients’ posture or alignment can sometimes be overwhelming for both novice and experienced Pilates instructors. Even with all our knowledge of anatomy, kinesiology, movement and injuries, it can be hard to know where to start.
Read MoreThe 3-Core BodyMapping Perspective
Over my 40 years of teaching, I have come to deeply appreciate the innate intelligence of the body. I have learned to listen to its messages. Out of this appreciation and listening I have developed the 3-Core BodyMapping Perspective
Read MorePilates for Golfers
If you’ve worked with golfers (or those who aspire to play), you know the game is not just for leisure seekers. Golf requires force, flexibility and control. Golfers can benefit greatly from working with a Pilates professional who understands not only how the body works but how the right movements address specific needs on the green.
Read MoreCore Strength: Standing Exercises
Why do we usually train the core from the floor? Most people don’t spend the majority of their days on the floor, nor is it common to get injured from lying down or watching television. Injuries typically happen from improper technique, lack of body awareness and limited movement. Standing upright for core training allows you to move your body in all planes of motion and enhances core and spinal stabilization and balance.
Read Moreall about chickpeas
The chickpea—also widely known as garbanzo bean, chana (north India), Indian pea, ceci bean and Bengal gram—is a tasty and versatile legume. Perhaps you recognize it as the main ingredient in hummus? It is also the hearty protein in many popular dishes from numerous cuisines, including those of India, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, the Philippines, Israel and various other countries in the Middle East. Chickpea Facts 7,500-year-old remains of this ancient legume have been found in the Middle East.
Read MoreHeart Failure Patients May Benefit From Pilates
Resistance Training Improves Mental Health
O’Connor, P.J., Herring, M.P., & Caravalho, A. 2010. Mental health benefits of strength training in adults. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 4 (5), 377–96.
Read MoreHow Can Clients Keep Their New Year’s Resolutions?
In 2011, TIME magazine named the joint goal of losing weight and getting fit as the most commonly broken New Year’s resolution (TIME.com 2011). You don’t have to be psychic to predict a similar trend for 2012. Any fitness pro who’s been in the business for at least a year knows the New Year’s cycle:…
Read MoreA New Twist to an Old Cardio Training Practice
Within the fitness industry, many professionals recognize that cardio programs built around the mathematical concept of maximal heart rate (HRmax) have inherent limitations.
Read MoreIs There a Public Health Role for Fitness Professionals?
Imagine the following scenarios: Friends of an overweight, inactive 35-year-old encourage him to join a team physical activity and weight loss challenge sponsored by their employer. He loses 12 pounds and joins a fitness club, with costs subsidized by his employer. A husband and wife, senior retirees, attend a community-sponsored fair and learn about an…
Read MoreThe Significant 7: Principles of Functional Training for Mature Adults
The aging of our global population and the significant increase in numbers predicted over the next 20–30 years (Pew Research Center 2009) offers a unique opportunity and challenge for fitness professionals. When it comes to training older adults, we must look at what we’ve been doing, evaluate its effectiveness and move forward with ideas and…
Read MoreTraditional Media and Social Media: Creating an Effective Communications Partnership
You’ve decided to take your business into the 21st century and dip your toe in the social media world. You’ve mapped out your objectives, identified your audiences and created the messages necessary for a strategic communications campaign. Now, how do you effectively use all of the tools at your disposal to implement a campaign that’s as effective as possible?
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