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What’s a Pilates Apprentice & Why You Should Snag Sessions With Them While You Can

March 30, 2019 By pilatesproject

Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was Joseph Pilates’ method! So why should it be taught in a day or a weekend course? At The Pilates Project we believe in teaching Pilates as it was created. We teach the Pilates legacy through Alycea Ungaro’s REAL Pi lates teacher training program. All of our Pilates apprentices undertake a 600 comprehensive training course. During the 30 week c ourse, teachers in training learn the original work of Joseph Pilates, all the original exercises and variations on all the pieces of apparatus. They also learn how to teach for all levels of fitness and how to challenge and inspire their students. You should snag your sessions with them while you can and here’s why…

They LOVE Pilates. Our apprentices loved practicing Pilates so much that they committed to becoming Pilates instructors in an extremely intensive and demanding training program. Taking a session with someone who has an abundance of passion and focus is inspiring at the very least and hey – it might even motivate you to take a chance on something new yourself.
They’ve had their “AH-HAH” moment. There’s a moment in a Pilates practice where you finally connect your mind to your body and all the exercises in the system make sense. The moment that makes you go “Oh, now I get it!!” Our apprentices have all had that moment and they can’t wait to share it with you! Ask them what helped them make their connection and what made them go “ah-hah!”
Sessions are usually offered at a CHEAPER rate. Pilates is a commitment both physically and financially. Why not take advantage of adding another session a week at a discounted rate? Ask us about our apprentice session rate to pump up your Pilates practice!

Get to know some of our apprentices in our Apprentice Spotlight. We hope they inspire you as much as they inspire us!

Apprentice Spotlight: Michelle and Dina

March 30, 2019 By Sandi Vilacoba

Michelle Olson, second from left. Dina Smodlaka third from left.

Meet our teachers in training Michelle and Dina. These ladies love Pilates so much that they took on the Real Pilates 600 hour classical teacher training program so they could share their passion with others. Michelle and Dina are available and excited to teach and will be teaching a donation only class to benefit the NJ ASPCA and Project Write Now. Classes will be held Friday at 130 p.m. with Michelle (project write now) and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. with Dina (NJ ASPCA)

Michelle Olson

Q . What made you want to teach Pilates?

A. I fell in love with the classical Pilates method during my very first session with Sandi Vilacoba in 2017. I was intimidated and challenged, but also encouraged to use my body and muscles in a way that felt very intuitive. I had always been physically fit, but never had a workout “clicked” for me like Pilates. I spent a year challenging myself in the studio and knew without a doubt that I wanted my Pilates practice to remain an integral part of my healthy lifestyle. Being able to share my enthusiasm with others as a Pilates instructor will be such a lifelong gift.

Q. What is your movement background?

A. I practiced the Cecchetti method of classical ballet from a very young age through college. I adore the discipline and artistic virtue of ballet, and still love to dance for fun. I then spent many post-ballet years developing a yoga practice, which I still enjoy. But Pilates is the perfect next step for me, as it is so similar to the deep, muscular work of ballet. It’s no wonder why so many dancers also practice Pilates.

What is your favorite thing about teaching so far?

A. It is beyond awesome to see a client’s facial expression change from: “I can’t do that” to: “I just did that!”

Q. What do you like to do when you are not in the studio?

In my free time I like to….wander around New York City, sink my toes in the sand, snuggle our two dogs and spend FFMN (Friday Family Movie Night) with my husband, Brian, and our two children, Oliver (10) and Ruby (7).

Would you recommend the Real Pilates Program to others interested in teaching Pilates?

Yes! The Real Pilates Teacher Training is not for the faint of heart. It’s a serious commitment with an end result of 600+ hours of training. However, we apprentices emerge with invaluable, real-world teaching skills, plus training and tips from some of the most committed classical Pilates teachers out there. You only live once — do what you love!

Dina Smodlaka

Q: What made you want to teach Pilates?

A: After I fell in love with Pilates, I wanted to teach it so others could also feel empowered and strong and now that they don’t have to suffer with various health issues any longer.

Q: Tell us about your movement background?

A:I was practicing yoga for two years and Pilates for about 6 months before I decided to become an instructor. I have been teaching both for 12 years now.

Q: What is your favorite thing about teaching so far?

A: My favorite part of teaching is seeing my students have their “a-ha!” moment where they really make the connection to their practice and I love to see them progress and do things they never thought they could.

Q: What do you do when you’re not in the studio?

A: In my free time, I like to cook, read and visit museums to learn about history.

Q: Would you recommend the Real Pilates Program to others interested in teaching Pilates?

A: What would you say to someone who is on the fence? I would absolutely recommend this program. It is intensive, paced well and all encompassing. The instructors want to see the trainees succeed and pass the legacy on to others.If someone was on the fence, I would impress on them that more knowledge and their practice and bodies is never a bad thing,whether or not they end up teaching.

Pushing Past the Plateau – 3 Easy Ways to Go From Plateau to Progress in Pilates

March 2, 2019 By pilatesproject

We all love instant gratification. We love seeing results fast, especially when it comes to improvements in the way we look and feel. Starting a new workout or weight loss program is prime real estate for those revered and quick results. However, over time you might start to see the effects slow down which might make you question what you’re doing. Don’t. This phenomenon is called the Plateau Effect. It’s nature’s law that if you do something over time, the direct results will begin to diminish. The good thing is that we’re all on a level playing field – it’s our normal biological response to get used to things. You are not doing anything wrong if you feel like you’re not seeing those stunning results you once did. It’s not your fault, it’s just human nature. Here’s a little secret – we can actually trick our bodies into harnessing back that potential for results. It’s possible to push past the plateau and get that progress we all want just by switching things up. Here’s how…

Redesign Your Workout – Sometimes just moving the couch in the living room to the other wall is enough to make people think it’s brand new. The same is true of our bodies. Make a point to change the primary apparatus you use. Normally stick to the Tower? Try scheduling a Reformer class or rev it up in a fast moving Mat. Usually take classes? Try a private instead. Your body will perceive the change as a new workout and you’ll jumpstart your results!

New Voice New Focus – Try switching up your regular instructor for at least one session a week. Although each instructor teaches the same system, everyone has their own unique teaching personality. You might see yourself focusing more on form with one teacher and flow with another. Shifting focus will help to recharge your body and your mind!

Three Times a Charm – Only been taking one or two sessions a week? Try committing to one month of doing 3 sessions of your choice per week. Joseph Pilates himself recommended that the best results would be seen when practicing Pilates 3 times per week. When all else fails – do what Joe would do!

Let us know if you are feeling like you’ve hit a plateau and we’ll help you make the changes we all need. Remember, sometimes the smallest change can make the biggest difference!

Where Should I Be Feeling This?

February 2, 2019 By Sandi Vilacoba

As a Pilates teacher, one of the most common questions I get while teaching is, “where should I be feeling this?” I love this question. It’s a great question and there is only one answer — your Powerhouse. The Powerhouse is a name given to describe a group of many muscles including abs, glutes, thighs, and back muscles. Because there are so many muscles involved in your powerhouse it can be hard (especially for a beginner), to isolate where to feel something – but here are some starting points.

First, let’s talk about where you shouldn’t be feeling this. You should not feel it in your joints – the knees, ankles, elbows, wrists and even neck. Joints like to take over when the muscles that surround them are weak or out of alignment. For instance, when you are working your thighs in your leg springs you should not feel your knees. If you are doing arm springs you shouldn’t feel your elbow or wrists. If you feel your neck in your ab series, you need to strengthen your upper abs and lats and not recruit the neck muscles to do the movement.

The non-negotiable in all exercises is that you should always feel your deep abdominals. Centering is one of the main pilates principles and you should always feel that you initiate your movements from there. Your abs should work before any extremities and it must be in that order. For example, when performing the stomach massage – the stomach must pull in deeply before your legs move. Once you get those deep abs to work you can work on engaging your thighs and glutes in all of these exercises and then work on engaging your upper back muscles as well to include the whole Powerhouse.

My next tip is to bring your brain to the muscle. Listen to your instructor’s cues and focus your brainpower on the muscle that you need to work. Knowing where to work can shift your attention to that muscle and make it work harder.

Lastly, this SHOULD feel like it is challenging. Plates is a workout and you should feel like you are working! If you don’t – engage your muscles a little harder.

See you at the studio!
– Sandi

The Whole Pie of Health: 3 Complements to Pilates for Your Healthiest Year Yet

January 5, 2019 By pilatesproject

Everyday is another chance to make a change. It sounds easy enough, right? Truth is, the daily rat race makes it difficult to make decisions when it comes to reevaluating our health, our minds and our bodies. With hectic work schedules, parenting responsibilities and the external demands of a fast paced lifestyle, somedays it’s hard enough just to finish a full cup of coffee or get in a quick catch up with a friend. But that all changes every year on January 1st. A new year is a new beginning. The great thing about life is that it’s cyclical and when the yearly circle reaches the beginning – that is where you start again.

Speaking of circles, think for a second that your health is like a pie. Each piece of the pie complements the other and if one piece is missing, it throws off the whole thing. We like to think of Pilates as one piece of the “pie” of health. Pilates has an abundant amount of mind/body benefits but in order to achieve the most optimal health possible, you need to complete the circle. You need the whole pie. One piece doesn’t replace the other rather it adds to the whole.

At The Pilates Project, we focus on health as multi-dimensional and well-rounded. We are proud to recommend the following tried and true wellness methods and respective businesses we believe to be great complements to the Pilates lifestyle! Here’s what the practitioners had to say about their approach to wellness.

CLEAN EATING

Our Pick: Eighty: Eat for Life www.eateighty.com

“At Eighty, we believe in eating for life. It has been clinically proven, again and again, that what and how we eat significantly affects our physical, mental and spiritual well-being. There is no way to have a truly “healthy” body, no matter how many Pilates classes you take, if you’re not giving your body what it needs to thrive. Eighty Nutrition offers a variety of services, including nutrition coaching, food education, meal planning, nutritional therapy, accountability groups, and group cleanses, all focused on enabling and empowering clients to eat the best way for their bodies and lifestyles. We know that one size does not fit all, and work with our clients to create a unique blueprint for whatever their health needs and desires may be, whether it’s weight loss, more energy, reducing medical symptoms, a better routine for feeding their families, or just feeling better naked. Visit us at www.eateighty.com to learn more. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @eateighty for our upcoming group events!” – Alison Kucich, founder of Eighty.

Eighty is offering The Pilatesroject clients these great New Year’s Deals!

Eighty’s two-week Real Food Winter Cleanse, beginning 1/14
$85 for Pilates Project clients (regularly $99)
15% off all Eighty Nutrition services for Pilates Project clients, through 1/31/19

PHYSICAL THERAPY & CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Our Pick: Velocity Chiropractic and Sports Rehab, Red Bank NJ www.velocitychironj.com

“Velocity is comprised of a team of chiropractic physicians, physical therapists and occupational therapists who love working with active adults and athletes. We believe that the key to success is striving for optimum health with every patient by helping them to maintain balance within the human body. In our daily routines we call life there are constantly physical, emotional and chemical stresses that degrade your quality of living. We help the body achieve optimum expression of health in conjunction with excellent fitness facilities like the Pilates Project. – Dr. John O’Connor, founder Velocity Chiropractic and Sports Rehab

MASSAGE

Our Pick: Jason Kalfin Licensed Massage Therapist, Fair Haven NJ
(201) 240-6142; Tamara Squire Licensed Massage Therapist Fair Haven, NJ (732)614-6407.

“Humans are under daily stresses whether it’s with work, relationships, or an exercise routine. For some, their muscles are in a contracted tight or painful state. My approach is simple – work the muscles & muscle groups origin to insertions. Address deeper areas of tension aka trigger points. Then lengthen lengthen lengthen! Oh and don’t forget to breathe into your stretches.” – Jason Kalfin, LMT

So as we kick off this new year of new beginnings – remember to give yourself the pie – the whole pie and hopefully the healthiest year of living yet. Happy New Year everyone!

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