Sondra Karman

BASI Pilates Faculty

Chicago, IL

“Movement has always empowered

and inspired me. It’s guided my life
as a professional dancer, movement
therapist, and Pilates instructor. It
has taught me the key to health is to
keep moving. Through BASI Pilates,
I found an approach to the Pilates
work that focuses on intentional and
thoughtful movement. Being able
to pass this incredible gift on to my
students is a true privilege of being
BASI faculty.”

9isit EasiSilatescom to ¿nd a

teacher training program or
advanced and continuing
education course near you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
features in each issue ON THE COVER
Kristin Hollinsworth is wearing a top by Fabletics
and bottoms by Lorna Jane. Photographed by Alan

42 LESSONS FROM A
TEACHER TO BE
8 EDITOR’S NOTE
My Pilates addiction.
Cox. Hair by Sara Colley and makeup by Jessica
Chynoweth. Mat by Balanced Body.

Cover girl Kristin Hollinsworth

Tibbs, a Balanced Body trainee 10 CONTRIBUTORS
from Oklahoma City, spills the
moves that got her hooked—and
See the faces behind the stories
and the pictures.
28 FOOD
Make it to the early mat class
how the method gave her the body with buzzworthy coffees, teas
she always dreamed of. 12 ON YOUR MIND
You love us, you’re mad at us.
and caffeine-free sips.

48 AHEAD OF THE CURVE

Clare Dunphy Hemani’s go-to
Well, at least you write. 30 BEAUTY
Get glowing summer skin with
Ladder Barrel workout will make
over your posture in just 10 minutes!
14 READER PLATFORM
Why anytime’s the right time
these super scrubs.

to start a Pilates practice; An 32 STYLE

56 ALIGN YOUR SPINE
Joseph Pilates famously wrote
inside look at BASI’s Learn
From the Leaders; A Bahraini
Whether you’re on a budget
or prepared to break the
that a healthy spine is the key to instructor on Pilates in the bank, you can look stylin’ at
longevity. Ron Fletcher protégée Middle East; How method the studio.
Jonathan Oldham shares his devotees spend money
daily series for promoting
mobility and circulation—and 16 Q&A departments
beating back pain. The secret to speedy results
in the studio; What to eat for
62 #FITMOM FOREVER
Calling all mamas! You can take
better skin, hair and nails;
Changing Pilates for modern
34 EAT SMART
Stomach this: The microbes in our
care of your kids—and yourself— times; How to train yourself to body play a massive role in weight
with Christi Allen Franchini’s like your veggies loss and health. We’re breaking
quickie Magic Circle routine. down the science for you.
96 LAST LESSONS
70 11 WAYS TO KEEP
YOUR COOL THIS
Get inspired! 38 SUCCESS STORY
At 72, with two knee
SUMMER
teasers
replacements and a bout with
Baby, it’s hot outside, but you breast cancer under her belt, one
don’t have to sweat it, thanks to grandmother is stronger than
expert-backed tips for staying ever, thanks to Pilates.
chill in the scorching heat. 22 ON THE GO
Lolita San Miguel’s Pilates 76 COMPLEMENTS
74 NICE (CREAM) TO
MEET YOU!
Day celebration took industry
insiders to the site of Joe and
Get your cardio on in the pool!
The latest breed of aqua classes
The Kitchn bloggers dish on Clara Pilates’ remains. are cooler than ever.
the frozen treat that’s actually
good for you. You’ll all be
screaming for more!
24 CORE
The prop that will take your
80 PRO ZONE
Make your mat classes a hot
practice full circle, literally; Pilates commodity—and boost your
for teens; The fittest city in the bottom line—with advice from
U.S.; New science—why just seasoned teachers.
one minute of exercise might be
enough; A plateau-busting DVD;
Should you get a standing desk?
84 POWERHOUSE
Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle brought
Pilates to Austin after studying
26 Five ways Pilates boosts creativity;
WELLNESS with five of the Pilates Elders.

A healthier new pasta; The scoop

on our latest obsessions; A trick to
88 MOVES OF
THE MONTH
bust stress instantly For mountain biking!

Pilates Style Vol. 13, No. 4 (ISSN 1549-6937) is a trademark of and is published bimonthly (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec) by McAby Media LLC, 12829 Trinity Street, Stafford, TX 77477. Subscriptions $34.94 per year
(6 issues), Canada (price includes GST) $44.94 – U.S. funds only. Foreign prices available upon request. Please visit our web site, www.pilatesstyle.com, for additional details on pricing and options. Single copies $4.95 plus $3.00 postage and
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address changes to Pilates Style, P.O. Box 334 Stafford, TX 77497. No material in this issue may be reprinted without written permission of the publisher. Entire contents copyright 2012 by McAby Media, LLC. All rights reserved. McAby Media,
LLC assumes no responsibility for the advertisements, nor any representation made herein, nor the quality or deliverability of the products themselves. Opinions of contributing authors do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Articles
and photographs are welcome, but cannot be considered unless exclusive publishing rights are given, affording the publisher full ownership of content. Publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of unsolicited manuscripts and any material
accepted is subject to possible revision at the discretion of the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A.

4

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 pilatesstyle live life to the core
®

editorial first-generation teachers

BAMBI ABERNATHY MARY BOWEN
Editor in Chief Killingworth, CT; Northampton, MA
JAY GRIMES
AMANDA ALTMAN Los Angeles, CA
Managing Editor
LOLITA SAN MIGUEL
ANNE MARIE O’CONNOR Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Executive Editor

art/photography advisory board

RICK MCMILLEN BRENT D. ANDERSON, PhD, PT, OCS
Senior Creative Director Physiotherapist, Founder/Director,
Polestar Pilates, Miami, FL
NICHOLAS NGUYEN JOAN BREIBART
Creative Director
Founder, PhysicalMind Institute,
RIMA JEAN New York, NY
Graphic Designer KATHY COREY

Revitalize
Owner and Director, Kathy Corey
ROD FOSTER Pilates, Del Mar, CA
ALAN COX
Contributing Photographers SUZANNE GUTTERSON
Owner/Director/Teacher, Suzanne

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the risk of injury in your case, consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. You should be in good physical condition and be able
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 I DRANK THE
KOOL-AID
EDITOR’S LETTER
AS MANY OF
YO U K N O W,
THE FIRST
S AT U R DAY I N
M AY I S P I L AT E S
DAY, a day
created by the
Pilates Method
Alliance to
honor and
celebrate the
life and legacy of Joseph Pilates.
Just like I’ve been doing since
Pilates Style became my baby, I got
together with fellow Pilates enthusiasts
to work out, have fun and talk about
Joe here in Houston. But this year’s
celebration was different. It was
hosted by Wendy Ellis, my Pilates
teacher, the person I’ve spent so many
mornings with for the past seven
months (as of press time). As I touched
upon in my last letter, recently, I had
a much-needed epiphany, to take
better care of myself so that I can do
everything better.
It all started after I returned
from the 2015 PMA conference with
a motivation that I had not had in
the past. I think there are a couple
of reasons. My husband Matthew,
being the amazing man that he is,
manned the PS booth almost single-
handedly this year, so I was able to
attend more of our photo shoots—
we shoot most of our exercise
stories at the convention—and be
more involved. Watching our Pilates
professionals work so hard and move
so gracefully was really motivating.
The second impetus also stemmed
from Matthew; he was recently
diagnosed with diabetes. Although
our nutrition was on track, we
needed to add exercise to the mix.
We started off with Pilates-
inspired boot camp each morning
and mat class twice a week, but
as time went on, I was ready for a
change, so I began weekly privates.
I loved the privates, but since
Matthew and I are such a good team,
we are now doing duets. Having
played team sports growing up,
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these sessions
really resonate
with me. It’s
still one-on-one
enough to get private attention, but
there’s also space for encouraging
one another. I have since quit boot
camp due to a neck injury—surprise,
surprise—and now focus on Pilates.
I’m even doing Piloxing now. Not
sure where the “Pilates” is all the
time, but it’s great for cardio.
Not only do I love Wendy as
a person, but she has taught me
so much. She is very passionate
about Pilates, dance, wellness
and movement—it’s contagious!
And she really cares about all her
clients. Today, I have so much more
awareness of my body and of moving
in a smarter way. I actually know why
I have neck and hip pain. Just a few
months ago, I thought the pain in my
hip was something I had to live with,
and now it hardly bothers me. I could
go on and on about how the method
has changed my life—yup, I drank
the Pilates-flavored Kool-Aid!—even
in such a short period of time.
But back to Pilates Day with
Wendy. (Sorry for the tangent—
couldn’t help myself!) More than 30
of us gathered under the glorious
Houston sun to do an hour-long
classical mat class, with Wendy
giving a short speech about Joseph
Pilates and the method. The event
was at 8 a.m., and all of us quietly
placed our mats on the ground, but
as the class went on, you could feel
the energy go from nonexistent
to endorphin-packed. (And of
course, there were the requisite
moans before the Ab Series.) It was
educational and fun all at the same
time, plus who doesn’t love raffle
prizes like free private and group
classes and a subscription to PS,
not to mention the fresh organic
juices? Can’t wait for next year’s
extravaganza—you’re invited! For
more Pilates Day scoop, including
how Lolita San Miguel celebrated,
flip to pages 12 and 22.
This issue is focused on spine
health. Joe said it, and modern
doctors have seconded it time and
time again, that taking care of your
spine is essential for feeling pain-free
as you age. The good news is that,
when it comes to the spine, a little
love goes a long way, says Jonathan
Oldham, a Pilates pro and physical
therapist who wrote “Align Your
Spine” on page 56. Do his five- to
10-minute mat series, that works
the entire spine and the body in all
planes of motion, on a daily basis to
boost circulation and mobility.
If you have a Ladder Barrel handy,
Clare Dunphy Hemani’s “Ahead of the
Curve” on page 48 is the antidote to
your problem of not having enough
time to work out. In just 10 minutes,
you’ll work on your posture, which
will give you a much needed energy
boost and make you a better Pilates
practitioner to boot. And moms, or
really anyone with a nonstop life, you
won’t want to miss “#fitmom forever”
on page 62; Christi Allen Franchini, a
Pilates teacher and new mama, shares
the Magic Circle workout that has her
EDITOR PHOTO BY ROD FOSTER; PILATES DAY PHOTO BY NICHOLAS NGUYEN
pain free, regardless of all those hours
of baby holding and stroller pushing.
Wishing you a lazy-as-can-be
summer, filled with plenty of nice
cream (see page 74), beaching
(before you go, read up on our
ingenious ways to stay cool in the
heat on page 70) and fun, new
things (try the latest breed of aqua-
cardio classes—see page 76) and of
course, Pilates.
See ya on the mat,
Bambi Abernathy
Editor–in–Chief
ABOVE: MY PILATES DAY! THAT’S ME ON THE
RIGHT, AND WENDY IS FRONT AND CENTER.
 KRISTIN HOLLINSWORTH TIBBS
W R OTE : “Lessons From a Teacher to Be” on

CONTRIBUTORS
page 42
currently undergoing
P I L AT E S P E D I G R E E :
Balanced Body comprehensive training.
YO U S H O U LD D O MY WO R KO UT B E CAUS E :
I really felt like I learned the fundamentals of
Pilates in every one of these exercises. Learning
precision has been so rewarding for me.
that my body
W H AT P I L AT E S H A S TA U G H T M E A B O U T M Y B O D Y:
is my own achievement. Mindful movement has truly changed my life.
H O W I F I N D B A L A N C E : Breath can do wonders for balance and
centering, whether it’s in the studio or walking down the street.
M Y I D E A O F A P E R F E C T S U M M E R D AY I S : spending time with my husband
and amazing kids on a Santa Barbara beach!

CLARE DUNPHY HEMANI

W R OTE : “Ahead of the Curve” on page 48
Pilates Guild under Romana
P I L AT E S P E D I G R E E :
Kryzanowska; PMA
Y O U S H O U L D D O M Y W O R K O U T B E C A U S E : change is
good for the body with stimulus from different angles,
apparatus and relationships to gravity. After a day of
sitting in front of the computer, we all can benefit from
the opening effects of the Ladder Barrel.
W H AT P I L AT E S H A S TA U G H T M E A B O U T M Y B O D Y:
that I can age strong.
H O W I F I N D B A L A N C E : By getting outside every day, staying connected
to family and friends, and finding humor in daily activities. Oh, did I mention
cooking, books and a great nap?
M Y I D E A O F A P E R F E C T S U M M E R D AY I S : waking up with the sun about to
rise and the beach house full of friends. Coffee in bed (thanks, babe), then a beach
walk and dip. After breakfast and some good conversation, it’s time for Pilates.

JONATHAN OLDHAM

KRISTIN, CLARE AND JONATHAN PHOTOS BY ALAN COX, CHRISTI PHOTO BY JANETTE DE LLANOS
W R OTE : “Align Your Spine” on page 56
The Pilates Center in Boulder, CO;
P I L AT E S P E D I G R E E :
student of Ron Fletcher and Fletcher Pilates
Y O U S H O U L D D O M Y W O R K O U T B E C A U S E : It is an
expression of kindness to your joints and muscles.
W H AT P I L AT E S H A S TA U G H T M E A B O U T M Y B O D Y:
That conscious, intentional movement is magnificent
medicine for the health of the body.
H O W I F I N D B A L A N C E : by spending my first moments of the day in silence.
M Y I D E A O F A P E R F E C T S U M M E R D AY I S : Waking up with the sun, and
spending the entire day outdoors enjoying the scents and sounds of nature.

CHRISTI ALLEN FRANCHINI

W R OTE : “#fitmom forever” on page 62
Romana’s Pilates
P I L AT E S P E D I G R E E :
YO U S H O U LD D O MY WO R KO UT B E CAUS E : having
aches and pains when caring for your child depletes your
(already compromised) energy. This 10-minute routine
can lift you up, physically and energetically!
W H AT P I L AT E S H A S TA U G H T M E A B O U T M Y B O D Y:
I have the ability to do anything.
H O W I F I N D B A L A N C E : I trade for weekly massages
and laundry service. Both are huge stress relievers!
M Y I D E A O F A P E R F E C T S U M M E R D AY I S : being on or in the water with
family and friends.

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MELT STRESS A

WE WANT TO KNOW:
What did you do for Pilates Day 2016?
ON YOUR MIND

Via Facebook:
“My daughter and I hosted a mother/daughter Pilates Party at our home.
We had 10 mom/daughter teams, all together doing a partner Pilates
workout.” —former PS cover girl Rebecca Beckler, Be Buff Pilates, Laguna
Niguel, CA, and her daughter Raelyn, pictured at left

“It was my celebration of 10 years of business and being the longest-

running Pilates studio in my county!” —Susie Kidd, Sacred Bodies Pilates
& Dance, Eureka, CA

“We celebrated Pilates Day and ‘GRRoW with Pilates’ [by offering] free mat
and Reformer classes with a donation to GRRoW (Golden Retriever Rescue
of Wisconsin). Dogs were at the studio to meet students all morning.”
—Courtney Weis, Harbor Athletic Club & Wellness Studios, Middleton, WI

Via Instagram:
“We had a five-minute mat class, executing the exercises in Joseph
Pilates’ original mat order. This is the fourth year we’ve hosted this
event.” —Denise Maffia, Pilates Physique, Lake Norman, NC

“Hosting Pilates by the bay with a a donation mat class for charity
[plus] trivia, relay races and stuff for the kiddos.” —@studioflopilates,
San Diego

“Teaching a great outdoors session, including drinks, bites and gifts with
100 percent of [the] proceeds to benefit education and scholarships at St.
Helena Montessori.” —@denisedenise825, Napa Valley

SMALL-TOWN KUDDOS FOR CASSEY!

SUCCESS STORY
“Awesome!” —@tallgirlpilates

“Reading my copy now! So

I am a Pilates Reformer instructor
in small town. I started at a country
club years ago [during] a rough
stage in life. Within this deeply
challenging time, I dove straight into
Pilates, learning all that I could. I
now own my own studio. It is small...
but I enjoy it so much! I am still
learning every day, and my clients
make me smile and enjoy life. We
have grown in three years from 40-
some clients to about 1,500+ with
little advertising, just a lot of word of
mouth. I love showing women and
men that they can do this, that they
have to make time for themselves
and what a better person they can
become with fitness and nutrition in
their life. I wanted to say thank you
for this cool magazine. I look forward
to it coming in the mail and read it
for weeks. I learn from it new little
moves and tricks. —Wendy Gill, Pure
Earth Pilates, Hermitage, PA
inspired! —@charmainelouisefit
“Great to see Cassey on the cover.”
—@pilateshomepractice
“Stronger instead of skinnier is a
great motto. This is awesome!”
—@juliejigsaw
“So proud of you, Cassey! Thank
you for inspiring us endlessly and
changing our lives for the better.
Weed out the negativity and keep
excelling!” —@instasanm
“Love that your body looks real
instead of the other women we tend to see on covers of magazines!”
—@fonsay_nonsay
“I bought it as soon as it came out! You looked amazing!” —@frostykitten
"Like us" on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilatesstyle.
Tweet us at www.twitter.com/pilatesstyle.
Follow us on Instagram (@pilatestylemag), and share your pics!

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 CAKE, CAKE, CAKE

Pilates teachers Amy Taylor Alpers, Rachel Taylor

Segel and Debora Robinson Kolwey celebrated a
very special occasion on March 26—Debora’s 60th
birthday. “We are so proud, honored and grateful
to have had Debora on our staff for 25 years now!
We’ve celebrated many birthdays together already
and plan to celebrate many more to come. Having
three first-generation Pilates teachers [sisters
Amy and Rachel studied directly with Romana
Kryzanowka, and Debora with Eve Gentry] on our
faculty is what has always made the depth, substance
and strength of our school so incomparable.”
—Amy Taylor Alpers, The Pilates Center, Boulder, CO

A MANLY MAG
“I love the magazine! Just wanted to drop a line of
thanks for including more men on the scene, along
with all of the other fascinating, quality material. I am a
former Marine who discovered Pilates while working in
sports medicine. Some of the men would be somewhat
reluctant to the idea of being on their backs with their
legs in straps, and say, “What in the world are we
doing?” To which I would respond, as [I’ve been told]
Joseph Pilates would sometimes say, “It’s good for the
body!” And then I would tell them what the first NFL
player I worked with jokingly told me, that the NFL
stood for “Not For Long.” I would let them know how
Pilates could potentially lengthen their careers, along
with enhancing their abilities
on and off the field. Since
then, I’ve trained with STOTT
PILATES®, been mentored by
Lolita San Miguel and continue
to learn from many others. I
have a studio and m proud to
report that the male clientele
continues to increase. Once
again, a sincere thanks for
your vision and all who
collaborate in making Pilates
Style a powerful force in the
health and wellness industry.”
—Robert Turner, Breathe, Lexington,
ngton KY
READER PLATFORM
BULLETIN BOARD
Q. I finally decided to take the plunge and
start a Pilates practice. Problem is, I’m going
on vacation for two weeks in the middle of
the summer. Should I wait till I get back to
begin my sessions, or start ASAP? Will a break
hinder my progress?

VEHIA WALKER, A SENIOR INSTRUCTOR AT UPTOWN PILATES

IN NYC, RESPONDS: Congratulations to you! I think any
time is the right time to start good habits. Luckily for
you, the Pilates method can be practiced anywhere,
from your hotel room to the beach. I suggest you ask
your instructor for “homework”—simple exercises five exercises work your entire body, especially the
that you can memorize. A good go-to, and one of abdominals, and the whole thing takes about five
my favorites, is the Series of Five: Single-Leg Stretch, minutes. You could also record one of your sessions
Double-Leg Stretch, Single Straight-Leg Stretch, to redo while you’re away. Either way, you’ll be sure
Double Straight-Leg Stretch and Criss-Cross. These that you’re progressing on your Pilates journey.

SPOTLIGHT:

BASI LEARN FROM

THE LEADERS 2016
W H AT: The annual conference, this year aptly titled
“Make Each Breath Count,” brought Pilates instructors and
practitioners together for two days of workshops and events
with industry leaders, including BASI Pilates Founder Rael
Isacowitz, Deborah Lessen and 16 of BASI’s renowned
faculty and team members. Celebrate the Night formally
launched the new cutting-edge Pilates equipment line,
BASI Systems™ (www.basisystems.com), to North America
and featured live performances, dancing, food and fun.
But it wasn’t just fun and games. “Not only were
WHEN/WHERE: This we there to party, we were there to share generously
past April 16–17 in in education and the study of Pilates. There were great
Newport Beach, CA. topics to choose from, and the fact that BASI Systems
was a sponsor meant that we had an abundance of
H I G H L I G H T S : “April state-of-the-art equipment. At the conclusion of Sunday,
16 (my birthday) I taught a mat class to about 200 participants. It went out
marked the first day to the world, in real time, via live-feed, and hundreds of
of the conference,” people logged on to enjoy it with us. There was generally
recalls Isacowitz. a spirit of openness and a hunger for learning.” Missed it?
“By the end of a Watch the video at www.basipilates.com.
long day of study
we were all ready to “A three-day Summit of BASI faculty,
E X TR A C R E D IT:
‘Celebrate the Night,’ hosts and licensees preceded Learn From the Leaders.
an extravaganza of There were around 120 people in attendance from
epic proportions. It around the globe. We had a wonderful dinner and
would be difficult dance on the final evening. The BASI team never fails to
to bring a group of dazzle in their party finest,” beams Isacowitz.
such talented artists
together anywhere— F O R M O R E I N F O R M ATI O N : www.basipilates.com
flamenco dancer Debora Taddei, acrobat Melanie Chy
and award-winning singer/songwriter Maya Isacowitz, AT LEFT: BASI BANDS ADD A NEW DIMENSION TO MAT CLASS.
accompanied by bass player extraordinaire, Bobby ABOVE: ISACOWITZ GUIDES AN INSTRUCTOR ON BASI
Vega. (I joined them for a few numbers.)” SYSTEMS EQUIPMENT.

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PILATES POSTCARD
TO: Pilates Style
FROM: Patricia Kabalaoui, BASI Pilates instructor and CEO
of Equilibrium in Budaya, Bahrain
PILATES
HOW SHE GOT
TO BAHRAIN:
I am from Brazil
originally, but l
also have U.S.
citizenship. I have
lived in the U.S. for
eight years, and
22 in the Middle
East, between
Saudi Arabia and
Bahrain. Bahrain is a charming little island with friendly local
people—you feel immediately home.
TEACHING STYLE: I follow the BASI style, teaching in a
dynamic, athletic, precise but companionate and flexible
way, to accommodate different clients’ requirements,
personalities and restrictions.
HER TYPICAL CLIENT IS: from all over the world;
they’re sophisticated, well-educated and usually world travelers.
They have mostly experienced Pilates abroad, and when they
come to Bahrain or return home, they look to continue.
BAHRAIN’S PILATES “CULTURE”: Unfortunately
Pilates is not a popular activity here, as it is in other parts of
the world. There are not many studios around, and we are the
largest in the area. Most of my Bahraini clients enjoy private
classes—they like privacy. Expats clients enjoy coming to
group classes mostly.
FOR MORE INFO: www.equilibriumme.com

MONEY TO BURN
Cardlytics, an Atlanta-based company, collected data from
exercisers who started working out in the past year—including
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obsessed—and analyzed their spending habits. Here’s what
they found fitness fanatics mostly likely to pony up for.

GYM-GOERS
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Groceries, pet supplies, Reach Your
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Teaching for the
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Q&A ASK THE EXPERTS

ASK THE EXPERTS

the secret to speedy results t eat your way beautiful t

updating the exercises t learn to love nutritious food

by Jennifer Pearlstein and Leslie Dantchik, MS

Jennifer Pearlstein is the education and Nutrition expert Leslie Dantchik,

faculty coordinator of Body Arts and Science MS, is the author of the health blog
International (BASI). With a bachelors from www.alphabitesnyc.com. The longtime
UC Davis and 18 years in the fitness industry, Pilates and exercise enthusiast has
she is a highly sought-after instructor, traveling a master’s in applied physiology and
domestically and internationally to teach a nutrition from Teachers College,
variety of training courses at conferences. Columbia University.

Q.
Will I get faster
results if I do Pilates
on the equipment
(with resistance)
versus just doing the matwork?

A.
We have a saying at BASI:
Are you fit, or are you “mat
fit”? The matwork is very
demanding, especially as you progress
to the intermediate and advanced
levels. In the matwork, there is a flow
that the class must maintain, and all
the work is done with your own body
weight against gravity. A beginner
class may not be super challenging,
but it does teach a strong foundation
to the work. Students learn breath,
control, muscle recruitment and mental
focus. I have found that students
who learn the matwork first come
to Reformer and other equipment
with a stronger understanding and
can progress faster. People that
begin their Pilates journey with the
equipment often struggle with the
mat due to the pace, repetition and
demand on the body.
The equipment offers resistance
and an opportunity to be more
precise, especially when working with
a detail-oriented instructor. With the
apparatus, we can hone in on specific
issues relating to posture and personal
goals, and work on bringing overall
balance to the body. the work that will guarantee results. In results. Do one mat class a week,
No matter what you choose—mat my opinion, the people that combine maybe a Reformer class and a private,
or equipment—it’s the consistency of mat and equipment gain the fastest and serious changes will occur. —J.P.

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IT’S NOT A STRETCH
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Q. Are there any foods that will help strengthen my
hair and nails, and give my complexion a much-
needed boost?
A.
With age comes wisdom—but also wrinkles, crow’s feet and
thinning hair, thanks to genetics and hormonal changes. It’s a sad
fact, but as we get older, production of the building blocks
that keep our skin, hair and nails firm and strong begins to decrease.
Plus, external factors, such as stress, sun exposure and smoking, can make
matters worse and speed up the process by releasing harmful free radicals.
Of course, protecting yourself from these elements is essential, but before
you head to the plastic surgeon, your simplest beauty solution could be right
in your pantry. The good news is studies have shown that a diet comprised
of antioxidant-rich foods will not only help counteract and defend your cells
from the oxidation process and reduce inflammation, but allow your body to
rebuild the structural proteins needed to keep you looking your best.
Summertime is ripe with foods high in the superstar nutrients that
will help give you a radiant and glowing complexion, including: vitamin C
(guava, mangoes, berries, oranges, peppers, broccoli); vitamin E (almonds,
sunflower seeds, avocado, Swiss chard); beta-carotene (cantaloupe,
apricots, sour cherries, carrots, kale); and selenium (Brazil nuts, wild
salmon, canned light tuna, shrimp). You can even indulge once a day in an
ounce of dark chocolate, which is loaded with compounds that nourish your
skin. And try a cup of green tea in lieu of your usual morning coffee.
On average, we lose about 100 hairs a day. But if your hair is breaking and
doesn’t feel as lustrous, amp up your intake of iron-rich protein and veggies
(spinach, clams, lean beef, turkey, tofu, Brussels sprouts), as well as vitamins
B6, B12 and folate (whole-grain breads and cereals, chickpeas, lentils, low-
fat dairy). Two additional key vitamins that will help strengthen and grow hair
and nails are biotin, a B vitamin also known as vitamin H (eggs, wild salmon,
peanuts, walnuts), and zinc (oysters, pork, turkey, low-fat yogurt and cheese).
Topical versions and supplements of these vital nutrients might also
help fend off the inevitable signs of aging. A recent study of women who
took collagen/peptide chews showed promising results with an increase
in collagen production. However, it’s still too early to say if this holds the
answer to the fountain of youth.
Beauty starts from the inside out. You may not be able to stop Father
Time or completely reverse the damage already done, but you can do your
part to help slow him down. Ultimately your best line of defense to a more
beautiful you starts with a balanced diet, proper hydration, regular exercise
and adequate sleep. —L.D.
 Train your own Pilates teachers and GROW your business!
Personal Best Pilates Instructor Academy is currently accepting applications from independent Pilates studio owners to join
our growing team of Teacher Training Licensees.

Benefits of the PBPIA Licensee Program:

• Affordable licensing of comprehensive, high-quality
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• Very generous revenue sharing structure
• Opportunity to teach workshops in your own studio, in
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• Complete control – As a PBPIA Licensee, you set the schedule
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• PBPIA curriculum components meet current national
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• No need to “recreate the wheel” – all instructor and student
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Q.
Are there
any Pilates
exercises that are
“outdated”?

A.
Although Joseph Pilates
did develop his method in
a completely different time,
he was clearly a man ahead of his
time. Over the course of his career,
he devised more than 600 exercises
for the various apparatus he invented.
His guiding philosophy in creating
the apparatus and the movements was
that the “whole” must be exercised
to achieve good health. The exercises
were designed to condition the
entire body using positions and emphasize back extension, hip flexor for each person. The instructor needs
movements that ultimately correct flexibility, and awareness of posture to understand the exercises—their
body alignment and balance. These and alignment. muscle focuses and objectives—and
principles are clearly not “outdated.” When considering the Pilates how they will affect their client.
In our culture today, we have a exercises individually, it comes down The teacher should take into account
much greater tendency to round to selecting the right exercises for posture, restrictions, injuries, medical
forward—hours upon hours of sitting your body. If you are a student, it is the conditions and level of fitness. Just
in front of the computer, television, teacher’s responsibility to choose the remember: The program should always
looking down at our phones, driving— most appropriate exercises for you. be constructed with the “whole” in
and an overall lack of movement. Movements in and of themselves are mind. In this way, we adhere to this
Taking this into account, we may not outdated, however the approach guiding principle that Joseph Pilates so
want to choose more exercises that to teaching them needs to make sense wisely developed. —J.P.

Q. How can I train myself to like healthier foods? I’ve never been a huge
veggie or fish fan, but I know my body would benefit from them.

A.
What makes us choose one food over another can
stem from a variety of reasons, including prior
experience, misconceptions like cost, time and
effort, to what ignites our senses. (Does it look, smell, feel
and taste appealing?) You’re right to realize that over time,
a diet low in vegetables and lean protein, like fish, can
put you at risk for deficiencies in essential vitamins and
minerals. But you’re in luck: Research has shown that it is
possible to retrain your brain.
Making the conscious decision to add these foods
into your diet is the first step. Exposure is important,
and like with a picky toddler, it may take 10, even 20
times before you develop a taste for a new food. It may
be as simple as experimenting with different cooking
methods to find what works for you.
Steaming is a low-cal option, but may taste bland and
boring. Instead of the usual salt and pepper, add a squeeze
of lemon juice to add zest and help decrease your sodium
intake. Herbs and spices like rosemary, thyme, cinnamon
or cumin are also great ways to enhance flavor and boost
nutritional value, too. Sautéing or roasting greens, like
Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach or kale, in heart-healthy
olive oil and garlic can cut down the bitterness and make
them more palatable. Steer clear of unhealthy methods
like frying, or using cream sauces, which only defeat the
purpose by increasing fat and calories.
Get creative by pureeing veggies and sneaking
them into your morning smoothie, soups and stews.
Watching your carb intake? Vegetables like cauliflower,
zucchini and squash are so versatile they can be used
as a low-carb yet highly nutritious substitute in your
favorite dishes without making you feel like you’re
missing out. Mashed cauliflower or zoodles and turkey
meatballs, anyone?
Including fish in your diet one to two times a week is
all you need to reap the rewards of this heart-healthy, low-
calorie brain food. As a starting point, bake, grill, broil or
poach a mild fish such as wild salmon, and you’ll benefit
with a dose of omega-3s and vitamin D. And white flaky fish
high in B vitamins and essential minerals, like red snapper,
halibut or cod, can easily soak up the flavor of your favorite
salsa or marinade.
Watch cooking shows or browse the internet for healthy
and interesting recipe ideas. Change takes time, so try
tackling one new food a week. You’re not going to love
everything and that’s okay, but the long-term reward of
including a variety of foods in your diet can benefit you for a
lifetime. —L.D.

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 Every Client
Deserves an
Instructor Who
Uses Pilates
Metrics.
A Better Pilates
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“I want the very best for my

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ˆLÀ>ÀÞ>ÌޜÕÀw˜}iÀ̈«Ã]ÜޜÕV>˜LՈ`
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ޜÕÀˆ*>`°/…i˜]ˆ˜ÃÌ>˜ÌÞVœ˜ÛiÀÌ̅œÃi
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Please visit www.pilatesmetrics.com to learn more about our innovative Pilates technology.
TEASER ON THE GO

A Visit with Joe and Clara

For Pilates Day, Lolita San Miguel
organized a pilgrimage to the
Pilates’ final resting place.
by Anne Marie O’Connor

For years, people have asked Lolita San Miguel, “Where are
Joe and Clara buried?” “And I always said, I don’t know, and
no one can tell me.” When Joseph Pilates died, on October
9, 1967, San Miguel was just returning from vacation. “By the
time I found out he had passed, a week later, no one knew any
details,” she recalls. It turns out that Joe was a member of the
Masons, and the fraternal organization had taken care of the
burial. “That’s why we didn’t know anything.”
It wasn’t until Lolita’s Disciple, Pilates teacher Kateryna
Smirnova, and her husband, Oleg Borys, of Kiev, began
playing detective. “Joe’s lawyer, John Steel, gave them a
clue, and from that, they discovered where Joe and Clara
were buried,” San Miguel reports.
In 2011, San Miguel had organized the first Pilates
Day, in Joe’s hometown in Mönchengladbach, Germany,
where she placed a memorial plaque. For the 2016
celebration, she decided to include a visit to Joe and
Clara’s recently discovered burial site.
So this past May 7, 67 VIPs of the method boarded a
bus for the trip from New York City to Ferncliff Cemetery
in suburban Hartsdale, NY. The celebration began
with a ceremony in the cemetery’s chapel, emceed by
Brent Anderson, the founder of Polestar Pilates. Elizabeth
Anderson spoke on behalf of the PMA, followed by
representatives of different lineages: Alycea Ungaro for
Romana Kryzanowska; Blossom Leilani Crawford for Kathy
Grant; Pat Guyton for Ron Fletcher; and Deborah Lessen
for Carola Trier. “I asked them each to bring a memory
of their teacher,” San Miguel says. “Mary Bowen and I
also spoke. After the ceremony, everybody was handed a
white carnation, and we went to visit the niche where Joe
and Clara’s ashes are in two lovely urns, located in a long
beautiful hallway of Masons.”
After the ceremony, everyone returned to Manhattan for
a party in a space on West 40th Street, where Pavel L’vov,
the husband of Lolita’s Disciple, Nichole L’vov, works. “We
had a catered meal overlooking the whole city,” San Miguel
recalls. “It was a German menu—sauerbraten, schnitzel,
potato salad and sauerkraut. And lots of beer and wine,
which Joe would have liked!”
The festivities, which were sponsored by the PMA,
Balanced Body and San Miguel’s foundation, the Pilates
Trust, also included a cocktail party Friday night at Pilates
Reforming New York, where San Miguel and Brett Howard FROM THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT: THE GROUP POSES FOR A PHOTO
gave a presentation on the life of the Pilates. Overall, the IN FRONT OF THE FERNCLIFF CEMETERY CHAPEL; KATERYNA
weekend was “quite touching but also very joyful,” San SMIRNOVA AND MARY BOWEN; BRENT ANDERSON EMCEES THE
Miguel says. “We were truly celebrating Joe and Clara’s CEREMONY; LOLITA SAN MIGUEL GIVES A PRESENTATION AT
lives, and the beautiful legacy they have left us.” PS REFORMING NEW YORK

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 Join us in Phoenix.

2016 16th Annual Meeting of the

Pilates Method Alliance
The PMA conference is not just another educational event. It is the
only event of its kind. It is the largest global gathering of Pilates
practitioners representing every school and lineage.

This is where Pilates professionals come together to shape the

future of our industry. Register Now!

Arizona Grand Resort & Spa

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Toll Free 866 573 4945
pilatesstyle ® Info@pilatesmethodalliance.org
live life to the core www.pilatesmethodalliance.org
 NEW PROP ALERT

FULL CIRCLE
TEASER CORE

THE FLEX DISC IS ONE OF THOSE PROPS THAT’S MORE THAN

IT SEEMS. “It’s a cross between a stability ball, balance
board and Reformer,” says creator Robert Peritz,
a longtime Pilates practitioner with a background
designing textiles and sportswear.
Translation: It facilitates a full 360 degrees of
movement, thanks to custom wheels made with high-
precision ball bearings—they feel like super-smooth in-
line skates—promoting total-body mobility, flexibility
and strength. The Disc also features a center hub with
a patented locking system that allows you to easily
add on accessories like dome- or kettle bell–shaped
handles. There are even slots so you can attach it to
your Pilates apparatus.
“The Disc has quite a bit of versatility and can add
rotational movements to many exercises in the Pilates
repertoire,” says Kevin A. Bowen, the owner/director
of Core Dynamics Pilates, who developed the Flex Disc
Pilates education and training program. “It can be used
to increase challenge and body organization, and also START ‘EM YOUNG

to allow greater fluidity and safer mobility.”
Designed for all levels, from beginners to pro
athletes—the Detroit Tigers regularly use them—it
goes without saying that the Flex Disc takes up way
less space than most studio equipment. The Flex
Disc is available in two sizes—large and a pair of
minis ($99.50 and $149.50, respectively). For more
information, including on upcoming workshops, visit
www.flexmovement.com. —Amanda Altman
TEEN SPIRIT
EACH SUMMER, COLLEEN DACHILLE TEACHES STUDENTS WITH
ONE THING IN COMMON: THEY’RE ALL 11 TO 18 YEARS OF
AGE. “It started as a class for teen athletes to prevent
injuries,” says Dachille, owner of The Pilates Body in
Pittsburgh. By popular demand, she expanded it to all
fitness levels. Dachille is one of a growing number of
instructors teaching the method to teens. “Pilates is
wonderful for development, body confidence, strength
and flexibility,” she says. To accommodate growing
bodies, Dachille skips the machines and sticks with
mat exercises. “We keep the cues fun and engaging,”
she says. For instance, she has her students cross their
arms and legs like a genie, and try to sit down without
using their hands. Everyone’s giggling as they fall down,
but they learn about core strength. By the end of the
two-month series, they’re able to master the move, says
Dachille. “Best of all, they learn lessons that will keep
them strong and healthy throughout life.” —Sharon Liao

THE NATION'S FITTEST BIG CITY:

WASHINGTON, D.C., which experts attribute to its top-
notch public transportation system (so more people
walk) and sheer amount of parks (so more people
exercise). Cardiovascular conditions and diabetes are
less prevalent, as are smokers. Minneapolis-St. Paul and
Denver came in second and third.

Source: the American College of Sports Medicine and the Anthem Foundation

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 GOT 1
HOMEWORK

NO MORE EXCUSES!
MINUTE? Bust through a plateau with the latest barre
vid, plus how to make over your workstation.

BARREAMPED FIRE EXTREME SCULPT

LEVEL intermediate–advanced
EQUIPMENT a barre or chair, 2- to 4-pound
hand weights, mat
W H O Suzanne Bowen is the founder of Suzanne
Bowen Fitness and creator of BarreAmped, a
barre program focused on proper alignment.
She teaches at Otium 30A in Santa Rosa Beach,
According to a new study FL, and at BarreAmped Nashville in Tennessee.
W H A T Bowen appears solo in this barre
published in the journal program that combines elements of dance,
Pilates, Lotte Berk deep-muscle conditioning and yoga, with five exercise
PLOS One, that’s all you segments: Body Sculpt; Thigh and Seat; Ab Blast; Sleek and Toned
Shoulders; and Relaxation.
need to reap the benefits T A R G E T Total-body conditioning.
B U Y T H I S B E C A U S E If you like barre and are looking to up your game,
of a full sweat session. this fast-paced workout features what Bowen calls “muscle torching,”
which can push the limits for exercisers who feel they are plateauing.
Canadian researchers S P E C I A L F E A T U R E S Purchase includes a one-month membership to
Bowen’s streaming workouts website.
studied three groups
MINUTESs"OWEN0RODUCTIONS,,#swww.suzannebowenfitness.com
of men—one did a
45-minute endurance DON’T JUST SIT THERE
workout, another 10 LEVEL all
EQUIPMENT a standing workstation
minutes of interval WHO Author Katy Bowman, MS, is a biomechanist,
and founder and teacher at the Nutritious Movement
training and the third Center Northwest in Sequim, WA.
W H A T The subtitle, Transitioning to a Standing
was the control group and Dynamic Workstation for Whole-Body Health,
encapsulates the book’s intention: how to make
(who did nothing)—over the switch from sitting at a desk to standing up at
an ergonomically efficient workstation or create a better sitting station.
12 weeks, and found Included are suggested stretches, and whole-body, foot and eye exercises
accompanied by black-and-white photos.
that all the exercisers T A R G E T Anyone who uses a chair for the major part of their workday.
There’s a body of knowledge that accompanies using a workstation that
experienced the exact entails breaking bad habits, adjusting the station, keyboard tips, lighting,
proper footwear and so much more.
same gains, in terms B U Y T H I S B E C A U S E Bowman makes a strong case for standing—or just
plain moving—while working, which will make you think twice about how
of endurance, insulin you sit, and also why you might consider a standing workstation.
S P E C I A L F E A T U R E S An appendix listing companies that sell useful
resistance and muscular products such as workstations, lighting, mats, software and stools.

changes. To that, we say, PAGESs0ROPRIOMETRICS0RESSswww.amazon.com

short is sweet! —Heidi Dvorak

pilatesstyle.com 25
 WAYS PILATES CAN
TEASER WELLNESS

BOOST CREATIVITY
by Christine Carbo

AS A NOVELIST AND A PILATES INSTRUCTOR FOR MORE THAN 10

YEARS, NOT ONLY HAVE I OBSERVED CHANGES IN MY BODY, I’VE
OBSERVED CHANGES IN MY STATE OF MIND. Pilates helps you
clear your head, rejuvenates you and fortifies your sense
of composure and confidence, boosting your ability to be
productive and creative. Here’s why.
IT FOSTERS A STRONG M IND/BODY CONNECTION.
If I’m faced with a challenge in my writing, the solution
often comes to me more readily after I’ve practiced
Pilates. It becomes a coordination of mind, body
and spirit—all ingredients for enhanced creativity.
Additionally, when performing other types of exercise
that are often known for jump-starting the imagination,
such as running or cycling, Pilates ensures you are
balanced muscularly, so that less energy is spent on
the activity’s motion itself. This frees your mind when
performing repetitive motions, and many people find that
solutions to problems suddenly present themselves.
IT BOOSTS CONFIDENCE. Pilates teaches proper body
alignment and refocuses attention on the posture. This not
only translates to muscles that function more efficiently,
but helps you become more centered, grounded and
confident. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy, in her TED
Talk, enlightens her audience on how power poses and
attention to confident posture reduce cortisol levels and
boost confidence. Pilates is the perfect way to do this.
So much of our
IT R E D U C E S N E GATI VE E M OTI O N S .
creativity is thwarted by our inner censor and insecurities.
Pilates works your body intensely and with concentration.
As with many favorite workouts, endorphins are released
into the body. This makes you feel good, at ease and
more positive.
IT G IVE S YO U TH E AB I LIT Y TO D I S M I SS D I STR ACTI O N .
I write from home and am faced with countless
distractions: laundry, children, Facebook, etc. But
through my practice, I regularly learn to focus my
attention and remain calm. The best way to grow your
creativity is to pacify your fears and ignore everything
that stunts it, and Pilates can help you do that.
IT IMPROVES NERVOUS SYSTEM FUNCTION.
Neurogenesis, which refers to the development of neurons
in the brain, is a process that is most active when a baby
is developing in the womb. However, the development of
new neurons can continue throughout adulthood. Several
studies have shown that exercise, like Pilates, improves
neurogenesis as well as protects existing cells. This can
translate to better memory, lower risks of Alzheimer’s, and
improved learning and problem-solving skills. Additionally,
every time we recruit our powerhouse, our brains send
impulses to deep muscle fibers that are sometimes
dormant through a complex process involving the spinal
cord. When we learn to regularly activate certain deep
core muscles, we engage a chain of movement that may
have been lazy for a long time, which helps facilitate the
functioning of our nervous system.
Christine Carbo is a Pilates instructor and the
owner of Bridge Pilates in Montana. She is also
the critically acclaimed author of The Wild
Inside and Mortal Fall, both available now. For
more, visit www.christinecarbo.com.

LEGGO MY LEGUMES!
Adding ¾ cup of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils into your daily diet might help
you lean out, reports a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The
Canadian research team had previously found that eating these foods made
people feel 31 percent fuller and therefore less likely to overeat, which could
account for the weight loss. Worried that straight-up beans will
send you straight to bloat town? Try the newest trend, gluten-free
bean pasta, à la Modern Table Confetti Bean Pasta ($6.99 for
10 ounces; www.buymoderntable.com), made with green and red
lentils, and black beans, and Explore Cuisine Organic Chickpea
Spaghetti ($4.49 for 8 ounces; www.explorecuisine.com), both
high in protein and fiber. —A.A.

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ON OUR RADAR
ESSIO
W H AT: An aromatherapy diffuser
you attach to your showerhead
pipe. The Starter Kit ($44.99;
www.essioshower.com) also comes
with three organic essential oil
blends like Breathe (eucalyptus,
peppermint, lemon) and Unwind
(lavender, petitgrain and vetiver),
though there are three more you can
order at an additional cost.
W H Y W E L O V E I T : It makes our
entire bathroom smell amazing—
not overpowering. Essio is easy
to assemble, even if you’re not
mechanical in the least, and it’s a
cinch to adjust the amount of oil
that’s being diffused.
J U S T B E A W A R E : Although they’re
long-lasting, the pods don’t last
forever. Refills, which come with four
pods, cost $16.99.
Here’s the scoop on our latest obsessions.
PLAQUE HD PLAQUE-IDENTIFYING
TOOTHPASTE
W H AT: The smartest paste we’ve
seen in a while, Plaque HQ ($14.95;
www.plaquehd.com) contains plant-
based dye that turns your plaque
teal; it only disappears once you’ve
brushed all the yuck off.
W H Y W E L O V E I T : If you’re as
obsessed with health as we are, you
know how important oral care is, and
Plaque HQ takes the guesswork out of
your brushwork. Independent studies
at the University of Illinois at Chicago ARCTIC ZERO’S NEW FLAVORS
College of Dentistry found that users
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than those who used any old variety. www.arcticzero.com)—Brownie
J U S T B E A W A R E : It’s pricier than Blast, Snickerdoodle Dandy, Banana
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J U S T B E A W A R E : We predict these
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MELT STRESS IN A MINUTE
Feeling overwhelmed? New research
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you can’t get outside to reap the
calming benefits of Mother Nature,
just Google “park” or better yet,
“Tuscan country,” and voilà!
“
Source: The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
pilatesstyle.com 27
 Good
TEASER FOOD

Morning!
Have a better a.m.
with pick-me-ups
Trending Teas
ready to drink in
seconds—no machine
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But forget subpar Early a.m. exercisers, this one’s for you!
Organic matcha, an antioxidant-rich tea
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If you love the depth of flavor of
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PPer packet: 0 calories; 0g fat; 0g carbs; 0g protein

28

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 Java Jive An’ Buzzy Ingredient
Americans drink billions of cups of joe
LUCKY JACK every year, and that translates to lots of
This all-organic cold-brewed coffee is infused coffee fruit (that surrounds the beans)
with nitrogen bubbles to deliver an addictive being wasted. Enter MARX FOODS
dose of froth. Comes in six varieties, including our COFFEEFLOUR, which converts the
favorites: Double Black, with a shot of espresso, cherries into a gluten-free flour revered
and Lean Bean, with stevia already mixed in ($3.99 by renowned restaurateurs like Dominque
for 10.5 fluid ounces; www.luckyjackcoffee.com Ansel and Dan Barber for its nutty, fruity
for stores). flavor profile. We
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Per bottle: 7 calories; 0g fat; 1.5g carbs; 0g protein fiber content (more
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CHAMELEON COLD-BREW morning muffin for
a real (caffeine-free)
COFFEE CONCENTRATES treat ($9 per pound;
If you like to control the strength of your java, www.marxpantry.com).
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organic cold brew, crafted with fairly traded Per tablespoon: 34 calories; 0g fat; 6.5g carbs; 1.5g protein
beans that are air-roasted in small batches, then
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Per 4 ounces: 5 calories; 0g fat; 0g carb; 0g protein

Caffeine Free Coolers

JUICE SERVED HERE POOL SIDE For Die-Hard Tea Lovers
Are you a sucker for a glass of OJ? It might be because
We know we said
just the scent alone can increase mental stimulation,
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but we couldn’t
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Per 7.5 fluid ounces: 50 calories; .25g fat; 11.5g carb; .5g protein
free plastic and
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TEECCINO DANDELION varietal according
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organic flavors, like Caramel Nut and Mocha
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Per bag (Caramel Nut): 19 calories; 0g fat; 5g carb; 0g protein

pilatesstyle.com 29
 SSUMMER-READY
UMMER
UM
UUMME
MM
MMER
MME
MM
MEER--RREEAD
EAAD
AADY
DY
DY
SKIN
SSK
KKIIINN
TEASER BEAUTY
Get glowing from
head to toe with these
specialty scrubs.
by Nicole Grippo Ruotolo
Another reason to get buff this
summer: Not only does regular
exfoliation make skin look soft and
radiant, but it also makes other
beauty products work even better—
anti-aging potions erase more lines,
self-tanner goes on more evenly,
and cellulite treatments are more
effective. Now there’s a scrub for
every part of your body.
FOR THE MEN
Get a smoother shave by massaging
a quarter-sized dollop of apricot-
rich Yes To Natural Man Daily Face
Scrub onto a wet face, then rinse
off. It will eliminate dead cells and
clear dirt from pores so your skin is
razor-ready ($8.99 for 5 fluid ounces;
www.yestocarrots.com).
30

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BOOST YOUR MOOD
The aromatic bursts of grapefruit
and bergamot in Mayfair Soap
Foundry Sugar Scrub in Grapefruit
Bergamot will cheer and invigorate
while the pink-sugar crystals naturally
exfoliate dry, dead skin ($8.99 for 20
ounces; www.target.com).
FIGHT CELLULITE
Be forewarned—the scent of Little
Barn Apothecary Coffee + Mint
Body Scrub is irresistible! Organic,
fairly traded coffee beans smooth
out stubborn dimples by increasing
circulation and reducing water
retention for firmer-looking skin
($26 for 8 ounces;
www.littlebarnapothecary.com).
SMOOTH EXTRA-ROUGH PATCHES
The Body Shop Dead Sea Salt
Scrub contains coarse salt crystals to
remove dull, dead skin, plus olive oil
and aloe for intense moisturization.
The whipped-butter texture leaves
a lotion-like layer ($32 for 14.1 fluid
ounces; www.thebodyshop.com).
PERFECT YOUR POUT
Say goodbye to your lip balm
addiction (at least temporarily) by
exfoliating with a dab of APA Lip
Loofah. It contains sugar and sweet
almond seed to buff away dead
skin, and jojoba oil, shea butter
and orange peel to condition and
maintain moisture ($18 for .4 ounces;
www.apabeauty.com).
 Scrub-Mask Combo
An ancient recipe from Southeast
Asia is the latest beauty sensation
on Instagram. YLLO Turmeric Face
Scrub contains potent antioxidants
like turmeric, chickpea flour, sugar
cane, coconut oil, lemon essential
oil and vitamin E; you massage it
in, and then let it sit for 20 minutes.
Its many fans say it reduces acne,
minimizes wrinkles and even gets rid
of facial hair ($24.95 for 7 ounces;
www.ylloscrub.com)!

FRESHEN YOUR FACE WAX PREP

Even the most sensitive skin types Don’t dread your next waxing
can tolerate LA ROCHE-POSAY appointment. The fruit enzymes in
Ultrafine Scrub, thanks to tiny European Wax Center Reveal
spheres of polyethylene powders Me Body Exfoliating Gel gently
inside its jelly-like formula. The polish and prep skin for less painful
result: a polished complexion hair removal; afterward, it prevents
without irritation ($17.99 for 1.69 ingrown hairs and bumps ($39.50 for
fluid ounces; www.laroche-posay.us). 3.4 fluid ounces; www.waxcenter.com).

SUPERCHARGED SCRUB Milder Formula

Tata Harper Smoothing Body Say aloha to soft, glowing skin with
Scrub contains five exfoliants— Ola Tropical Apothecary Plumeria
cranberry fibers, apricot seed Sugar Polish. Hawaiian cane
powder, organic sugar, pink sugar and organic Hawaiian honey
Himalayan and Hawaiian sea salts. remove dead skin, while kukui nut,
The somewhat-gritty-feeling paste macadamia nut, cocoa and coconut
lathers up to a luxurious consistency oils leave your whole body beach
that leaves your entire body super ready ($30 for 13 fluid ounces;
moisturized ($70 for 5 fluid ounces; www.hawaiianbodyproducts.com).
www.tataharperskincare.com).

TREAT YOUR SCALP

Created especially for the scalp,
Alterna Haircare Caviar Clinical
Exfoliating Scalp Facial will
deep cleanse to get rid of styling-
product build-up, unsightly flaking
or a greasy hairline. Massage the
formula, which contains active
fruit enzymes, into a wet head to
promote healthy hair growth ($36 for
3 fluid ounces; www.sephora.com).

pilatesstyle.com 31
 BL ACK & WHITE Whether you splurge, save or both,

BUDGET
find your zen moment in the studio
TEASER STYLE

with these monochromatic styles.

by Robin Villalobos

W E ATH E R -
R E S I S TA NT
HIDDEN
KET
KEY POC B R E ATH A B L
E

G
DRYIN
FAST-

FOR HIM
MOISTUR
E-
WICKING

JACKET Zine Marathon White & Black

TANK Satisfy Team Singlet Jersey Tank; $137,
www.matchesfashion.com. JACKET Y-3 Black Twin Zip
Blouson Hooded Track Jacket; $770, www.bloomingdales.
com. LEGGINGS Peak Performance Lavvu Performance
Tights; $95, www.matchesfashion.com. BAG Brooks England
Piccadilly Leather Backpack; $370, www.mrporter.com.
SHOES Maison Margiela Future Leather High Tops; $895,
www.fwrd.com. WATCH Montblanc Timewalker Extreme
Chronograph DLC; $6,400, www.montblanc.com.
Windbreaker Jacket; $40, www.zumez.com.
TANK Guess Kent Fleck Color-Blocked Tank; $39,
www.guess.com. BAG Herschel Supply Co. Little
America Backpack; $143, www.farfetch.com.
LEGGINGS H&M Running Tights; $40,
www.hm.com. WATCH Lacoste 12.12 Watch,
43mm; $135, www.nordstrom.com.
SHOES Comme Des Garcons Play Men’s Chuck Taylor
1970’s High-Top Sneakers; $120, www.barneys.com.

TOTAL: $8,667 TOTAL: $517

32

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MOISTURE-
WICKING

CONTOURS AN
D
SUPPORTS

F O U R - WAY
STRETCH

Y OF
PLENT
TS
POCKE
WATE R -
REPELLING

FOR HER
SPORTS BRA Ultracor Level Perforated Sports Bra;
$117, www.matchesfashion.com. TANK Fendi Printed
Cotton Jersey Tank; $550, www.net-a-porter.com.
LEGGINGS Lululemon Speed Tight IV; $108,
www.lululemon.com. SHORTS Fendi Cotton Jersey
Shorts; $350, www.net-a-porter.com. JACKET Adidas
by Stella McCartney Hooded Shell Jacket;
TANK The Upside Mica Slub Stretch-Jersey Tank; $80,
www.net-a-porter.com SPORTS BRA Ivy Park Printed Stretch-
Jersey Sports Bra; $35, www.net-a-porter.com.
SHORTS Topshop Airtex Side Panel Runner; $18,
www.topshop.com. LEGGINGS Nike Leg-A-See
Printed Stretch Cotton-blend Jersey Legging; $50,
$225, www.net-a-porter.com. WATCH Movado 42mm www.net-a-porter.com. WATCH Adidas Originals ‘Santiago’
Museum Sport Watch with Rubber Strap; $795, Silicone Strap Watch, 42mm; $75, www.nordstrom.com.
www.neimanmarcus.com. JACKET Puma Jacket; $61, www.yoox.com.

TOTAL: $2,145 TOTAL: $319

pilatesstyle.com 33
 The
EAT SMART
F rontier
Within
Hold the Purell! Nurturing the microbe mix in your
body may be the key to losing weight, eliminating
cravings and improving overall health.
by Anne Marie O’Connor
Until recently, humans were thought to be,
well, mostly human. But scientists have
recently discovered that our bodies are
also a huge clubhouse filled with all sorts of
microbes—bacteria, yeasts, viruses, fungi
and mold. Known as the human microbiome,
it consists of trillions (yes, trillions!) of
microorganisms living in and on the body,
from the mouth and nasal passages to the
skin, gastrointestinal tract (aka the gut) and
urogenital tract.
Before you reach for the Lysol, take comfort
in the fact that not every microbe wants to kill
you. Though a few microbes are harmful, many
of them are actually essential for good health.
“It wasn’t that long ago that the only
good bacteria was dead bacteria,” says Peter
Moses, MD, a professor of medicine at the
University of Vermont College of Medicine
and gastroenterologist at UVM Medical
Center. “Now, that whole way of thinking
is changing.”
34
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MOLTO MICROORGANISMS
One sign of how important microorganisms are:
There are probably more microbial than human
cells in our body, says David Montgomery, PhD,
a professor of earth and space sciences at the
University of Washington and co-author with his
wife, Anne Biklé, a biologist and environmental
planner, of The Hidden Half of Nature: The
Microbial Roots of Life and Health (W. W.
Norton & Company, 2016).
“There are some arguments over the
exact numbers,” Dr. Montgomery says. “The
best numbers we’ve seen is that there are 3:1
microbials to human cells in our body, though
estimates have gone all the way to 10:1.”
WHY MICROBES MATTER
“According to current research, it looks like
the majority of our life-sustaining functions are
influenced by our gut,” says Jo Ann Hattner,
RDN, MPH, author of Gut Insight: Probiotics
and Prebiotics for Digestive Health and
Well-being (Hattner Nutrition, 2009), who expressions like “sick to my stomach” and
studies Pilates at the Bay Club in San Francisco. “gut instinct” have a lot of truth to them.
Not surprisingly, “our digestive system is “Microbes produce or control a whole host
affected by the gut,” says Robin Foroutan, of neurotransmitters, including serotonin,
MS, RDN, an integrated-medicine dietitian dopamine, GABA, all of these things that affect
in New York. “It can cause diarrhea, as well brain function and mood,” explains Dr. Dietert.
as digestive dysfunctions like irritable bowel Microrobes are also believed to be
syndrome, Crohn’s and colitis. responsible for conditions ranging from autism
to anxiety and impaired memory. “Scientists
A CAUSE OF INFLAMMATION have found a link between obsessive-
“An unhealthy gut is also a major source compulsive disorder and a single bacterial
of inflammation,” continues Foroutan, who species in the gut,” says Dr. Dietert.
practices Pilates with Mathilde Klein, a student
of Joseph and Clara Pilates. “Once you have SERVING AND PROTECTING
inflammation, every system in the body So how is the microbiome keeping you
reacts,” affecting your cardiovascular system, healthy? “Your microbiome is making all sorts
your joints, your skin and even your oral health. of medicinal compounds,” Biklé explains.
“Most chronic diseases, such as “The thinking is that the more diverse the
Alzheimer’s, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular metabolites produced by your microbiome
disease, allergic diseases—which are major that you have circulating in your body, the
causes of death across the world—are initiated more diverse your ‘on-board medicine chest’
by [inflammation caused by] microbiota is, and the healthier and better off you will
dysfunction,” says Rodney Dietert, PhD, be.” For example, butyrate is a metabolite
author of The Human Superorganism: How the produced by microbes. “Studies have shown
Microbiome Is Revolutionizing the Pursuit of a that a certain type of immune cell is activated
Healthy Life (Dutton, 2016). by butyrate, which has an anti-inflammatory
The gut is also important for immunity, effect on us,” she notes.
Biklé explains. “The lion’s share of our immune
system—all these different types of immune WHAT MAKES OUR MICROBIOME
cells—is located around our colon.” GO OUT OF BALANCE
Being born vaginally and being breastfed
OBESITY: CAN WE BLAME “seed” the microbiome with healthy microbes
THE BUGS? from our mother and give our microbiome a
Though it has many causes, “there’s no
question the microbiome is a factor in obesity,
which is a pro-inflammatory condition,” says
Dr. Dietert, a professor in the department
of microbiology and immunology at Cornell
University College of Veterinary Medicine.
An unhealthy balance of gut microbiota is
believed to contribute to excessive body fat.
Another reason your gut microbes may
affect your weight is those food obsessions
that derail many diets. “A proliferation of
unhealthy microbes in the gut may be the
cause of those intense cravings for sugar,
carbs, cheese and wine” that dieters often
experience, according to Foroutan. “A client
once told me, ‘something in me that’s not
me is making me eat.’ Whatever microbe is
dominant in the gut, it seems it is somehow
influencing your eating behavior and making
you crave [certain] foods.”
“One of the reasons that diets sometimes
don’t work is because you’re really fighting
against the microbes in your gut, which are
going to call for the food they want,” says Dr. THE GUT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR
Dietert. “If they want pizza and dairy, then
good luck. That’s very difficult to fight.” IMMUNITY, BIKLÉ EXPLAINS. “The lion’s
MENTAL NOTES share of our immune system is
Though our ancestors may not have understood
the link between the gut and the brain, located around our colon.”
pilatesstyle.com 35
 healthy start. Later on, other things—including
diseases, diet and drugs—can wreak havoc on YOUR DIET CAN HAVE A
the microbiome. “Antibiotics are a major culprit,
even though they’re lifesavers,” says Foroutan. PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE
A 2015 study published in mBio found that
even a single weeklong course of antibiotics DIVERSITY AND NUMBER OF
can contribute to a detrimental shift in the
microbiome for up to a year. “It’s not about BENEFICIAL MICROFLORA
never using antibiotics, it’s about using them
only when they’re necessary,” says Foroutan. IN YOUR GUT.
A recent study at the University of
Leuven in Belgium found that other common
medications, including laxatives, allergy drugs,
contraceptives and hormone replacement
therapy, also have a negative impact on the
balance of microbes in the gut.

DIET AND THE GUT

Your diet can also have a profound effect
on the diversity and number of beneficial
microflora in your gut. It’s a question of what
you’re eating—and also what you’re not
eating. Here are the keys to making sure the
good guys get the upper hand.

STARVE THE BAD BACTERIA.

A recent study published in the journal Nature
found that a typical low-fiber Western diet
that’s full of processed food drives beneficial
microorganisms to extinction, an effect that
is compounded over generations. “Eating
too much wheat, sweets, sugar, starch, fried
foods, trans fats, highly processed foods, dairy
in some cases, conventionally raised beef
and processed meats may be disrupting the
microbiome,” says Foroutan.
The reason? Heavily processed foods
don’t make it to the “fermentation tank of
the colon,” where the beneficial microbes
are produced, Dr. Montgomery explains.
(What does make it down there: fiber-rich
plant foods.) But that doesn’t mean you have
to go vegan. When he and Biklé switched to
a microbiome-friendly diet, it wasn’t about
So is Pilates good for a
healthy microbiome?
“There is evidence that exercise is beneficial for the
microbiome,” says Rodney Dietert, PhD. “If you allow mice
to exercise, it helps their microbiome. Several studies have
supported this finding in humans as well.”
When researchers at the European University of Madrid
compared people who exercised three to five hours a week
with couch potatoes, they found the active subjects had a
four-fold increase in bifidobacterium, a microbe that boosts
the immune system. Just another great reason to hit the mat
(or Reformer or Cadillac)!
eating “good” foods and avoiding “bad” ones,
he says. “We didn’t give up any foods, but we
changed the balance of what we ate,” with a
bigger emphasis on plant foods.
EAT A DIVERSE DIET.
Consuming a wide range of whole plant
foods—including fruits, vegetables, whole
grains as well as beans, nuts and seeds—is the
smartest strategy for increasing diversity in the
microbiome, says Biklé. “And the more diverse a
person’s microbiome is, the better off they are.”
INCLUDE FERMENTED FOODS.
Fermented, or probiotic foods, which include
yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso and
kombucha, contain live microorganisms that put
the good bacteria back into your gut, explains
Hattner. “We should eat those every few
days,” she says. They add to the population of
microorganisms in the gut (at least temporarily),
plus they change the gut’s pH level, which
makes it difficult for pathogens to survive.
“Kefir and yogurt, which contain live active
cultures, are my favorite choices,” Hattner
says. She recommends buying plain versions
and adding your own fruit or maple syrup.
“Additives may interfere with the bacteria,”
she says. (She also notes that the lactose in
the milk has been fermented by bacteria, so
people with lactose intolerance can often
stomach yogurt and kefir.)

36
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 Foroutan favors fermented vegetables
like sauerkraut and kimchi. If you can tolerate
dairy, she also recommends kefir, which
contains more probiotics and less sugar than
yogurt. She’s not a fan of kombucha, the latest
“it” drink, which is fermented using yeast.
“People who struggle with gut health often
have too much yeast [in their system], so I
don’t recommend that,” she points out.
What about wine, cheese and beer, we ask
(hopefully)? They may have some probiotic
effect, Foroutan admits, “but they’re also
fermented with yeast, not bacteria, and again,
most Americans have too much yeast in their
system. But they’re okay in moderation.”
Some good news for chocolate lovers:
A 2016 study at the University of Leuven
found that consuming dark chocolate was
associated with an increase in a type of
beneficial bacteria in the gut.
FEED THE BACTERIA.
“Bacteria have to eat, too,” explains Hattner.
“Prebiotics provide nourishment for bacteria.”
Though it’s a good idea to consume all types
of fiber-rich foods, not all fiber-rich foods
are prebiotic, she points out. “Prebiotic fiber
sources are foods that have been studied
or analyzed, and are known to support the
growth of the beneficial microflora,” explains
Hattner. “They contain non-digestible,
fermentable carbohydrates, for example,
inulin, that are fermented by the healthy
bacteria in the gut.” Hattner’s website,
www.gutinsight.com, has a complete list of
prebiotic foods. Some of the more common
ones include: apples, bananas, berries, kiwi,
onion, garlic, asparagus, leeks, tomatoes,
mushrooms, greens, lentils, dry beans, peas,
soybeans, whole wheat, brown rice, corn, oats,
almonds, honey and green tea.
Another option is taking a prebiotic
supplement. “I like ones with a vegetable fiber
source like inulin,” says Dr. Moses. Look for
capsules or gummies.
AVOID FOOD ADDITIVES.
Dr. Dietert reports that two common food
additives used to make processed foods
like ice cream and gravy smooth can affect
the gut microbes and contribute to obesity.
“Researchers have shown that polysorbate
80 and carboxymethyl cellulose destroy the
microbes that are part of the protective system
[of the gut], and that then leads to inflammation,”
he says. “These additives cause obesity in mice
at levels humans are consuming.”
SKIP THE SPLENDA.
A 2014 study in Nature found that artificial
sweeteners can change the composition
of gut microbiota, contributing to obesity
and diabetes.
Can I just take a Pill?
Probiotic supplements are a handy alternative to eating fermented
foods like yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut. Should you consider
taking them? Here are the pros and cons.
THEY ARE POTENTIALLY BENEFICIAL.
“Supplements might add some new bacteria to your gut,” says
Jo Ann Hattner, RDN, MPH. “I’ve seen people with constipation
respond to them, just by adding lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria
to the gut with a probiotic, but it’s very individual.”
YOU’RE BASICALLY RUNNING YOUR OWN CLINICAL TRIAL.
Rodney Dietert, PhD, agrees that there are probiotic supplements
that can be effective, “but no one can go and say, buy this one
product, and it will cure your depression” (or diarrhea or colitis, or
help you lose weight). What works for one person may not work
for you. Probiotics are “not one size fits all,” he says. “People need
to vet some of these things in their own body.”
“Probiotics are not regulated by the FDA,” says Peter Moses,
MD. “Some people won’t respond to them, but for other people
it’s a fairly cost-effective solution to problems that affect quality
of life. Also, the supplement needs to contain enough microbes,
and they need to be alive, so things like how long they’ve been on
the shelf make a difference”—things that can be impossible for
consumers to know.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
“In general, probiotic sources with mixtures of several different
microbial species are thought to be more useful than ones with
single species,” says Dr. Dietert. Check the package to see how
many species a supplement contains.
Hattner advises going to the supplement’s website to look for
credible scientific studies and what dose they used.
CONFIRMING
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM
The advances in microbiome science
support the advice experts have been
giving for years, whether it’s eating
more fruits and vegetables, consuming a
Mediterranean diet or following Michael
Pollan’s famous advice: Eat food, not too
much, mostly plants. Experts believe these
are the key for losing and maintaining
weight, having energy and avoiding chronic
illnesses like cardiovascular disease,
diabetes and cancer; research into the
microbiome is explaining the “why.”
“The reasons and mechanics at the
scientific level for why diet does matter so
much are what traditionally has been thought
of as being good practices—eating a healthy,
fiber-rich diet,” Dr. Montgomery says.
“Everyone can benefit from eating
more vegetables, cutting sugar and excess
starch from refined carbohydrates, adding
fermented foods and eating onions, garlic,
seeds and nuts,” says Foroutan. “This has
always been true.” PS
pilatesstyle.com 37
 SUCCESS STORY

Parring
the Course
PILATES PHOTO BY DAWN GAYLARDO; GOLF PHOTO COURTESY OF ANN WHITE
 She’s had two knee replacements, but you won’t find
this grandmother in a rocking chair, thanks to Pilates.
By Ann White, as told to Beth Johnson
I have two fake knees and a bad ankle. Sounds
pretty typical for a 72-year-old, right? You
might expect that I spend a lot of time sitting
on the sofa reading or putting my feet up and
watching TV. But I’ve always been very active.
In high school, I was on the basketball and field
hockey teams, and played tennis and golf. I’m a
terrible couch potato, so the idea of being stuck
in a chair and not being able to move my body
always drove me crazy. I needed an exercise
method that would condition my body without
causing more damage to my joints. Thankfully
five years ago, I found Pilates.
STARTING DOWNHILL
An accident when I was 21 set the stage for
major knee and ankle issues decades later. I
was skiing in Vail, CO with my about-to-be-
ex boyfriend. I was a near-beginner, and he
was an avid skier. He took me to the top of
the mountain, where I fell at least three dozen
times on the first half. I told him I needed to
get to the bottom and take a lesson, so he
tightened my bindings, put me on an easy trail
without a map and went off to do his thing!
I ended up going down a too-steep slope
and hit some rough terrain; when I fell, my
bindings did not release. I flopped on my left
side and saw my leg move in a place where
there was no joint. After the ski patrol got
me down the mountain, and I was X-rayed, it
turned out I had a double spiral fracture. After
a three-hour ambulance ride to Denver, I was
in surgery for another three hours, a full cast
for three months and a half cast for six weeks.
They didn’t do rehab back then, so I just
walked a lot to build my leg back up once the
cast (and the boyfriend) were gone. And then it
was off to being a sporty girl again!
A FULL, ACTIVE LIFE
Within a couple of years—50 years ago!—I
married my husband Bill, who I had met on a
blind date set up by my aunt during his leave
from Vietnam. Together we have raised three
wonderful sons and had a lot of adventures
around the world. I was a stay-at-home mom
and busy volunteer, while Bill was a naval
officer for six years and later worked in finance
and wrote books. And throughout it all, I was
always playing sports or working out—golf,
tennis, paddle tennis, aerobic dancing, skiing
and lots of fast walking. I was even on a mom’s
field hockey team! On summer weekends, we
were often out sailing.
THE FIRST NEW KNEE
But by 2005, the damage to my right leg from
that long-ago accident had really caught up
to me. My knee was bone-on-bone, and it
was impossible to walk without a pronounced
limp—so pronounced, in fact, that everyone
could tell it was me on the golf course from
quite a distance!
I had become bowlegged on my right
side with my knee aiming right and my foot
pointed left. Amazingly it only hurt when I
went down stairs, galumphing all the way. But
I was putting damaging stress on my other
leg and hip with every step I took. And it
made my already weak ankle hurt even more. I
knew it was time to get it replaced, so I made
an appointment at the Hospital for Special
Surgery in New York and had it done.
The first couple of weeks after knee-
replacement surgery are like a full-time, not-fun
job. You have to ice your knee every hour, you
have to take your pain meds, and you have to
do your exercises three times a day. It’s a whole
schedule! If you aren’t already in decent shape,
the recovery can be much worse. I wanted to
get back out as soon as possible, so I did all
of the physical therapy I could and walked for
hours a day. I was back on the golf course in
eight weeks. My doctors were very impressed!
THE NEXT MOVE
Having a new knee meant having to learn to
be really careful about how I moved. I couldn’t
do anything high-stress like running. I also
couldn’t do anything that would twist, jerk or
pull the knee.
OPPOSITE PAGE: PILATES
INSTRUCTOR KELLY
SHEPPARD SPOTS WHITE
AS SHE DOES A STANDING
ONE-LEG PRESS ON
THE COMBO CHAIR AT
RENAISSANCE PILATES IN
RED BANK, NJ.
THIS PAGE: WHITE TEES
OFF AT THE RUMSON
COUNTRY CLUB IN NJ
EARLIER THIS YEAR.
pilatesstyle.com 39
 Pilates was making all the other
activities I love more enjoyable. My
body had been so out of whack for so
many years, and now I always felt
terrific when I left a Pilates session!
Over the next few years, I went back to
playing tennis and playing more golf than ever
before, plus I did a lot of walking. I even tried
hot yoga! I did give up skiing, as I was afraid
of falling, which could damage my knee. My
right ankle was also a constant source of pain.
My doctors believed that I had suffered an
undiagnosed ankle fracture when I broke my
leg 40 years earlier.
FINDING PILATES
Then in 2010, my husband gave me a
gift certificate to a local fitness place in
Red Bank, NJ, and that’s how I met Kelly
Sheppard, my wonderful Pilates instructor.
I’d been hearing a lot about Pilates at that
point, and I was ready to hit the ground
running, so to speak.
My first lessons were on a Reformer/Tower
combo. I couldn’t get over that on one piece
of equipment, I could get a workout for my
legs and arms, my abs and every joint that
was bothering me. For my problem ankle,
I did heels up and down on the Reformer,
and we worked on increasing my pelvic
stability. Kelly had me do Footwork with
lighter springs. I was doing Plank in the first
session! It was what I’d been looking for. I
was so excited after that session, I was nearly
bursting, and I couldn’t wait to come back.
LIMB POWER
PILATE PHOTOS BY DAWN GAYLARDO; OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANN WHITE
Kelly also has a home studio with a full array of
beautiful Pilates equipment. Soon, I was going
there three times a week. Kelly was great at
changing up my routine, and gently but firmly
pushing me to my next limit. She also works at
the Spine Institute, doing Pilates rehabilitation,
so she really understood the body, and how to
help it become undamaged.
Kelly would focus on all of the lower-
body extremities to strengthen the muscles
that support and stabilize the knee joint.
On the Ladder Barrel, we’d do hamstring
and adductor stretches. We’d also work on
stretching my tendons, which were very tight
and made it hard to go down stairs without
feeling pain. To strengthen and stretch my
calves and hip flexors, we’d do calf raises
with springs.
As the months went by, I could feel my
knee becoming more and more steady. My
balance and overall leg strength were much
better, too. In fact, every part of my body
was getting stronger. Pilates was making all
the other activities I love more enjoyable. My
body had been so out of whack for so many
years, and now I always felt terrific when I left
a Pilates session! My posture was also getting
better and better, which is especially important
since I’m pretty short. I’m a positive, energetic
person, but this was even more than I had
hoped for.
A BOUT WITH CANCER
Then in 2013, I was diagnosed with early-stage
breast cancer, which required a lumpectomy
and radiation. I was very lucky to have such
a good prognosis, and I was doing leg-work
in Pilates two weeks after the surgery, and
throughout all six weeks of radiation. Why
miss six weeks when I never even felt all that
tired? I believed, and my doctors agreed, that I
recovered more quickly because I was in good
shape—and doing Pilates.
My cancer scare actually inspired me to
drop the 20 pounds that I was always losing and
regaining. Someone said to me “cancer loves
sugar,” and it really hit a nerve. I also figured
the extra weight on my joints, coupled with a
family history of type 2 diabetes, made getting
rid of some of the junk in my diet a smart idea.
So over time, I started cutting out most of the
sugar, having one glass of red wine instead of
two, and sharing a small bowl of chips with my
husband instead of the whole bag. After a few
months, I had dropped 20 pounds!
ANOTHER NEW KNEE
By 2015, I knew the time had come for my left
knee to be replaced. All the years of taking on
extra weight and compensating for my right
knee had ground it down, and I was limping
again. And in the 10 years since my last knee
replacement, they’d made impressive strides
in the procedure.
Another big difference this time was that
I had been doing Pilates for five years, and I
did both physical therapy and Pilates to rehab.
That definitely got me back to doing active
things much sooner than physical therapy
alone. I was playing golf in eight weeks the
first time. After my second knee surgery, I was
swinging a club three-and-a-half weeks later!
The doctors couldn’t believe it. I don’t think
Kelly could believe it!
SPEED REHABBING
Two weeks after the surgery, I was back doing
Pilates with Kelly. We dove into a wide variety
of routines to help my knee. On the Chair, we
did Standing Leg Press for balance. After a
couple weeks, we were doing Forward Lunges
and Pilates Squats on the Cadillac, where you
hold onto the push-through bar, to work the
entire body, especially the biceps, quadriceps
and glutes.
I don’t have full range of motion in my OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT
second knee yet—and it may take a while to TO RIGHT: WHITE DOES
be fully flexible again. But that’s our goal! ROLL-DOWNS ON THE
TOWER AT RENAISSANCE
BETTER THAN EVER PILATES; ON THE SLOPES
Bill and I now spend the winters on Grand IN VAIL, CO, IN 1991.
Cayman Island, and during this most recent
visit, I decided to find a Pilates teacher down THIS PAGE: WHITE
there. Sue Merren, owner of Balance Cayman, SURROUNDED BY HER
has really helped me with lateral breathing, FAMILY IN 2016.
which has been invaluable. When I’m walking
fast now, I can talk and not get winded. I played
golf—I can hit a ball farther than ever before—
walked and did Pilates all winter long, just two
months after the second knee replacement,
and felt fantastic. This summer, I’m going to
try Pickleball, which is a combination of tennis,
badminton and ping-pong. I’m going to start
playing tennis in the fall, when I’m sure my knee
has completely healed.
I really view Pilates as a remarkable life-
enhancer and a life-extender. A doctor recently
told me that my abs are great, which was
thrilling! No one had ever said that. I now also
have muscle definition in my arms for the first
time in my life. You have to work at keeping
your body working well as you get older. It’s
absolutely true that if you don’t use it, you
lose it, and Pilates is an amazing way to keep
your body strong, flexible and ready for all the
other activities you want to do. I have seven
grandchildren, and I’m stronger than ever at 72.
Isn’t that crazy? Isn’t that wonderful? PS
Pilates is an amazing way
to keep your body strong,
flexible and ready for all
the other activities you
want to do. I’m stronger
than ever at 72.
pilatesstyle.com 41
 LESSONS FROM A
COVER STORY

TEACHER
TO BE
A Pilates apprentice spills the
exercises that got her hooked
on the method, plus how
Pilates gave her the body she
always wanted—inside and out.
By Kristin Holinsworth Tibbs
Edited by Amanda Altman

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 Surprisingly enough, I discovered Pilates through an REVERSE ABDOMINALS
online promo in Oklahoma City five years ago. I had heard
of the method, but my severe asthma restricted me from SETTING: medium–light springs
doing many activities throughout my life. I always admired PROP: none
people at the gym, runners, etc., but never stuck to any P U R P O S E : strengthens the abdominals and hip flexors;
type of exercise because of my challenge with breathing. enhances balance
But after I started Googling and educating myself on S E T U P : Lie on the carriage in tabletop position, with
Pilates, I learned that it’s highly beneficial for the breath. your bottom close to the shoulder rests and straps
Having suffered from asthma since the age of five, I was above your knees. Lift your head, neck and tips of your
eager to start my classes. shoulders, keeping your back flat on the carriage, and
After a few months of attending Reformer classes extend your arms above the shoulder rests, palms in
four days a week, I started seeing a significant and shoulders stabilized.
difference in so many areas—my breathing for one! I
was walking more gracefully, my posture near perfect,
and of course, my whole body was looking more toned.
Discovering this synergy between my mind and body
was so rewarding; I felt as if I had a newfound control
over myself. For the first time in my life, I had the body I
wanted—inside and out.
Fast-forward to three years of weekly Pilates classes
later, and I awoke in the middle of the night in a Teaser!
Yes, a Teaser! Clearly, I was dreaming about Pilates.
I started thinking, I need more of this in my life! Why
am I just discovering this now? Why isn’t everyone on
earth doing Pilates? I have to share my love for Pilates,
and I have to do it now! That’s when I knew I wanted to SETUP
become an instructor.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAN COX; MAKEUP BY JESSICA CHYNOWETH; HAIR BY SARA COLLEY; CLOTHES BY LORNA JANE, SOCKS BY TAVI NOIR

But where? How? I began to studio hop the handful

of Pilates studios in Oklahoma City, taking classes from
instructors who were certified in the different styles 1. Inhale to prepare.
so I could find the method that would inspire me the
most. When I met with Sarah Malloy, the owner of Four 2. Exhale, engaging your abdominals and flexing at your
Graces, I knew I had met my match. She’s been teaching hips to pull your knees toward your chest.
since 1998, and her studio has been a hosting site for
Balanced Body teacher training since 2007. 3. Inhale, returning to the starting position. Do 6–8 reps.
Truly loving all apparatus in the Pilates method, there
was no doubt in my mind that being comprehensively V A R I A T I O N : Obliques
trained would satisfy me the most. My training thus far Same as Reverse Abdominals, but place your right arm
has been a slow process because the modules are fairly between your legs, slightly rotating to the left. Pulse for
spread apart. On the bright side, this allows me more 6–8 reps, then repeat on your other side.
time to focus on one training at a time. Being Balanced
Body–certified requires 488 hours of training, plus an
additional 12 hours of anatomy. So far, the training has
been pretty intense—and harder than I had anticipated.
If there was one piece of advice I could give any
student in training it would be to allow yourself to be a
beginner. That was really something I had to really grasp,
and once I did, it inspired me more and made me want
to work harder. At 35, starting something completely new
was challenging—it's like I’m in school all over again.
In my training to date, there have been some exercises
that have been particularly inspiring in my path to Pilates
instructor-dom. Here are some of the moves that have
reaffirmed why I decided to get certified and completely VA R I AT I O N
change my career path. Naturally, I chose Reformer, since
it’s what got me hooked for life.
Pilates has done so much for my asthma that I now
can walk into a studio without carrying my inhaler! I
find myself taking my dogs on longer walks, playing M O D I F I C ATI O N : Cradle your hands behind your head.
outside with my children more and living a life I had not
been able to before. I can’t wait to keep practicing and That if your
W H AT TH I S E X E R C I S E H A S TA U G H T M E :
eventually teaching, but for now, I’m taking it all in—one position is off in the slightest then you’re no longer doing
(full) breath at a time. PS Pilates, and it can be very hard on your lower back.

pilatesstyle.com 43
 If there was one piece of
advice I could give any
student in training it would
be to allow yourself to
be a beginner.
SETUP & STEP 1
SHORT BOX OBLIQUE ABDOMINALS
SETTING: heavy springs
PROPS: Short Box and Magic Circle or dowel
P U R P O S E : strengthens the abdominals and back
extensors; increases flexibility in the spine
S E T U P : Sit tall on the Box facing the footbar, with your
feet under the foot strap and arms extended in front of you
at shoulder height, palms on the Circle pads. Keep your
shoulders back and down.

1. Exhale, engaging your abdominals and squeezing your

glutes, and roll down to your manageable C curve.

2. Inhale, keeping both hips anchored to the Box, and

rotate to one side.

3. Exhale, returning to center.

4. Inhale, rotating to the opposite side.

5. Exhale, returning to center, then roll up to the

STEPS 2 & 3
starting position. Do 4 reps.

If you have tight hamstrings and/or

M O D I F I C ATI O N :
tight lower back, place your feet on the standing platform,
and micro-bend your knees.

I loved
W H AT TH I S E X E R C I S E H A S TA U G H T M E :
learning this because, as with most of the Pilates
repertoire, there are a lot of modifications and add-ons,
which spices things up! You can do this with a flat back,
or add Spear a Fish, Around the World or my favorite,
pulsing 6–8 times on each side.

GEAR GUIDE
Peak Pilates Afina™ 5 Reformer, Standard
Long/Short Box and Power Circle III® ($4,095, STEP 4
$175 and $48, respectively; www.peakpilates.com)

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SHORT SPINE MASSAGE
SETTING: medium springs; headrest down
PROP: none
P U R P O S E : strengthens the abdominals, glutes and
hamstrings; improves flexibility in the spine
S E T U P : Lie on the carriage, with your feet together in the
straps, legs reaching long and strong at 45 degrees, and
palms pressing strongly into the carriage.
1. Exhale, hinging at your hips as much as possible without
lifting your tailbone off the carriage.
2. Engage your abdominals to lift up, articulating from your
spine to the tips of your shoulder blades while keeping the
carriage as still as possible.
3. Inhale, bringing your feet into Pilates stance (heels
together, toes apart) and bending your knees to shoulder
width without moving your torso.
SETUP & STEP 1
4. Exhale, rolling your spine down one vertebra at a time in
a very controlled motion.
5. Once your tailbone hits the carriage, reach your legs
back to 45 degrees. Do 6 reps.
When I was learning this exercise, I didn’t
M O D I F I C ATI O N :
roll up onto my scapula because it was important for me to
work on stability first. Reduce your range of motion until you
have enough stability to do 6 slow, controlled reps.
Learning to
W H AT TH I S E X E R C I S E H A S TA U G H T M E :
teach Pilates is a learning process. For me, Short Spine
Massage is a challenge to cue because it’s supposed to
flow, and I tend to be more structured when teaching. I’m
working
king on it!
STEPS 2 & 3
STEPS 4 & 5
pilatesstyle.com 45
 SIDE-LYING LEG IN STRAP
SETTING: medium–light springs; headrest up
PROP: none
P U R P O S E : strengthens the hip flexors, glutes and
hamstrings; promotes mobility in the hips
S E T U P : Lie on your side on the carriage, with your
shoulders and hips stacked. Place your top foot in the
strap, leg extended toward the footbar about hip height,
and your bottom bent knee on the carriage. Place your
top hand on your hip, and your bottom hand on the hook
near the shoulder rest.

1. Inhale, lifting your leg as far as you can without losing

your stacked position, toes pointed.
SETUP & STEP 1
2. Exhale, lowering your leg, foot flexed.

3. Inhale, bringing your leg in front of you, then exhale,

bringing it back to the starting position. Do 8–10 reps on
both sides.

V A R I A T I O N : Clam
Same as Side-Lying Legs in Strap, but place the strap
just above your top knee, stacking your ankles and lifting
them no higher than your waist. Inhale, slowly widening
your knees; exhale, closing your knees. Do 8–10 reps on
both sides.

V A R I A T I O N : Small Circles
Same as Clam, but spread your legs apart, allowing
your bottom knee to rest on the carriage. Make small
circles, no larger than dinner plates, with your top leg.
Do 6 reps in each direction, breathing throughout.

T I P S : Maintaining your form is much more important

than your range of motion—keep your movements slow
VA R I AT I O N : C L A M and controlled. During the circles, if you feel your pelvis
starting to tilt, make your circles smaller.

Place a small ball or yoga block on the

M O D I F I C ATI O N :
headrest in the down position for support.

I can’t
W H AT TH I S E X E R C I S E H A S TA U G H T M E :
stress enough how much I love this series—it’s one of
the greatest glute workouts you can get. I do it at least
5 times a week, and never get bored of the variations
or the results! If you want to see your clients shaking,
this will do it.

I can’t wait to keep practicing

and eventually teaching, but
VA R I AT I O N : S M A LL C I R C LE S
for now, I’m taking it all in—
one (full) breath at a time.
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 SEE IT IN ACTION
MERMAID
Watch Kristin demonstrate
SETTING: medium–light springs 5. Inhale, returning to the this move at
P R O P : none starting position. www.pilatesstyle.com.
P U R P O S E : stretches the waist; promotes stability in the
scapula 6. Remove your
S E T U P : Sit tall on the side of the carriage in a Z-sit position supporting hand from the
toward the shoulder blocks, anchoring both sit bones. footbar, and reach your
Place your supporting hand on the footbar slightly in front arm toward the shoulder blocks to stretch your opposite
of your torso, and extend your opposite arm out to your side. Do 3 reps on both sides.
side at shoulder height, palm up, keeping your shoulders
back and down. TIP:Correct breathing—i.e., lateral rib cage breathing—is
imperative for this exercise, since it helps to facilitate a
1. Inhale, pressing the carriage out and reaching your deeper stretch. This is where your mind/body connection
non-supporting arm up and over toward the footbar for a should come into play.
side stretch.
It made me
W H AT TH I S E X E R C I S E H A S TA U G H T M E :
2. Exhale, rotating your torso toward the floor and bringing understand the importance of breathing in Pilates. Honestly,
your non-supporting hand to the footbar. it took me a while to master because of the breath work
that’s actually the foundation of the exercise. When I first
3. Inhale, breathing laterally, through your side body. started
ed Pilates,
ates, I struggled
st ugg ed with
t taking
ta g the
t e deep breaths.
b eat s
Very different now!
4. Exhale, removing your hand from the bar and reaching
your arm under and through the side of your torso.

SETUP STEP 1

STEP 2 STEP 4

KRISTIN HOLINSWORTH TIBBS is in the process of receiving her comprehensive Balanced

Body Pilates certification at Four Graces in Oklahoma City. A native of Oklahoma City, Tibbs graduated
from Arizona State before opening a clothing boutique in Scottsdale. When she had her son Andrew, now
10, Tibbs moved back home, where she fell in love with Pilates while working in medical sales.
Currently, Tibbs teaches once a week at Urban Core, where she took her very first Reformer class.
This past December in Napa Valley, she married Dr. Robert E. Tibbs, a neurosurgeon who coincidently
specializes in spinal surgery. (He’s since become Tibbs’ best anatomy study partner!) Her family has grown
to seven, and her two stepdaughters living at home, Taryn, 16, and Carlyn, 14, do Pilates with Tibbs on
her home Reformer. Tibbs’ dream is to open a Pilates rehabilitation studio one day, to help others discover a
new quality of life through Pilates, like she did. Follow her on Instagram @okcpilatesgirl.

pilatesstyle.com 47
C
AHEAD
OF THE

URVE
The key to staying
energized isn’t a magic
pill—it’s all in your
posture. Just 10 minutes
on the Ladder Barrel
is all it takes to be a
better mover, sitter and
stander (and feel great!),
no matter where your
day may take you.
By Clare Dunphy Hemani
Edited by Amanda Altman
 We’ve all heard it a billion times by
now: Sit up straight! Stop slouching!
We’ve heard it from our kindergarten
teachers and from our parents. And
now we hear it from the media:
Sitting is the new smoking, and
psychological studies have shown
the effects of body posture on
emotions. It’s true! Posture says a
lot about us. It tells a story about
our health, moods and daily habits. I
vividly remember my mentor Romana
Kryzanowska’s daily reminders: “Lift
up out of your hips!” “No sinking and
no sagging!” “Ribs in!” “Pull your
abdominals in and up!” “Keep your
spine lifted and tall!” “Energy begets
energy!” “No mushy tushies!"
Aside from the health benefits
of good posture, learning to carry
yourself and move with grace are
two of the greatest benefits of a
regular Pilates practice. As a Pilates
teacher and student, when it comes to
keeping my energy up during the day,
working on my posture comes first.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAN COX; MAKEUP BY JESSICA CHYNOWETH; HAIR BY SARA COLLEY;TOP BY SOYBU, BOTTOMS BY ELISABETTA ROGIANI
me be a better mover—and a better
sitter and stander, too.
I love the Ladder Barrel. It’s one
of my favorite places to go for a quick
pick-me-up between lessons, or as
part of a full session to work all around
my spine and get upside down. The
perfectly round, even contours of the
Barrel make it the ideal apparatus
for stretching and molding the spine
in all directions and orientations. It
provides firm support, and it’s easy
to modify or advance exercises,
depending on how I feel that day.
Efficiency is the name of the game
for me, so I decided to share this
routine with you because it packs
a punch, targeting posture, breath,
flexibility and strength. Teaching
long hours can take its toll, and this
little routine is one of the ways I keep
my body strong enough to meet the
challenges of my day. It’s an antidote
for my students, too—it’s a complete
and balanced spine-health series that
takes less than 10 minutes and feels
exception of the Ab Series, which
can be done on the mat, then
progressed to the top of the Wunda
Chair, then to the Low Barrel, as
you gain better balance. Start with
three to five repetitions of each of
the Ab Series so your technique
stays intact to the end. If you have
more time, you can add the Short
Box Series after the Horseback, then
the Grasshopper and Handstands.
I sometimes add the Side-Bends
before the Backward Stretch to
finish. The most important safety
reminder about the Barrel is not to
“hang out and relax” over it; keep
your breathing strong and body
moving. Even when you pause to
stretch, you should still work with
control. Do this routine three times a
week to see and feel real results.
As Joe Pilates put it: “The art
of Contrology proves that the only
real guide to your true age lies not
in years or how you THINK you feel
but as you ACTUALLY are as infallibly

Then I bring it to my other activities great all day long. indicated by the degree of natural
like dancing, skiing, hiking, biking and The Ladder Barrel routine can and normal flexibility enjoyed by your
teaching Pilates. In short, Pilates helps be adapted to any level, with the spine throughout life.” PS

ONE-LEG STRETCH
PURPOSE: increases strength in the abdominals;
improves leg alignment; promotes circulation in the hips
and lower back; challenges balance and control
S E T U P : Lie along the length of the Barrel, allowing it to
support your hips. Pull your right knee into your chest,
with your right hand holding your right ankle and your
left hand holding your right knee. Extend your left leg as
low as you can, keeping your spine in contact with the
Barrel. Keep your chin toward your chest and lower back
anchored into the Barrel. STEP 1

1. Inhale, pulling your right leg in while reaching your left

leg out long and low, keeping your back into the Barrel
and elbows lifted.

2. Exhale, switching legs without rocking from side to

side. Do up to 10 reps.

TIP: Keep your head up, shoulder tips just off the Barrel
and naval sinking into your spine.

If you have knee issues, hold the back

M O D I F I C ATI O N S :
of your thigh underneath your knee. If you have hip issues,
stop at 90 degrees of hip flexion.

ADVAN CE D : Put the Barrel on top of a Pedi Pole for an STEP 2

added challenge. Just kidding, everyone!

pilatesstyle.com 49
DOUBLE-LEG STRETCH GEAR GUIDE
PURPOSE: same as One-Leg Stretch, but focuses on Peak Pilates High Ladder Barrel
the breath ($1,395; www.peakpilates.com)
S E T U P : From One-Leg Stretch, pull both knees into your
chest, holding your ankles.

1. Inhale, reaching your arms overhead and your legs

forward, then pause as you reach out even longer,
keeping your back into the Barrel.

2. Exhale, circling your arms to your sides; deeply exhale

all your air as you bend your knees into your chest and
grab your ankles. Do up to 10 reps.

TIP: Extend your legs only as low as you can maintain the
contact between your lower back and the Barrel.
SETUP
M O D I F I C ATI O N : Try it on the Spine Corrector or Arc
Barrel first.

STEP 2

SETUP & STEP 1

SINGLE STRAIGHT-LEG STRETCH

PURPOSE: challenges pelvic stability; strengthens the
abdominals while stretching the legs
S E T U P : From Double-Leg Stretch, grab your right ankle
with both hands, extending your leg while keeping your
elbows open to your sides. Lower your left leg as low
and long as you can, with your lower abdominals sinking
to your spine. Make sure your legs are in the midline of
your body.

1. Inhale, pulling your leg toward your body, pulsing it twice.

2. Exhale, switching legs, keeping them straight the entire

time. Do up to 10 reps.

T I P S : Keep a dynamic rhythm on both the pulse and

when you switch legs. Keep your hands reaching up when
you release your ankle, and reach for your ankle with both
STEP 2
hands. Pull your leg to you, not you to your leg—keep
your head and shoulders away from the Barrel.

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DOUBLE STRAIGHT-LEG LOWER-LIFT
T
PURPOSE: stabilizes the pelvis; strengthens the
abdominals, especially the lower muscles
S E T U P : From Single Straight-Leg Stretch, straighten
both legs toward the ceiling, and support your head with
your hands behind your neck, keeping your elbows open..
Make sure your shoulders are away from the Barrel and
chin is close to your chest.

1. Inhale, lowering your legs out and away from your hips,
s,
pulling strongly in and up with your abdominals. Go only
as low as you can keep your back flat into the Barrel.

2. Exhale, pulling your abdominals in deeper to return to

the starting position. Do up to 10 reps.

T I P S : Work slow and long as you lower your legs, and

more quickly on the way up. Keep your inner thighs
tightly together, and wrap around your seat to work
in your powerhouse. As your legs lower to the floor,
use your buttocks!

Place your hands under your sacrum

M O D I F I C ATI O N : SETUP & STEP 1
and/or soften your knees.

CRISS-CROSS
PURPOSE: strengthens all the abdominal muscles,
especially the obliques; challenges balance
S E T U P : From Double Straight-Leg Lower-Lift, bend your
right knee into your chest, extending your left leg on a
long diagonal as you twist to the right, bringing your left
elbow toward your right knee.

1. Inhale, holding the twist as you reach your right elbow

behind you and look back with your eyes.

2. Exhale, changing sides, twisting to the left. Do up to 10 reps..

T I P S : Focus on the twist and the reaching back with

SETUP
your elbow. Make sure your shoulders stay just off the
Barrel to work deeper into your abdominals. Keep your
weight centered over your spine so you don't rock from
side to side.

I love the Ladder Barrel.

It’s one of my favorite places
to go for a quick pick-me-up
between lessons, or as part of a
full session to work all around
my spine and get upside down. STEP 2

pilatesstyle.com 51
SWAN
PURPOSE: strengthens the entire
posterior chain of the body—especially
the extensors of the hips and spine—
which promotes upright posture;
improves overall suppleness of the spine
S E T U P : Lie facedown over the Barrel.
Place the balls of your feet on the
bottom rung and your heels on the
second rung, slightly turned out, with
your knees bent apart. Let your spine
mold around the Barrel, with your
abdominals lifting up into your spine
and your arms over the front, reaching
toward the floor. Feel the stretch of SETUP & STEP 1
your arms from your waist, and your
legs from your lower back.

1. Inhale, reaching your arms forward

as you lift your spine upright while
keeping your knees bent.

2. Exhale, lifting up and arching back.

3. Inhale, pushing out from your heels,

straightening your knees and reaching
your body forward in one piece. Hold
for 3 counts, keeping your abdominals
and ribs into your body.

4. Exhale, lifting your abdominals,

continuing to reach your arms long and
bending your knees to return to the
starting position. Do 3 reps.

T I P S : Move with your breath. Make

sure to reach up and out of your waist
and lower back. In step 3, aim for a
long, straight line from your heels,
knees, hips and shoulders to your head d
without sagging, especially in your
lower back or rib cage. When reaching
your arms, keep them within the frame
of your shoulders.

Perform the
M O D I F I C ATI O N :
STEPS 2 & 3
exercise with your arms by your sides.
Progress to having your hands behind
your neck.

ADVAN CE D : After step 3, exhale as

you arch your upper back a second time;;
inhale to reach out long; exhale to return
n
to the starting position.

SEE IT IN ACTION!
Watch Clare demonstrate this
move at www.pilatesstyle.com.

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HORSEBACK
PURPOSE: strengthens the C curve,
especially the abdominals, inner
thighs and buttocks; serves as a
counter movement to the Swan
S E T U P : Sit at the edge of the Barrel,
sideways to the ladder, with your
inner thighs hugging the Barrel and
feet flexed in front of you, at about
Barrel height. Bend your elbows by
your sides, palms up.
1. Draw your abdominals to your
spine, carving a strong C curve in your
lower back. Press your inner thighs
into the Barrel, and rise up out of the
“saddle,” reaching both feet long.
2. Stay lifted as you reach your
arms diagonally forward for 3 reps.
On the last rep, when your arms
are extended, flex your feet, lower
your arms and return to the starting
position.
3. Rise up again out of the saddle,
and circle your arms up and around
for 3 reps. On the last rep, when your
arms are extended, flex your feet,
lower your arms and return to the
starting position.
4. Rise up
p a third time,, and “shave”
the back of your head: Keeping
your elbows wide, and thumbs and
index fingers together, work from
the base of your neck upward, for
3 reps. On the last rep, when your
arms are extended, flex your feet,
lower your arms and return to the
starting position.
T I P S : Work first on carving your
C curve, then pressing your upper
inner thighs into the Barrel, and then
rising up out of the saddle. Breathe
naturally throughout.
ADVAN CE D : Hold 1–3-pound
weights in each hand.

Aside from the

health benefits
of good posture, SETUP STEP 2

learning to carry
yourself and move
with grace are two
of the greatest
benefits of a regular
Pilates practice. As
a Pilates teacher
and student, when
it comes to keeping
my energy up
during the day,
STEP 3 STEP 4
working on my
posture comes first.

SEE IT IN ACTION!
Watch Clare demonstrate this
move at www.pilatesstyle.com.

pilatesstyle.com 53
SIDE SIT-UPS
PURPOSE: strengthens and stretches the muscles on the side
body, which are important for posture and overall spine health
S E T U P : Facing sideways to the ladder, place one hip on the
Barrel and your bottom foot flat against the bottom rung,
with your leg straight. Hook your top foot under the top
rung, with your knee open toward the ceiling. Place your
hands behind your neck, or extend your arms overhead.
1. Inhale, reaching up and out over the Barrel.
2. Exhale, returning to the starting position, keeping your
range of motion small. Do 3 reps.
3. Inhale, reaching up and long over the Barrel, all the way
toward the floor.
4. Exhale,
xhale, reaching out while returning to the starting
position,
tion, stretching tall in the center. Do 2–3 reps.
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5. Finish with a stretch toward your legs to open your
opposite side.
6. Repeat the entire sequence on your opposite side.
T I P S : Keep your top hip over your bottom hip with your
rib cage soft and flush to your body. On the final stretch,
work your body inside your bent knee. Adjust your top
foot toward the center of the bar as you get stronger and
more stretched.
Change the setup position, standing on
M O D I F I C ATI O N :
the lowest rail (near the floor) in a split stance, with your top
foot in back and bottom in front. (You may want to use pads
for your feet.)
ADVAN CE D : Extend your top leg, placing your foo
foot on a
wall, or hold your leg in mid-air—#goals!
SETUP–STEP 3
BACKWARD STRETCH
PURPOSE: stretches the upper body, opening the chest
and shoulders, as well as the abdominals, front of the
hips and spine
S E T U P : Stand with your feet as wide as the Barrel, lower back
against the front of the Barrel and heels against the platform.

1. Inhale, stretching both arms up as you simultaneously roll

back over the Barrel, lengthening your spine as you arch.

2. Grab the top rung on the ladder, exhale, then take a

few breaths to stretch.

3. Inhale, circling your arms around the sides of the Barrel,

bringing your chin to your chest, then roll forward. Keep
rolling forward with your hips against the Barrel, and
stretch your head toward your knees. You can reach your
hands to the sides of the Barrel, or grab between your
legs and pull on the platform.

4. Roll up to standing. Do 3 reps. STEPS 1 & 2

TIP: Work in stages, taking your time to progress.

ADVAN CE D : Repeat steps 1–2, only this time walk your

hands down the rungs as far as you can control, until
your feet lift off the floor. Keep your feet low and legs
together. Breath naturally and fully as you circle both legs
in one direction for 3 reps, then repeat to the opposite
direction. Walk your hands back up the rungs, roll up and
stretch forward. Only do 1 rep.

STEP 3

WANT MORE?
Don't miss our upcoming e-newsletter for a feel-good stretch
ADVAN CE D
for your back body. Sign up for free at www.pilatesstyle.com.

CLARE DUNPHY HEMANI is a world-renowned workshop presenter and teacher of teachers. Her studio,
Progressive Bodyworks in Newburyport, MA, is a unique space where students and teachers around the world come
to hone their technique and study the art of teaching. Hemani is a presenter on Pilatesology.com and PilatesAnytime.
com, hosts two free video channels on Vimeo.com for students and teachers interested in supplemental learning. She
is a co-author of the Peak Pilates Comprehensive Education Program, where she mentored scores of teachers
and teacher trainers between 2001–2013. Her latest project, Pilates Avatar (www.pilatesavatar.com), is a
comprehensive audio program designed for practitioners of all levels that offers a fresh new program for studios.
Hemani’s roots in the field of human movement began at Northeastern University with a BS in physical education.
She holds certifications from PMA, ACE and Pilates Guild (under Romana Kryzanowska). Her mission is to support the
potential in all students and teachers, and to keep the spirit of Joe and Romana alive in her work. For more information,
visit www.progressivebodyworksinc.com, or follow Hemani on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr.

pilatesstyle.com 55
 ALIGN YOUR
SP NE
Joseph Pilates famously wrote,
“You are only as old as your

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAN COX; MAKEUP BY JESSICA CHYNOWETH; HAIR BY SARA COLLEY;SHORTS AND SHIRT BY PRANA; JACKET BY UNDERARMOUR
spine.” Keep it in check—and your back
pain-free!—with this 10-minute
series that promotes mobility, circulation
Think of caring
and a long healthy life.
for your spine like
#Z
+POBUIBO
0MEIBN
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"NBOEB
"MUNBO
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Go iW Gaily

As a Pilates teacher and physical
therapist, I have observed that the
clients who derive the most benefit
from Pilates have one thing in
common: They are consistent with their
practice. But research shows that one
of the greatest obstacles to a regular
practice is a perceived lack of time and
not having access to equipment. As a
solution to these issues, I was inspired
to follow the model of dental hygiene.
Just as daily dental care prevents
cavities and gum disease, a consistent
spinal hygiene program can minimize
the potential for back injury and
dysfunction, while benefitting the
joints of the extremities. Of course, the
ultimate in spinal hygiene is to practice
a comprehensive Pilates program on
the equipment and mat, as well as to
experience the valuable feedback of a
teacher in a private or class setting, but
when neither is available, performing
this five-to-10-minute spinal hygiene
series every day offers infinitely more
benefits than doing nothing. Not
only are these exercises designed to
develop mobility, promote circulation
and awaken muscles, they also provide
a few moments to pay attention to
your body and prepare it for your day
(or your Pilates session to come).
The following movements, which
work all the segments of the body
and explore all planes of motion,
were inspired by some wonderful
preparatory exercises developed by
Ron Fletcher, as well as traditional
exercises, such as the Mermaid,
Semi-Circle and Long Stretch. While
performing them, it is important to
be completely focused; this will take a
basic fundamental set of movements
to the level of a seasoned practitioner.
As always, it is essential to incorporate
deliberate breath and active deep-
abdominal engagement. If you know
that a movement is contraindicated for
you, make the appropriate modification.
For example, if you have been advised
to avoid flexion due to low bone
density, replace the rounded back
components with a flat back, or just
perform the extension part. If extension
movements provoke symptoms in your
lower back or legs, then place a pillow
under your abdomen for the exercises
performed facedown.
I invite you to explore changing
the order of the movements if that
makes sense for your body’s needs.
And feel free to experiment with your
own hygiene program, but as Clara
Pilates admonished Ron Fletcher
about any creative invention in the
realm of Pilates, “Just remember your
ABCs.” Above all, breathe, explore,
pay attention to your body and enjoy.
Remember to brush and floss, too! PS

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RON’S SEATED FOOT LIFT WITH
CONTRACTION OR HINGE
PURPOSE: encourages a vertical posture while sitting;
activates and strengthens the deep spinal extensors
(muscles along the spine); mobilizes the lumbar spine
(lower back) in flexion; develops core control
S E T U P : Sit tall, with your knees bent, feet shoulder-width
apart on the floor and hands under your thighs.

1. Lengthen your waist. Inhale, lifting your feet and

flexing your ankles, keeping your heels on the floor,
without collapsing in your spine.

2. Exhale, pulling your belly in and rounding your lower

back as you lean back.

3. Inhale, then exhale, lifting back to the vertical position.

4. Inhale, then exhale, lowering your feet. Do 6–8 reps.

SETUP–STEP 2

TIP: Use your biceps to help you sit taller and minimize
hip flexor tension.

If trunk flexion is contraindicated, hinge

M O D I F I C ATI O N :
back with a flat back, with your arms out to your sides at
shoulder height and palms down. (Try this as an enjoyable
variation, too!)

S T E P 5 .1 STEP 5.2

RON’S SIDE-BEND AND SPINE TWIST

PURPOSE: cultivates spinal rotation and side-bend motions
SETUP: Sit tall in a diamond position, with the soles of
your feet together and knees wide, and your fingertips
by your sides on the floor.

1. Inhale, bringing your right arm to your ear.

SETUP STEP 1

2. Exhale, side-bending to your left.

3. Inhale, returning to center.

4. Exhale, bringing your right arm back to the starting

position.

5. Exhale, placing your fingertips on your shoulders

before rotating your spine to your right.

6. Inhale, returning to center. Do 6–8 reps on both sides.

TIP: Keep your sit bones anchored to maximize precise

spinal mechanics.

Sit on a yoga block or other support to

M O D I F I C ATI O N :
promote a vertical position.

V A R I A T I O N : Pulse on the rotations like you would do in

STEP 2 Spine Twist on the mat.

pilatesstyle.com 57
LONG STRETCH–INSPIRED PLANK ON ELBOWS
PURPOSE: activates the stability
system of the entire body; stimulates the
serratus anterior muscles (muscles that
keep the shoulder blades connected to
the rib cage)
S E T U P : Get into Plank on your
forearms, with your fists together
underneath
erneath the top of your sternum.
1. Breathe deliberately as you rock shoulders as you go forward, and the
forward and back. Do 6–8 reps. opposite as you rock back.
T I P S : Do not allow your shoulder blades M O D I F I C ATI O N : Place your knees on
to “wing out” as you rock—round your the floor.
shoulder blades slightly forward on your
rib cage. Think of a subtle dorsiflexion ADVAN CE D : Extend one leg toward
of your ankles and extension of your the ceiling throughout.

STEP 1

UNILATERAL TICK TOCK

PURPOSE: promotes rotation of the lumbar spine with
the upper body undisturbed while avoiding torque of the
spine; elongates the hamstrings; prepares the body for
Single-Leg Circle on the mat
S E T U P : Lie on your back, with your right leg extended
toward the ceiling—Ron called this position “the
exclamation point”—and arms extended at shoulder
level, palms down.
T I P S : Make sure that your leg on the floor stays reaching
and engaged like a standing leg would be. Gently pull
your femur bone into its socket to maximize stability.
If the “exclamation point” position
M O D I F I C ATI O N :
cannot be achieved, slightly bend your knee.

1. Inhale, rotating your pelvis and lower spine to your left,

allowing your leg to cross your body.

2. Exhale, returning to the “exclamation point” position.

3. Inhale abducting your leg to your right side, holding

your pelvis still.

4. Exhale, returning to the “exclamation point” position.

Do 6–8 reps on both sides.

SEE IT IN ACTION!
Watch Jonathan demonstrate this
move at www.pilatesstyle.com.
SETUP–STEP 3

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PRONE KNEE FLEXION WITH HIP EXTENSION
PURPOSE: controls the excessive arch of the lower
back; lengthens the quadriceps; awakens and
strengthens the gluteus maximus; prepares the body
for Single-Leg Kick
S E T U P : Lie facedown with your forehead on your hands
and feet together.
1. Inhale, pulling your abdominal wall away from the floor
and bending your right knee to 90 degrees.

2. Exhale, lifting your thigh slightly off of the floor; hold

for a count of 3.

3. Inhale, lowering your thigh and extending your

knee to return to the starting position. Do 6–8 reps
SETUP
on both sides.

T I P S : Actively engage your buttock muscle before you

lift your leg. Do not try to lift your leg very high—it only
needs to clear the floor. Otherwise, there is too much
potential to strain your lower back.

M O D I F I C ATI O N : Place a pillow under your pelvis and

abdomen.
STEP 1

STEP 1

STEP 2

SWAN
STEP 2
PURPOSE: encourages active thoracic (mid-spine)
mobility into extension; strengthens the thoracic
extensor musculature; prepares the body for Pulling
Straps on the Reformer
S E T U P : Lie facedown, with your forehead on the floor,
feet slightly apart, arms at your sides and palms up.

1. Exhale, lifting your head and neck to align your body in

a straight “arrow” position.

2. Inhale, squeezing your shoulder blades together, lifting

your arms and arching your upper spine. Do 6–8 reps.

T I P S : Lift your entire abdominal wall off the floor

before you move. Do not allow your lower rib cage to
flare, causing a hinge where the thoracic and lumbar
spine meet.

If there is too much compression on your

M O D I F I C ATI O N :
lower back as you lift, place a pillow under your abdomen.

ADVAN CE D : Perform this exercise with your legs

together, and/or do a Swan Dive.

pilatesstyle.com 59
SEMI-CIRCLE-INSPIRED
SHOULDER BRIDGE
PURPOSE: improves spinal articulation
and trunk elongation
S E T U P : Lie on your back, with your feet flat
SETUP
on the floor and aligned with your sit bones,
arms by your sides and palms down.

1. Roll up to Bridge. Take a deep breath.

2. Reach your arms overhead, palms up.

Take a deep breath.

3. Keep reaching powerfully as you

articulate your spine back down. Take a
deep breath, then return your arms to STEP 1
the starting position. Do 6–8 reps.

TIP: When rolling down, reach your arms

back like you would on the Reformer
when reaching into the shoulder rests
during Semi-Circle.

If you have shoulder

M O D I F I C ATI O N :
issues, reach straight up toward the STEP 2
ceiling instead of overhead.

ADVAN CE D : Perform the exercise with

your legs together, or on one leg.

“LENSES” ON ALL FOURS

PURPOSE: promotes distributed motion
throughout the spine in flexion and
extension; enhances spinal position
proprioception
S E T U P : Get into a quadruped position, with
your wrists under your shoulders and knees
slightly apart under your hips.

1. Exhale, rounding your spine.

STEP 1

2. Inhale, arching your back. Do 6–8 reps.

T I P S : The goal here is to create concave

and convex lines in your body, suggesting
the even curve of a lens. When rounding
your back, emphasize the motion at your
lumbar (lower) spine, and then finish the
curve with a shallow flexion of the thoracic
(mid) spine. When arching, emphasize the
motion in your thoracic spine while avoiding
end-range extension of the lumbar spine.
Allow your head and neck to follow the line
of your spine throughout.

If flexion is
M O D I F I C ATI O N :
contraindicated, perform this exercise
STEP 2
from a neutral line to an arch.

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RON’S PLIÉ
P U R P O S E : promotes a vertical
standing posture; applies the benefits
gained from exercises performed lying
down to standing and walking
S E T U P : Stand tall, with your pelvis, rib
cage, neck and head in alignment, feet
together and arms by your sides.

1. Inhale, bending your hips, knees and

ankles while keeping your back straight
and heels down, and reach your arms
to shoulder height, palms in.

2. Exhale, straightening your knees

and lowering your arms to return to the
starting position. Do 6–8 reps.

T I P S : Use a mirror to check your

posture. Strive to perform this exercise
with the same precision and spinal
alignment as Footwork on the Reformer.

M O D I F I C ATI O N : Stand against a wall.

ADVAN CE D : Perform it on one leg.

SETUP STEP 1

JONATHAN OLDHAM is a Pilates teacher and physical therapist in the Denver metro area. He
studied and worked for many years at the Pilates Center of Boulder, and also worked extensively with Ron
Fletcher and the Fletcher Pilates Program of Study. Oldham strives to utilize these influences to reach each
individual client for their specific needs. For fun, he enjoys singing, cooking and eating natural foods, and ice
dancing. What he finds most enjoyable about teaching Pilates is developing fulfilling relationships with clients
and colleagues. For more information, visit www.altatherapies.com and www.puravidaclub.com.

pilatesstyle.com 61
 Forg
Forget
org #momfail! You can take care of baby and
yours
yourself
ours with this super-quick self-care routine that
will h
help you build strength and awareness—not
an achin’ back! While we can’t promise
you’ll
yo feel like you’ve had a full night’s sleep,
this Magic Circle series can be done anytime,
anywhere, even if nap time ends up being catnap
anyw
time.
tim Is there anything you can’t do, Momma?
by Christi Allen Franchini
edited by Amanda Altman

O nigh
One night, I was in the nursery
holding my baby girl, swaying from
side to side,
s and for some reason, I
decided to take my awareness and
concentration off her and onto myself.
concentr
I did a bo
body scan, and holy moly, was
quite sur
surprised to find myself standing
with horrific
horr posture! My pelvis was
thrusted forward, I was resting my
baby on my protruding stomach, and
my head was forward and down.
As I b
brought my pelvis back,
engaged my hips properly and
pulled mym stomach in and up, my
lower back
ba audibly popped back
in place. My arms felt lighter—and
so did B Baby Mikayla. But I couldn’t
maintain it.
I did Pilates the entire time I was
pregnant. I was super strong and had
pregnan
the easie
easiest, most beautiful pregnancy.
Labor, wwell, that was a different story.
Things d did not go as planned, and
my natural,
natur drug-free labor intentions
culminat
culminated in a C-section after 16
and one-
one-half hours. Could that have
somethin
something to do with my lack of
abdominal strength? It’s likely. But I’ve
also taught many pregnant women
and moms in my 14-year career, and
know that these poor habits of how
we hold our children develop, no
matter the delivery process. Thank
goodness these little bundles of
joy slowly gain weight, allowing our
bodies to adjust to carrying around
those extra pounds!
This workout came out of PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANETTE DE LLANOS; MODEL’S OWN CLOTHES
necessity to keep myself strong
and out of discomfort when doing
what I love most: holding and
loving my baby. The routine is done
standing, to give you the strength
and awareness to hold your bundle
so that your lower back is strong and
protected, your neck long and loose.
It’ll help you connect your arms
to your powerhouse so that you
are holding baby with your body,
without your arms “hanging off”
your neck. You’ll develop a strong
sense of standing and swaying from
side to side while keeping your legs
under your body, instead of shoved

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up into your back. Your tummy will get stronger to
support your back, arms and neck.
I’m not only a new mom—at the age of 40—and a
Pilates instructor, but a studio owner, too. After a glorious,
but short, maternity leave, I was right back to work. Time
has become an incredibly sensitive subject; balancing
being a mom and teacher, running a business and taking
care of myself is no easy feat. That’s why this routine
is short, sweet and to the point. It can also be done
anywhere, anytime—nap time, anyone?
It’s important to use resistance to help connect to
the right muscles. Here, I’m highlighting the Magic Circle
because it allows us to pull together the root of the
powerhouse (the pelvis-leg connection) that needs work
after baby, but also because when the hips are working
properly, the stomach and the back automatically do, too.
As a bonus, using the Circle in lieu of apparatus saves you
time—there’s no adjusting equipment. For those of you
with access to apparatus, check out the corresponding
exercises, which allow for the same resistance work but
add a bit more challenge.
I do this routine at least three times a week, but the
more often you do it, the better it is for you. To really
make it work for you, you have to take the strength and
awareness you’re developing and apply it! Check out the
“Dos and Don’ts” sidebar (on page 66) for a better idea of
how you should be holding baby (in the carrier, carrying
that awful car seat) and while pushing the stroller. Cheers
to your precious angel. But now it’s time to take care of his
or her precious mommy—that would be you. PS

SEATED MAGIC CIRCLE BETWEEN THIGHS

PROPS: Magic Circle, sturdy chair
PURPOSE: wakes the powerhouse; strengthens the leg-
to-pelvis connection; opens the chest; stretches the neck
while strengthening the upper back
S E T U P : Sit with your sit bones at the edge of a chair,
heels together and toes apart. Place the Circle between
your thighs, just behind your knees. Stack your hands
behind your neck, so your pinkies are under your occipital
bone (lower part of your head). Widen your shoulder
blades across your back, wrapping them toward your
armpits.

1. Begin to draw your sit bones together, engaging your

pelvic floor (or kegel) muscles.

2. Squeeze the Circle using your inner and outer thighs,

ON THE
deepening in your low belly, then your lower back, A P PA R ATU S
upper back and under your ribs; expand your ribs
wide, providing support for your shoulder blades and
connecting your arms to your torso.

3. Press your neck into your hands, and press up with your
hands into your neck and bottom of your head, imagining
that a string is lifting you to the sky.

4. Open your legs, resisting the Circle, keeping lift and

length in your body. Do 6–8 reps, breathing naturally
throughout.

T I P S : Keep the work out of your hip flexors: If the crease in

front of your hips is tightening, check the position of your
pelvis; you may need to sit forward or backward of your
sit bones. Keep your sternum relaxed—not elevated—to
maintain the proper arm connection and decrease neck
tension. As you squeeze, visualize your inner thighs pulling
in, and outer hips reaching long and around.

Place your arms on the chair by your

M O D I F I C ATI O N :
sides, and/or your feet in parallel, knees in line with STEP 2
your hips.

O N TH E A P PA R ATU S : Pumping (2 springs)

pilatesstyle.com 63
STANDING MAGIC CIRCLE
BETWEEN THIGHS
STEP 3
PROP: Magic Circle
P U R P O S E : same as Seated Magic Circle Between Thighs,
but also reinforces the oppositional strength used for
correct posture while standing
S E T U P : Same as Seated Magic Circle Between Thighs, ON THE
but stand tall, with your knees soft and weight slightly A P PA R ATU S
forward in your feet.

1. Repeat steps 1–3 of Seated Magic Circle Between

Thighs while standing.

2. Open your legs, resisting the Circle, keeping lift and

length in your body. Do 6–8 reps, breathing naturally
throughout.

T I P S : You want to feel the back of your arms wrapping

forward into your armpits, allowing your neck and upper
traps to be long and loose. Imagine that your inner thighs
are acting like a zipper pulling up, lifting the energy of
your sit bones while allowing your outer hips to reach
down, long and around.
STANDING MAGIC CIRCLE AT ANKLES
M O D I F I C ATI O N : Place your hands on your hips or at
your sides. PROP: Magic Circle
PURPOSE: wakes the powerhouse; strengthens the leg-
ADVAN CE D : Extend your arms to your sides at to-pelvis connection; reinforces the oppositional strength
shoulder height. used for correct posture while standing and swaying from
side to side
O N TH E A P PA R ATU S : Going up Front (2 springs) S E T U P : Stand tall, with the Circle between your ankles
and hands on your hips.

1. Begin to draw your sit bones together, engaging your

pelvic floor muscles.

2. Shift your weight to your right leg, staying lifted out of

that leg.

3. Squeeze the Circle using your inner and outer thighs,

drawing the energy into your pelvis, then your low belly,
lower back, up the back of your spine into your bra line
and out the top of your head.
ON THE
A P PA R ATU S
4. Release the squeeze, resisting the Circle and
reaching your leg down and away, while staying lifted
and strong in your body. Do 6–8 reps, breathing
naturally throughout, on both sides.

T I P S : When shifting onto one leg, avoid “dropping”

down into your leg and hip socket, which jams the leg
into the hip socket, ultimately teaching the leg to work
from the back, not the hips. Stay lifted and wrapped,
and use oppositional energy to reach down into the
floor while pulling in and up toward the sky.

Hold onto a pole, or even a broom

M O D I F I C ATI O N :
handle, for balance.

STEP 1 ADVAN CE D : Place your hands behind your head.

O N TH E A P PA R ATU S : Going Up Side (2 springs)

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STANDING MAGIC CIRCLE ARMS FRONT
PROP: Magic Circle
PURPOSE: strengthens the arm connection, so the arms
are sitting on the “shelf” of the ribs instead of “hanging
off” the neck, to provide the proper support for carrying
S E T U P : Stand tall, with your heels together and toes apart,
and your weight slightly forward in your feet. Place the Circle
in between your palms at hip height.
STEP 2
1. Imagine that there’s another Circle between your legs—
squeeze it with your hips.
2. As you take the energy “in and up” into your upper back,
squeeze the Circle with your arms, wrapping your shoulder
blades down and wide into your armpits.
3. Resist the release of the squeeze, keeping the in and up
sensation. Do 6–8 reps, breathing naturally throughout.
T I P S : Remember to think “hips”—this root of your
powerhouse is vital for setting the stage for the strength of
the back, and the arms working from the body. Keep your
chest open—avoid collapsing in your sternum. Finding a
relaxed position of the sternum gives the stomach the ability
to go in and up, connecting the upper and lower body.
ADVAN CE D : Do the exercise with your heels lifted.
VA R I ATI O N : Add pulsing.
O N TH E A P PA R ATU S : The Hug (arm springs at end
of Cadillac)
ON THE
A P PA R ATU S
pilatesstyle.com 65
DOS &
DON’TS
Learning how to hold your baby and
yourself is a crucial part of staying injury
free and feeling good. Maintaining a
strong center is the key to total-body
stability; it’ll help you keep your legs
under your body, support your arms and
stand tall. Here’s what to do—and what
to avoid.

DO:
t
Focus on evenly distributing your
weight among both legs.
t
Keep your inner thighs “zipped”
together and up.
t
Pull your abdominals in and up, and
into your upper back.
t
Allow your breath and ribs to expand
to your back and sides.
t
Keep you neck pulled back and up.
t
Stack your ears, shoulders and hips.

DON’T:
t
Stand on one leg while pushing your
hip out to the side.
t
Push out or tighten your abdominals
to create a place to rest baby.
t
Allow your arms to hang off your neck.
t
Sink your chest down.
t
Hang your neck down and forward.

MAGIC CIRCLE INTO STOMACH

PROP: Magic Circle
PURPOSE: strengthens the arm connection, so the arms
are sitting on the “shelf” of the ribs instead of “hanging
a
off” the neck, to provide the proper support for carrying,
o
especially to the front
e
S E T U P : Same as Standing Magic Circle Arms Front, but
place one of the Circle pads against your upper stomach
p
and ribs, hands stacked on the opposite pad.
a

1. Repeat steps 1–2 of Standing Magic Circle Arms Front.

2 Resist the release of the squeeze, keeping the “in and

2.
up” sensation. Do 3–4 reps, then switch the placement of
u
yyour hands (top hand goes under), and do 3–4 more.

T I P S : Be careful not to brace your stomach into the

Circle.
C Pull your stomach up into your back, which ties the
ribs
r tight. Keep your sternum relaxed, and the opposition
of
o your outer hips wrapping down and around, with the
rest
r of your energy used for zipping in and up.

ON THE O N TH E A P PA R ATU S : Boxing (arms springs at end

STEP 1 A P PA R ATU S of Cadillac)

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 STANDING MAGIC CIRCLE ARMS SIDE
PROP: Magic Circle
PURPOSE: strengthens the arm connection, so the arms
are sitting on the “shelf” of the ribs instead of “hanging
off” the neck, to provide the proper support for carrying,
especially to the side
S E T U P : Same as Standing Magic Circle Arms Front, but
place your palm, thumb in, on the Circle at your hip bone,
at a 45 degree angle in front of you. Keep your elbow
lifted, shoulder resting down your back. Extend your
opposite arm to your side, with your elbow in front of your
shoulder line and wrist below your elbow.

1. Squeeze your imaginary Circle between your hips,

taking the energy of the “in and up” into your upper back,
allowing your ribs to widen.

2. Squeeze the back of your arm down to squeeze the

Circle, keeping your neck long.

3. Resist the release of the Circle, staying long and

strong in your body. Do 6–8 reps, breathing naturally
throughout, on both sides.

TIP: Make sure your hand is not initiating the squeeze—

this would take you up into the front of your arm, then into
the front of your shoulder and into your neck.

M O D I F I C ATI O N : Rest your opposite hand on your hip.

O N TH E A P PA R ATU S : Long Back Arms Side (roll-back

STEP 2 bar at end of Cadillac)

It’s important to use

resistance to help connect
to the right muscles.
Here, I’m highlighting the
Magic Circle because it
allows us to pull together
the root of the powerhouse
(the pelvis-leg connection)
that needs work after baby,
but also because when the
hips are working properly,
the stomach and the back
ON THE
automatically do, too. A P PA R ATU S

pilatesstyle.com 67
MAGIC CIRCLE NECK STRETCHER
PROP: Magic Circle
PURPOSE: stretches and strengthens the neck and spine
S E T U P : Same as Standing Magic Circle Arms Front, but
place your palms under one Circle pad in front of your
ribs, and rest your chin on the opposite pad.
1. Squeeze your imaginary Circle with your hips, moving
the “in and up” energy into your upper back.
GEAR GUIDE
Stamina AeroPilates Magic Circle
($18.99; www.amazon.com)
Gratz Combination Wunda/Electric Chair and
Classic Cadillac in Aluminum ($2,575 and $4,275,
respectively; www.pilates-gratz.com)

2. Holding the Circle still with your arms, draw your chin
down against the pad, imagining that the back of your
neck is pulling back and up.

3. Deepen your stomach to resist the Circle while lifting

your head to the starting position. Do 4–6 reps, breathing
naturally throughout.

T I P S : Avoid pushing your head forward and down—pull

your neck back and up. You will feel your stomach lift
and your spine stretch.

O N T H E A P P A R A T U S : Neck Stretch with Push-Through

Bar (top spring; push-through bar on outside Cadillac)

ON THE
A P PA R ATU S STEP 2

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 CHEST EXPANSION
PROP: none
PURPOSE: opens the front body;
strengthens the arm connection to the
body; stretches the neck
S E T U P : Stand tall, with your heels
together and toes apart, weight slightly
forward in your feet and arms shoulder-
width apart in front of you at chest level.

1. Repeat step 1 of Magic Circle

Neck Stretcher.

2. Inhale, and begin to pull your

arms down and back, initiating the
movement with the back of your arms
while keeping your ribs wide.

3. Continue to inhale as your arms

pass your body. Feel like you
are pressing yourself through a
doorframe—keep your ribs knitted
together and wide, your stomach in
and sternum relaxed.
SETUP STEP 2
4. Keeping your neck stacked on top
of your shoulders, turn to the right,
then to the left.

5. Exhale, pushing your arms back

to the front. Do 4 reps, reversing the
direction of the neck turning each time.

T I P S : Make sure not to press your

hands through space, since the more
you use your hands, the more energy
will get trapped in your chest and neck.
Turn your neck from your neck—not
from your eyes and face. Use the same
strength and awareness you used
during the Neck Stretcher exercise.

M O D I F I C ATI O N : Press off a wall.

ADVAN CE D : Lift your heels.

O N TH E A P PA R ATU S : Kneeling Chest

O N T H E A P P A R AT U S 1 .1 O N TH E A P PA R ATU S 1. 2 Expansion (roll-back
l-back bar on Cad
Cadillac)

CHRISTI ALLEN FRANCHINI is a first-time mom to her five-month-old baby, Mikayla. Her
first “baby,” Pilates in Paradise, located in the Florida Keys, is 14 years old and now has four locations:
Ocean Reef, Key Largo, Islamorada and Marathon. Franchini’s fitness career started in personal training
and mat-based Pilates in 2000. In 2002, she was introduced to classical Pilates and fell in love. She traveled
to NYC to study with Romana Kryzownska and received her certification two years later from Romana's
Pilates. She continues to study the classical method from distinguished teachers from all over the world,
either traveling to them, or bringing them to her studio. Every year, Franchini hosts multiple workshops;
this December, she’ll be hosting the Pilates in Paradise Classical Conference 2016. For more information,
visit www.pilatesinparadise.net/classicalconference.

pilatesstyle.com 69
 11 WAYS
TO KEEP
YOUR
COOL THIS
SUMMER
Cruel, cruel summer? Don’t sweat it.
Read on for simple strategies to chill out.
by A.J. Hanley

You step outside and the oppressive heat hits you like a ton of
bricks. Your shorts stick to the back of your legs, and a trickle of
sweat makes it way down the center of your T-shirt. The really
sad thing is you haven’t even started your workout yet. Yeah, this
summer is going to be a blast…
While there’s nothing pleasant about sweat glands on
overdrive, they’re actually doing you a favor. Our bodies are
designed to be self-cooling, explains Mary Ruth Buchness, MD, a
dermatologist in New York City. “As perspiration evaporates from
the skin, it transfers the heat into the air, allowing you to maintain a
healthy body temperature.”
Add humidity to the mix, and that process can be more
problematic. When the air is saturated with water, sweat
evaporates more slowly, potentially triggering health issues that
range from headaches to heatstroke.
But you don’t have to lose your cool when the mercury is rising.
From thirst-quenching foods to feel-good beauty products, we’ve
found 11 surefire ways to help you beat the heat all season long.

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 DRINK UP. “Your body is
composed of about 60
percent water, which is SURVIVING AN
essential for all functions—
everything from digestion
and blood circulation to the
OUTDOOR WORKOUT
maintenance of body temperature,”
says Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD, “Exercising in a hot and humid environment puts extra stress on your
author of Diet Simple: 195 Mental body,” says Michele Olson, PhD, a certified Pilates teacher and professor
Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & of exercise science at Auburn University at Montgomery in AL. In an
Inspirations (LifeLine Press, 2011). attempt to cool off, it sends more blood to circulate through your skin,
“When it’s sweltering, a lot of those which leaves less oxygen-delivering blood for your muscles. Here, she
reserves are used to make and release provides strategies to get through your next sweat session.
all the sweat it takes to cool you down.”
To maintain the proper balance, TIME IT RIGHT. “It’s best to exercise in the earlier and later parts of
drink H20 and other fluids throughout the day when the heat and humidity have dropped,” Olson says.
the day—including soups, juices and
even tea and coffee. “Don’t wait until EASE INTO IT. Acclimatizing yourself to the increasing temperatures
you’re thirsty,” Tallmadge cautions. “At and humidity can be a good way to get up to speed. “Spend short
that point, you’re probably dehydrated.” amounts of time in the heat, such as five- to 10-minute walks around
Avoid alcohol, which has a diuretic effect, noon, and gradually build up your level of physical activity,” Olson
she says, and keep those ice trays filled: says. “As your body adjusts to the heat, you’ll sweat more efficiently,
“When water is cold, it goes through the reducing the heart rate response, and the potential for dehydration and
system more quickly than it does when electrolyte depletion.”
served at room temperature.”
JUST ADD WATER. “Sip ½ cup of H20 about 20 minutes before an
outdoor workout and then 1⁄3 cup every 15 to 20 minutes during your
GET OUT OF THE session,” says Olson. Post-workout, she advises placing a cold, wet towel
KITCHEN. Spending on the back of your neck. “The sensor for our body temperature control
less time standing over a system is in this area, so it can make the rest of your body think you’re cool.”
hot stove isn’t the only
reason to opt for lighter
fare in the summer.
About 15 to 20 minutes after eating a
heavy meal, your body will start
digesting and storing the calories,
which actually ends up raising your
core temperature, says Barry Swanson,
PhD, professor emeritus at the School
of Food Science at Washington State
University. “In fact, the larger the meal,
the more metabolic heat you generate
as your body breaks down the food.”
If you can’t stand the post-meal
warmth, go for easy-to-prepare
dishes that revolve around in-season HIT THE MAT. Pilates gives you a great full-body workout without
veggies and fruit. Those with a high raising your body temperature as much as other activities, Olson says.
water content, like cucumbers and Bonus: It’s usually done indoors in air conditioning!
watermelon, are not only hydrating, but
also easily digested, Dr. Swanson says.

CHILE OUT. While it may STREAMLINE YOUR

seem counterintuitive, BEAUTY ROUTINE. The
consider adding some staples that kept your
heat to those salads and skin soft and supple
cold soups. “Consumed during the winter months
in many countries close may be a bit much when
to the equator, hot peppers are it’s scorching outside. “If your
perceived as cooling foods because moisturizers or makeup are heavy,
they influence the body to perspire, you’re setting up a barrier, and can’t
thinning the blood and releasing effectively sweat and give off heat,”
heat,” says Dr. Swanson. says Elizabeth Hale, MD, clinical

pilatesstyle.com 71

COOL AIDS
Never let ’em see you sweat with these
beauty buys that will keep you looking
hot and feeling cool.
Air conditioning can’t be everywhere, but thankfully
these summer-proof products, which take advantage of
new technology or old-school ingredients, make staying
cool a breeze.
LIP SERVICE
Something to smile about: C.O. Bigelow
Mentha Lip Shine ($7.50 for .5 ounces;
www.bigelowchemists.com). Peppermint
oil makes you feel like you’re in a Dentyne
Ice commercial, plus it softens and protects
your pout.
A LEG UP
The menthol in Phytomer Cryotonic
Soothing Leg Gel ($52 for 5 fluid ounces;
www.lespausa.com) activates cold receptors in
the skin cells, while Centella asiatica enhances
blood circulation.
BEST FACE FORWARD
No more makeup meltdown! Thanks to a time-
release technology, Urban Decay Chill Cooling and
Hydrating Makeup Setting Spray ($30 for 4 fluid
ounces; www.sephora.com) cools the surface of the
skin, helping makeup stay put for up to 12 hours.
MASK APPEAL
Packed with calming cucumber,
chamomile and aloe, ClarityRx Cold
Compress Soothing Cucumber
Mask ($27.50 for 2 ounces;
www.clarityclinicalskincare.com)
brings instant relief to stressed-
out skin.
SKIN SAVER
Too much sun? It happens
even if you’re usually vigilant. The
chamomile and vitamin E in Coppertone
Sport AfterSun Moisturizer ($6.99 for 9 fluid
ounces; at drugstores nationwide) take the ouch
out of irritated skin, while antioxidants help build
up its defenses.
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associate professor of dermatology at
the New York University Langone
Medical Center. She advises switching
up your regimen—for example,
swapping your face lotion or cream for
a lightweight serum, or your usual
foundation for a tinted moisturizer or
CC (color-correcting) cream.
WALK THIS WAY. “With
a whopping half-million
sweat glands and
specialized blood vessels,
your feet are designed to
dissipate heat,” says
Mayde Wiener, DPM, a podiatrist in
West Palm Beach, FL. On warm days,
give your feet some air with barely
there footwear. “Living in Florida,
flip-flops are a must for me in hot
weather, but I make sure to wear the
most supportive styles and brands,”
she says. Foot-friendly thongs will have
arch support; a deep heel cup to
cradle the heel and absorb shock;
friction-free straps; good traction; and
skid-resistant outsoles. Two shoe-ins
for summer: Superfeet Outside
sandals ($59.95, www.amazon.com)
and ABEO Balboa sandals ($89.95;
www.abeofootwear.com).
BLOW OFF YOUR
DRYER. Heat-styling in
the sweltering heat? We’ll
pass. Allowing your
tresses to air-dry is an
easy way to start the day
sweat-free, says Renée Cohen, senior
stylist for Serge Normant at John
Frieda Salons in New York City. “To
remove moisture from hair without
creating frizz, blot hair with a T-shirt
rather than a towel.” Then apply a gel
or mousse that accentuates your
natural texture, along with a heat-
protecting product for frizz control.

The right attire offers shade when the
sun’s rays are beating down, helping
you feel cooler, Dr. Hale says. It seems
counterintuitive, but you’ll want to opt for
long sleeves and loose-fitting pants, not a
tank top and short shorts.
If hair falls below your shoulders,
keeping it off your neck is key to
staying cool. “I like a high top knot
right now, or you can gather hair in a
high pony then braid the tail,” Cohen
says. For shorter or layered styles,
she recommends pushing strands
back with a headband for some root
lift at the crown, then scrunching or
twisting the rest.
TAKE COVER. While you
may feel like tearing off all
your clothes during the
dog days, that might be a
mistake. The right attire
offers shade when the
sun’s rays are beating down, helping
you feel cooler, Dr. Hale says. Believe it
or not, you may want to opt for long
sleeves and loose-fitting pants, not a
tank top and short shorts. Seek out
loosely woven natural fabrics (cotton,
silk, linen) and flowy (read: cling-free)
silhouettes that allow air flow to
evaporate sweat.
When it comes to athletic wear, look
for ventilated styles and performance
fabrics designed to wick sweat away
from the skin. Dr. Hale also advises
investing in garments with UPF,
clothing pre-treated with UV-inhibiting
ingredients. “A regular white T-shirt
is an SPF 7; when it gets wet, it’s a 3.”
Meanwhile, a specialty sun-protective
garment may have an SPF of 50 or
more. And don’t forget sunglasses and
a hat: The CDC recommends one with a
brim of 3 inches or wider to fully shield
your face and neck.
SLATHER ON
SUNSCREEN. Bad for
your complexion and the
health of your skin, a
sunburn can also reduce
your ability to release
heat from your body. “When a burn
causes the skin to swell, the sweat
pores get blocked,” says Dr.
Buchness. “Using heavier-weight
formulas are fine on a hot day,” she
says. “The skin ‘breathes’ through the
blood that flows to it, not from the
air.” Dr. Buchness favors mineral
sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or
titanium dioxide. (Avoid chemical
formulas, which list ingredients like
avobenzone or oxybenzone on the
label.) Reapply a formula with an SPF
30 or higher at least every two hours
while in the sun.
TRY A TOUCH OF
MINT. For instant relief,
seek out grooming
products made with
menthol, an organic
compound made from
peppermint or other mint oils. “It
appears to trigger the cold-sensitive
receptors in the skin, making you feel
cooler instantly,” Dr. Hale says. She
adds that botanicals like aloe and
chamomile are proven soothers, as is
yogurt. (Its milk proteins bring temps
down.) Cucumber extract, too, can
decrease inflammation and draw the
heat out of skin.
GIVE ’EM A
SOAK. At the
end of the day,
pamper sweaty,
swollen soles with
a soothing
footbath. Wiener recommends adding
¼ to ½ cup of Epsom salts or sea salt to
a basin of cool or room-temperature
water, plus a few drops of antifungal tea
tree oil or invigorating peppermint oil.
CHILL OUT
BEFORE BED.
There’s nothing
remotely refreshing
about snoozing in a
puddle of sweat.
“The key to a good night’s sleep is
often as easy as regulating the
thermostat,” says Michael Breus, PhD,
author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan:
Lose Weight Through Better Sleep
(Rodale Books, 2011). “A growing area
of research has shown that the optimal
temperature for sleep is a core body
temperature between 65°F and 75°F.”
How to achieve that? “Your sleep
cycle is based on your core body
temperature, so start by maintaining a
consistent schedule,” he says. Refrain
from exercising two hours before bed,
and take a medium–cool or tepid
shower or bath before turning in.
Remove thick mattress protectors or
pads, which retain heat, and any heavy
blankets or duvets from your bed.
“When shopping for sheets and pillows,
look for fabrics made of natural fibers
like organic cotton, or high-tech ones
made to wick moisture and keep the air
flowing,” says Dr. Breus, who likes the
temperature-regulating technology of
Bedgear Performance Bedding. Finally,
if you don’t have AC in your room, be
sure to power on that fan. “Even on
a low setting, a light breeze blowing
across your room can work wonders,”
he says. PS
pilatesstyle.com 73
 Nice (Cream) to
Meet You!
It’s time you got acquainted with Variations
the latest frozen treat, made with For flavor variations, blend bananas in a food processor
until they are the consistency of soft serve ice cream, and
bananas as its base, not heavy then add the additional ingredients.

cream and sugar. Here, The Kitchn

NUT AND HONEY BANANA
bloggers Faith Durand and Sara ICE CREAM
Blend in ¼ cup almond or peanut
Kate Gillingham give us the scoop. butter and 2 tablespoons honey.
Yes, please—with a cherry on top!
STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM
BANANA ICE CREAM
Magic One-Ingredient Ice Cream Blend in 2⁄3 cup chopped frozen strawberries
and ¼ cup heavy cream until smooth.
We have some theories about why a recipe will go viral on the
internet. There is a certain combination of easy, cheap and weird
that causes a recipe to get passed from hand to hand, screen to CINNAMON DULCE BANANA
screen, in an explosive train of links, growing more popular than it ICE CREAM
would with any promotion we could throw at it. So it was with this Blend in 1⁄3 cup sweetened condensed
one-ingredient ice cream, which calls for nothing but bananas and milk and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
your food processor.
Blend the bananas long enough, and the fruit morphs into
creamy ice cream, with the texture of soft serve and the natural DARK CHOCOLATE BANANA
sweetness of fruit. This is one of the biggest hits we’ve ever had, ICE CREAM
and it’s time you tried it. Blend in 6 tablespoons cocoa powder, ¼ cup
(Serves 4) heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

2 POUNDS VERY RIPE BANANAS

ORANGE DREAMSICLE BANANA
1. Peel the bananas and cut them into small pieces (the ICE CREAM
smaller the better). Place them in a freezer-safe container. Blend in ½ cup orange juice, ¼ cup
(Line the container with parchment paper, or wipe a heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
little oil inside to help the pieces release more easily, if
desired.) Freeze the bananas overnight or until they are
completely solid.
NUTELLA BANANA NA
2. Place the frozen bananas in a food processor. Blend ICE CREAM
for 2–5 minutes, stopping frequently to scrape down Blend in 1⁄3 cup
the sides of the bowl. At first, the bananas will simply Nutella spread.
turn into smaller chunks, and then into a fine grit. Keep
blending, and add a spoonful of water if the banana
pieces get stuck on the blade. They will suddenly turn
into soft, creamy ice cream.
These creamy, dreamy recipes were
3. Eat the ice cream immediately, or return it to the taken from The Kitchn Cookbook
freezer to harden a little more. Banana ice cream can
by Faith Durand and Sara Kate
be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up
Gillingham. Photos by Leela Cyd.
to 2 weeks.

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pilatesstyle.com 75
 A
COMPLEMENTS

NG
KI H
MA
AS
PL
S
 A new breed of aqua-cardio classes is gaining
popularity. Pilates fans are finding they’re a great way
to round out their practice, especially now that it’s pool
weather. Bust out the swim cap.
by Sharon Liao

When it comes to water workouts, many
people picture senior citizens splashing
around at the YMCA pool. But a new batch
of aqua-based cardio workouts, including
running, dance and boot camp classes, are
actually as challenging as many of their land-
based counterparts. “These are high-intensity
routines,” says Aida Johnson-Rapp, a Pilates
instructor and director of group exercise at
East Bank Club in Chicago.
At her fitness center, she teaches
strengthening and fast-paced conditioning
classes in the pool. “But because of the
buoyancy of water, they’re also low-impact and
gentle on the joints,” she explains. Because
of these factors, water-based cardio classes
are growing in popularity at studios, gyms and
fitness centers across the country.
“We also do suspension moves where the feet
don’t touch the pool floor,” says Cherdieu
D’alexis. “You have to engage your entire core
to keep your body stable and stop it from
floating away.”
The result: You build more muscle in the
water while burning the equivalent amount of
calories you would in the same class on dry
land. “Once you master the movements, such
as kicks in the water, you can really get your
heart pumping,” says Cherdieu D’alexis. “In my
hour-long class, you can burn about the same
as a regular Zumba class.”

NEWS ON THE WATER FRONT

Water’s buoyancy can also add an extra
challenge to a workout in comparison to doing
it on the studio floor, says Nancy Brouillette,
owner of Wet Yet? Water Fitness in Rockville,
MD. She teaches a number of cardio classes
in the pool, such as boot camp, deep-water
running, conditioning and core strengthening.
“In boot camp, our toughest class, we
start with high-intensity drills, plyometrics
and calisthenics in the shallow water,” says
Brouillette. This 30-minute workout is followed
by 15 minutes of strengthening moves using
aqua weights and pool noodles. “For example,
we’ll do a simple cross-country skiing move
with the arms and legs,” she says. “We’ll
gradually shorten the leg distance until your
feet are side by side. Its takes tremendous
core strength to stabilize the body in the water
while your arms are moving at a good pace.”
Resistance and buoyancy are also factors
in the liquid-based version of Zumba, dubbed
Aqua Zumba. “It’s still the same high-energy
dance routine set to fun music, but it’s done in
chest-high water,” explains Edmee Cherdieu
D’alexis, an Aqua Zumba instructor and
co-founder of Z Club NY. “While we can’t
move quite as fast as on land, the water adds
another dimension.” Case in point: Water’s
resistance transforms one of Zumba’s signature
steps—a classic side-to-side lateral shuffle—
into an inner-and-outer-thigh-toning move.
JUST ADD WATER ABOVE: THE WATER'S
Even indoor cycling is going underwater. RESISTANCE MAKES
Esther Gauthier first tried an aqua cycling class CYCLING IN A POOL EVEN
in—of all places—her notoriously gym-averse MORE CHALLENGING THAN
hometown of Paris, France. “I immediately PEDALING ON LAND.
fell in love,” Gauthier says. “It was a thorough
workout, but felt gentle on my body.”
After returning to New York City, Gauthier
opened her own water-based cycling venue
called Aqua Studio. In the classes, students
pedal on stationary bikes while submerged
in chest-deep water. The addition of H20 can
change the experience entirely. Unlike regular
indoor cycling classes, students must also
work against the water’s resistance. “It’s a
challenging total-body workout that gets your
heart pumping,” says Gauthier.
“Like regular cycling classes, we pedal to
a fun soundtrack,” she adds. “The difference

pilatesstyle.com 77

PILATES
GETS WET
Soon you’ll also be able to do Pilates in the pool, thanks to
Immersion™ Pilates Aquatics™. This program was created by
Jennifer M. Stacey, MS, an exercise physiologist, biomechanist,
second-generation Pilates teacher and owner of Peak Performance
Pilates in San Francisco. With Immersion Pilates Aquatics, clients do
the classic Pilates repertoire in the water using a patent-pending
device Stacey invented. “The water adds an extra proprioceptive
challenge that makes you instantly access your center,” she
explains. Being in water also allows you do the advanced repertoire
more easily and earlier than on land, and even if you have injuries.
Stacey is currently offering teacher-training programs, so look for
Immersion Pilates Aquatics at a facility near you in the near future.
For more information, visit www.peakperformancepilates.com.
is that, in the pool, you have to work against
the water. It’s 1,000 times more dense than
air, which makes it tougher than a regular
Spinning class.”
Gauthier’s Aqua Studio routine also uses
this resistance as a tool for arm- and core-
strengthening exercises. “We’ll lean back and
forth while dragging the arms through the
water,” she explains. Simply spreading and
closing your fingers can adjust the amount of
resistance that you need to work against.
LIQUID BENEFITS
Proponents of aqua cardio classes say that
doing them in the water offers a number of
advantages. Scientists have found that aqua
workouts may have an advantage when it
comes to weight loss and overall toning. One
2009 study published in Medicine & Science
in Sports & Exercise found that people who
trained on an underwater treadmill increased
their lean body mass by more than those who
did the same workouts on a regular treadmill.
What’s more, nine of the 10 underwater-
running participants said that they preferred
exercising in the pool than on land.
A 2012 study from Canada’s Montreal
Heart Institute found that exercising in the
water may be more effective at strengthening
the heart than regular routines. After having
people do the same cycling workout in the
pool and on land, the researchers discovered
that the participants used the same amount of
oxygen—but fewer heartbeats—in water. That
means your heart may work more efficiently
in H20, pumping more blood with each
beat, explain the study authors. “This cardio
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element makes aqua workouts a great option
for rounding out a Pilates practice,” says
Johnson-Rapp.
Along with the heart-strengthening
challenge, pool-based classes are gentle
on the body. “Because the buoyancy of the
water is supportive, it’s an excellent low-
impact workout,” adds Johnson-Rapp. “Your
joints don’t bear the same amount of pressure
as they do on land.” As a result, water
workouts are accessible to a wider group
of people, including those recovering from
injuries and with joint issues, such as people
with arthritis.
“In my classes, I have a wide variety of
students,” says Brouillette. “They range from
athletes who are rehabbing an injury to older
people who are looking for a gentle form of
exercise, to super-fit students wanting to try
something new and exciting.”
Beyond the physical benefits, there’s also
the mental perk of floating suspended. “There
is something very relaxing and rejuvenating
about being in the water,” says Gauthier,
who notes that the swirling motion of the
aqua massages your body as you move. “It’s
like a lymphatic massage, which I’ve found
has reduced swelling.” You also stay cooler
in the pool, so you’re less likely to become
overheated or uncomfortable. That, in turn,
allows you to work out harder, she says.
In a per fect world,
experts recommend
mixing up Pilates and
aqua cardio sessions
every week.
THE POOL-PILATES
CONNECTION
These low-impact workouts offer a major
cardio challenge, which makes them an
appealing option for Pilates practitioners.
“Aqua cycling has a great synergy with
Pilates,” says Gauthier. “One of my students
is a Pilates studio owner, and she told me

that she recommends that her clients take
my class because it adds the missing cardio
element while still being completely safe for
the body.” In fact, aqua cycling first began
as a tool for physical therapists in Italy,
Gauthier reports.
Aqua workouts can also serve as an
excellent counterpoint to the method. While
Pilates classes emphasize concentration
and focus on the mat and apparatus, many
pool-based cardio classes revolve around
fast-paced moves set to high-energy music.
“You’re moving across the pool at a fast pace,
which is great cross-training,” says Johnson-
Rapp. “It’s a fun way to let loose, and it’s a nice
change of pace.”
In a perfect world, experts recommend
mixing up Pilates and aqua cardio sessions
every week. “The ideal balance would be
Pilates three to four times a week and Aqua
Zumba two times,” says Cherdieu D’alexis.
A CORE ADVANTAGE
Aqua cardio instructors all agree that Pilates
practitioners have a clear advantage in their
classes, thanks to their strong powerhouses.
“You’re constantly using your core in the
pool,” says Cherdieu D’alexis. “Because the
water is always swirling and moving, you
constantly have to engage your center to avoid
being pushed from side to side.”
Pilates practitioners’ understanding of
body alignment is also an asset. “If you
have an understanding of where your body
is in the water, you’re able to perform the
movements correctly,” says Brouillette. “That
helps you really engage the targeted muscles,
OPPOSITE PAGE: BILLED
AS "POOL PARTIES," AQUA
ZUMBA CLASSES ARE ALSO
OFFERED IN THE OCEAN.
AT LEFT: WATER
WORKOUTS ALLOW YOU
TO EXERCISE HARDER
WITHOUT PUTTING STRESS
ON YOUR JOINTS.
so you’ll have a more efficient workout.” This
intersection between Pilates and pool-based
workouts can help practitioners feel more
comfortable as soon as they suit up.
DIVING RIGHT IN
Want to try an aqua cardio class? Look for them
at your local health club, fitness center or YMCA,
as well as boutique studios. For Aqua Zumba,
click on “find a class” at www.zumba.com. Most
of these 45-minute to hour-long classes cost the
equivalent of their dry-land versions.
The advantage of these pool workouts
is that you don’t need much gear to get
started. Just look for a secure swimsuit that
you feel comfortable in. “That string bikini is
probably not the best idea,” laughs Cherdieu
D’alexis. “You want something that you can
move around in”—without worrying about any
slippage. Men should try briefs (though steer
clear of the briefest styles) or boxer briefs, for
a little more coverage.
Ask the instructor in advance if you need
any other props; some classes may require
water shoes, goggles or a swim cap. Also
don’t forget to toss a water bottle in your
bag, adds Cherdieu D’alexis. “You may not
realize that you’re working up a sweat in the
pool, but it’s important to stay hydrated
throughout the class.”
The last thing that instructors recommend
packing is an open attitude. “There is a short
adjustment period where you have to learn
how to move in the water,” says Gauthier. But
once you get the hang of things, you’ll find
that the classes—and their many benefits—will
go swimmingly. PS
pilatesstyle.com 79
 RULING CLASS
PROZONE

Making mat classes fun, dynamic and effective will help

you attract clients and enhance your bottom line.
by Anne Marie O’Connor

“For Joseph Pilates, the matwork was what we should all aspire to do, and do well,” says Joy Puleo,
education programming manager for Balanced Body. “In his book, Return to Life, he boasts of the
profound positive physical transformations that occur through the matwork,” she notes.
“For a while, simply offering Pilates mat ensured a full roster, but the classes are no longer easy
and guaranteed sells,” says Puleo. “Time, rote repetition, and the rise and fall of other fitness fads
have made them harder to market.”
For the studio owner, it can be hard to convince clients who can take mat classes for “free”
at their gym to sign up for studio-based mat sessions. Instructors at health clubs and those
who teach other open classes face another issue: “You have people who’ve been taking class
for eight years in the same class with someone who has never taken a class before,” says
Blossom Leilani Crawford, the owner of Bridge Pilates, who also has taught a mat class at the
Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn for 12 years. “In my class, I have everyone from young
dancers to 65-year-old ladies.”
For advice on overcoming these obstacles and teaching mat classes that are enjoyable,
interesting and challenging, we asked four highly experienced teachers for their best tips.

JOY PULEO BLOSSOM CRAWFORD AMANDA JESSE COURTNEY MILLER

1.
M I X I T U P.
“If you simply repeat the same exercises
in the same order every time, you run the
risk of becoming too monotonous and boring,”
fresh and interesting. “Our clients mention this
on pop-up evaluations time and time again,”
she adds.

2.
says Puleo. “Making classes dynamic, with a
sense of light spontaneity, can liven any class
situation. The most popular classes I have ever
had are the ones which I make diverse and fun.”
“For me, what’s challenging is to not do the
same thing every frickin’ time,” says Crawford.
“If you change it up a bit, it keeps everyone on
their toes. It has to be a good balance of the
routine—the parts people are used to and that
have some flow—and the parts where you work
on something new.”
Amanda Jesse, director of education
at Personal Best Pilates Studio in Overland
Park, KS, also emphasizes the importance of
designing choreography so classes always feel
USE A VARI E T Y OF SE TU P
POS I T I ONS T H ROU G H OU T.
“Although there is tremendous
benefit to working in a supine, prone or side-
lying position, I love the functional nature
of four-point kneeling, balance work and
standing exercises,” says Courtney Miller, an
international instructor and teacher trainer
whose mat workout videos are among the
most popular on Pilates Anytime. “I believe
that by recreating patterns similar to what
one experiences in everyday life—including
coordination challenges, whole-body
integration and dynamic movements—we
effectively present an opportunity to teach

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 Pilates principles in a real-life way, yet in a
controlled and safe environment.”
3.
I F P OS S I B L E, M ATC H T H E
C L AS S W I T H T H E S T U D E N T ’ S
ABILITY LEVEL.
“Attending a class that is too easy or too
difficult increases the likelihood that a client
would not connect with the class,” says Jesse.
“We strive to match the client with the class
that is appropriate for their ability.”
4.
GIVE OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE.
“In mixed-level classes, you need to
offers adaptations to the movements
to appropriately challenge all the clients,” says
Jesse. “The teacher should give a more difficult
variation of a movement for the more advanced
client and a more basic version for someone
CLASS PHOTO COURTESY OF PILATES ANYTIME
who needs it.”
For instance, says Crawford, if the students are
holding onto their legs in Teaser position, “I’ll say,
‘just stay here and breathe for three breaths. If you
want to make it harder, reach your arms.’ Giving
variations within class is a great way to do it.”
5.
SAY T HE SAM E T HI NG 100
DI F F ERE NT WAYS .
“The three most common styles
adults learn [through] are auditory, visual and
kinesthetic,” explains Jesse. “So we teach our
teachers to offer cues in these three different ABOVE: BLOSSOM
styles by saying, showing and then helping the LEILANI CRAWFORD CUES
client. Instead of telling the client to engage the STUDENTS THROUGH THE
abdominal wall 1,500 times in a class, we try to TEASER FOR A CLASS ON
say the same thing in several different ways to PILATES ANYTIME.
include as many learning styles as possible.
“I also find it helpful to come up with cues
that make students snicker a little, as it keeps
the class lighter and ensures that they are
listening,” Jesse says. “I will say, ‘tighten your
abs like I am going to stand on them’—then I
might walk over to a client to make them think
I will. Or I’ll say, ‘engage your abs like I just set
a 10-pound bag of potatoes on your stomach,
I have potatoes in my office.’”
6.
C R E AT E POP U L AT I ON-SP EC I F I C
CL ASSES .
One way to retain current clients and
attract new ones is to offer classes geared
toward specific groups of clients, at times that
make sense for them, Puleo says.
For instance, offer an early morning class
for more athletic clients who want to work
out before they go to work; schedule pre/
postnatal and senior classes mid-morning.
Some of the most popular offerings these
days, according to Puleo: active aging; props
and toys; circuits; higher-intensity fitness-
themed classes for more athletic students.
“With these classes, adding some higher-
pilatesstyle.com 81

BELOW: THE MAGIC intensity interval training helps greatly,” says
CIRCLE CHALLENGES Puleo. (For more information, see #13.)
STUDENTS AT A BALANCED
7.
BODY MAT CLASS. I NCORPOR AT E PROPS .
Props can “enhance range of motion,
OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP TO create more strength challenges and
BOTTOM: MILLER LIKES be more dynamic when working flexibility,”
TO INCLUDE STANDING says Puleo. “They can make a stretch easier
MOVES IN HER CLASSES, to achieve or add a level of intensity, and be
INCLUDING THIS ONE AT used to build progressions. Props also focus
THE MOVEMENT SOCIETY IN attention. When class starts to get boring,
PERTH, AUSTRALIA, DURING adding props re-energizes the work.”
AN INTERNATIONAL Her favorite is the Pilates Arc. “There are
TEACHING TOUR; SHE ALSO simply so many ways to use the Arc to create
USES RESISTANCE BANDS a diverse and challenging class.”
AND TONING BALLS TO Miller is a fan of resistance bands.
ADD INTEREST. “They take up zero space yet offer so many
challenging variations that will work the body
from head to toe,” she says. “They can also
be used to stretch, and many apparatus-
inspired exercises can be recreated.”
8.
FOR L ARG E CL ASSES AT A
GYM, G E T A N ASSISTA NT OR
VERBALLY TE ACH.
“It can be a challenge to teach large gym
classes,” Jesse acknowledges. “They’re frequently
very large, and therefore clients don’t receive
as much feedback on form, appropriate safety
modifications or variations, which can result in
injuries and dropouts. My advice for instructors
at gyms would be to limit class size or get an
assistant to help with form. Also, instructors can
verbally teach and watch the class, and do short
demos when necessary, rather than perform at
the front of the room” the whole time.
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9.
PI CK A T HEM E .
“Giving classes a goal or theme are
ways to enhance the pleasure of a class
environment, while giving participants variety,”
says Puleo.
“As I walk to the class, I think about what
I’m going to work on that day,” says Crawford.
“Are we going to be doing twisting moves, are
we working on our side body, our feet or doing
weight-bearing work like push-ups or lunges?
Or I’ll ask the class, what do you want to work
on. Arms? So we’ll do arms today.”
10.
PL A N A “SEM EST ER .”
Crawford often sets a long-
term goal for mat students. “I’ll
pick an exercise, like Figure 8 Teaser, that’s
really difficult for the group. From January
to summer, say, they know this is what we’re
working toward. We just keep working at it and
eventually they get better at it. Setting the goal
helps people keep their head in the game.”
11.
COM E U P WI T H FU N NAM ES .
Instead of straightforward names
like “basic mat” or “intermediate
mat,” “give classes fun names that reflect
not only their content, but your personality
and style,” advises Puleo. “Make them
applicable to the intended population. If you
are looking for the youth market, the name
needs to resonate with them, for example,
Pilates: Lean and Beautiful for the youth
market or The Ultimate Weekend Warrior for
a weekend class for men. Short, catchy and
powerful names usually do the trick.“
 "When we trust the
method, when we
understand it, and when
we bring to it our 21st
century understanding of
biomechanics, it works."

12.
JUST ADD MUSI C.
“Music every now and again THE ABCS OF MAT CLASSES:
Teaching Beginners
changes it up a bit,” says Crawford.
“I plan a day where we bring a drummer in to
make it a little more interesting for the client.
Another teacher I know has live music.”

13.
SE T U P A CI RCU I T-T R AI N I NG
CL ASS .
Set up stations using props to
create a circuit-training environment, which
MAGIC CIRCLE PHOTO COURTESY OF BALANCED BODY; BAND PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MOVEMENT SOCIETY (WWW.MVMTSOCIETY.COM.AU);
Pilates newbies can find their first few mat classes overwhelming,
but they can be equally challenging for the teacher. “I think some
instructors find it difficult to balance teaching proper technique
and not overwhelming the new student,” says Amanda Jesse. But

will appeal to more athletic clients, Puleo
suggests. “If you are expecting a class of 30
people, put 10 balls, 10 rollers and 10 bands
in strategic pods around the room. I assign
participants to a station, have them perform
that move for 30 seconds to one minute, then
have that group move to the next station.”
You can also add a two- to five-minute
cardio training interval by including a step, or
have students do basic calisthenics such as
jumping jacks or plyometrics—anything that
will get the heart rate going, she suggests.
these tips can make beginner classes your favorites. (Jesse says
she loves her beginner students.)
BE WELCOMING. “Beginner clients have preconceived ideas about
what to expect, so I try to set up an atmosphere that is welcoming and
inclusive; I encourage questions and levity,” says Jesse. “I make a point
of knowing their names and try to make them feel comfortable.”
START WITH THE BASICS. “I teach newcomers Pilates as if I
were teaching them a new language—we start with very basic
movements and build from there so that the client has a thorough
understanding of the movement without risking injury.”

14.
KEEP U P YOU R E NT HUSI ASM .
“As a Pilates professional, there are
qualities that set you apart from
everyone else, so don’t focus on competing, but
instead, shine doing what you do best,” says
Miller. “Staying inspired and passionate about
Pilates is an absolute must. People can feel this
energy, and it will attract them to your classes.
Be authentic to yourself, teach what you love,
and never stop learning.”
GO FOR THAT GRADE-SCHOOL FAVORITE, A HANDOUT. “Sometimes
I write the exercises down, and give beginners a handout,” says
Blossom Leilani Crawford. “I feel like all the terminology is a bit
overwhelming, so sometimes a handout helps, because it gives
them a clear idea of what you’re working on.”
REQUIRE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR A PACKAGE. “I like to make
people—especially beginners—sign up for a series,” says
Crawford. “You want people to keep coming and trying it; if they
try Pilates more than once, they’ll usually like it.” As an incentive,
she offers a bonus class. “I’d have people sign up for a series of

15.
T E ACH P I L AT ES . say, six classes, but I make the seventh one free.” She also points
“The fundamentals system of the out it means a more certain income stream for her as a teacher.
method by and large, works,” Puleo
notes. “When we remember this, our classes are
full, fun and challenging. When we lose our way
and try to anticipate what we think our clients, or
bosses, want, we fall short and classes suffer. But
when we trust the method, when we understand
it, and when we bring to it our 21st century
understanding of biomechanics, it works. If the
client moves as well as they can today and better
than they did yesterday, we did a great thing
toward enhancing their physical experiences
tomorrow.” PS

pilatesstyle.com 83
 The Seeker
POWERHOUSE
Wendy Leblanc-Arbuckle,
a veteran teacher of
Pilates, yoga and somatic
movement and the
founder of the Pilates
Center of Austin, has
devoted her life to
redefining core as a whole-
being relationship with
gravity, ourselves, others
and the environment.
by Anne Marie O'Connor
Pilates Style: Where did you grow up?
Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle: My mom’s
Australian, and my dad’s from New Orleans;
I was born in Melbourne in 1947, but we
moved to New Orleans when I was six. After
high school, I attended the University of New
Orleans, but left after a year—college just
didn’t resonate with me.
PS: Before you became a Pilates teacher,
you were a yoga teacher. How did you first
get interested in yoga?
Wendy: I was living in the French Quarter and
became friends with Rudolph Ballentine, a
colleague of the great yogi, Swami Rama of
the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA. I was
hungry for a deeper understanding of whole-
body awareness. I first went to Honesdale in
1974 and have continued to study there for
many years, as well as with other inspiring
teachers in several yoga traditions.
ABOVE: “THIS IS A
MOVEMENT THAT MY PS: How did you get involved in
BODY CREATED, PLAYING macrobiotics?
WITH GRAVITY AND Wendy: Michio Kushi, a visionary
GROUND REACTION macrobiotic teacher, came to give a lecture
FORCE, USING JUST in New Orleans. At the end, they served a
ENOUGH EFFORT TO SIT meal—a savory seaweed broth with carrot
UP,” WENDY EXPLAINS. flowers. My mind went boom! I knew I had
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to study the energetics of whole food, so I
moved to Boston to study macrobiotics at
the Kushi Institute.
A year and a half later, I moved back to
New Orleans and opened the East/West
Center, where I taught macrobiotics and
private yoga sessions. My husband Michael
and I then created the Macrobiotic Center of
Louisiana, which had a whole-foods cooking
school, a restaurant and a delivery service.
(See sidebar on page 86 for more on Michael.)
PS: How did you discover Pilates?
Wendy: In 1989, we joined a group of
partners to create NOVA Institute, an
international health retreat center in Estes
Park, CO. Shortly afterward, I met Amy Alpers
at a Landmark Education seminar. Amy and
her sister Rachel Segel had trained with
Romana Kryzanowska and had just opened
the Pilates Center of Boulder. I immediately
knew I wanted to study Pilates, so three
times a week, I drove an hour down the
mountain to their studio. Romana was helping
them start a certification program, so I had
the opportunity to study with her and her
protégé, Steve Giordano. Over the years,
I went to New York for further studies with
Romana. I received my certification in 1993.
 PS: What are your favorite memories of the
five Pilates Elders—Romana, Kathy Grant,
Ron Fletcher, Mary Bowen and Lolita San
Miguel—you studied with?
Wendy: I deeply appreciate studying with
Romana. She tended to be very dogmatic,
but she was a great storyteller, a passionate
teacher, so energetic, so inspiring to be
around. She so loved being a Grand Dame…
but also loved to show you that she could
wiggle her ears.
Kathy was rigorous, yet so much fun, and
had so much courage, teaching tirelessly even
with the pain of osteoarthritis. She explained
that Joseph Pilates wanted people to have
more muscular bodies, because his body was
muscular. She said, “Remember, Mr. Pilates
created Contrology for the military—we don’t
have to do that his way.” She respected Joe,
but wasn’t caught in doing an exercise only
one way. For instance, she did Monkey on the
Cadillac with no springs.
Kathy was also the Prop Queen. She would
make her own props, using soup cans, old
springs, large balls, small balls, straps. On
the other hand, Romana was very anti-prop.
“That’s not Pilates!” she would say.
Ron and I became really good friends when
he retired to Texas. In one of the first classes
I took with him, he walked up to me and said,
“You look like you know something.” What a
great compliment! We talked a lot over the
years about life and Pilates.
Mary’s contribution is so special because
she’s also a Jungian analyst. She brings a way
of seeing the whole person, and to people
seeing themselves newly. She’s so willing to
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WENDY LEBLANC-ARBUCKLE
Many teachers have a fear of not being “Pilates
perfect.” When they have permission to let go of
that perfection and be guided by their body wisdom
with an expanded perception of themselves and
others, their personal practice and teaching become
congruent with who they are as human beings.
explore movement through her body wisdom. BELOW: WENDY HAS
She has contributed so much to my growth as STUDIED WITH FIVE OF
a person and as a Pilates practitioner. THE PILATES ELDERS,
I’ve enjoyed Lolita’s approach to teaching, INCLUDING (CLOCKWISE
too. She is so graceful and has been willing to FROM TOP LEFT): LOLITA
stand up and express how important it is that SAN MIGUEL; MARY
we honor the many lineages in Pilates. We’ve BOWEN; KATHY GRANT;
had great experiences together. ROMANA KRYZANOWSKA;
I’ve been very honored to have Kathy, Ron, AND RON FLETCHER.
Mary and Lolita attend my workshops over
the years.
PS: Have you gotten any deeper insight into
Joe from working with people who knew
him firsthand?
Wendy: There is a lot of mythology
about what Joe taught. Romana
never acknowledged that each of the
Elders, including her, taught their own
interpretation of Joe’s work. But when you
watch Joe’s own workouts and the mat
classes in the archival film Mary Bowen
put together, you see that he just wanted
to get people moving. He’s not snapping
pilatesstyle.com 85
 Partner in Pilates, Partner in Life: Michael Arbuckle
Like Joseph Pilates, Wendy LeBlanc-
Arbuckle has worked side-by-side with
her spouse Michael Arbuckle for much
of her career. “Michael and I have
been married and worked together for
30 years, and he has been my greatest
teacher,” she says.
The couple met in 1985 at a
workshop with visionary teacher, Jean
Houston, in New Orleans. “Michael
was talking to a mutual friend, and
when I went over and met him, there
was this energy,” Wendy recalls. “At
the beginning of the workshop, Jean
asked us to close our eyes and move
to the music. Then when the music
stopped, you opened your eyes and
were supposed to do exchanges with
whomever you were near. Michael was
right there in front of me!
“He confessed later he had never
closed his eyes! We fell in love that
weekend.” The two have been pretty
much inseparable ever since, and got
married six months later, in 1986.
At the time, Michael, a talented
woodworker, was making toys and
sculptures, and owned a successful
gallery in New Orleans. But he soon
also began helping co-manage
Wendy’s East/West Center, which
they expanded to The Macrobiotic
Center of Louisiana. The two were later
co-partners in the NOVA Institute in
Colorado, and until recently, Michael
managed the Pilates Center of Austin.
His creative talents and woodworking
skill also came in handy. “I first got my
equipment from
Steve Giordano, who
was working with
Romana, but there
were problems. So
I asked Michael to
make me something,
and he began to
research the specs.
Around that time, I
was studying with
Romana in New York
and mentioned to
her that Michael
was researching
equipment. She
said, ‘He should just
come up and measure everything.’ So She did, and in the process, they
he did, and he made me a gorgeous both realized they would make great
Reformer and Chair. Then some other collaborators, and that’s how Peak
teachers asked, will he make me Pilates was born.”
something? So with no advertisement, In 2003, when Julie decided to
his business, Dynamic Fitness Systems, launch Peak’s certification program,
began building a clientele, mostly Michael decided he wanted to
through word of mouth because it was simplify his life and sold out to her.
so beautiful and functioned so well.” Today, Michael is retired, but is
Michael eventually expanded from preparing to get back into his artistry
a workshop in their home to a larger and sculpture in the couple’s new
warehouse, when one day in 1998, an home in Asheville, NC.
employee sparked a massive fire that “Michael has taught me that integrity
destroyed everything—including all is the soil that grows an authentic, loving
his templates and all the equipment being,” Wendy says. “The way he has
he had ready to ship. “It was lived a fully alive, contributing life in
devastating,” Wendy says. “After we spite of his own sometimes debilitating
got over the shock of it, he contacted challenges with PTSD has inspired not
Julie Lobdell of Progressive Body only my life’s work, but opened both
Systems in Boulder and asked her for our hearts to the wonder and mystery of
help replacing the lost equipment. being partners for life. ”

ABOVE: WENDY AND his fingers and counting time, like Romana
MICHAEL ARBUCKLE, HER taught, because she was a dancer and he
HUSBAND OF 30 YEARS, was a boxer!
WHOM SHE CALLS “HER I also discovered from talking to all of
GREATEST TEACHER.” the Elders that Joe never taught the Pilates
breath—“inhaling through your nose,
exhaling through your mouth.” All he said was
“exhale completely, and squeeze every ounce
of air out of your body.” I discovered that
“inhale nose/exhale mouth” actually came
from Romana.
PS: How did you end up in Austin?
Wendy: When the Nova Institute closed in
1992, we were looking for a place to relocate.
Our dear friend Mary Anderson suggested
Austin, as no one was teaching Pilates there.
So in 1993, we moved to Austin. We rented
a house with a large room for a studio and
opened the Pilates Center of Austin. It was an
immediate success...people were hungry for
Pilates. We had the home studio for 10 years,
and have been in our current space 15 years.
PS: Why did you start a certification program?
Wendy: There was no teacher training at
the time in our area, and I had so many
people saying, please do it. I directed the
CoreConnections Pilates Teacher Training
Program from 1996 to 2006. By then, there
were so many certification programs that I
decided there was more of a need for me to
support teachers to develop themselves and
their careers by becoming a mentor.

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PS: How does your mentoring program work?
Wendy: For the past six years, I’ve been
honored to be one of the second-generation
Pilates practitioners invited to be part of
Balanced Body’s Passing the Torch Mentoring
Program, which was inspired by Lolita San
Miguel. Each Mentor creates their own program.
My program’s focus is to coach Pilates teachers/
practitioners to be guided by the brilliance of
their body wisdom (their bio-intelligence), along
with the permission to discover their own voice
and vision as a contribution to Pilates, which I see
as an updated understanding of Joe’s vision of
whole-body health.
Many teachers have a fear of not being
“Pilates perfect.” When they have permission
to let go of that perfection and be guided
by their body wisdom with an expanded
perception of themselves and others, their
personal practice and teaching become
congruent with who they are as human beings.
The year-long program gives us the time to
plumb the depths of what each teacher wants
and needs. Teachers come to Austin for three
weeklong intensives, where they study and
move with me and the CoreStaff practitioners
FILMING PHOTO COURTESY OF PILATES ANYTIME; PHOTOS COURTESY OF WENDY LEBLANC-ARBUCKLE
in my studio to immerse themselves in an
embodied approach to Pilates. They also take
classes, teach one another with my guidance,
watch special videos and so much more! The
remainder of the year, I mentor them by phone
or Skype, along with inspiring them with
projects and special readings.
What I feel is often missing in Pilates is
permission for Pilates teachers to look outside
the box and realize that awareness, both of
themselves and of their client, is the most
important thing they can bring to Pilates—
more important than a specific exercise. Their
client is so much more than a torn meniscus orr
hip replacement, but often clients are thought
of as a biomechanical problem.
In addition, I offer workshops around the
country and the world, and film with Pilates
Anytime. I have also had many requests for
online mentoring, which I will be offering
shortly, so I would love to hear from teachers
who have requests for special topics!
PS: What are some of the other somatic
practices you have studied?
Wendy: I made a decision to stop doing yoga
for four years when I first studied Pilates. I
discovered over time that I was over-stabilizing FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
in Pilates. I realized I was feeling too much WENDY HAS FILMED MORE
tension. I wanted to know how partnering with THAN 18 WORKOUTS
gravity can stimulate the “relaxation response,” FOR PILATES ANYTIME;
rather than fight gravity and create tension, WENDY TEACHING A
which requires stretching constantly. MAT WORKSHOP IN NEW
This inquiry led me to studies with great ORLEANS IN 2011.
somatic pioneers like Judith Aston, Bonnie
Bainbridge Cohen and Emilie Conrad, along
with Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais,
Buteyko and Carl Stough Breathwork. I also
became a Structural Integration Practitioner, a
body of work created by Ida Rolf.
So many teachers have studied a variety
of methods, and yet they still feel they don’t
know enough. This is because they don’t see
the connections between these methods—
they’re often caught in their marketing
differences, the “branding.” Once you learn
to be present to the wholeness of a person as
you work with them, you’re not torn between
doing movement or rehab, you’re addressing
the person in the present moment.
PS: Tell us about your personal Pilates practice.
Wendy: Every day I do something…sometimes
a full 45-minute Pilates or yoga practice. I also
do a gentle Do-In (a precursor to Qigong),
Continuum or Body Mind Centering practice
and meditate on a regular basis.
My Pilates practice has become embodied
through studying how our innate biointelligence
knows how to move and self-heal when we
learn to listen to its guidance. So my practice
always begins with yielding to gravity’s support,
which allows internal lift to happen naturally, the
way children move with no extra tension, effort
with ease even in the most advanced exercises!
PS: Any plans for the future?
Wendy: Michael and I moved to Asheville,
NC, at the end of June! The Pilates Center of
Austin will continue to thrive, thanks to our
talented and loyal staff. I will be doing online
mentoring and also return to Austin every four
months to mentor Passing the Torch Mentoring
Program teachers and the PCA Staff! PS
pilatesstyle.com 87
MOVES OF THE MONTH

for MOUNTAIN BIKING!

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Whether you’re a recreational or a hard-core mountain biker, Pilates can push

your riding to the next level. Do a few simple exercises before jumping in the
saddle, and you’ll wake up key muscles that can boost performance on the
trail. As you increase core strength, you’ll develop the strong, stable platform
needed for speed and control. Increasing mobility in the hip joint will get you
into a better “ready” position, with your hips back, chest low and back straight.
See you on the other side of the mountain! PS

OBLIQUE ROLL-BACK
PURPOSE: mobilizes the hips and lower back; stretches
and strengthens the hip flexors; increases core stability and
abdominal strength
S E T U P : Sit tall, with your knees bent, feet flat on the mat
and arms reaching forward at shoulder height, palms down.

1. Exhale, rolling your tail under, flexing your lower spine,

SETUP & STEP 1
rolling back, and then rotating your rib cage to the left
while sweeping your left arm down and back. Keep your
hips facing forward. If you can’t get into a vertical position,
M O D I F I C ATI O N :
or feel tension in your back or hip flexors, sit on an
2. Inhale, sweeping your left arm down and forward as you elevated surface.
return to the vertical (or upright) starting position.
Use a light set of hand weights—1–3
ADVAN CE D :
3. Repeat to your opposite side. Do 6–10 reps. pounds—or bring your hands to your forehead.

LEG-PULL FRONT PREP

TO CAT
PURPOSE: strengthens the upper body
(shoulders and arms), abdominals and hip flexors;
mobilizes the spine and hip joints
S E T U P : Get on all fours, with your hands under
your shoulders, knees hip-width apart and
under your hips, toes tucked under and spine in
a neutral, long line.
SETUP
1. Exhale and, keeping your spine long and ribs
connected, hover your knees a few inches off the
mat. Inhale and hold.

2. Exhale, drawing your belly button in and

opening the front of your hips to curl your lower
spine toward the sky, into a Cat position.

3. Inhale, lengthening your spine to neutral, then

return your knees to the starting position. Do
5–10 reps.

T I P S : Flex your spine from your abdominals, and

STEP 2 lift at your bottom ribs. Use your hamstrings and
glutes to help curl your tail under.

88
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SIDE-LYING BOW AND ARROW
PURPOSE: strengthens the abdominals as well as
the hip joints three dimensionally; enhances balance
and stability
S E T U P : Lie on your side in a straight line, stacking
your shoulders, ribs and hips. Reach both arms
long, with your top arm on your top leg and head
resting on your bottom arm.

1. Exhale, using your obliques to “bow” into a

side-bend, lifting your upper body, armpit and legs;
squeeze your legs together.

2. Inhale, reaching your head away from your toes

to slowly return to the starting position. Do 6–10
reps on both sides.
STEP 1
TIP: Imagine that you’re in a toaster oven slot—
don’t allow your body to tip or twist.
SCISSORS
PURPOSE: strengthens and promotes stability in the core;
stretches the hamstrings and calves; increases strength in the
hip flexors; mobilizes the hip joints
S E T U P : Lie on your back, and connecting in your abdominals,
straighten your legs as much as possible toward the sky, toes
pointed. Use your abs to lift your upper torso off the mat, and
reach your arms to the outside of your legs.
SETUP

1. Exhale, scissoring your legs apart, bringing your left leg

closer to your chest and right farther away. Then, exhale to pulse
further, reaching toward the outside of your left leg, but don’t
pull on your leg.

2. Inhale, slowly switching legs, and repeat the pulse.

3. Repeat steps 1–2 with your feet flexed. Do 8–10 reps.

STEP 1 ADVAN CE D : Hover your arms straight at your sides to

challenge core strength and stability.

DOS AND DON'TS

Learning to mobilize your hip joints by lengthening your hip flexors
is critical for positioning on the bike, and will help create muscular
balance around your hips and pelvis. Focus on opening the front
of your hips in this mini workout, and in other Pilates favorites like
Half Roll-Back, Roll-Up, Rolling like a Ball and Neck Pull. Here’s
how to avoid making common mistakes while you move.

DO
t
Move the front of the pelvis away from the front of your thighs,
creating a sense of “opening” at the front of your hip joint.
t Use the back of your legs—glutes and hamstrings—to assist
in spinning your pelvis under.
t Allow your hip flexors to lengthen.
DON'T
t Hinge back at your hip joint, creating tension in your hip flexors.
HOLLY FURGASON is the founder of Blue Sparrow Pilates
in San Francisco and Oakland, CA, and an instructor trainer for
STOTT PILATES®, CORE and Total Barre. Blue Sparrow Pilates is
a destination for teacher training in the San Francisco Bay Area,
helping teachers from all over the world develop their skills and
become Stott Pilates certified. Furgason also publishes Fit4Real.com,
a blog for Pilates teachers.

pilatesstyle.com 89
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pilatesstyle.com 95
 “Breath is a tool,
LAST LESSONS

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rule.”

—Polestar Pilates founder Brent Anderson, PhD, PT, OCS, PMA-CPT