Pilates is a safe and effective whole body workout practiced by people of every level of fitness and age. Everyone including athletes, weekend warriors, actors, dancers, new mothers, and fitness enthusiasts benefit from Pilates. No matter what your objective, Pilates will help you to feel more rejuvenated, relaxed, and increase your overall confidence and comfort in your body.

The benefits of Pilates increase dramatically by applying what you learn in the studio to the rest of our life. Fundamentally, Pilates teaches us is how to move in healthier, more efficient ways. Often our movement patterns perpetuate pain and muscle imbalances. Over time our range of motion becomes determined by our daily movements. Something as common as poor posture can create back pain, shoulder tension and diminished energy. Pilates restores strength and flexibility and teaches us is how to move in healthier and more efficient ways. As we work together, my goal is to help you to integrate Pilates techniques into your daily routine. As you begin to integrate healthier movement into your life you may notice some wonderful changes in how you feel, such as improved energy and sense of calm.

Some of the Benefits of Pilates include:

• Improved Core Strength
• Better Posture
• Flexibility
• Balance
• Improve Body Image
• Better Concentration
• Better Coordination
• Deeper Breathing
• Improved Circulation
• Lengthened & strengthened muscles

Pilates for New Mothers

Lauri Stricker new DVD, Pilates with your Baby, is written for new mothers.

Review:

Pilates – a popular path to strength and flexibility, boasts more than 10 million American practitioners. Combining her love of Pilates and motherhood, Lauri Ann Stricker has produced a user-friendly DVD that will help boost core strength, tone muscles, and improve your posture all while having fun with your baby. The routines are concise and effective based on Classical Pilates exercises and techniques. As you flow from one movement to the next you’ll increase your endurance, stamina, and feel invigorated.

$19.95

Buy the DVD at the Online Store.

Pilates for Pregnancy

“I have been doing Pilates for more than twenty years. Because I have also been a practicing obstetric physician for more than two decades, I have come to believe that Pilates is the best possible method of exercise and relaxation for women who are pregnant.”
—Dr. Uzzi Reis

Pilates is the ideal form of exercise for pregnancy. It is low impact, body balancing and core strengthening. By practicing Pilates throughout your pregnancy, you will maintain a stronger core, experience a more comfortable pregnancy and delivery, and recover more quickly.

As a woman’s posture changes during pregnancy many women experience back pain. As the baby moves your center of gravity forwards your low back experiences additional sway. In addition, the extra weight of larger breasts may cause your shoulders to round forward putting strain on your neck, shoulders and upper back. Pilates helps to release tension in these areas and also increase mobility and postural awareness. Even if you have good posture, pregnancy can challenge your ability to maintain it. Working on your posture while pregnant can alleviate muscle tension and reduce stain on your muscles, joints and ligaments.

A good prenatal Pilates practice focuses on stretching, relaxing and gentle toning. Strengthening your core, pelvic floor muscles and improving your breathing will go a long way to easing delivery and speeding up your recovery. In addition, the Pilates emphasis on deep breathing is wonderful for relieving stress and increasing circulation, thereby minimizing the risk of varicose veins and leg cramps. After the birth of your baby, we recommend waiting at least 6 to 8 weeks to resume your Pilates practice.

Benefits of Pilates For Pregnancy

• Maintain strong core muscles
• Strengthen the pelvic floor
• Increase energy levels
• Re-gain your pre-pregnancy body faster
• Improves your changing center of balance
• Reduces your chances of developing chronic low back pain
• Improves breathing & lung capacity
• Increase in Circulation – reduces the changes of developing oedema
• Promotes emotional centeredness and sense of calm