New beginnercourses start Tuesday, 17th January for 7 weeks.
New improver and intermediate courses start Tuesday, 10th January for 8 weeks.
Learn or revisit your technique, these classes will suit everybody who wants to correct their posture, trim and strengthen their stomach, stretch and feel good.
Small classes with a maximum of 12 people, mats and equipment provided.
Attention and correction given on posture and the use of the core.
All classes are held at The Presentation Primary School on the Newcastle Rd., Galway
For more details on each course click here
To book a place on a course, call Julien on 086 3308282
The Pilates Phenomenon
Much of North and South America, parts of Canada, Europe, and Pan-Asia are experiencing the explosion in demand for Pilates. It is a method of exercise and physical movement designed to stretch, strengthen, and balance the body. With systematic practice of specific exercises coupled with focused breathing patterns, Pilates has proven itself invaluable not only as a fitness endeavor itself, but also as an important adjunct to professional sports training and physical rehabilitation of all kinds.
Practiced faithfully, Pilates yields numerous benefits. Increased lung capacity and circulation through deep and healthy breathing is a primary focus. Strength and flexibility, particularly of the abdomen and back muscles, coordination, both muscular and mental, are key components in an effective Pilates program.
With Pilates, posture, balance and core strength are all heartily increased. Bone density and joint health improve, and many experience positive body awareness for the first time. Pilates teaches balance and control of the body, and that capacity spills over into other areas of one’s life.
With the aging of our population and the increasing trend of today’s youth toward a more mindful and moderate health practice, Pilates is helping in shaping the fitness ideals of our next generation. Pilates programs are popping up in fitness centers, physical therapy clinics, corporate retreats, luxury spas, and your local public schools across the country.
For more information on the technique and the history of Pilates, you can check out these links: “Bodyfirm Pilates” www.bodyfirmpilates.com, and “Pilates Method Alliance” www.pilatesmethodalliance.org
For the men: If you are interested in doing Pilates but are not sure if it’s for you please check this link. http://www.bodyfirmpilates.com/blog/pilates-for-men/
A few exercises for a beginner’s level
Draw back: draw back belly button to spine 30%/40%.
Draw up:Draw up the pelvic floor muscles: contract and close up the front and back passages.
Connect to centre: combination of draw back and draw up together.
Neutral spine and pelvis: When lying down, keep a natural arch in the lower back. imagine a tray of champagne glasses full to the rim resting across your stomach. If you spill you have lost your neutral.
Breathing:The breathing suggestion for each exercise is a guide line. Science in Fitness recommends to adapt different breathing patterns so that the body gets used to breathing with a flow as opposed to a restricted pattern.
Crook position: On your back with the back and pelvis in neutral. The knees are bent at 45 degree angle with the feet flat on the floor leveled with each other. The arms are extended along the sides of the body with a slight kink in the elbow, palms of the hands facing down. The hands can also rest in the triangle on the lower stomach with the tip of the fingers aligned with the pubic bone for bio-feedback.
Flexing the foot: bring the toes up to the ceiling and back to look at you. The heel is pressed forward.
Pointing the foot: Extend the foot forward creating a straight line from the shin bone to the base of the toes (try to keep the toes relaxed).
C Curve: Start sitting up on sitting bones, knees bent and feet aligned with the hips (feet flexed is easier). The arms are held up horizontal to floor, palms facing up, Inhale to slowly rock off sitting bones backwards as if you’re going to lye down. Stop when your feel your lower back as adopted the shape of a C (keep it shallow to begin). Exhale to return to sitting. 4-8 repetitions.
50/50 (Finding neutral spine and neutral pelvis.) Lie in the crook with your back and pelvis in Neutral, your hands in the triangle. Rock the pelvis to imprint the spine from the sacrum through to the lumbar vertebrae (eliminating the space between the spine and the floor). Come back to neutral and then rock the pelvis the other way, forward and down, (increasing the space between the spine and the floor). Try to breath evenly throughout each move. 10 in each direction.
Pelvic Brace: Lie in the crook then extend one leg and flex the foot. Place two hands at the back of the head. Inhale to connect to centre, lengthen the back of the neck, exhale to bring the shoulders off the floor. The elbows stay open just so that you can see them in your peripheral vision, keep the space for a “peach” between the chin and the chest, the gaze is up at the ceiling. Imagine that it is your breast bone leading the movement in the up phase. Keep a neutral spine throughout. 5 repetitions on each leg.
Ab Prep: Lie in the crook, inhale to connect to centre. As you exhale, lift the shoulders off the floor, keep the arms horizontal to the floor or bring the hands at the back of the head. Inhale holding the crunch and exhale to return to go down. Keep a neutral spine and pelvis throughout. 5-10 reps.
Sliding Leg: Start in the crook, hands in the triangle. Inhale to connect to centre. As you exhale slide one leg down with the foot pointed, inhale to flex and point the foot, exhale to draw the leg back in the crook (with a pointed foot). Keep the spine and pelvis in neutral throughout. 5-10 reps each leg.
Folding Knee: Start in the crook with hands in the triangle. As you exhale, lift one foot off the floor and bend the knee until it points up at the ceiling. Aim for a 90° angle in the hip and in the knee, with the shin bone horizontal to the floor. Inhale to replace the foot down (in the same place). Awareness is on keeping a neutral spine and pelvis. The foot is pointed throughout the exercise. 5-10 reps each leg.
100: Lie in the crook, come up into Ab Prep and stay up for 100 hundred counts. 5 counts to breathe in, 5 counts to breathe out. Stay connected to centre throughout.
Swan Dive: Lie down on your front, forehead resting on the floor, arms down by the sides, palms of hands facing down. Legs opened slightly more than hips width apart, feet pointed and gently extending backwards. As you inhale, connect to centre and lift the breast bone off the floor keeping the gaze on the floor. The neck and head don’t move and stay in alignment with the spine. Exhale to return down. To support the back stay connect to centre throughout. 5-10 reps.
Top Leg Challenge: Lie on one side, bottom arm extended beneath the head in alignment with the trunk, palm of the hand facing down. Extend the top arm along the side of the body, then bend at the elbow and let the forearm drape across your stomach with just the finger tips touching the floor for balance. The bottom leg in a shape of 4, the top leg is extended, the foot is pointed and lifted off the floor at hip height. There is a straight line from the toes to the tip of the fingers. Top hip and shoulders are stacked directly on top of the bottom hip and shoulder.
Top leg hold: just hold and stretch the leg through the toes. Hold for about 30 seconds.
Top leg lower and lift: Lower the leg so the toes touch the ground and return it to hip height keeping the foot in alignment with the hip and shoulder throughout. 5-10 reps.
Top leg circle: 5-10 circles in each directions. The foot stays pointed and the leg rotates in the hip joint. Emphasise is on keeping the stability in the upper body (drawing up helps).
Clam Shell Opener: Lie on one side with the bottom arm extended beneath the head and aligned with the trunk. Extend the top arm along the side of the body, then bend at the elbow and let the forearm drape across your stomach with just the finger tips touching the floor for balance. Both legs are bent with the knees at roughly 90° angle, the back is in neutral. Place the toes of the top foot above the ankle bone of the bottom leg. Inhale to connect to centre, exhale to lift the knee and open the leg in a clam shell fashion as much as you can without affecting the alignment in the hips. Inhale on the down faze. Connect to centre throughout the exercise.
5-10 reps.
Cat Stretch: On hands and knees, hands directly under the shoulders, elbows are soft. Knees directly under the hips, feet are extended.
The gaze is between the hands at the level of the finger tips in order to achieve a flat back. As you exhale round the back, “lifting the spine up to the ceiling”. Inhale to return to neutral.
