Wellness

Polestar Grads Where are they Now? Mara Sievers’ Pilates Encyclopedia

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“We all know that we can choose from the following variations for Footwork on the Reformer:

Heels parallel, V-position with heels on the bar, point and flex (tendon stretch), running (prancing, walking), prehensile (wrapping) and a few others. But why would you choose one over the other?

Which variation is best for which type of student? Should I use only one variation or several? How many? Or all of them?”   – Mara Sievers (Pilates Encyclopedia)

I created the Pilates Encyclopedia as a guide through the Pilates repertoire. Being a busy teacher and studio owner, I grew tired of having to sift through hours of videos and web pages to find a solution to a teaching question that came up regarding the Pilates repertoire. The Polestar comprehensive training has given me a tremendous foundation for my day-to-day teaching, but inevitably when you work with “real people” within a studio setting, you encounter situations you haven’t specifically studied. When, for example, you get your first student with a joint replacement, or when a student just doesn’t “get” the exercise …even after you’ve tried every possible cue you can think of. Maybe you have a student with a unique set of limitations, and you’re unsure of what to do. I decided to make lists of exercises for specific goals that I could scan quickly before a lesson to give me an idea of what to try with a particular client. I don’t consider myself the most creative teacher, but I love to organize. Most importantly, I wanted a shortcut for the next time I had a similar question. When you teach 6+ hours a day you just don’t have a lot of time or energy left to spend researching. I wanted a resource, a Wikipedia of Pilates, so to speak. A destination that would give me an answer to any Pilates exercise question. That’s the role I hope the Pilates Encyclopedia will provide. As you can imagine this is a huge endeavor, and I’m aware that I won’t be able to include every single variation in our library immediately, but over time we’ll create a huge collection of Pilates tools. I don’t ascribe to labels, such as classical or contemporary. I draw inspiration from both sides. Of foremost importance to me is understanding why someone teaches an exercise one way while another person teaches the opposite. Who’s right? Of course, the answer is both. It all depends on the person doing the exercise. It’s about the student, not the teacher. The student (initially) doesn’t care if they’re being taught by a classical or contemporary teacher, they just want to feel better and be stronger, more mobile, steadier on their feet, faster in the water, on their skis or on the bike. The Encyclopedia is organized by apparatus, then by position (supine, prone, sideline, seated, kneeling, standing etc), and then alphabetically. Just like you would look up a word in the dictionary, you can look up a specific exercise and learn all there is to know about it. Different schools use different terminology, so I’ve tried to list every possible name an exercise goes by so students of any school can use the “search” feature to quickly find what they are looking for. The whole library is accessible via any computer, smartphone or tablet. Let’s say you’re a teacher and you only have ten minutes in between students and you quickly want to look up a way to help your student avoid knee pain in Feet in Straps on the Reformer; you will find that answer in the short time you have. My absolute favorite feature of the Pilates Encyclopedia is the comment feature. I think it offers tremendous value to our community. Imagine you look up an exercise but you still can’t find the answer you need. Then you have the option to simply post a comment, ask what you want to know, and all the other members, as well as I or another teacher, will answer your specific question within 24-hours. This is something you might already be familiar with from Facebook groups where you can post a question and get answers from other highly trained teachers. This is very convenient. However, if you need this information a month later, it takes a long time to scroll through the endless feed of a group to find the answer. Sometimes these feeds get out of hand by veering off subject. We can monitor comments in Pilates Encyclopedia better, making useful information available where you need it when you need it. Over the years, the library will grow and grow, just like we grow as teachers. I enjoy the process of adding content to the library. I used to be an actor, singer, and dancer and I’m not shy in front of the camera. I love to learn new exercises (in live workshops, lessons with other teachers, on Instagram or Facebook), but I put each variation through a personal vetting process. I need a good reason for teaching a specific variation. It’s not enough for me that it looks fun. I’m very purpose driven. I’m sure each one of you has at least one exercise that you just don’t get. For me, it’s Stomach Massage. I know how I’m supposed to do it, I know the breathing pattern, I know the contraindications and precautions, but I don’t (yet) know the why. Why, why, why?! That’s my ultimate question for everything in life, not just Pilates. Who knows, maybe I’m still 3 years old?! Here’s an example: We all know that we can choose from the following variations for Footwork on the Reformer: heels parallel, V-position with heels on the bar, point and flex (tendon stretch), running (prancing, walking), prehensile (wrapping) and a few others. But why would you choose one over the other? Which variation is best for which type of student? Should I use only one variation or several? How many? Or all of them? Those are the types of questions I’d like to answer with Pilates Encyclopedia. I would love for it to be a Pilates study guide. Teacher training manuals for Pilates are limited in the sense that they show moments and positions, but it’s hard to tell what happens between picture A and picture B. How do I get from this first position to that second position? So much of Pilates happens in transitions, in the movement, obviously. Holding a position is one thing, but in the transition from one position to the next is where we see if a joint stays congruent or not. Pilates is an amazing method, and it can be hard. It requires a lot of time to master. With its many details, it can seem overwhelming at first. Even after completing a comprehensive training, there is still so much to learn. I see Pilates Encyclopedia as my legacy, as a way to aggregate the method in one place (instead of scattered about the interwebs) and my way of contributing to this amazing endeavor. I sincerely hope that it’ll help raise the bar in our industry, and makes us better movers and teachers by being accessible and affordable. Polestar Grads Where are they Now? Mara Sievers’ is a Polestar Graduate, Practitioner and the creator of Pilates Encyclopedia. Like our Blog? Sign up for the Polestar Life Weekly Newsletter!

Mentor Highlight: Becky Phares, NCPT

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Becky Phares, PMA®-CPT is a Polestar Pilates Graduate and a candidate for the Next Pilates Anytime Teacher 2018.  With more than 10 years of teaching Becky teaches at her studio The Body Initiative Pilates Studio in Lafayette, Louisiana.  Find Becky on instagram @the_body_initiative

Polestar: What do you love about teaching?

BP: First of all, I love that I do not have to sit behind a desk to make a living. I love that I have a job that makes people healthy and happy. But most of all, I love that I can wear stretchy pants to work!

Polestar: What is your current inspiration?

BP: I am currently getting inspiration from my husband. When we were first married 15 years ago he started working at a bank as a teller. Now he is one of the most successful commercial lenders in our city. He is proof that if you work hard enough and care about your clients, you can achieve greatness. Being a brand new studio owner, I hope to have the same drive and compassion he does.

Polestar: Why Pilates?

BP: I have the toolbox to work with almost any population because of Pilates. I do not know any other fitness modalities that have the value, history or love that Pilates has.

Polestar: What do you hope to convey in your teaching?

BP: Come as you are. Pilates helps ALL.

Polestar: Where do you hope to vacation?

BP: Machu Picchu. My dad was in the oil field and traveled the whole world. He was the first one to tell me how amazing the ruins are. So it’s my dream vacation. But for now, with our three young daughters, our family is Disney obsessed! It’s also where I met my husband.

Polestar: Describe your movement style:

BP: I am a dancer who refuses to use the word “former.” My love is contemporary dance. Contemporary is based on free and creative movement but firmly rooted in technical elements. That is how I teach Pilates. My classes have a thread that helps my clients achieve the most out of their time with me, but that doesn’t mean we can’t play, be creative and have fun.

Polestar: What is your favorite apparatus?

BP: Reformer. I love how you can simply change the spring setting and it makes an exercise immediately harder for one part of the body and easier for another. It is a genius piece that can be used in infinite ways.

Polestar: What are you reading?

BP: I love fiction. Because I’m so busy at work, then in the evening with my kids, I need to wind down. Reading about fake people’s lives turns off my brain so I can actually sleep. I love anything by Liane Moriarty, Jodi Picoult, Justin Cronin, John Grisham, Gillian Flynn and Karin Slaughter.

Polestar: Who is your mentor?

BP: Kim Gibilisco. A few years ago I took a session with Kim at the PMA and was blown away by her brain and the ability she had to make us understand what was happening in her class. Then I did some research on her and found out she was the essence of what I wanted to do with my career. I sought her out through social media hoping I can maybe get her to talk to me for 30 min. Now I call, text, or email her anytime I need advice. She has gifted me her mentorship and I’m still unsure how I got this lucky.

The Breath as a Tool

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The Breath As A Tool –  Katrina Hawley, NCPT, Polestar Educator I was once at a Polestar Pilates Educator meeting in which we were working hard to create content for the Internet to communicate to the world, “Why Pilates?” And “Why Polestar?”  The answers I found to these questions were easy.  Why Pilates? Because Pilates keeps every person doing what they want to do!  Whether that is hiking mountains or pulling weeds, running marathons or playing on the floor with grandchildren. Now Why Polestar?  That’s an easy one.  Polestar Pilates allows me to be creative within a system of principles.  Rather than teaching me a series of exercises that become a rote script for a beginner, intermediate and advanced Pilates class, Polestar provided a structure within which I could be creative. This meant that I could use the same tools to teach an 85 year old grandfather as well as a ten year old boy.  I wasn’t taught a recipe of exercises but a systematic approach and theory.  The amateur chaos theory mathematician in me was stoked! The Polestar Pilates system is based on six principles (Polestar Principles of Movement) that are designed to guide the critical thinking of a Polestar Pilates Practitioner. In this post I want to describe the first one. The Breath Principle Now, we don’t specifically choreograph when one should inhale and exhale.  We study the anatomy and physiology of the breath and we also learn the “biokinematics” and the “arthrokinematics” of breath.  All of this information within the principle allows us to decide how to best use breath as a tool for movement facilitation. When we study the breath principle we choose to ask the question how can I use the breath to create the best movement.  Will an inhale help facilitate healthy movement, or is an exhale better?  Or we might ask, how can I use this breath to challenge the mover in front of me to create greater integration of movement. The Polestar Principles encourage client-centered inquisitiveness – Can our understanding of the breath shed light on any other physiological questions?  How might I use breath to improve posture? Create more flexibility or space in a joint?  Create axial length or facilitate thoracic mobility? Why do I love Polestar Pilates?  Because Polestar gave me a plethora of information and then said, “okay kid, take this and run with it!  Have a ball, and most importantly help people move”. Experiential: The breath is a system and tool we can learn to control (and teach our students to control as well).  Try “Box Breathing” for stress reduction, grounding and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. • This breath practice can be done anywhere!  Wherever you are, sit or stand in a way that you feel grounded (weight distributed evenly between the feet or sits bones) and lengthen the spine as if your head was being pulled up by a thread. • “Box Breathing” consists of the same number of counts during your inhale as your exhale with an added pause at the peak of the inhale and valley of the exhale. Try It!: A. Inhale Four Counts (1,2,3,4) – (Pause Four Counts – 1,2,3,4)  B. Exhale Four Counts (1,2,3,4)- (Pause four counts 1,2,3,4) C. Try Repeating this Cycle 4 times.   • This rhythmic breathing practice can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system (the one that makes you feel calm).  Experiment to find the number of counts that works for you – it should be easy, steady and grounding.  Breathe On! Katrina Hawley PMA-CPT, Polestar Educator and Affiliate is the owner of The Pilates Studio Hadley providing expert instruction in private and small group sessions as well as group mat and apparatus classes.The Pilates Studio creates goal-based programs that empower clients to increase strength and flexibility as well as improve posture, coordination, and balance.  Join Katrina for the Fall Comprehensive teacher Training in Hadley, MA.  The Polestar Principles of Movement: Breath, Axial Elongation & Core Control, Spine-Articulation, Organization of the Head, Neck and Shoulders, Alignment and Weight Bearing of the Extremities and Movement Integration.  Start the The Teacher Training Journey and Learn more about Polestar Principles Online Course Here:  Principles Online!

Pilates is for Every Body

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When you imagine a Pilates aficionado, you probably think of a young, thin, healthy and physically active human. I am none of those things.
Please Allow me to change that preconceived and incorrect notion.  Pilates, also known as Controlology, was actually designed to be rehabilitative. I’m 50 years. I am obese. I exist with an autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis, which causes severe muscle weakness. I have had this disease since I was 14 years old. As you can see I am not your typical Pilates aficionado. I was introduced to Pilates by my physical therapist, Emelia Brogna. She felt Pilates was a perfect fit for me because of the reformer helps you complete movements which is a real issue for me because I have a hard time completing the movement because my muscles get so weak and fatigued. I had no cell memory of certain movements because my body has had this condition for so long. As my physical therapy sessions were coming to an end, Emelia suggested I meet Arica Bronz, who is one of the amazing Pilates instructors at All Wellness.
Together, Amelia and Erica designed a program for me to start with very simple stretching and range of motion movements. In discovering how my muscles worked, we were able to design a program that would help improve my core strength and my balance. Emphasis on balance because I have been known to fall and I am not able to get up without help.
In 2015 I started a clinical trial drug that helped increase my muscle strength. We all knew it was a temporary fix. we seized the opportunity to try to make the most of this new strength and build up as much strength and muscle as possible while we had the chance. Use of the reformer, the Trap table, some stretching with bands and sitting on a Yoga ball has increased my flexibility, strength and endurance in ways you cannot imagine. I am a person that couldn’t even sit up from a laying position. I can now do a modified Pilates program. There are things I can do that were unimaginable for me two and a half years ago. My posture is much improved. My breathing is easier. I have better range of motion. The flexibility I have gained is immeasurable. What I am trying to say in this rambling statement is simply this, Pilates is for all abilities, all sizes, all ages. Programs can be modified for your physical needs, if need be. Think outside the box and you may just discover your body can do things that were once unimaginable.

~ Roseanne Lathbury, All Wellness Client and Lover of Pilates

Originally posted at All Wellness, Polestar Host Site, Physical Therapy and Pilates Studio. Roseanne Lathbury shares her experience with Polestar Educator and Physical Therapist Arica Bronz.

Do you have a Polestar Pilates Success story or Testimonial?  We would love to share it! – Email: info@polestarpilates.com

Trending Superfoods: Just a Passing Fad?

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Science Reveals the Truth Behind Turmeric

With the modern cultural shift towards good health and nutrition, a few questions keep popping up: Should I take dietary supplements?  Do they really work or do they just end up passing through the body?  If I eat a healthy diet, why would I need supplements?  What’s the deal with turmeric?  Dr. Brent Anderson and Dr. John Lewis discuss these questions in a recent Pilates Hour webinar and shed light on the truth behind dietary supplements, what we should look for in them, and the amazing effects that they can have in preventing, managing, and even reversing chronic diseases.  They also review the latest research around curcumin, the primary medicinal compound found in turmeric, which is found to have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.   Dr. John Lewis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.  His research includes several significant studies related to nutrition, exercise, and dietary supplements, and he has implemented his findings in his lifestyle by exercising regularly and eating a whole-food, plant-based diet for over 20 years.   In a 12-month pilot study, Dr. Lewis studied the effect that a dietary supplement, aloe polymannose multinutrient complex (AMPC), has on Alzheimer’s patients.  The results are mind blowing:  46% of patients showed statistically and clinically significant improvements in cognitive and immune functioning, along with reduced inflammation within 9-12 months.  The rest of the patients maintained their levels of cognitive and immune functioning– no one got worse.  Anecdotally, there were rapid responders who, within 3 months, already showed improvement.  Caregivers of the patients noticed that their patients were saying and doing things that they haven’t done in years.     So to answer the question: Do supplements really work?  The answer is YES, and they produce incredible results by helping the body heal itself.   The Truth About Turmeric and Curcumin   Turmeric is a trending root that has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and as medicine.  In its ground-up form, it is the spice that gives curry its bright yellow color.  In medicine, studies have started to back up what Indians have known for a long time: turmeric contains compounds called curcuminoids that have significant medicinal properties.     Curcumin, the main curcuminoid in turmeric, has very powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a potent antioxidant.  Its healing effects are far reaching; here are only a few of the diseases and conditions that benefit from curcumin:
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Parkinson’s
  • cardiovascular disease
  • cardiotoxicity
  • cancer (liver, pancreatic, breast, colon, lung, prostate, brain, leukemia)
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • allergies
  • bronchitis
  • arthritis
  • asthma
  • diabetes
  • psoriasis
  • multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • metabolic disease
  • cataract formation
  • colitis
  • renal ischemia
  • nephrotoxicity
  • AIDS
  • gallstone formation
  • lung fibrosis
  • cerebral injury
  • epilepsy
  • microbial infections
  Take a more detailed look at some of the top scientifically proven health benefits here.     Just eating turmeric at every meal is not enough, as the curcumin content of turmeric is just around 3% by weight.  Most of the studies proving the medicinal benefits of turmeric use extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day.  Eating enough turmeric to get this much curcumin is unrealistic, so if you really want to experience the full effects, you would need to take an extract that contains significant amounts of curcumin.  Unfortunately, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream, but nature gave us a solution to this problem in black pepper.  Black pepper contains piperine, a compound that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000%.  We’ve also learned that curcumin is fat soluble.   If you want to take full advantage of turmeric’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, use a supplement that has high levels of curcumin, take it with either a few whole peppercorns or a black pepper supplement, and consume it with a fatty meal.  How else can you get curcumin and other nutritional goodness into your diet?  Learn how to make the perfect smoothie with Dr. Lewis in this  video featuring Dr. Brent.

7 Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs

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When you start thinking about entrepreneurship, you already have achieved the right mindset. You’ve already come to certain decisions, sometimes unconsciously, about where you want to take your practice. With your Pilates or Physiotherapy education in hand, you are clear that this what you want to do. Now comes the moment when you think about setting up your own Pilates studio or physical therapy practice. Or perhaps you want to travel and work internationally. Regardless, you take the first step in your entrepreneurial career by asking one question: “am I ready to open my own Pilates business?” You begin to seek a new goal: to live off of what you love doing. This is good news (even if it makes you nervous). In addition to having a clear objective, one should adopt better habits. Ridding yourself of unhealthy habits can be the first step in kick-starting your entrepreneurship. Stephen Covey, in his book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, describes a series of habits of personal improvement through which full effectiveness is attained. These seven habits are, or can be, a philosophy of life. Check this brief summary of them:
  1. Being proactive: You need to take the initiative.
A proactive person is aware that their actions have brought them to where they are. The proactive person also projects where they want to be. You can recognize a proactive person because this is the kind of person that says, “I am here as a result of the decisions I made, but tomorrow I want to be over there.”
  1. Eyes on the prize: Keep your efforts focused on your goals.
Keeping focused on your goals may mean finding alternative paths. You’ll often find the plan in your head is just the first of many to be thought up. There are many people who do not believe in the Law of Attraction, but if you want something and do nothing to make it materialize, no matter how much you want it, it will not be fulfilled. If you are always thinking about negative things, you cannot focus on what you do want.
  1. Put first things first: Prioritize your time.
One of the most common challenges people face is prioritizing and dividing up their time. To be really effective, you must put on top what is really important. Ah! And of course completing actions is crucial. This seems obvious, but at times it is really difficult to finish certain tasks! When you review the tasks at hand and deem them important, do them!
  1. Think about the win-win.
Often in our society, the philosophy of I win, you lose is what is prevalent. Since we were children playing games at school or taking part in sports, we want our team to win which means the other team loses. To be an effective and compassionate person you must understand that there are enough opportunities for everyone and the success of one person does not mean the failure of another.
  1. Seek first to understand, then seek to be understood.
This is a favorite quote of ours and one of our core mottos. This habit implies another paradigm shift: we are quick to make assumptions about a situation, which can often be wrong. Learning to listen and understand others from their point of view, taking into account their interests and motivations without any preconceived assumptions can aide in truly understanding your friends, colleagues, customers and family. Sometimes you need to agree to disagree, but you must do this from a place of understanding and compassion instead of anger or mistrust.
  1. Synergy represents the relationship between each of the parts with the whole, where the total result is always greater than the sum of the parts. Building up this habit involves teamwork, mutual trust and can generate creativity and innovation. If you want to be the best, surround yourself with the best.
  2. Sharpen the saw: commit to self-renewal and self improvement in each of life’s areas through the rekindling of knowledge, skills and aptitudes.
Sharpening the saw means that if we only use it without sharpening it, surely the time will come when it can not cut any more. The blade becomes dull as do we when we don’t invest in ourselves. This is related to one of Joseph Pilates’ philosophies regarding the balance between work, rest and play. We need to maintain balance in our lives and as much time and energy as a new business needs. It is important to take care of yourself by getting rest when you can and some sort of recreation or play. Are you still thinking about opening your own studio? Start by changing some of your habits!