New drop-in Pilates class at Studio 25

Starting this Tuesday, September 13th, I'll be teaching a drop-in Pilates class from 6:30-7:30. It's at Studio 25, in the heart of the Northern Quarter in Manchester. All levels are welcome- I aim to make this a casual yet challenging class that doesn't require pre-registration or previous Pilates experience. It's just 8 pounds on the day, cash only. Email me if you have any questions regarding the class....hope to see you there!

Alexandra

alexandraxsmith@gmail.com

Pilates and Reformer Studio

Located just outside Manchester in the town of Warrington is the Posture Fitness Pilates and Reformer studio. This is where I've been sneaking off to once a week for wonderful reformer classes. Being a Pilates teacher doesn't necessarily mean that we do what we preach all the time, however, if you don't keep on top of your practice it's not only your body that starts to suffer. Your teaching can become bland and repetitive no matter how much you read or study. I've learned so much in just a few sessions: things that either I've forgotten since my training or modifications that weren't covered in my course. Even just hearing someone else explain the same exercises you teach everyday can have a positive effect on your teaching and help you to fully express yourself to clients. And it's so nice to be on the other side and just sit back and let someone else do the teaching! Just thought I'd share this with you in case you're in the area...I highly recommend it.

- Alexandra

Swiss Ball Workshop!

I'll be running a swiss ball workshop at the Yoga Rooms in July- make sure not to miss it!

It's Saturday, July 30th from 12-3. Price is 25 pounds (20 pounds for concessions) and notes will be given to you on the day for you to take home to remember the exercises. You don't need to bring anything but yourself- everything is provided for you. This is a perfect opportunity to learn new exercises, even if you've been doing Pilates for years. I have tailored it to be suitable for all body types so there's no excuse- get your booty to class!

Following the workshop I will be running a trial 6 week swiss ball course at the same location on Sunday's from 5:15-6:45, first class being on August 7th. You must sign up for the whole 6 week course to attend, so the workshop would be a perfect opportunity to see if it's for you or not. No experience in Pilates or yoga is necessary.

The Yoga Rooms is a lovely little studio in Chorlton, located in the heart of the town amongst lovely shops and cafes- ideal if you have to travel for the workshop and are looking to make a day of it. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about the workshop, directions, or classes in general.

Hope to see you there!

Alexandra

Starting Your Day Right

Joseph Pilates studied many types of movement, from yoga to tai chi, boxing and gymnastics. This not only makes Pilates a great exercise for all sorts of activities, it means that you can apply Pilates techniques and principles to a variety of movements.

The Vinyasa yoga Sun Salutation is a great way to start your day, here are some links to help you out. I would suggest watching the video and then printing the diagrams out to keep next to you in case you forget what you're doing!

How To Do a Basic Sun Salutation on Howcast

Click here for the diagrams!

Video I like

I'm always hesitant to follow exercise videos, especially Pilates videos, because I find that a lot of them focus more on 'feeling the burn' rather than finding your alignment, working with your breath and creating a deeper connection with your body. Admittedly my research is minimal, but what I have seen is enough to put me off videos. Hopefully there's a wonderful collection out there that I haven't come across yet....you guys know of any good ones?

However, I did very small bit of research today and found a little tid-bit I'd like to share with you. Her demonstrations and explanations are clear and informative without overloading the viewer with too much information. To view more from her collection it'll cost you money, but from what I've seen I think it could be a good investment if you need a little inspiration in your practice or teaching.

Here's the video. Also check out the other sections such as cooking, which look pretty good too!

Take care,

Alexandra

news, updates and thoughts

From the lack of attention I'm currently giving this blog, you would think I never consider posting, however, that's not true. I think of posting all the time. You know when you think of doing something so often, put it on your to-do list and even compose drafts/create serene writing scenarios (I'm usually looking quite hipster sitting in a coffee shop, writing about my amazing Pilates career in my 'dreams') and truly believing I'll 'do it tomorrow'? Well, it's the day after yesterday so let's get started....

The first month at Ellesmere Pilates has been pretty good. Shona and I really only told a few friends and clients so numbers were on the low end, however, it gave us a chance to get a feel for teaching in the studio. Advertisements will go out in the area soon as we're ready to start bringing in more people. If you or your friends live in the Chorlton area give us a shout- we'd love to see you in class!

I've also started teaching a pregnancy class at The Yoga Rooms on Sunday evenings. We've just ordered a new lot of swiss balls so on Sunday evenings you will find me along with 12 lovely pregnancy ladies bouncing around trying to find our balance and stabilizing our pelvic girdles. The class is good fun and a lighthearted/energizing way to end the weekend and help cure the Sunday blues.

Also, I've been reading a great book about Postnatal fitness. It's "The complete Guide to Postnatal Fitness" by Judy DiFiore. It not just for Pilates teachers either- it is written in a very informative manner that could benefit a whole range of teachers and women alike. Any woman that has had a baby in the last 2 years, or is going to have a baby soon will love this book- and teachers, well, it's such a good refresher and idea book for new exercises.

Lastly, I'd just like to share a bit of something I've been thinking of lately, and that's the idea of bartering your services. Trading isn't something we do very much anymore, but in this economy it can really come in handy, especially with Pilates teachers and the like. I've come into this business at an economic low where people aren't as willing to splash out on things like they used to. I hear it a lot, 'I would love to come, but I just can't afford it". I understand, because I can't afford to go to lots of classes myself! I was reminded of this the other day when I was getting my hair cut. We were casually chatting, as you do, about things when it came up that I teach Pilates. Turns out he loves Pilates but can't make it to classes at the moment for both time and financial reasons. It was then that I envisioned a perfect working relationship: me with perfectly cut fringe everyday and him with amazing posture all day whilst cutting hair. How great is that? We should all be shouting our talents more these days.....speak up next time you're at the hair dressers, babysitters house, spa or any social gathering. Not that everywhere you go has to be a networking adventure, but make sure you have business cards packed because you never know who you'll run into. It doesn't even have to be something you have a degree in or do professionally. Above all, it's just a nice thing to sit and have a think about your talents, the things that could possibly improve your life (also the people involved, of course) and if they are interchangeable somehow. At the very least, it will just provide a bit of perspective on your 'employable' characteristics. Oh, and money is taken out of the equation, which is, in it's own right, very refreshing and creative.

Hope everyone is enjoying Spring in all it's glory and of course the bank holidays, if you're on this side of the pond. I'll be back very soon with more practical Pilates advice for you practice:)

Take care,

Alexandra

New classes at Ellesmere Pilates Studio

Starting April 5th there will be a new Pilates studio in the Manchester area. Ellesmere Pilates is a studio set-up by yours truly (Alexandra) and my friend and colleague Shona. The studio is located in a private home in the heart of Chorlton where we aim to offer small quality mat classes at affordable prices.

Classes will run Tuesdays and are as follows:

5-6:15 Intermediate/Advanced with Alexandra

6:30-7:45 Beginners with Shona

Both classes are pre-book for 4 week blocks costing 28 pounds per block. That's only 7 pounds a class!

To book or ask any questions contact the appropriate teacher directly....or for general questions feel free to leave them in the comments bit here.

Alexandra: alexandraxsmith@gmail.com

Shona: shonarobertspilates@gmail.com

Also, head over to our Facebook page and like us to find out all the up-to-date information about our new studio. (If you've befriended the 'person' Ellesmere Pilates please like the page as well....there's been just a bit of drama regarding facebook pages and profiles)

Looking forward to seeing you in class!

-Alexandra

Pilates Instructors in Manchester Group

It can be a lonely business being a Pilates instructor. If you aren't part of a studio, it can feel a bit isolating to work without colleagues on hand.

With this in mind, a group called Pilates Instructors in Manchester was formed in order to give instructors a network to turn to when looking for someone to cover their classes, somewhere to share resources (whether venue hire information, equipment recommendations or training courses) or a place to meet people who won't say 'Pilates, that's like yoga, right?'

In addition to this, the group holds monthly co-operative Teachers' Classes, designed to allow members to attend an advanced class as students and to give teachers a place to test out new ideas and exercises. These classes have recently been opened up to advanced students, which has been very successful.

If you are an instructor in the Greater Manchester area (we aren't very strict about the boundaries) and would like to join the mailing list to receive information about class cover, courses and our monthly newsletter, please follow the link: http://groups.google.co.uk/group/pilates-instructors-in-manchester

Keep an eye out over the coming months for details of Advanced classes!

Single Tasking: Finding your Inner Thighs

In this day and age, the more we can do per minute, the better. It's how we survive. No matter what you do it's essential to be able to run at top speed- to do many things at once without batting an eye. Now I bet you think I'm going to say this is a bad thing, but I'm not. I embrace all the tools available to me now to be able to do a million things at once. I can have five tabs open on the computer doing research, speak to a potential client on the phone and have my dinner cooking in the oven all at the same time. I don't feel that my work is compromised or that the quality of what I do has deteriorated in the slightest. However, with every yin there is a yang, with every ebb, a flow. No one can go non-stop like this at all hours of the day everyday and not suffer. It's about finding balance. I see this as similar to how I teach my clients to use their muscles.

It came to my attention that I don't explain this enough in my teaching when one of my clients confided in me the other day that she has been scared (scared? of me??!) to tell me that she's been running because she thought I would tell her she needed to stop. In her mind, running contradicts everything I tell her in our sessions (move slower and more mindfully, isolate only certain muscles at a time, don't 'take it to the max', etc) but in actuality, I'm preparing her for running- I just didn't explain the whole picture.

Most muscles have slow twitch and fast twitch fibers. The fast twitch are usually found in our global, or bigger muscles (think bum and thighs) and the slow twitch muscles are more subtle (think pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles....ones you can't feel as easily). The fast twitch engage quicker than the slow yet have less endurance: the sprinters. The slow twitch are for endurance: the marathon runners. Both play an equal role in our overall fitness and it's important to exercise both.

Lots of Pilates is about slow twitch fibers because they stabilize the body, and that's what Pilates is all about- stability and coordination. It doesn't mean that running or dancing or anything else is bad for you, it just brings balance and more awareness to what you already have!

Just like experts will tell you to mediate, to focus the mind and to 'single task' to bring balance and less stress in your daily life, doing the same thing in your exercise regime can bring more balance to your muscles. To start, let's focus on isolating your inner thighs, which are comprised of both fibers. Here's how to do it...

• Lay or sit in a comfortable position with your feet planted to the floor (knees will be pointing towards the ceiling if you're laying down) and find a small pillow to put in between your knees. Nothing too heavy- it can be anything handy, really. Teddy bears and fuzzy sweaters would do the trick too. If you're sitting in a chair, just make sure your back is fairly straight- it doesn't matter if it touches the back of the chair or not.
• On an exhale, give the pillow a little squeeze. Hold that squeeze for an inhale and release on the exhale. The breath offers a bit of focus and coordination so please try and stick with it if you can.
• Repeat as many times as you have time for. Doing about 20 or so a day will bring more awareness to your 'mid-line' pretty quickly. This is also a good way to find your pelvic floor if you had problems with the exercise in the last post.
• Lastly, try not to squeeze so hard that you feel your outer things and bum engage. See if you can just isolate your inner thighs....nothing else. It might seem slow and easy in the beginning, but I promise if you stick with it the benefits will be endless.

After doing this for a few days see if you can find them while walking, getting out of bed and just simply standing. Also fantastic for those of you with lower back pain or troubled leg alignment. Happy single tasking!