Would you like to try Pilates?

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If you are brand new to Pilates or it’s been awhile since you’ve practiced be sure to check out our free Pilates Day introductory group sessions! We would love for you to experience what a regular Pilates practice can do for your body and your life!

If you’ve been curious about exploring Pilates in your body…this is the perfect chance to try it out by signing up for a FREE introductory session! Contact us quick to grab a spot as space is limited and these sessions will fill up!   

Pilates Day is celebrated by the Pilates community worldwide on the first Saturday of May every year.  The goal of Pilates Day is to foster the public’s appreciation and awareness of Pilates.

Are you new to Pilates? Here’s a quick description of the Pilates method of movement:

Pilates is a mind-body exercise developed in the 20th century by Joseph Pilates. He and his wife Clara taught students this unique method of exercise. They called it ‘contrology,’ which teaches and encourages controlling your muscles with your mind by focusing attention on core postural muscles that provide spinal support and help keep the body balanced. Pilates’ exercises were developed to teach breath awareness, spine alignment, and abdominal muscle strength.

New to Pilates?
In honor of PIlates Day 2023 we’ll be offering special introduction to Pilates small group sessions at 11 am and 1 pm on Saturday, May 6th.  Like all of our small group sessions at the studio this session will be limited to 5 participants max. To sign up for this free session just click here and we’ll get you scheduled! 

These sessions are geared for anyone who wants to learn more about what Pilates is all about! We’ll start the session with a general talk about what Pilates is and the different ways to practice it. After that we’ll get you moving so you can experience the method in your body.  We’ll review the fundamental concepts and ideas we use in Pilates and encourage you to try some Pilates exercises.  You will get to try out some exercises on the Pilates equipment! 

In your session your teacher will show you how to adapt each movement to your body to make it most effective for you.  It will be a fun, informative session that let you explore the Pilates method in your body.

Email us to reserve your spot in a free session on Pilates Day

What is an Integrative Health Session?

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Ready to feel better in your body? Start here!

  • If you feel like you’ve tried ALL the things but you are still frustrated with how you are feeling in your body…we suggest Integrated Health Sessions!
  • If you have life or health goals and want some help getting to the next step in your path….we suggest Integrated Health Sessions.

What is an Integrated Health Session?

Integrative Health Sessions are created uniquely for each individual. Choices for the session can include any combination of mindfulness, breathing, movement (yoga, pilates or physical therapy based), and health coaching.

Each individual will initially complete a personal health assessment based on the Wheel of Health with 7 areas assessed (nutrition, mental and emotional well being, fulfillment and purpose, physical activity and fitness, sleep and rest, and physical environment). This health assessment will be used as a guide using curiosity to explore the individual’s path to wellness.

Integrative Health Sessions at Rivercity Pilates

These sessions are conducted by Jenny Fitzpatrick. Jenny is an integrative health specialist with over 30 years of experience in the health and wellness field. Jenny is a licensed physical therapist, a yoga teacher and has practiced Pilates for many years. Her approach is to address the whole person. Jenny partners with clients along their journeys in making sustainable changes to live the lives they desire. Jenny’s passion is to assist clients who seek greater confidence and peace in leading healthier lifestyles.

Pricing

  • Single Sessions $120
  • 4 Package of Sessions $460
  • 8 Package of Sessions $880

Schedule sessions in Mindbody or email us.

Act fast and get a free strength training class!

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We will be offering a new small group session simply called Strength Training Sessions starting February 4th!

  • Expect to get a whole body strengthening workout utilizing hand weights, various resistance bands, the magic circle and utilizing body weight exercises.  It’s important to ease into things and gradually increase the weight you’re lifting over time, so Shannon will help you determine which weights to use.    Our weights in the studio range from 2-12 pounds.  
  • Shannon will help you with proper form and technique so you know you are doing exercises correctly. She’ll make sure you are working at an appropriate range of motion and resistance for your body.   
  • Small Group Sessions are limited to 5 people per session maximum.
  • Small Group Strength Sessions are priced the same as our Pilates Mat Small Groups and our Yoga Small Groups  (If you buy a package of small group sessions, you can go to Pilates Mat, Yoga or Strength small groups!)
  • You can pick and choose which sessions you want to take or take them all!  NOTE:   The recommendations for women over 50 are to do strength training 2-3 times per week!

We have a deal for you!   Try a Small group Strength Session for FREE in February.   To claim your free session email us before January 31 and let us know which day in February you want to attend a session and we’ll add a free Small Group Strength session to your account and schedule you for your free session!

Worried about losing your balance and falling?

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The weather has turned cooler, the sunsets have been gorgeous (have you noticed how pretty the fall sunsets are?!) and it’s funny how I’ve been finding myself talking to clients a little more about balance this past week. 

If you live in Iowa you know that cooler temps means we are headed into the season of slippery walkways, snow, and ice, all things that make keeping your balance an extra challenge!

If you are coming into the studio for sessions or taking classes with us virtually you should know that all of our sessions and classes incorporate balance training that will absolutely help you navigate your balance this winter. 

For those of you wanting to do a little more to improve your confidence in your balance be sure to read more about some of my favorite balance tools you can use at home to improve your balance!

There are lots of ways to improve your balance just using your body so you don’t NEED to have a prop or piece of equipment to help you. 

That being said, our clients tell me that they find that using a balance tool like a balance pad, a half foam roller or a balance board makes the experience more fun and motivates them to practice more!

If you can avoid a fall, the cost of having some balance props at home – is well worth it!   

Today I’ll give you a quick description of some of my favorite balance tools so you can decide if you might want one at home to practice with!

Balance Pad: The balance pad is an easy way to make any standing exercise more effective when it comes to improving your balance. The squishyness of the pad encourages the muscles of your foot/ankle to have to continually adjust and work…increasing strength and increasing proprioception. Besides using it to stand on, you can also kneel on the pad to cushion knees and encourage balance work and you can use it under your hips for various exercises. If you are new to balance training I often suggest starting with a balance pad before moving into “balance board” options.  

Small Half foam roller:  The small half foam roller is a great “balance board” alternative that is really small, lightweight and portable and has lots of uses besides just standing on it!

If you need a little something fun to motivate you to practice your balance this inexpensive tool might just be the thing!

Rocker Board:  The Rocker board allows you to build strength and practice your balance while still feeling safe. It is the most basic design of balance boards and a great place to start training if you are new to balance training.

The sturdy board allows you to rock side to side or front to back depending on your feet orientation which is a great way to improve strength and mobility in your feet, ankles and legs.


Round Wobble Board:   The Round Wobble Board is more challenging than a Rocker Balance board and is especially great for building foot/ankle strength in all ranges because of its extra instability. 

I usually recommend this board to clients who have already been practicing on a rocker board and for those who want to take their balance skills to the next level!

If you have any questions about which balance tool would be best for you — email us at rcpilates1@gmail.com.

The best way to get better at balance is to practice!   Did you know we have balance class memberships?

Join Carey for Virtual Balance Class every Wednesday!   It’s a virtual class, so you can take it on Wednesdays at 9am live without leaving your home (which is a great option with winter approaching)!    We send the recording to everyone who registers, so if you’re not free at 9am — you can practice later

Pilates Reformer for a Healthy Back

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It’s no secret the Pilates gets credited by a lot of people for helping their back feel better. If you’ve been curious about PIlates, curious about the PIlates equipment and would love to feel better in your back and body….we have just the thing for you!

For the month of October Shannon is going to be teaching  “themed” sessions in her Tuesday night 6 pm semi-private group.   All month long she’ll be teaching sessions focused on using the Pilates reformer to help your back feel better!

**Side note: If you’ve practiced Pilates you know that it always helps your back and your whole body feel amazing….these sessions will just give a little extra focus on the benefits for your back!

October Reformer Healthy Back Themed Classes

These sessions are suitable for ANYONE who has a back! Each session will be focused on the idea of practicing movements utilizing the Pilates reformer that keep your back healthy and happy.  With the assistance and support of the Pilates reformer you’ll learn to strengthen and stretch your body in a balanced way that leaves your body feeling amazing. No Pilates Reformer experience necessary!

This session might be for you if:

  • You are interested in how Pilates exercises can help your back feel better
  • You are looking for an exercise program that can specifically help you with tightness, discomfort or pain in your back
  • You are brand new to Pilates and would like to join a small group equipment  session
  • You enjoy knowing that your teacher will be giving you a variety of options of how to do exercises and your teacher will help you find the best one for you
  • You’ve been practicing Pilates and love the idea of practicing fun things on the reformer that help your back feel better!
  • You’ve heard about how great the Pilates reformer is and want to try it out!

Tuesday nights from 6pm to 6:50 pm

How do I sign up? You can request  semi-private sessions in our Mindbody system if you are savy and comfortable navigating our scheduling system or you can simply email us and we can schedule you and set you up!  ( P.S. – this is how most of our clients schedule…don’t feel bad about sending us an email to schedule…we love helping you schedule sessions!!)

Please note you do not have to sign up for a session every week and can simply sign up for the sessions that work into your schedule.  You can cancel a session with 24 hours notice with no charge.

If you plan on attending weekly and want to make sure you have a spot we always suggest having us schedule you ahead for the sessions and then you can always let us know by email or by canceling in Mindbody which sessions you can’t make.  

What if I can’t attend all the session?
You do not need to attend every session. You can simply schedule the sessions that work for your schedule.  If you purchase the special package of 4 sessions you can also use those sessions to attend other semi-private sessions.

Email us if you’re interested in these sessions!

Interesting Conversations with Clients

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Lately, I’ve really been noticing how a lot people have a habit of talking and thinking endlessly about things that bother them. 

I’ve also been noticing that the people who do this are usually not very happy overall and they don’t feel good in their bodies!

The people who choose to look at things positively, who look at the bright side and see obstacles as way to grow and learn…are the people who are happier and feel better in their body. Have you ever noticed this?  

Have you heard Joseph Pilates famous quote: “Everyone is the architect of their own happiness”?  I think Joe was talking about the simple idea that you can choose how happy you are by choosing how you think about things!

When you move your body you can choose to focus on what hurts and what doesn’t feel good or you can choose to focus on what you CAN do in your body.  You can choose to look at an injury or a pain in your body as something horrible or you can choose to look at it as an opportunity to grow and understand your body better. 

It always seems kind of silly to me that anyone would choose to think about things in a negative way, but I continue to realize that most people don’t even know they are doing this. It’s just a habit.

I was thinking about how much I love that our Pilates teachers are experts at helping bodies figure out what they can do. I love that our teachers are experts at not just teaching exercises to all bodies but also teaching people how to think about movement in a way that helps them feeI better in their body and in their life.

I love that our teachers are experts at creating a comfortable, encouraging environment to help clients practice doing things that help them find their happy!

I’m so excited that we are going to be able to offer more opportunities for clients to be able to get in to the studio and work with our amazing teachers in person this month! Be sure to send us an email if you want to reserve  a spot!