Journal

Are You Doing Things TO Your Body or FOR Your Body?

2013-06-19T12:43:55Z

Photo by Valerie D. Perry

I read on a friend’s Facebook Timeline the other day: “Instead of doing things TO your body, try doing things FOR your body!” Wow. Yes.

When we do things TO our body, we are interested in an outcome. We want to lose weight, tone muscles, look sexy, whatever. And 99% of the time, those things that we are doing have nothing with how we feel, and everything to do with how we want to be seen by others. (See last week’s post.)

When we do things FOR our body, our emphasis is on ourselves. Feeling good, doing what feels good to us, listening to our intuition. (See next week’s post.)

We are more likely to accomplish our goals if we’ve set them for ourselves, in response to ourselves. Not in response to what society asks of us. We are more likely to do the tasks required to meet our goals if we are actually excited about achieving them and invested in the outcome. Going to the gym and eating our vegetables wouldn’t feel like such a drag if we chose to do them simply because we know we feel good when we do.

I think of Pilates and dance as being done FOR my body. Stretch, strength, coordination, awareness. I think of running as being done TO my body. Slamming joints, disengaged mind. There may be a benefit, but there are too many negatives for me. I think of eating healthy foods as being done FOR my body. I feel better, my skin is better, I have more energy. I think of giving up dessert and alcohol altogether as something being done TO my body. It’s like a punishment. Life is less fun without a little treat!

The Body is Power

2013-06-12T13:26:31Z

Photo by Ashley E. SmithMy obsession with burlesque is a surprise to people who knew me growing up. Strait-laced, good girl. (But aren't those always the ones with a deep longing for sensuality?) When I discovered burlesque, and vintage, Fosse jazz, I was in love. The lines of the body created innuendos. The quality of movement was that of "anticipation". The smallest flick of a heel or roll of a shoulder upped the ante. It's all about subtlety. And, here were women showing off their bodies- all shapes, sizes and experiences. Not hiding from who they really are.

Part of what I love about burlesque is the sheer variety of body types! No boobs, but long legs (me)? Yup. Voluptuous curves all over? Yup. Tall? Short? Black? White? Old? Young? Check. Burlesque is a celebration of body, in all its varieties.

What So Many Barre Classes Get Wrong

2013-06-05T18:17:05Z

Photo by Ashley E. Smith

Whenever I introduce CABARRET to a gym or studio owner, there is a small amount of confusion. "So it's a barre class?" they ask. "Well, half of it is," I reply. "Then there's dance." "So it's a dance class?" they ask. "Well, half of it is," I reply. "But the focus of the dance is the cardio." They really don't know what to do with it.

I created CABARRET for a variety of reasons. But one was the quality of "barre classes". They're popular. People love them, and love the promise of a dancer's long, lean body. And yet, the movement has very little to do with dance. Worse still, many participants find themselves hurting their necks, shoulders, low backs, and/or knees, because the work isn't being explained and/or executed properly.

A good barre workout should have the following elements:

Excited to Share Some Good News…

2013-05-29T18:19:06Z

I am thrilled to announce I have been invited to be a contributing writer for Business Heroine Magazine.

Business Heroine is dedicated to the entrepreneur who said she would, and did. This online magazine features industry leaders who are passionate in work and play, and who share their insider success secrets with other women who are here to do something big. I really resonate with the vibe of this magazine and look forward to being a regular contributor for Health and Fitness!

Check it out at >> http://BusinessHeroineMagazine.com

Have a look, and keep an eye out for my articles soon!

Resistance is NOT Futile!

2013-05-22T14:07:21Z

Resistance training is an incredibly effective form of muscle building exercise. Some trainers encourage you to start with very heavy weights and lift them just a few times. Others say- keep it light, but perform as many reps as you can. I say- USE YOUR BODY!

5 Things You Need to Know About Pilates!

2013-05-15T15:45:05Z

Nicole on the Wunda Chair. A friend of mine owns a Pilates studio in Philadelphia (Trullo Pilates in Northern Liberties. Book a session!). And this week we were talking about the words we use in advertising our business. She’s adding signage to her location and Jackie and I are trying to develop some new marketing for the Florida slow season at our studio.

Pilates is something that people THINK they know. “Oh, that’s like yoga, right?” “Do you just lie on the floor?” “That’s with those machines that look like torture equipment.” “That’s just for dancers.” “I went to a class at my gym, and I didn’t feel anything.” Or worse, “I went to a class at my gym and it made my neck hurt.”

Combating these perceptions is a difficult task. Especially in a piece of marketing. Much easier in a conversation and experience.

What are the most important things people need to know about Pilates? Here are mine.

1. Pilates is equal parts strength and stretch. Each exercise should have those 2 things going on.

2. Pilates should translate to your everyday life. One of the advertising phrases Trullo decided to use was “Effective Lifestyle Programs”, implying that Pilates is more than something you do there in the studio. It is a lifestyle (see my Fitness is Not a Number post). Pilates should affect your everyday life- your posture, how you think about movement, your ability to move, in any task- mundane or athletic.

What is Mind/Body Exercise, And Why Should I Do It?

2013-05-08T13:47:03Z

Photo by Ed Yourdon. Used by Creative Commons license.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it is that attracts me to Pilates and dance. Besides the fact that I’ve been doing them for just AGES at this point. Why? Why do I like it? And, why do I think these things are better, for me and for my clients, than other forms of exercise?

I have a lot of answers, but I’m just going to focus on one of them today. Both Pilates and dance, when taught well, are Mind/Body exercise forms.

Mind/Body, to me, has a bad rep. For many, it means meditating, sitting quietly or moving VERY slowly. That’s not what it means at all! Mind/Body exercise means, in the words of Joseph Pilates, “The brain must work at least as hard as the body!” You must move with consciousness. You have to know where your body is, what it is doing, where it is going- and WHY.

We partake in unconscious exercise often when we are in the gym by ourselves- Running on a treadmill and reading a book and listening to an iPod and watching the E! News headlines. Distracted exercise is less effective than conscious exercise. We don’t work as hard, and our energy isn’t focused on the muscles that need it. Elon professors recently conducted a study that showed distractions definitely don’t make us work harder, and often make us work less. Common sense to me, and yet, you can find distracted exercisers in every gym across the country.

Fitness is Not a Number.

2013-05-02T19:33:36Z

Part of starting my new business, CABARRET, means changing the focus of my writings here. For years, I’ve been writing about arts education, particularly theatre and dance. While dance will still make an appearance, theatre is pretty much out (for now :) ). I’m going to be focusing on what I’m doing, and what, over the course of the past 10 years of study, in school, apprenticeship, and work experience, I’ve come to know very well- fitness.

Fitness is not a number. It is not the weight on the scale, the size of your pants. It’s not even your resting heart rate or the number of calories burned in an hour long aerobics class. I'm not saying those things aren't important. But I am saying, that not what fitness IS.

Google "fitness". What comes up? A list of gyms in your area. And the Webster's definition. That's about it. We've narrowed fitness down to "exercise".

Fitness is a way of life. A conscious choice to, every day, follow habits that are the best for you- body, mind and soul.

Wilkommen, Bien Venue, Welcome, to...

2013-04-23T21:44:40Z

CABARRET, to CABARRET, to CABARRET!

Announcing the launch of CABARRET, a new dance fitness program! A perfect blend of sultry jazz and calorie-burning, muscle-sculpting movement.

I'm so excited to get this business off and running!

Yes, this is where all of my time and effort has been going latley. And shout outs to the wonderful team that helped me to get this done! I've been creating routines in the space graciously provided by Ms Jackie Pilates, developing playlists with my fabulous music director Rehab Rebel, and marketing launched with feedback from many wonderful friends and featuring workout photos taken by the talented Valerie Perry.

If you are in South Florida, please come to a class! If Hallandale is too far for you, ask your gym about adding it- I'm willing to travel, and when it gets to be too much, I will hold teacher trainings and give away all my fabulous booty-blasting, thigh-toning, hip-shaking, sexy-strutting secrets!

And Philly, I'm coming for you this summer or fall. There has already been phenomenal interest from the fitness community there, so I will see you soon!

New Things Coming- I Promise!

2013-04-11T21:41:14Z

I know it's been awhile since I wrote. And, just like the last time this much time passed between blog posts, it's because big changes are on the way. So stay tuned!