5 Things Not to Expect at Pilates!

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Thinking of trying out Pilates or starting an exercise program during the pandemic?  Here’s our list of the top 5 things NOT to expect during your Pilates virtual Pilates session!

1.  Don’t expect to feel bad about not exercising or not being in as good of shape as you think you should be.  It happens to everyone and we will help you realize that getting back into shape is easier than you think.

2. Don’t expect to be so sore that you can’t walk down the stairs or lift your arm to brush your hair.  We know that exercise does not need to leave you in pain to be effective.  You can expect to get a great workout that is perfect for your body! 

3.  Don’t expect to do the same exact thing every session.  Each class or session is designed to meet your needs on any given day and those needs are constantly changing. Expect us to tailor your exercises to your body and continually challenge you with new variations and movements.

4.  Don’t expect to be able to do everything perfect the first session or even your 100th session.  (I know….this one is hard for most of us and especially if you tend to be a perfectionist!!) Pilates is designed to safely challenge your body and your mind so that you can continue to evolve to the best you!

Try not to be so judgmental toward yourself and KNOW that the benefits of Pilates are more dependent on you doing it on a regular basis rather than how perfectly you do it!

5.  Don’t expect to dread coming in to the studio to exercise.  In fact- most of our clients look forward to coming in!  (this may be hard to believe if you have always been a person who just doesn’t like to exercise- you’ll have to trust us on this one!)

Ready to try out a complimentary virtual Pilates session at Rivercity Pilates?   Contact us today to set up your first session!

Pilates improves your golf game!

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Tiger Woods, Rocco Mediare, Phil Mickelson, Carin Coch, Annika Sorenstan, Camilo Vilegas, Richard Beem, Butch Harmon, Betsy King, David Duval, and Kelli Kuehne all do Pilates to improve their golf game. There must be a reason – right?

What can Pilates do for your golf game?

1. Pilates will strengthen your core muscles.  The overall core strength gained from Pilates can help improve your swing by increasing your ability to stabilize your body as well as being able to initiate movement from those core muscles.

2.  Pilates will increase your flexibility. When you have more mobility in spine and  more flexibility in your muscles you can easily get more rotation. More rotation in your body makes for a more efficient, powerful golf swing.

3.  Pilates will improve your concentration.  Concentration is one of the founding principles of Pilates and every movement requires you to concentrate on exactly what your body is doing.  Concentration, like any other skill will improve the more you practice it.  Your improved concentration will allow you to fine tune your golf swings and make the most out of your game.

4.   Pilates will balance your body and help you prevent injuries.  The Pilates method of exercise promotes uniform development of all the muscles in the body.  By creating balance in your musculature you can prevent overuse injuries which can be very common for serious golfers.

Learn more about the benefits of Pilates by scheduling your complimentary private Pilates session today!

Top 3 Reasons Every Runner and Cyclist should do Pilates!

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1. If you are injured you can’t ride or run. I know how torturous it is to not be able to get your miles in.

Seriously, when you constantly repeat the same movements without varying your exercise your body becomes imbalanced and imbalances cause injuries.

It all comes down to prevention. Pilates will help you create balance in your body and prevent injuries!

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2. By creating balance in your musculature and increasing your core strength you will improve your cycling and running. Whether you are competitive with just yourself or others- you will see an improvement in your speed and endurance by adding Pilates to your fitness routine.

3. You might actually enjoy it! If you love to move and
challenge your body, you will probably find yourself looking forward to the
challenges of your Pilates practice.

Want to try it out?
Contact us today to schedule your complimentary Pilates session !

Click here to see our latest class schedule!

Do you know a runner or cyclist who could benefit from adding Pilates into their fitness routine?  Use the buttons below to share this blog!

Have you ever pulled a weed out that knocked you over?

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I have to tell you about something someone told me this week!

My client says to me at the beginning of her session:      I was out pulling weeds and we had some really tall weeds, that were probably this high(she held her hand as high as her shoulder!) So I got down low and grabbed on and pulled and pulled and pulled(she was demonstrating as she told me) and then pulled some more and then finally it came out!  And do you know what happened? 

My answer, “… Oh no… did you fall backwards?”

Her answer:  NO, I  didn’t! And I absolutely think in the past I would have! I think all that practice on the balance board really helped me!! 

How amazing is that?  I love to hear client stories about how they are doing life better and avoiding injuries because of their Pilates time!! 

If you are looking to add more movement time into your life that helps you navigate whatever you are doing in life better… we’d love to help! Sign up for a complimentary session where we’ll get to know you, introduce you to some Pilates movements tailored to your body and help you figure out how to best get started!! 

Happy, successful people create these 2 habits in their life!

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Do you ever look at those successful, happy people who seem to be doing it all in life and doing it well and wonder how do they do it?  How can I have what they have?

I do and I’ve made it part of my journey to take notice and even study the lives and patterns of those people who have what I strive for in life.  The two habits that I see over and over again are physical exercise and “me” time.  No matter how busy these highly successful people are they find time to exercise their bodies and renew their soul.   Many times this is a daily exercise routine, meditation, a time to read, and simply time to relax on a daily basis.

What amazes me is that these people have the same amount of time in the day as you and me yet they manage to accomplish extraordinary things AND carve out time for themselves and their bodies.  In fact when I talk to these happy, successful people they often credit their successes in life to these habits that they’ve incorporated into their life.  They will also be the first to tell you that it’s not always easy to find that time but the results have made it “not an option” but a requirement in their life.

So all of this is great to hear, but how do you incorporate it into your life?  My suggestion is to start small and doable.  Can you get up a half hour early everyday and add 15 minutes of Pilates, Yoga, Stretching, Cardio  or even meditation to your life?  Create a small doable goal and do it consistently(everyday) for at least 2 months.  Yes, I said  2 months.   If you get to the place where you can add more time- great!  That’s it…see where it takes you and let us know how it changes you!!

CareyIMG_2781-1 Sadler is the owner of Rivercity Pilates in North Liberty Iowa. Carey is a PMA Certified Pilates instructor who has been teaching Pilates since getting her comprehensive certification from Body Precision Studios in 2001.  Before that Carey was a personal trainer, a chemical engineer and a volleyball player!  Carey’s love of health, movement and happiness have lead her to open her Pilates studio and continue her passion of living life to the fullest!  She is a wife and  a mom of 3 energetic children as well as a spunky cat and dog.

WINNER – Joe’s Challenge

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Joe’s Challenge Winner!

Since January 1st many clients participated in what we called Joe’s Challenge! We challenged you to complete 30 sessions of Pilates or Yoga by March 31 or by the end of April if you got a late start. We asked you to send us an email about how you felt after 10, after 20 and after 30 sessions. We have shared some of what you said in our past couple of newsletters. We know you’ve been anticipating the prize announcement!
 
…and the winner is….
 

Danielle Wilbanks!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!  You win 3 Months of  Unlimited Classes! 
$780 Value!
Thanks to every client that participated! You are all winners by continuing to move and encourage and inspire us all with your dedication to your Pilates and Yoga practice.
 
Here’s what a couple of our fantastic clients said after finishing the challenge:
 
“As always, I am grateful that Pilates came to me at this stage in life!! I love the classes in which I participate, 
the instructors, the studio, the participants…AND, most of all that it’s keeping me fit, toned, limber & balanced. I have no fear of saying ‘I’ve fallen & I can’t get up’….I CAN get up!!!”      ~Pam
 
“Having finished 30 sessions I come to recognize how I actually feel when I’m not doing Pilates. It took me a while to finish all 30 sessions because I was traveling and what I noticed most is how much better I can move and feel when I’m attending Pilates regularly. When I miss Pilates I am not as flexible and not able to move as well and overall just don’t feel as good.” ~Cyndi