Exercise of the Month- Roll Ups!

Thought we'd take a break from all those push-ups to focus on Roll Ups...

The Roll Up feels like it could be one of the easiest exercises in pilates, but it can actually be quite challenging if done correctly!

Benefits of the Roll Up
-spinal flexibility
-lengthens and stretches the whole body
-control

Practicing the Roll Up Helps Improve:
-Snake
-Upstretch
-Rolling Like a Ball
-Neck Pull
-Short Box: Rounding

Roll Ups Can be Done with the Following Pieces of Equipment:
-The Mat
-The Tower
-Small Barrel
-Magic Circle

The Roll Up presents many challenges, the obvious of which is not being able to roll up off the mat! Reasons you may find yourself glued to the mat can range from stiffness in the low back, short stature, weak abdominals, or tight hamstrings. Or, you may find Roll Ups to be really easy- until you learn that you are actually throwing yourself forward over your arms or neck in one "heave, ho"! Do you need the strap over your ankles to roll up? And what's up with that strap, is it considered cheating to use it? You hear your instructors telling you to roll up "one bone at a time", but which bones are they talking about exactly?

We recently hosted a workshop with one of my teachers, Jessie Zalla, called, "Matwork From the Inside Out". In our discussion about Roll Ups, Jessie shared some really interesting pilates info with us. It turns out that Joseph Pilates actually invented a pair of metal shoes to wear during the Roll Ups, to keep weight at the end of the body so the upper body can roll up smoothly. She described them as metal soles with laces that wrap around the feet. Fascinating! As far as I know, those shoes are not being made by anyone now. However, the same effect can be achieved by wearing ankle weights.

This month, we will learn why its called the "Roll UP"- what happened to your "up" in the Roll Up? We will practice spinal articulation with abdominal control, and of course we'll also add some fun props- ping pong balls, anyone?- into the mix to keep things even more interesting!

Here's a YouTube video demonstrating the Roll Up:


Read more!

Real Alignment Mats are IN

We just got our first shipment of Alycea Ungaro's Real Alignment Mats and they are GREAT!

Some info on these mats...

-These are yoga mats, with the thickness of about 1.5-2 mats put together, making them perfect for pilates.

-The texture of the mat is just the right amount of "sticky", so you won't slip.

-The image on the mat can be used to help with your alignment in both pilates and yoga exercises, or just contemplate the circles and the spirals while you're working out! The back of the mat is just green, so you can even opt out of the image if you like.

-These make an excellent gift, for yourself and your friends- at only $35 each!

We're looking forward to using these at the studio. If you'd like one for yourself, come in and pick one up! Read more!