Peak Performance Pilates

Enjoy this video with my teachers Ron Fletcher and Kathy Grant. It is snippet from a dvd I recommend purchasing.

Enjoy viewing this acrobatic video. One definitely has Joseph Pilates’ neck!

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1767579342126

In the Pulling Straps and T, Romana Kryzanowska used to say “Top of the shoulders in line with the edge of the box. Zip the legs, squeeze the heels together and reach the feet down and back.” This is very effective at pulling the belly up off of the box and lengthening the lower back. You can then focus on extending the thoracic spine using the scapular muscles.             p. 114 “Teaching the Universal Reformer Repertoire.”

Dr. Richard Robertshaw, DC recommends the following website to see if any vitamins, herbs and pharmaceuticals have possible negative interactions with each other, or any foods.   www.drugdigest.org

For more on how movement is affected by diet, lifestyle, environment and prescription pharmaceuticals see chapter “Every system counts” in the book “Movement Perspectives™” p. 79 -89. There are other books from Applied Kinesiology (including “Artful Muscle Testing,” 1976), and Chinese Medicine (including “Eat, Sleep, be Happy” by Dr. Chady Wonson, DC, LAc, CTN, CNC) that also address these issues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiRv8vnt0eY&feature=related
Fabulous footwork and agility! A result of a strong center and freedom of the legs.

In the third phase of the Short Spine Stretch, once the carriage is at home, bend the knees towards the ears.  The feet are above the eyes. Romana used to say: “No Hanging Baskets” to make sure that you remain long in the spine with the sit bones reaching up. The error is to sink down and allow the bottom to drop when the legs bend, which is not very healthy for the spine, and causes the stomach to pooch.  Information found on page 84, “Teaching the Universal Reformer Repertoire”

Kathy Grant would admire this young cat. Such fluidity, agility and power!

PhantomHD – Kitten in Slow Motion.mp4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1vpB6h3ek4

This is an interesting article:

https://esciencenews.com/articles/2011/01/21/mindfulness.meditation.training.changes.brain.structure.8.weeks

Relax, rejoice and reinvigorate in a Tuscan retreat. Enjoy Pilates, Photography and Cooking classes, foraging and wine tours near the coast of Tuscany. It is a gorgeous refurbished farmhouse in the middle of olive groves. It is affordable. I am so lucky to be teaching there during the week of July 9 – 16, 2011. For information go to Karen Law’s website: https://web.me.com/karen.law/citrAyus/retreat.html

After reflecting on my client’s experience, I suggested she breathe through her nose while she was recovering (see previous post).  Stress can influence the heart, so I recommend that when one is stressed or anxious, one should try breathing through the nose. Breathing through the nose stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which leads to vasodilation.  It suppresses the sympathetic nervous system (which raises the heart rate and constricts the blood vessels). There is also evidence that a nitrous based compound found in the nose helps the body utilize oxygen.  More can be found about this breathing in all of my books.