Beginner’s Guide to Pilates

Starting something new can often feel intimidating. But getting started in Pilates does not need to be overwhelming or intimidating. Pilates is for everybody, and you can do it too. This beginner’s guide to Pilates will give you a better idea of what Pilates is and what you can expect when starting out.

Q. What is Pilates?

A. Pilates is both a technique to help you move efficiently and safely, and it is also a series of exercises to help you learn that technique. It is a system designed to help you strengthen and mobilize your body. It is named after Joseph Pilates, who invented the technique.

Q. Who should do Pilates?

A. Anyone can benefit from doing Pilates, including older people, people who haven’t worked out before, people just coming out of Physical Therapy with injuries, and professional athletes and dancers.

Pilates can be done in its most basic form gently and simply. As ability, strength, and coordination increase, we can add complexity and more challenging exercises.  Anyone who wants increased core and overall strength, fewer injuries, better coordination, and better muscle function can and should do Pilates.

Q. What type of exercises do you do in Pilates?

A. Pilates has a variety of exercise that target strength and mobility for the whole body, always initiating with an engagement of the core. They can be done on a mat or unique equipment strategically designed to allow for the fullest expression of movement. Some pieces of equipment you would likely find in your session include the Reformer, Cadillac, chair, and barrel.

In any session, including an introductory session, the trainer will aim to move you through all possible planes of movement of the spine if possible. Your session will include exercises that move the spine forward and back, sideways, and rotating into a spiral. You will also be taught to stabilize your spine and pelvis using your core.

Common beginner Pilates exercises

Pilates Toe Taps
  • Toe Taps: The student lies on her back on a mat. She engages her abdominals while holding legs in the air at “tabletop” (knees bent, shins parallel to the ground). The student learns to fire her abdominal muscles to support the stability of the pelvis and lumbar spine while challenging that stability by alternating touching the floor with each foot.
Pilates Hip Roll
  • Hip Roll/Shoulder Bridge: Student lies on her back and lifts pelvis in the air, engaging her glutes and hamstrings, and using abs to keep her ribs from “popping out.”
Pilates Breaststroke Prep
  • Breaststroke Preps: Student lies on stomach and lifts upper body and shoulders off the mat. She fires her glutes and hamstrings to lengthen.

In all of these exercises there is an emphasis on correct form and engagement of and stabilization using the core muscles. A few other (more advanced) famous Pilates exercises are the Hundred, Roll Up, and Teaser.

Q. What should I wear for Pilates?

A. Wear what makes you feel comfortable and allows you to move. This could be leggings and a tank top, or sweatpants and a t-shirt. Layers can be helpful if you tend to be cold. Socks or bare feet are good, and socks with little grippers on the bottom can be useful for providing some friction with the floor. Jeans or restrictive clothing are not recommend as they impede freedom of movement. (But if wearing jeans will get you into class, go ahead and do it! You can trade them in for leggings when you feel ready.) If and when you feel comfortable, form-fitting clothing can help the teacher see your body better and give you more detailed and nuanced corrections.

Q. I have a serious injury/issue in my body. Can I safely do Pilates?

A. Always talk to your doctor first. There are safe exercises and safe ways to approach Pilates for almost all bodies, injuries and issues, but it is important that you have some familiarity with what is contraindicated (i.e. a “no-no”) for your particular issue.  For example, people with a certain level of osteoporosis in their spine should not do forward flexion (bending forward.) The teacher and student work together to find safe alternatives to traditional exercises. At MOVE Wellness, we have a “gentle” Pilates class specifically designed to work at a pace and level that accommodate bodies with issues and injuries, or those who simply prefer to work at a slower pace. Starting with a private Pilates lesson before doing a group class is always recommended, so that you can go into class with a clear sense of what movements are best for you, and which should be modified. The instructor will also be able to help with this, but the more you know about your own capabilities, the better.

Q. Will Pilates make my abs stronger?

A. Pilates starts by focusing on the stabilization of the pelvis, ribs and shoulders, and by learning to use the breath to activate the abdominals and find a healthy placement for the ribs and shoulders. You will learn to stabilize your pelvis and ribs with all of the muscles attached to them with particular attention to the abdominals. We learn to activate our deepest layers of abdominal muscle – our transversus abdominis – before we begin every exercise. Doing so aids in this stabilization.  So yes, Pilates will make your abs stronger. It will also strengthen the other muscles of your core, your glutes and large muscles of the back. As you learn to work with these core muscles, you will work all muscles of your body. Pilates will ultimately give you a full body workout but will emphasize good core function as a prerequisite to good form.

Q. What is the difference between Pilates and Yoga?

A. In both Yoga and Pilates you are likely to go into a studio wearing comfortable clothing and embark on a series of movements. Both Yoga and Pilates will emphasize the mind body connection and ask you to work with your breath. Pilates is more straightforwardly an exercise system and physical technique for movement. It will teach you how to have good form and give you a series of moving exercises based on the work of Joseph Pilates. This will increase and strengthen your form, core strength and coordination.

Yoga is connected to a 2000 year old philosophy that is designed to set the practitioner up for spiritual transformation and meditation. Both of these techniques may ultimately benefit your mind and body, but the movements and the basis for the techniques are very different. In general, Yoga classes tend to have more of an emphasis on stretching and holding “poses,” while Pilates exercises move along different planes to increase strength, particularly of the core.

Q. Should I take Pilates classes or private lessons?

A. At MOVE, we highly recommend that everyone take at least one private lesson before they join classes. This helps ensure that you are familiar with the technique of Pilates and how to apply it to your particular body and set of issues. It also helps us make sure that you are placed in a class appropriate for your level.  Once you have done this introductory session, you can choose to continue with classes only, privates only, or a combination of the two. We recommend doing a combination when you’re ready, as private lessons are opportunities to work in specific details to what is going on in your body, where as classes ask you to take some of what you’ve learned into a context of being slightly more independent. Some home practice is also recommended.

https://youtu.be/JNoAp3Pksd0

Q. How often should I do Pilates as a beginner?

A.  Try to start with at least one hour a week, although more is encouraged when possible. This may be through private lesson, classes and/or home practice. Pilates is safe to practice daily, and in general, the more, the better.

Q. I have more questions, is there someone I can talk to in person?

A. Yes! Call us at 734-224-2560, email us office@movewellness.com, or stop by for a conversation and a tour. We are located at 3780 Jackson Road in Ann Arbor, behind Sun and Snow, across the parking lot from the Quality 16 movie theater. Come and visit us! We would love to meet you.

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Lauren Miller is a Pilates and GYROTONIC Trainer at MOVE Wellness in Ann Arbor and can be reached at 734.224.2560 or office@movewellness.com

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What Makes Pilates Unique Among Movement Systems?

As seen on ClickonDetroit. Updated November 15, 2019.

Ann Arbor fitness expert Elaine Economou shares her best tips and practices

ANN ARBOR – Elaine Economou shares a glimpse into the movement system she has been teaching for nearly 20 years. The ability to create a fit, vital body for a lifetime, safely and efficiently, is what makes Pilates unique among movement systems.

HOW PILATES TRANSFORMS

A smiling, brunette woman walks into my Ann Arbor studio on a busy Tuesday. This is Susan. I’ve been seeing her twice a week for the last eight years. She’s now in her mid-70s, and when she first came to me, Susan had some functional challenges.

She had scoliosis and a history of surgeries. She no longer had the strength to pull herself out of the pool while playing with her grandchildren and she struggled to walk on the rocky shore of her beloved summer home in Maine.

Now, through safe and effective Pilates exercises, Susan can not only climb out of the pool and walk on the beach, but she can also do planks and squats like a pro.

Moments like these are frequent in Pilates. Moments of healing, fitness, and growth.

WHAT IS PILATES?

Let’s start with what Pilates is not.

It is not a staged Instagram photo of an actress or professional athlete training on some sort of mysterious equipment. Nor is it a painful group fitness class designed to tone your abs, but instead leaving you with neck or low back pain. No, it’s not even “yoga but for core strength.”

It’s a unique, anatomy-based system designed by a forward-thinking visionary, Joseph Pilates. What he knew then, research is just catching up to.

The goal of a Pilates session is to move through the repertoire of exercises at the level and pace that suits you, moving your spine in all planes of motion and challenging your body with different relationships to gravity. Though challenging, the workout and exercises will energize and invigorate.

HISTORY OF PILATES: LET’S MEET JOE

Before creating Pilates — or what he first called “Contrology” — Joseph Pilates was an avid student of movement.

Born in Germany in 1883, Pilates had his own health challenges as a child. Because of this, he was very focused on building his own physical strength. He learned anatomy, wrestling, yoga, martial arts, gymnastics and spent time watching animal movements.

He was traveling as a boxing instructor when the World War I broke out, and he was put in an internment camp in the U.K. It was there that he started consistently working with people doing the exercises that became his repertoire of mat exercises. He also found the basis for his spring-based resistance equipment in working with bedridden injured soldiers by tying sheets onto the bed springs for resistance training.

He was drawn to the Greek ideal of a human – a balance of mind, body, and spirit. This is the heart of Pilates: to let you build the best version of yourself. Pilates believed “we retire too early and we die too young. Our prime of life should be in the 70s and old age should not come until we are almost 100.”

Pilates practiced what he preached. He was just as fit in his 80s as he was in his 40s. This idea – that we can accomplish more than we could ever dream of – shaped the Principles of Pilates: Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breath, and Flow.

PILATES: AHEAD OF ITS TIME?

  • Mindfulness: In Pilates, we start with the breath because “breathing is the first act of life” as Joe said. It is the foundation on which Pilates builds. Today’s research into optimal health points to the very concepts embedded in Joe’s original philosophy.

For instance, evidence supports mindfulness practices — like breathing attentively  — to reduce stress and anxiety. Mindfulness can be a powerful tool for depression as well.

  • Dangers of sitting: 72 years ago when Pilates said “civilization impairs physical fitness,” he was foreshadowing a culture that promotes sitting at a desk for eight hours a day, a culture of automation and transportation that has connected our world beautifully, yet contributed to a dangerous sedentary lifestyle. With this in mind, Pilates designed a system to correct posture, alleviate low back pain, and help with injuries that come from physical inactivity.
  • All the muscles!: In my opinion, Pilates is the optimal post-therapy (and maybe even pre-therapy) fitness. Comprehensive anatomy training is required and we understand muscle balance and human movement. We can tell when your tight glute muscles change the way you walk, or when knee pain may start in your back. If you are a runner, for example, I know that hip and trunk mobility and strength can support optimal running form, so I will include exercises that support these in a session.

There is emerging research demonstrating that practicing Pilates can positively impact depression and anxiety, low back pain, balance and overall physical conditioning.

WHAT PILATES SESSIONS LOOK LIKE

Pilates sessions happen in “private sessions” or “small group trainings.”  A skilled Pilates trainer will create a session using the principles, exercises and equipment tailored to your unique body and goals in private sessions.

For example, you might start with some breathing, spinal movement and then a version of the famous Pilates exercise, the Hundred, on the mat. Then you might move to the reformer and use the spring-based resistance pushing with your feet in a series called “footwork” that helps build strength in the legs.

Pilates private session on a reformer.

Read original article here: https://www.clickondetroit.com/all-about-ann-arbor/fit/what-makes-pilates-unique-among-movement-systems

The Gift of Movement

We invite you to share the gift of movement with your family and friends this holiday season. Receive a free Introductory Session with the purchase of a 3-month MOVE Membership customized for that special someone in your life. We’ll wrap it all up in a special MOVE swag bag ready for gifting. 
Be fit. Be well. Be inspired. Be done shopping.

Email us for more information!

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6 Safe and Effective Core Exercises for Every Day

MOVE Wellness owner Elaine Economou shares everyday exercises for a strong core and healthy back.

Originally published on ClickonDetroit.

A while back, I wrote about shifting our perspective of the core beyond the traditional media image of a hard “six-pack.” My hope is that by encouraging people to understand the anatomy of our core, we can build a well-rounded movement routine that supports strength and muscle balance.    

As a mother and CEO of my business and my household, taking care of my own body has not always taken top priority. I witness this attitude among many people I know as well: I’ll exercise once my kids leave for college..I’m not athletic…I’m too busy. Ack!

So let’s shift the way we think of movement. My mantra is “take your vitamins.” Ask your doctor about the ones you swallow but I strongly encourage a movement vitamin in the form of gentle warm ups and simple exercises. I know now – after learning the hard way – that when I don’t do some focused movement every day, it is a slippery slope to back discomfort. Consistently practicing these traditional Pilates exercises below has made a huge difference.

You know how the flight attendants suggest that when you travel with kids that you put your oxygen mask on first? Think of these exercises like that. The benefits will manifest as a slow and steady increase in strength, mobility, stability and yes, energy to do what you love.

The workout should take about twenty minutes, and it includes exercises we use with our clients at MOVE Wellness Studios. In order to get the most out of these exercises, here are some notes for success:

  • Only do as many repetitions that you can manage with good form. Good form for these abdominal exercises means keeping your pelvis stable (not allowing your low back to arch) and your abdominal muscles “hollowed” or pulled tight against your spine.  Once your abs start to fatigue, rest.
  • Good form also includes keeping your chest open and wide.  We often cue the collar bones and your shoulders to stay wide as you move.  
  • Go slow and add repetitions as your endurance increases.  It is absolutely normal to start with toe taps for a week or more before adding the next exercise.  
  • If your back or neck hurts, stop and rest.
  • Get help from a fitness professional or PT if you have had abdominal surgeries, or have been pregnant and you don’t feel your abdominal muscles working. Same if you feel strain in your low back or neck consistently.    
  • Each day you can layer in each exercise and additional repetitions as you get stronger.  

Your Six Safe Core Exercises:

1) Lateral Rocking

Start lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on your mat or floor, right next to each other.  Hands are out to the sides of the body in a “T” shape. Start with gentle rocking of the knees to one side and then the other side, not moving too far in either direction. Breathe as you move, and use this at first as a gentle warm up for your back and hips.  Repeat 6-8 sets to warm up. Then, let your knees fall closer to the floor on one side. Using your abdominals, exhale to pull your legs back to upright. Keep switching sides using the breath and your abs to pull your legs upright.

2) Toe Taps

Lying on your back with your knees in tabletop (knees bent and lifted, shins parallel to the floor) with your arms long by your side and gently pressing down into the mat.  Draw your abdominals in and pull your ribs down and toward your hips. Don’t let your pelvis move during the exercise and keep your abdominals and ribs from popping up or out.

Movement: Exhale and start to reach one toe toward the mat.  When you feel that your pelvis might move, lift the leg back up.  Alternate feet for 8 sets or as many as you can do while keeping your pelvis stable.

3) Single Leg Stretch

Start in the same position as above and lift your upper body off the mat. Focus on moving into position by drawing the rib cage down with your abdominal muscles and releasing any tension in your neck. Reach your hands toward your knees.  

Movement: Exhale and extend one leg long, keeping the opposite knee pulled in toward the chest. Inhale and move back through the starting position.  Exhale and switch legs. Alternate for 8 sets or as many as you can do while keeping your pelvis stable and abdominals connected.

4) Criss Cross/Obliques

Start in same position as Single Leg Stretch with hands clasped behind head.

Movement: Extend one leg long and keep the opposite knee pulling in toward the chest while crossing the ribs toward the bent leg while exhaling.  Inhale through the center and exhale while switching legs. Keep chest and elbows wide. Alternate for 8 sets or as many as you can do while keeping your pelvis stable and abdominals connected.

5) Scissors

Start in same position as Criss Cross with legs extended above hips and hands reaching toward knees.  

Movement: Exhale and reach one leg toward the floor as the opposite leg reaches toward the ceiling and possibly in toward your chest. Keep feet pointing. Inhale as you switch legs.  Emphasize the length of the leg reaching long. Use the exhale (traditionally there are two pulsating exhales here) to help deepen the contraction of the abs. Alternate for 8 sets or as many as you can do while keeping your pelvis stable and abdominals connected.

To finish:

Hug your knees into your chest and slowly rock side to side.  Then, stretch your arms over your head and your legs long on the floor.  Take a few breaths while actively stretching your body on the inhale and releasing into the floor on the exhale. Take a final breath and allow the weight of your body to rest into the floor. Scan your body from head to toe, and stretch in areas that feel tight. Slowly rise to your feet and take a second to feel long and tall before you go on with your day.  

I hope it is a good one!  

Feel free to email me with questions, elaine@movewellness.com.    

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Post-Pregnancy Fitness: Sharon’s Pilates Journey

From journey to getting fit post-pregnancy to a becoming a Pilates trainer, meet MOVE Wellness Pilates apprentice Sharon Hillenaar!

Sharon never considered herself particularly athletic. In fact, she says that “hard, core exercise was always a little bit of a struggle.” Given that core exercise is one of the most fundamental components of Pilates, we find Sharon’s story really inspiring for those who are a bit nervous about beginning Pilates.

Staying motivated post-pregnancy

A brand new mom living abroad, Sharon committed herself to post-pregnancy fitness. She started visiting the gym regularly and running, eventually signing herself up for a half-marathon. But the goal to lose weight transformed into a much deeper desire to become fit and live a healthy lifestyle. Sharon started exploring different avenues to becoming fit. She went to the gym, started taking spinning classes, and doing exercise programs like PiYo and Yoga. Her love of spinning became Sharon’s motivation for eventually getting certified as a spinning instructor.

I realized that I really enjoyed being in this type of environment and decided that I would pursue my personal trainers certification, which eventually led to other certifications such as PIYO, Cardio drumming, Schwinn, and a host of other mini classes I took over the years…. As I explored different avenues that would help my career but more importantly my clients, I decided to explore a Pilates Certification. Not knowing ANYTHING about Pilates, I did not realize how intense this form of exercise is for the body, mind, and breath.  I feel like this will be a perfect addition to my experience and training background and will allow me to offer more to my clients not only in a pilates class scenario but also to my overall trainer education.

What was it about Pilates?

One evening during a yoga class I was teaching, one of my clients approached me and mentioned that she had been doing Pilates and how much she enjoyed it. She spoke so enthusiastically about it that I was compelled to go home and read more about it. The more I read, the more I was able to see how beneficial Pilates could be for clients. I was specifically intrigued by the vast repertoire and how effective the movements were to effectuate change within the body especially from a strengthening, mobilization, toning and rehabilitation stand point.

Pilates Benefits for Post-Pregnancy Fitness

For Sharon and many others, Pilates exercises became so beneficial to add to any workout routine. Pilates benefits a wide demographic of people. Pilates can help increase strength, lose inches, heal from injuries, and maintain flexibility and mobility.  Pilates emphasis on deep abdominal connection and pelvic floor health makes it perfect for pregnant and post-natal women.

Finding MOVE’s Instructor Training Program

As I began researching studios that offered the Pilates instructor training program, I stumbled upon the MOVE program. It was perfect for me because the course was offered over the weekends and was in Ann Arbor.  However, that wasn’t the only deciding factor.  After having an extensive conversation with Elaine Economou, who address my lengthy questions and concerns, I truly felt like this program was different. The modulated program, the apprenticeship program and availability to mentors and trainers was exactly what I was looking for.

If you’re a newbie and feeling apprehensive, Sharon offers this advice:

Not having done more than a few Pilates classes myself, I was truly a newbie. Even though I had a background within the fitness industry, there were many occasions when I felt like I was learning things for the first time. At those moments, I reminded myself to breathe and not to be hard on myself. The program is information rich, and at first it will feel like a mumbled heap in your brain. Then all of a sudden, the program comes full circle and it all makes sense.

“This program is not just an instructor training course, it’s an education. Trust the process, believe in yourself and remember, the MOVE program will walk you through, one step at a time.” – Sharon

Start Your Pilates Journey

Sharon is on her way to becoming a Pilates instructor through the MOVE Instructor Training Program and we know she’ll do great! If you have any questions about pilates classes, the MOVE Instructor Training Program or becoming a Pilates instructor, we’d love to chat! Please email us at office@movewellness.com. You can also stop by one of our MOVE Instructor Training Coffee Chats this fall to have your questions answered over a cup of coffee with MOVE Wellness founder and president Elaine Economou.

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Your core is more than a “six-pack”

This blog was originally published in ClickOnDetroit.com on August 2, 2018.

When we refer to our “core,” most often we imagine a defined set of abdominal muscles referred to as a “six-pack” and the image of a tight, magazine cover or Instagram-ready abdomen, male or female.

You know the one.

Posts or covers with catchy phrases and how-to instructions for core training draw us into buying the magazine and to thinking that the hard defined muscles shown are our ideal. It is also part of our common understanding of training the body that in order to achieve the six-pack one must execute many, many abdominal crunches. Here’s the truth. And some good news.

What is the core?

Core strength or stability actually refers to a set of muscles that stabilize and mobilize the spine against the movement of the body.  This includes not only the “six-pack” muscle — rectus abdominis (which I’ll just refer to as rectus moving forward) — but also the deeper abdominal and spinal muscles, the pelvic floor and the diaphragm. This inner unit needs to be strong, responsive and resilient to support healthy breathing and movement, which in turn allows for an optimal movement system for whatever you love to do.

One image that works with clients is to imagine a balloon that is about ⅔ full of air. The balloon has a band around the middle. The top of the balloon is your diaphragm, coming up into the lungs, and the bottom of the balloon is the pelvic floor. The band around the balloon represents your deepest core stabilizer (called the transversus abdominis). It looks very much like an old-fashioned corset, with fibers that run horizontally from your spine to the front of the body.  This means that when it contracts it cinches or draws inward toward the spine, just like a corset. This may be why, Joseph Pilates, who developed the system named after him known for its connection of breath to core strength said, “Above all, learn how to breathe correctly.”

Core training through breathing

I know. What? Core training includes the diaphragm? Breathing? Pelvic floor? How on earth do you build up a sweat training then? Here’s the first bit of good news.

You breathe all day long. By focusing on breathing for a few minutes each day, maybe before you work out, you can bring attention and awareness to the coordination of your breath and any muscular tension in the body. Simply put, you allow the muscular support system to reset by noticing where you feel expansion when you inhale and releasing any tension when you exhale, directing the breath into a complete expansion of the rib cage. This diaphragmatic breathing will allow you to initiate the body’s natural muscular organization so that when you do train for tone and strength, you are doing it with a balanced activation of the system.

Plus, there are side benefits to focusing on breathing. The physiological response that occurs when you focus on the breath are similar to that of a mindfulness practice. Quieting and focusing the mind for as little as two minutes decreases stress hormone production and calms the nervous system. You are also bringing your awareness into your body so that your workout can be more efficient and effective. There are many, many benefits to a mindfulness practice so combining it with movement and exercise is a win-win.

So what about the core?

In addition to building awareness through breathing, training the core includes abdominal work with attention to your unique posture. The key here is to train your body.

I like to describe our body through the lens of two postures. First is our genetic posture, or the alignment we have naturally.  We may be built just like our mom or dad or like me, my sweet short Greek grandmother. The second lens is our cultural posture, lifestyle or what you do all day. Do you sit or stand for a living and do we love to run, dance, garden or bike? Both postures have an influence on how your muscular system is organized and should be taken into consideration as you train.

Once you think for a bit and understand your body, you can better put a plan together for your own workout.  For example, if you like to run and sit at a desk for any part of the day, core training will include being sure that any abdominal work you do does not engage the hip flexors. That means really focusing on the sensation of your abdominals and being sure they are working when you do your ab work.

So are crunches bad?

No! The good news is that crunches done with proper alignment and with attention to your unique body are VERY EFFECTIVE. In Pilates, we do an exercise that looks a bit like a typical crunch as one of several ways we strengthen the abdominals. There are different bodies of research about types of contractions of the abs and suffice to say you should include a variety of them in your workouts.

For example, if you are doing an oblique crunch when you cross one shoulder over to the opposite hip with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, be sure that your tailbone stays anchored on the floor, your chin stays off your chest and that you actually feel your obliques as you slide one rib toward your opposite hip. Neck, back or hip strain means the obliques are not the emphasis. Adjust your alignment until you feel the target area. Do enough repetitions to feel fatigued but without compromising form.

Correct form for an oblique crunch

Incorrect form for an oblique crunch

Looking at the inner unit as I have described here is foundational to effective core training. I would be remiss to not acknowledge that the muscle balance of the pelvis, movement of the spine and shoulder blade stabilizers all play a role in training the core efficiently because our body really is a system. Overtraining or only focusing on one area does not create the balance we need to function in an integrated way.

The terms “core” and “core training” should conjure images of balanced stability and mobility of the spine as opposed to that post or magazine cover. Those images may not be steeped in sex appeal, but lifelong health and mobility can indeed be sexier than a magazine cover. I would like to challenge you to reframe your idea of what “fitness” looks like.

To me, fitness is the capacity for a resilient, responsive, strong system. Defined muscles are great but shift away from the external pressure to look like that airbrushed cover, toward building the body that supports living a life you love.

Train your core, do your crunches, listen to your body.

Start strengthening your core through group classes or private sessions with Ann Arbor’s trusted local trainers at MOVE Wellness.

CLICK HERE to book an appointment.

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A Pilates Success Story: Weight Loss and Walking a Mile

My name is Carol Shulman. I’ve been doing Pilates at Move Wellness since February 2018. This is my story.

 

100 Steps Forward

Last Digest-Your-Turkey day, I awoke with excruciating back pain. That’s not new: I had disk surgery in my late 20’s, have had two hip replacements, and I have osteoarthritis in my spine; any kind of semi-strenuous bending/lifting (see: “Remove turkey from oven”) often causes next-day back and sciatic pain. I also haven’t been able to walk any distance since my last hip replacement about 15 years ago. Standing up for one of my weekly 4-hour weekend cooking marathons (mostly vegetarian, always from whole real foods) left me gasping on the couch. Putting in my veggie garden was guaranteed to lay me low.

Here’s what was different this time: I was finally fed up. So, I signed up for physical therapy, intending to get gait training to learn to walk again. After 24 sessions, I was no longer in constant pain, but I was no closer to walking normally. My one attempt, mid-way through PT, was a disaster. After only 100 steps, the pain was too intense to continue. *SO* discouraging!

 

Trying Pilates for the First Time

At the end of January, my therapist gently explained that insurance wouldn’t pay for any more PT. She patted my leg, and said, “You simply have to get stronger,” and recommended the Transition Program at Move Wellness. My mom had recently died and left me a bit of money, so I decided to invest it in myself. I signed up for personal Pilates training with some dude named Tony. My goal is to walk a mile without discomfort.

I did this despite being skeptical. I always thought of Pilates as something for The Real Housewives of , and that is definitely not me! My skepticism wasn’t improved upon meeting Tony. He initially didn’t match my mental image of a Pilates trainer. But I remembered that the lady who did my intake told me “every personal trainer here has a story.” And it’s not like I am some kind of athletic goddess. (Although I was quite athletic in my younger days, I’m now 64, overweight, have a desk job, and tending toward couch potato, at least in the winter.) So, I chided myself for being judgmental and decided to roll with it and have my first session.

It was freaking AWESOME! Tony — unlike me — was entirely nonjudgmental; I’ve come to understand that’s a thing at MOVE Wellness Studios. He was kind, gentle, attentive, motivating, and explained things very clearly. I felt great after that first session! Mind you, when he first asked me to do a simple back extension exercise, I couldn’t even fathom what he was talking about. And I thought we were doing “side-line leg work,” whatever that was. I could barely do 5 clams. Now I’m doing 10 clams each side against a resistance band, and I can lift my arms off the mat when I do those pesky back extensions. And now I do side lying leg work, and my hips no longer wobble when I circle my leg, toes pointed and “reaching long.”

Even though the Reformer reminds me of a cross between a rowing machine and a torture rack, I’ve grown quite fond of the work we do there. I’ve worked with a couple of other trainers, both just as warm, supportive and effective as Tony. But I feel like I have a special bond with Tony; no one motivates me better than he does! (By the way, I was totally wrong about him…he is a man of steel!) I haven’t lost much weight yet, and I can’t yet walk a mile without pain.

 

But after 4 short months I’m seeing the benefits of Pilates:

– I’m beginning to reconnect with my inner athlete.

– I’ve lost a dress size.

– My posture is better.

– I can garden, cook for hours, and do heavy housework without paying for it later.

– I’ve got actual (semi-firm) haunches instead of marshmallow butt cheeks.

– I’ve walked as much as 0.8 miles in day, which is quite a ways from those pitiful 100 steps!

 

Carol Pilates Success Story Before Pilates, gardening caused Carol to have next-day pain and stiffness, but now she can garden without paying for it later.

This summer, I can’t wait to see how much easier it is to climb up the tiny boarding ladder into my boat and how much stronger my frog-kick is when swimming. And now that the weather is better, I’m starting some more systematic “mindful walking.” I have no doubt I’ll hit that mile before summer’s out.

I’ll echo Tony’s story: Signing up at MOVE Wellness Studios was one of the best decisions of my life!

 

 

Interested in becoming a Pilates success story yourself? Try an introductory session today!

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I Made It: Part Three

This content has been updated January 9, 2020.

We are thrilled to share this inspiring three-part series by MOVE Wellness Studios Trainer Tony Brutz. Enjoy Part 3 below. You can click here to read Part 1 and Part 2.

February 2016 was the first weekend of the Mat training program. There were eight other students with me in the class. We all staked out a spot on the floor…Wait… There is something I forgot to mention. Before the classes started a few of the MOVE Wellness Studios trainers mentioned that a lot of information would come at me all at once. It may be overwhelming at first, but just hang in there don’t panic. Then one day everything will just click. Ok, now back to the first weekend… Our trainer for the Mat class was Aimee. She was and is a fantastic trainer. I mean this lady really knows her stuff. We started getting into everything right away. Quickly I realized why the trainers gave me the heads up. It was a lot of data to process in a short time. I mean I was getting new terms thrown at me left and right: Patella, vasti, concentrically, eccentrically. Transversus abdominis? Isn’t that a character from Greek mythology? All of us in the class left that weekend a little shell-shocked. Even though I was warned and told not to panic, well guess what happened. That’s right. I panicked. What did I get myself into? I can’t do this! How can I get out of this? How do I tell everyone at MOVE Wellness Studios? I will never be able to walk into MOVE Wellness Studios again. The world is coming to an end and I never did find out who shot JR. Yep, not one of my finer moments. I took a deep breath and collected myself and after a quick internet search I found out that it was Mary Crosby’s character of Kristin that shot JR. Hope I didn’t spoil that for anyone. That night I decided to just sleep on it and see how I felt the next day.

When I got up the next morning I was feeling a little less overwhelmed. I just remembered what I was told and decided to keep on keeping on. As the weekends went on, it started to get a little bit easier. Then one day, it started to click. Not that I was great, but it all started to make more sense. I even learned what transverus abdominis meant. Hint, it’s not a character from Greek mythology. Once I started practice teaching and observing other trainers it started to click even more. That moment of fear after the first weekend could have derailed everything. Lucky for me I didn’t have to go it alone. I had a great group of classmates that were going through the same experience. Add the MOVE Wellness Studios staff and I had a pretty awesome support group.

So, about one year after starting the training program, I am an instructor at MOVE Wellness Studios. I am enjoying the teaching I have been doing thus far and I am so looking forward to what the future has to bring. This last year has been great, even when things were tough it was still fun. Not that everything went smoothly. The training took up so much time that I began to neglect my own health. I fell back into some bad habits and they started to add up. Then those negative thoughts began to show their ugly heads. It took some time to pull myself back up and get back on track. I had to look back to that December day in 2014 and try to remind myself why I started this whole journey. Of course trying to lead a healthy life was a huge reason. Then something hit me, something I thought about even back in 2014. It was not just that I needed to treat myself better, but that I deserved to treat myself better. I know that may sound funny, but think about that for a minute. Sure we try to eat healthy and exercise, which is great, but how often do we treat ourselves the way we should? We forgive others when they make mistakes, but how often do we forgive ourselves for ours? We give compliments to family, friends, heck sometimes even strangers. You’re so talented, intelligent, kind, beautiful, and creative. How often though do we say those things to ourselves? How often do we give ourselves credit for our own accomplishments? It is one thing I think many people neglect to do for themselves. It suddenly dawned on me that I was neglecting doing it for myself. I would focus on my faults but never give myself the credit I deserved. It was about time I started treating myself with that kind of caring and respect. We all fall sometimes. We just need to stop beating up ourselves over it and get right back up.

Just MOVE Wellness Studios

So, why did I decide to become a trainer? That is a brilliant question that deserves an equally brilliant answer, but I will give you my answer instead. I can sum up why I became a trainer in one word; MOVE Wellness Studios…That’s it, just MOVE Wellness Studios…OK fine, I’ll elaborate. What Elaine and Robin have created with MOVE Wellness Studios is wonderful. The staff at MOVE Wellness Studios is a great reflection of the values that they hold. I told you I would explain the reason I name dropped throughout this post. All the trainers that I mentioned earlier were the ones teaching when I first started at MOVE Wellness Studios. Not only were they incredible at what they did, but also they were compassionate, caring, encouraging, and supportive. Along with Elaine and Robin, they helped me accomplish so much more than I would have ever thought when I first started this journey. To all of you wonderful ladies, thank you so much for your encouragement and support. You all were the main inspiration for me wanting to become a trainer. The first day of class we had to go around and introduce ourselves and tell everyone what we hoped to do with everything we learn during the training. I said, “I hoped to be for others what MOVE Wellness Studios has been for me.” I want to help others achieve their goals and now I am getting to do that. I am so glad I decided to do the training and would recommend it to anyone. Do I have any advice for anyone who may sign up for the training in the future? Why yes, I do. My advice would be this, to quote Douglas Adams, “DON’T PANIC!”

Tony Brutz teaches Gentle Pilates class at MOVE Wellness Studios on Tuesdays at 6:00PM. He is also available for private sessions.

About the MOVE Comprehensive Pilates Instructor Training Program

If you have ever considered Pilates as a career or as an enhancement to your current profession, we invite you to join us January 15, 2020 at 6:30PM for Talk and Train. This open studio event will offer you a preview of the MOVE Instructor Training Program. Come get your questions answered and see for yourself what the MOVE Instructor Training Program is all about. If you can’t make the event, you can also schedule a free 15-Minute Consultation with one of our Instructor Trainers. Get started on your own journey today!

 

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It Turns Out She Was Talking About Me┃Tony Brutz

This content has been updated January 9, 2020.

We are thrilled to share this inspiring three-part series by MOVE Wellness Studios Trainer Tony Brutz about his journey from running his first 5K to becoming a certified Pilates Instructor.  Enjoy Part 2 below, and click here to read Part 1. 

MOVE Wellness Studios wasn’t like any other gym or studio I have seen or visited. The studio was warm and welcoming. Instantly I felt like this could be a place I could workout and feel comfortable. The first question I asked was, “Is this place just for women or do men workout here as well?” The staff at the front desk assured me that men do in fact workout at MOVE Wellness Studios. I continued to ask questions and one of the trainers, Rochelle, was able to help answer them. It quickly became apparent that the people at MOVE Wellness Studios are just as warm and welcoming as you would expect. After that meeting, I signed up for a package of private sessions with Rochelle and my Pilates adventure was about to begin.

My first session was approaching. That stupid self doubt started to creep up. I can’t do this. What was I thinking? They are going think I am an idiot. Rochelle made me feel instantly at ease. There was no judgment. I felt like I had her full attention for the entire session. She was really paying attention to me, to what I needed and my goals. I was doing an AB prep exercise, and when I finished the first rep she asked, “Did you feel tension in your neck?” I thought to myself, yes, yes I did feel tension in my neck. How did she know that? She must be a mind reader. Well, maybe not a mind reader, but she just really knew what she was doing. The sessions went so well that I decided to get a membership to try the different classes.

The first class I took with a different trainer was the men’s class. Since I was the new guy, the instructor spent a little extra time with me to make sure I was using proper form and able to follow along with the class. Then I took a reformer class with Davy. Just like the other trainers, Davy spent time making sure proper form was being used with everyone in the class. With each new class, I got to work with many of the other instructors: Lauren, Nicole, Shannon, Sammy, Elaine, Jane, and Julie. The one thing that stuck out was that all of them are amazing. I know I named dropped a lot here but there is a reason for it but we will get to that later. After just four months at MOVE Wellness Studios, I decided to become a trainer.

Me…A Pilates Trainer?!

One day Elaine mentioned that they were going to do an instructor training course that coming February. I asked her if anyone could take the class or was it just for people who already had training experience. She told me that anyone could and asked me if I was thinking about taking the training. When I told her that I was thinking about it, she leaned over the front counter where we were having the conversation and said, “I would love to have a male instructor here.” That’s nice, I wonder who she has…Wait! …What? Did she just offer me a chance to teach at MOVE Wellness Studios? No, she couldn’t have been talking about me. I was thinking about just getting information for myself to maybe help out friends and family if I felt comfortable. It turns out she was talking about me. Our conversation went on for about an hour. At the end, she had me thinking about the possibility of teaching.

Shortly after my talk with Elaine, I had a session with Rochelle. During the session I told her that I was thinking of taking the training. To be honest I was still unsure about what Elaine had said about giving me a chance to teach at MOVE Wellness Studios (sorry, Elaine). I just wasn’t used to having anyone have that kind of confidence in me. It meant so much to have someone offer that kind of support. I mean I’ve only been doing Pilates for four months. Why would she give me a chance after only four months? Rochelle told me that if Elaine says it she means it, and also gave me her thumbs up as well. As the other trainers found out about me taking the training they all gave me their full support. I am telling you this part of the story because the support from this group of people is amazing. That support was a big part of me being able to get through the training.

Click here to continue reading Part 3.

Tony Brutz teachers Gentle Pilates class at MOVE Wellness Studios on Tuesdays at 6:00PM. He is also available for private sessions.

About the MOVE Comprehensive Pilates Instructor Training Program

If you have ever considered Pilates as a career or as an enhancement to your current profession, we invite you to join us January 15, 2020 at 6:30PM for Talk and Train. This open studio event will offer you a preview of the MOVE Instructor Training Program. Come get your questions answered and see for yourself what the MOVE Instructor Training Program is all about. If you can’t make the event, you can also schedule a free 15-Minute Consultation with one of our Instructor Trainers. Get started on your own journey today!

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The Single Best Decision of My Life | Tony Brutz

This content has been updated January 9, 2020.

We are thrilled to share this inspiring three-part series by MOVE Wellness Studios Trainer Tony Brutz about his journey from running his first 5K to becoming a certified Pilates Instructor. 

The Single Best Decision of My Life (Part 1)

So here I am, after almost one year of taking classes, studying, practice teaching, and starting my Pilates apprenticeship. I am now an official trainer at MOVE Wellness Studios. All that hard work has paid off. Being a trainer allows me to help others lead a healthier life and share my passion for Pilates. How did I get to this point? Why did I decide to become a trainer? So glad you asked. To answer those questions I have to go back a few years. Don’t worry; it won’t be that long of a story…well maybe a little long…ok, I promise it will be shorter than War and Peace.

It was October of 2014 and I had just finished my first 5K. Even though I should have felt great about running a 5K, I use the term “running” very loosely. I felt a bit depressed. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy that I finished the run, but after training for months my health still hadn’t improved much. The weight wasn’t coming off, and if anything I had gained weight. Even though weight is only one part of health, it was a big issue for me. It has always been tied to my lack of self-esteem and feelings that I was in some way less than others. Ok, this just got a little heavy. Don’t worry, just stay with me, it gets better. I wouldn’t be writing this post now if it didn’t. It was also at this time that it really started to play on my mind that it was only six months until I would turn 40. This was a big deal because I never thought I would make it to 40. Taking care of myself the way I should have just wasn’t a priority. In part, because I just didn’t believe I deserved that kind of care. Treating myself better, both physically and emotionally, had to become a new priority. It just took a few more months to make that priority a reality.

Kicking It Up a Notch with Pilates

Mid December of 2014 I had enough. January 1st, 2015 I was going to do it, I was going to take much better care of myself. First off, I needed to work on my eating habits. Eating whole foods and staying away from premade/prepackaged food was going to be the plan. Also, that year I was not going to eat anything deep-fried, no fast food, and no pizza. Spoiler alert, I did it, I didn’t eat any of those things for the whole year. Trust me that was big accomplishment because I love me some pizza! Now that I had a nutrition plan, it was time to set a plan for the exercise part. I decided to run at least one race per month from April to December. A friend of mine gave me a few running schedules to start training for my future runs. Now that I had my plan set, it was time to put it into practice.

The first few months of 2015 were going great. I was sticking to the plan and it was working, not just physically but mentally as well. My mood was improving and my confidence was getting better. Then I decided I wanted to kick it up a notch. Surfing the web I found a bunch of gyms that offer fitness classes. That is when I came across the website for MOVE Wellness Studios.   After my research, I made what I believe is the single best decision of my life – I walked through MOVE Wellness Studios’s doors.

Click here to continue reading Part 2.

Tony Brutz teaches a Gentle Pilates class at MOVE Wellness Studios on Tuesdays at 6:00PM. He is also available for private sessions.

About the MOVE Comprehensive Pilates Instructor Training Program

If you have ever considered Pilates as a career or as an enhancement to your current profession, we invite you to join us January 15, 2020 at 6:30PM for Talk and Train. This open studio event will offer you a preview of the MOVE Instructor Training Program. Come get your questions answered and see for yourself what the MOVE Instructor Training Program is all about. If you can’t make the event, you can also schedule a free 15-Minute Consultation with one of our Instructor Trainers. Get started on your own journey today!

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Rainbow Squats and Killer Rows: Why You Need TRX and Pilates in Your Life

 

Our thanks to MOVE Wellness Studios community member Emily Douglas for sharing her thoughts on her favorite class.

We’ve all got that one MOVE Wellness Studios Pilates class that, come hell or high water, we refuse to miss because we just love it that much. And for me, that class is Power Pilates w/TRX on Tuesday mornings.

A brilliant blend of foundational Mat Pilates and highly effective strength training, this class has become an essential part of my week. There are plenty of reasons to take it, but here are my top five reasons to take TRX and Pilates:

1. Half-and-half = Happiness

Not sure you’re really up for a TRX class? No worries. Because half this class has nothing to do with TRX. The beauty of Power Pilates with TRX is that it’s the best of both worlds, including traditional Mat Pilates and TRX suspension training. You get to warm-up with your favorite mat exercises and then jump into some beginner-friendly strength training. And thanks to the moderate pace of the class, you can learn to use the TRX as you go. No experience necessary!

2. The magical mat warm-up

For me, the magic of this class lies in the warm-up. Much of the effectiveness of TRX training comes from proper engagement of your shoulders and transverse abdominis. And that’s exactly what you get thanks to the first half of this class: purposeful mat exercises designed to get you on and aligned, so that when you do transition to the TRX portion of class, everything’s working exactly how it should be.

3. Deep squat satisfaction

If you’re secretly resentful of your toddler because she can effortlessly squat down to the floor with heels flat and you can’t, please raise your hand. For most of us, age, injury, and perhaps just plain old genetics prevent us from finding that blissful deep squat position as adults. But TRX changes that. While the goal of a TRX squat still is to use your lower body and core strength, relying on your upper body as little as possible, the extra support from the trainer allows you to safely find that lower squat position without sacrificing form or stability.

4. Fancy feet-in-straps

“Feet in straps” work on the TRX is the part of this class that you will love to hate. Think a good barre class gets your glutes and hamstrings burning? Just wait until you’re asked to “drag your heels through the sand” while holding a glute bridge on the TRX. It’s a mildly tortuous and wildly beautiful way to round out an already fabulous class.

5. Row, row your back

For those of us who sit hunched over a keyboard all day, getting out of our pecs and shoulders and re-engaging our back muscles is essential. And actually strengthening our backs while doing so is icing on the cake. The rowing series we move through in the TRX part of this class is superb. Like all TRX work, you can make it as easy or as challenging as you like based on the angle of your stance. And nothing feels better than pulling up after that last row to roll through a nice back and shoulder stretch with your hands in the straps.

Try TRX and Pilates You just might like it.

Whether it’s my tight shoulders or compromised hip tissue, there’s always something preventing me from keeping up with the pace of more traditional hour-long TRX classes. But I also crave classes that give me a chance to dig into some more focused strength training. Power Pilates with TRX has been the answer to that problem for me.

Whether you’ve been looking for another good mat class, but have been turned off by the TRX, or you’ve been hoping to try something new but not too intense, you should give this class a try. Even if you decide it’s not for you, you’ll at least get to laugh a little as we all fumble through strap choreography and enjoy your trainers ever-growing list of creative cues.

 

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