The Jersey Shore’s Home of Classical Pilates Instruction

Teach Pilates in College: Become a Real Pilates Instructor

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Whether 17 or 70, learning to teach the Pilates method can be an invigorating, challenging and even life-changing experience. Our awesome instructor, Sarah Barry, will be leaving for college in the fall. Sarah completed her Real Pilates teacher training program at 17 years old – while still in High School! She is now confidently walking into this next phase of her life fully equipped with the knowledge and skills to instruct Pilates while she’s not in class (or studying for class). We asked her why she decided to start teaching at such a young age…

What made you decide to become a Pilates instructor?
I had been dancing for about 13 years and had a back injury that forced me to stop dancing for about 6 months and go to physical therapy. During that time my mom had been doing Pilates daily and said I should try it out to see if it helps with my back plus I would get a great workout. About 6 months after finding a love for Pilates, I decided to become an instructor to learn more and have something fun and interesting to do while in college!

What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?
The teaser because from the beginning it is already very challenging and there is so many different variations on all different apparatuses.
Sarah doing the teaser on the reformer at The Pilates Project
What is the most rewarding thing about teaching Pilates?

I love watching a client improve their strength over time and seeing how they are able to progress through the Pilates method. It’s so satisfying to see them improve!

What is your biggest teaching challenge?

Trying to control the intensity of the workout & how hard I should be pushing or not pushing the client.

What college will you be attending in the fall?
University of Miami in Coral Gables

Good luck! We’ll miss you Sarah!

 

So, you want to become a Real Pilates teacher?! The Pilates Project is now a teacher training center for Real Pilates. Our fall intensive teacher training begins October 5th. For more details click HERE 

17 Year Old Thinks Pilates is Perfect for Your Kids & Teens

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Hi! I’m Anna, I’m 17 years old and I am a huge fan of Pilates. My experiences with Pilates have always been great, even from a young age. When I did Pilates as a child, I was able to progress faster in ballet because I was trained to be more flexible and stronger. While doing Pilates I become more aware of my breathing and muscle movement and this focus helps me improve my coordination. People my age are always go go go and I’ve found Pilates is a great way to refocus and relax during hectic times. The encouraging atmosphere of this discipline makes it enjoyable, rewarding, and, overall, a very positive experience. Parents may wonder if Pilates is right for their kids, but I think everyone should take the challenge. Here are the reasons I think Pilates is one of the best forms of exercise for kids and teens!
Physical Activity & Wellbeing 
With the increased dependency on technology, young people are becoming less and less motivated to get exercise. 28% of Americans (80.2 million people) aged six and older are physically inactive, an alarming statistic considering sedentary lifestyles are linked to obesity and cardiovascular disease. Having this in mind, parents may be concerned that their child is not getting enough physical activity. Pilates is well known among adults for improving bodily performance, but it also offers many benefits to children. Finding an exercise regimen appropriate for children can be difficult because a young child’s developing skeletal frame cannot handle the challenging exercises in aerobic or cardiovascular programs. Pilates is a low-intensity form of exercise and children from all athletic backgrounds would be able to succeed in a beginner’s Pilates course. As they progress in the classes parents will see improvements in their child’s posture, body awareness, and coordination.
Development and Growth Spurts
From ages 11-14 children go through many growth spurts but their muscles do not grow at the same rate as their bodies so it is important to constantly work and develop these muscles to prevent injury during exercise. Pilates puts lots of focus on strengthening and elongating the muscles, and for children this ensures that theirs will mature at a fast pace. This can also keep children from falling behind in other physical activities they may participate in (sports, dance, etc.) and from losing the athletic abilities they worked hard to attain.
Flexibility and Strength 
Improper balance of muscle strengthening and flexibility training increases the risk of exercise related injuries. Pilates is a great method for tempering flexibility with strength training. If muscles are not strengthened but are constantly stretched, the tissue surrounding your muscles loosens and makes injury due to overstretching or powerful muscular contractions more likely, but training prevents such injuries because the muscles will be strong enough to ensure the joints can move through their full range. The skills learned in Pilates also have applications in other activities that children may do. For example, improved arm and shoulder extension and rotation benefit swimmers and basketball players, longer strides for runners, and deeper knee bends and hip flexion for skiers.
Fun! 
Learning Pilates is a great way to get exercise, but it is also a fun activity to do with friends or family! Pilates is not competitive like many physical activities, so children will be able to focus more on exercising instead of trying to win. Kids will enjoy learning the different methods of Pilates and won’t feel discouraged if they don’t get everything right the first time. I have always had a great time learning Pilates and have seen improvements in both myself and others while taking the classes.
I hope your kids & teens enjoy their Pilates experience as much as I do!
The Pilates Project offers classes for Kids & Teens on the following days/times:
Kids
Tuesdays at 3:30 pm
Thursdays at 10:30 am
Teens
Wednesdays at 10:30 am
Thursdays at 5:00 pm
To view schedule or purchase one of our Kids & Teens class packs, click HERE

MELTing the Pain Away, One Class at a Time

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(MELT creator Sue Hitzmann, courtesy of www.themeltmethod.com)

If you haven’t  yet heard of The MELT Method®, it’s simple self-treatment technique that reduces chronic pain and helps you live a healthier, more youthful, active life.  Utilizing specialized techniques, along with a soft body roller and four different small balls, MELT rehydrates the connective tissue, rebalances the nervous system, and restores space to compressed joints.

“Connective tissue is like the scaffolding of a building”, says MELT Method instructor Janine Bigos. “If the scaffolding starts to break down, the building breaks down.  It is the same for our bodies – when the connective tissue is dehydrated, it begins to break down, which begins by causing stiffness when you wake up that eventually leads to pain and if not treated, can become chronic.”

MELT Method instructor, Janine Bigos, teaches weekly classes at The Pilates Project.

Why did you start MELTing?
I was introduced to The MELT Method while in Massage Therapy school.  My knee had been bothering me for quite a while from running, but had gotten progressively worse.  One night in school, I came hobbling and limping up the steps.  One of my fellow students asked me what happened and when I explained she asked if I had ever MELTed.  I hadn’t and so she proceeded to take me through a sequence.  When complete I wouldn’t say I felt like running 10 miles but I certainly saw a significant difference and I was not hobbling and limping the way I had when I came in.  I began to take her classes and then eventually saw the value and thought I could help lots of people if I completed the MELT Method training course and so I did.

How did it help you?
In addition to seeing a difference in my knee, I also saw a difference in my posture and the way I stood.  My legs no longer bowed back.  My sleep and digestion improved.  Additionally my workouts improved along with my recovery.  I had then been diagnosed with Chronic Lyme and while many Lyme patients suffer from joint pain, it is one symptom I have never had.  I am a true believer that its because of my MELT practice that I haven’t had that.  It has helped me so much with my Lyme symptoms.

What are the most common benefits your clients have told you they experienced?
I have had so many clients have so many different things improve.  Sleep is probably the most common change i have heard.  I have had clients that haven’t been able to sleep through the night in years, they take a MELT class or MELT at home and they sleep through the night.  Clients that have improved pain from plantar fasciitis, back, neck, knee, shin splints and shoulder pain.  Posture improvements by some (with no intention of changing that), so much so that family members noticed and didn’t even know they had been taking classes.  In addition to helping those that need to heal their bodies, I have worked with teams of athletes that have stayed injury free and improved their games.

Visit https://www.meltmethod.com for more info about the method. If you are interested in MELTing with us please contact studio@thepilatesproject.net for class times.

Healthy Winter Recipe

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Beat the winter blues with this healthy, hearty recipe from The Pilates Project client and weight loss coach, Joann Bernstein.

Spaghetti Squash and Sautéed Veggies

This is a wonderful alternative to pasta on a cold winter night.

You’ll need…
1 medium spaghetti squash cut in half lengthwise with seeds removed
1 large sweet onion diced
3 large peppers (red, yellow, orange) cut in small pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cover in plastic wrap and microwave approximately 15 to 18 minutes until tender. Carefully remove plastic and with a fork scrape out squash. In a sauté pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and cook 10 minutes on medium heat until they start to brown. Add peppers, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper toss 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Combine with spaghetti squash and enjoy!!!

Be inventive and mix colors and textures of your favorite vegetables!

Pilates and Building Immunity

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The flu is going around and last week I got it. I get a flu shot every year but this year the strains were wrong and I fell victim. Aside from the body aches, chills, and cough I felt like I was run over by a car. Even as my symptoms subsided I wondered which would be the best way I could get my strength up and build up immunity. Here is what I found…

  • Practice. During flu season, practicing Pilates can help keep your immunity up! Joseph Pilates had asthma as well as other health problems. His first priority in creating his method of exercise was not for core strength, posture or flat abs but rather for good overall good health.
  • Move. The rhythmic movements of a Pilates session stimulate blood flow and lymph flow. Throughout your Pilates class, as your muscles contract and release, your body eliminates toxins.
  • Breathe. Pilates breathing is another key factor in good health. One of the first things you learn in a Pilates class is how to breathe better, as most of us breathe far too shallow. You must create space for the ribs to expand, by standing or sitting tall, then breathe wide and deep into your back and sides, thus maximising lung capacity. To breathe correctly you must completely exhale and inhale, always trying very hard to ‘squeeze’ every atom of impure air from your lungs in much the same manner that you would wring every drop of water from a wet cloth. Joseph Pilates wrote that this type of breathing ‘supplies the blood stream with vitally necessary life giving oxygen …and stimulates all muscles into greater activity. Therefore, above all, learn to breathe correctly.’
  • Nourish. According to Jennifer Asfar who owns the Healthy Palate in Little Silver, 1000 mg of vitamin C and a probiotic with 90 billion live bacteria every day will help keep your defenses up.  So will garlic pills if you can’t tolerate fresh garlic, lemon, honey, and one tablespoon of fresh grated ginger per day. Spicy foods, chili, and green tea are also good.
  • De-stress. Julie Simser of Julie Simser Acupuncture in Fair Haven says acupuncture can help people recuperate from a virus and help gain back strength and lessen fatigue. It’s also really great as a preventative as it helps to strengthen the immune system.

Stay healthy and see you at the studio!

 

 

 

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