Along with Sandy Shimoda, she has created a fantastic post-graduate Pilates Education program with Jay Grimes at the helm. Vintage Pilates does an excellent job of weeding through imbalance, wonkiness and trickiness in an ongoing search for true connection and balance in the body.

Karen has a calm energy and definitely gives off the vibe that we’re gonna do some serious work here. I have a weekly lesson with Sandy Shimoda – which I dearly love – but every once in a while for scheduling reasons I get to see Karen. Notwithstanding the love I have for Sandy, I have to say Karen always manages to come up with a game changer for me that is fun to write down and use as a mantra.

Some recent favorites

• “There’s no squishing in Pilates.” in regard to the upper back position in the 2nd Stomach Massage Series
• “When do we ever do that?”  in regard to a random Pilates-esque exercise that was probably not part of Joe’s original system as it differs wildly from all the other exercises

Karen has a wicked eye for the work and also a great compassion for when you’ve found a super-challenging element in one exercise only to discover that, my God, you need that same thing in just about every other exercise. Whew. Where are the towels?

1. What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?  

Karen Frischmann: Hands down – the roll up. It has so many of the principles of the method rolled up in it. The two way stretch, the use of the seat, the back connection… the powerhouse of course. It is also the first exercise in which I started seeing all the connections within the work.

2. What exercise is your least favorite? Pick only one.

KF: Knees off, but just because after all these years it is still so difficult for me. I know I need it, it is a really good exercise, but seriously, it just doesn’t get any easier. Ha, and if it ever does I know I will hear Jay say “OK, now….”

3. What turns you on creatively, mentally or physically about the Pilates method?

KF: Wow, you know I have been doing Pilates for 18 years and teaching for 16 and every day I come to a new connection or conclusion. The depth of this work is astonishing. I get to work with amazing people, – clients, teachers and each one teaches me and stretches me in different ways. Where else can you get that?

4. What is your idea of earthly happiness?

KF: BALANCE. It is something that I’m not very good at it and work towards every day.  

5. What to your mind would be the greatest misfortune?

KF: A world without balance, movement, beauty or joy.

6. What is your favorite Pilates word?

KF: Reach.

7. What is your least favorite Pilates word?

KF: Core, or maybe sit bones.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

KF: Architect

9. If Heaven exists, and by some chance when you arrive at the pearly gates Joseph Pilates is also there, what would you like to hear him say to you?

KF: “Ya done good kid.”

10. What did you learn today?

KF: How to connect better on both sides in my side bends.

“The Entire Mat is in the Short Box.”

Imagine my delight at hearing Jay Grimes utter this phrase. In any of his workshops, often less than 10 minutes in, a pearl of this caliber is unleashed and I am just so happy to be in the room. I’m not entirely sure I didn’t whoop out loud.

Plus – OMG – it’s about the Short Box and – double OMG – the Mat as well. Two delectable apparatuses totally deserving of my favorite new word:

*Nerdgasm*

Now to get my geek on and figure out what the hell he’s talking about

That’s half the fun really. I get it, but it’s one of those where I wanna write it down and chew on it for a while…and it’s a great exercise in “Let’s see how this whole method all hangs together…”

Let’s go for the literal first.

1. The Roll Up is easy to see in the Round (Hug) exercise, you’ve just got to deal with that box underneath you…
2. Single Leg Circles is the ultimate version of the Tree when you’ve got your hands on the floor pushing up into your High Bridge. Okay, yes, but I’ll wager the Tree is helping you with Single Leg Circles way before you even get to the circling leg part…
3. The Side Bend is really the same shape as Side to Side on the Short Box

But now to the element of skill-building on the Reformer. All the apparatuses exist simply to serve us and our Mat Exercises, right?

What a perfect job for the mighty Short Box.

Here you sit with a veritable motherload of skills available to you.

1. Sit up tall in your Tree and reach all the way from your low back to hold the ankle. Lift yourself up here to hold the ankles a la Open Leg Rocker.
2. Learn to use the straps in the Short Box effectively to help the lower body connection of The Roll Up and The Neck Pull.
3. Every exercise is the Double Leg Pull, so there’s that…
   

When you look at it this way, the Short Box is indispensable to the Method (quel suprise). Oh, and Brilliant! Every skill you need for every exercise in the system is right here on display.

How many Mat exercises can you find? Leave a comment below and share your favorites, especially the ones you love to hate

Related Posts:

• Short Box: How I love thee let me count the ways…
• The Use of the Straps in the Short Box Series
• Another One Bites the Dust

Click here for English translation.

1. ¿Cuál es tu ejercicio favorito de Pilates y por qué?
 
Ernesto Reynoso: El Cien (Hundred), porque abarca todo lo que Pilates es: resistencia, fuerza,

core/“powerhouse” (ver más abajo), la respiración y la concentración. Ejercita todo: los abdominales, los glúteos, los brazos. Se trata del control: el control de la respiración, el control de los movimientos. Al principio, cuando empecé el programa de certificación, se me dijo que El Cien era un ejercicio de calentamiento. Pero a medida que avancé y sobre todo después de tomar clases con Kathi Ross-Nash, El Cien se ha convertido en el ejercicio más desafiante y desarrolla todo de una manera que nunca había sentido ni alcanzado antes. Al finalizar El Cien, ya estoy sudando y me duele todo, pero veo (¡y siento!) que todo se resume en este único ejercicio.
 
2. ¿Qué ejercicio es el que menos te gusta? Escoge sólo uno.
 
ER: El Árbol (The Tree). Soy bailarín de ballet, y, de forma muy simplificada, El Árbol requiere que uno estire la pierna y la acerque a su nariz; para los bailarines, esto es muy fácil. El Árbol, sin embargo, es el ejercicio que menos me gusta, porque cuanto más lo practicas, más desafíos encuentras. Cuanto mejor lo haces, más te das cuenta de que no se trata sólo de acercar la nariz a la rodilla. Se trata de elongar la columna vertebral y abrir la espalda, además de estirar los músculos isquiotibiales. Así, al final, no se trata de hacer más, sino de hacerlo mejor. En un nivel básico, se puede sentir muy bien, pero, a medida que uno avanza, se vuelve muy complicado. A menudo perdemos eso de vista.
 
3. ¿Qué te atrae de forma creativa, mental o física sobre el método Pilates?
 
ER: Las infinitas posibilidades de Pilates, siempre impulsadas por su intuición. Los instructores capacitados por Romana utilizan el método más puro y eficaz. Cuando uno se acerca a Pilates con una mente abierta, dispuesto a aprender de los grandes instructores, es impresionante cómo, en los más altos niveles, el enfoque es puro, pero las perspectivas son fascinantemente diferentes. En el caso de Pilates, siendo fiel a la forma clásica, se puede ser y hacer lo que uno quiera y necesite, y uno se puede volver inmensamente creativo, aprovechando la intuición. Nosotros, por supuesto, debemos seguir los parámetros del método brillante de Joseph, pero implícito en su enfoque se encuentra el elemento de la creatividad: desglosar los ejercicios, según sea necesario para un cliente determinado; hacer llegar a un cliente a lo más alto; llevar nuestros propios límites más allá de nuestra mejor marca personal y buscar la ejecución más elegante y hermosa.
 
4. ¿Cuál es tu idea de la felicidad terrenal?
 
ER: Hmmm ¿Cuál es el propósito de la vida? ¿Por qué estamos haciendo esto? ¿Por qué nos subimos al Reformer todos los días? Creo que trata de trascender los límites y salir de la caja, donde uno encuentra una motivación aún mayor. No se encuentra en el logro de algo específico necesariamente; sino, más bien, se trata de saber que siempre hay algo más, algo más grande que uno puede lograr, que hay un escalón más alto sobre el que nos podemos parar. Llegar a más en todo: eso es lo que se trata, para mí. Lo que hoy es la felicidad, en concreto, puede no ser la felicidad mañana, pero todo está en el proceso de ir hacia adelante. No se trata de lo que uno logra, sino que se trata de aquello a lo que aspiramos, y la actitud y el enfoque que se utilizan. La búsqueda de la felicidad es una idea utópica y quizá no existe realmente, pero la felicidad es en sí misma una actitud y un enfoque.
 
5. ¿Cuál sería la mayor desgracia, en tu opinión?
 
ER: Sólo seguir la manada, con la mente cerrada a todas las posibilidades que están fuera de la caja y convencerse a uno mismo que esto, ahora mismo, es suficientemente bueno. “Si esto es suficientemente bueno, entonces no hay nada más que aprender”.
 
6. ¿Cuál es tu palabra favorita de Pilates? “Más”
 
ER: En Pilates, siempre tienes gente diciéndote: “Puedes hacer más”. Es posible que odies esa frase en algún momento, cuando estás bañado en sudor y quieres dejarte caer, pero al final es lo que te empuja a todas las grandes posibilidades.
 
7. ¿Cuál es tu palabra de Pilates menos favorita?
 
ER: “Powerhouse”. Yo soy de México y el español es mi lengua materna. Powerhouse, traducido literalmente es “la casa del poder”, que no tiene ningún sentido para mí y suena tonto. Del mismo modo, “core” (núcleo) carece prácticamente de significado. CENTER (CENTRO) tiene mucho más sentido y es, además, más poderoso. Nos enfocamos en el centro del cuerpo, el centro de equilibrio y de gravedad. He oído de Jay Grimes que Joseph nunca usó la palabra “powerhouse”. Es un término que surge de una descripción sucinta, fácil pero vaga. Joseph habría dicho: “Hazlo desde las entrañas”, que significa mucho más para mí. Por supuesto, yo no estaba allí para comprobarlo. Sólo tengo 35 años.
 
8. ¿Qué otra profesión que no sea la que tienes en la actualidad te gustaría probar?
 
ER: Médico: Porque la prevención es mejor que tratar de curar. Si yo fuera médico, me centraría en temas de bienestar general y le diría a mis pacientes: “¿Qué se ajusta mejor a sus horarios tan ocupados: una hora de ejercicio al día o estar muerto las 24 horas?” (¿De quién es esta cita? No sé. La leí en Facebook.)
 
9. Si el Paraíso existe y, por casualidad, al llegar a sus puertas Joseph Pilates también está allí, ¿qué te gustaría que te dijese?
 
ER: “Bienvenido al cielo, vamos a fumar un cigarro y tomar una copa para que podamos conversar. Lo has hecho muy bien, pero vuelve y hazlo mejor. De lo contrario, vete al infierno”.
 
10. ¿Qué has aprendido hoy?
 
ER: Cuanto más aprendo, más me

Haga clic aquí para la traducción en Español.

Ah what fun was had at Kathi’s Pillow Summer 2012. Ernesto Reynoso was one of the new Pilates faces I had the pleasure of meeting, although his name had been familiar to me for some time via mutual Pilates colleagues and social media. I must confess a bit of a weakness for male ballet dancers… just jealous of the vertical hops they possess…It looks so fun to be up that high. Scroll down for another “action shot” of Ernesto and see him hanging out up near the ceiling!

You can catch up with Ernesto and his Pilates Powerhouse at Re:AB or find him both teaching and working out right here on Pilatesology.

1. What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?
 
Ernesto Reynoso: The Hundred, because it encompasses everything that Pilates is about: stamina, strength, core/”powerhouse” (see below), breathing, and focus. It works everything:  the abdominals, the glutes, the arms. It is about control:  controlling your breathing, controlling your movement. In the beginning, when I started the certification program, I was told that The Hundred was a warm-up exercise. But as I progress and especially after taking lessons with Kathi Ross-Nash, The Hundred has become the most challenging exercise, and it develops everything in a way I have never felt or achieved before. By the end of The Hundred, I am already sweating and everything hurts, but I see (and feel!) it all come together in this one exercise.
 
2. What exercise is your least favorite? Pick only one.
 
ER: The Tree. I am a ballet dancer, and, in an overly simplified manner, The Tree requires you to stretch your leg and pull it to your nose; for dancers, this is very easy. The Tree, however, becomes my least favorite exercise because the more you get into it, the more you have to look for the challenge. The better you perform it, the more you realize that it is not just about nose-to-knee. It is about lengthening the spine and opening the back, besides just stretching the hamstrings. Thus, in the end, it is not about how far you go but how you do it. At a basic level, it can feel great, but, as you advance, it becomes very complicated. We often lose sight of that.
 
3. What turns you on creatively, mentally or physically about the Pilates method?
 
ER: The endless possibilities of Pilates, always driven by your intuition. Romana-trained instructors use the purest and most effective method. When one approaches Pilates with an open mind, willing to learn from the great instructors, it is stunning how, at the highest levels, the approach is pure but the perspectives are fascinatingly different. In Pilates, while being true to the classical form, you still can be and do whatever you want and need, and you can be immensely creative, tapping into your intuition. We of course must follow the parameters of Joseph’s brilliant method, but implicit in his approach is the element of creativity: to break down the exercises as needed for any given client, to push a client to the ultimate, to push your own limits to go beyond your personal best, and to seek more elegant and beautiful execution. 
 
4. What is your idea of earthly happiness?
 
ER: Hmmm — what is the purpose of life? Why are we doing this? Why are we getting on the Reformer every day? I think about pushing the edge and getting outside of the box, where you find even greater motivation. It is not in achieving something specific, necessarily, but, rather, it is about knowing that there is always something else, something greater that you can achieve, that there is a bigger box into which you can step. Reaching further in everything: that’s what it is all about, for me. What today is happiness, specifically, may not be happiness tomorrow, but it is all in the process of pushing forward. It is not about what you achieve, but instead it is about that to which you aspire, and the attitude and approach you use. The pursuit of happiness is a Utopian idea and perhaps does not really exist, but happiness itself is an attitude and an approach.
 
5. What to your mind would be the greatest misfortune?
 
ER: To just follow the pack, with the mind closed to all the possibilities that are outside the box and convincing oneself that this, right now, is good enough. “If this is good enough, then there is nothing left to learn.”
 
6. What is your favorite Pilates word?
 
ER: ‘More’. In Pilates, you always have people telling you, “You can do more.” You may hate it at that moment, when you are dripping with sweat and want to fall over, but in the end it is what pushes you into all of the great possibilities.
 
7. What is your least favorite Pilates word?
 
ER: ‘Powerhouse’. I am from Mexico, and Spanish is my mother tongue. ‘Powerhouse’, translated directly, is ‘the house of power’, which means nothing to me and sounds silly.  Similarly, ‘core’ is pretty meaningless. CENTER makes much more sense and is, well, more powerful. We focus on the center of the body, the center of balance and gravity. I have heard from Jay Grimes that Joseph never used the word ‘powerhouse’. It was a term that arose as an easy but vague shorthand. Joseph reportedly said, ‘Do it from your guts’, which means so much more to me. Of course, I was not there to verify this.  Hey, I am only 34.
 
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
 
ER: Physician. Because preventing is better than fixing. If I were a physician, I would focus on general wellness issues and would tell patients, “What fits better into your busy schedule: one hour of exercise a day or 24 hours of being dead?” (Whose quote is this? I don’t know. I read it on Facebook.)
 
9. If

Joe Pilates said if you can do only one exercise a day, it should be the Double Leg Pull (sometimes called Double Leg Stretch). This exercise captures the very essence of the Pilates Method: the strong center, the 2-way stretch out of it, and the breath. Perform this exercise well and it will make all your other exercises better. Consider it your personal Pilates Mantra.

We only have one exercise:

The Double Leg Pull.

The Double Leg Pull can be an excellent window through which to view every other Pilates exercise.

If an exercise is indeed a Pilates exercise you will find the Double Leg Pull within it. Now you might end up upside-down and backwards with one arm and a twist, but the Double Leg Pull is still in there. (Which twisty one-armed, upside down exercise am I referring to here? Find out the answer at the end of this post.)

Conversely, if Double Leg Pull is nowhere to be found, perhaps the exercise in question is not really a Pilates exercise…

Awww… frownie face…

If I can find the Double Leg Pull how will it help my Pilates workout?

Marian Diamond, a neuroscientist and professor of neuroanatomy at the University of California at Berkeley maintains “The important thing that we’ve learned is that repetition helps memory. Teachers should know that it’s all right to say something once and then turn it around and say the same thing in another way, to use repetition.”

This is exactly what is happening in your workout. The Pilates Method (the teacher) is presenting your body and your brain with repetition: with the same set of circumstances (the Double Leg Pull) in an endless variety of different scenarios (all the other exercises).

And then you will do it all over again the next day, and the day after that. Et cetera. I know, Latin is so sexy. Let’s run with it.

Repetitio Est Mater Studiorum: Repetition is the mother of all learning (Study).

An example of learning by repetition is a child learning to ride a bike.

“The more attempts a child makes, the more the brain reinforces the particular skills necessary to stay balanced and in motion. After some time, the child doesn’t have to stop and think about each part of the procedure to stay upright, balanced, and in motion, or how to stop without falling off. 

Every time the child rides, the skill is reinforced. Even years later, with no additional riding experience, it is possible for a person to get on a bike and ride because it was so firmly encoded in the brain. This is the power of learning by repetition.” from Professional Learning Board

The same holds true for encoding the Pilates Method on the body. Just like riding a bike, the more intrinsic Pilates is to your body, it then begins to inform all of your various daily activities and sports. All the exercises are really just exaggerated versions of everyday natural movements.

The ultimate result of the method is to have the skills cultivated in your body to such a degree that your every movement becomes a Pilates exercise.

So did you guess?

My choice for the upside-down-and-backwards-with-one-arm-and-a-twist version of the Double Leg Pull is the Twist on the Wunda Chair. Yup, it’s even got the breathing aspect, lookie there!

Related Posts:

• Two-Way Stretch Mat
• Teaser: The Truth Will Prevail

Pilatesology 30 Session Challenge

Print out this handy Training Log to get started.

Rules:

• Complete 30 sessions in 8 weeks or less.
• Sessions as short as 10 min count but for best results aim for 60 min.
• Work out every other day for a max of 7x per week.
• Schedule your workouts in your calendar & track your progress with our Training Log (print it out)!

Any Pilates session counts, whether it’s booked with your favorite instructor or at your convenience with Pilatesology. Here’s a Sample Mat Program but feel free to create your own 30 Session Program (apparatus classes count if you have access to apparatus). 

Sample Program – Choose a class and do it for 1 week. Choose a new class the following week. If you need more variety or find a class is too easy or too hard, make a note and try another class.

Explore and have fun, here’s some suggestions to get you started!

Advanced Level Mat Classes:

• Everyday Tune Up Mat with MeJo Wiggin
• Pure + Strong Pilates Mat with Kathi Ross Nash
• Favorite Mat with Alisa Wyatt
• Classical Pilates Mat with Jay Grimes
• Power + Control Mat with Michael Johnson
• Fresh New Take Mat with Lori Coleman Brown
• Mat with a Towel with Victoria Torrie Capan
• Intermediate Mat in Spanish with Ernesto Reynoso
• Uplifiting Intermediate Mat with Lynanne Escatel
• Keep the Connection Mat with Andrea Maida

Beginner Level Mat Classes (if you’re new to Pilates, start with Fundamentals classes for Week 1 or as long as you need):

• Stomach 101 with Andrea Maida
• Mat Workout with Extra Arms with Alisa Wyatt 
• Powerhouse Mat with Tiziana Trovati
• Hollywood Body Mat with Siri Dharma Galliano
• Mat for Strength and Precision with Kara Wily
• Basic Mat in Spanish with Miriam Sanchez
• Beginner Mat in Korean with Junghee Won
• Next Level Mat with Tiziana Trovati

Fundamentals classes:

• Foundation Pilates with Dorothee Vandewalle
• Mat for Seniors with Wall Ending with Alisa Wyatt
• Mat Basics with Alisa Wyatt 
• Tiziana’s Mat Basics Part 1 of 3 with Tiziana Trovati

We want to hear about your own Pilates projects! Please send us your stories, comments and questions via our Contact page.

Dave & Lauren Hammerle’s Homemade Pilates Folding High Mat 

While it’s hard to beat an authentic Gratz Pilates mat, you can make your own folding high mat and foot boxes pretty close to the original. We based our measurements on Gratz finished dimensions and tried to keep as close as possible along the way.

Notes:

• We opted to make our handles in two pieces rather than one dowel that runs all the way through (like Gratz). This was for our storage purposes. We also aesthetically left off the silver ring that Gratz uses to cover the vinyl where the wood dowel inserts.
• We used a high piece of foam with 3”. This makes the mat really soft, cushiony and makes the exercises challenging. It also adds a great chest opener when you are holding on to the handles! You may want a smaller inch of foam.
• The size of the foot boxes are smaller than Gratz. This is because of the one full size piece of foam that I purchased. The small discrepancy in foot box size is not notable.

Cost: $210

Time: One full dayʼs work

Materials:

From Joanne Fabrics:

• 3” foam – 1 full piece measuring 90”x24”, cut into 4 pieces. Sizes 40”x24” times 2 and 10”x12” times 2. Cut the 40” pieces first and you will be left with your one piece to cut in half for your 10”x12” (the foot boxes).
• Marine Grade Vinyl – 2 pieces measuring 54”x38” and 2 pieces measuring 24”x26”. If you buy the vinyl from Joanne Fabrics, make sure it is Marine Grade and the store will only cut the fabric in one direction. You may have to cut some pieces yourself. These measurements leave enough room to pull the vinyl taught over the foam and wood.
• Foot Strap – 1 piece of belting 24” long. I chose a strap that was 1 ⅛” wide and soft to the touch.
• Velcro, stickyback

From Home Depot:

• 3 x 24”x48”, ⅜” plywood precut. (If you are not making Foot Boxes, you need 2 pieces of plywood.)
• 2 x 1”x8” by 8ʼ No. 2 pine
• 1 x 3ʻx1 1/4” dowel
• 1 x small box 1”x5/8” drywall screw
• 2 x ¼” hanger bolts, one side is wood and one side is machine screw
• 2 x washers that fit ¼”
• 2 x hex nuts to fit ¼” hanger bolt (you may need to buy a full bag of 20 hex nuts)
• 2 x ¼”x ⅝” eyebolts and nuts
• 1 x 2 pack of 2 ½” non-removable pin hinge in zinc
• Double point staples, 9/16”
• 1x 2 pack ¼” white rubber leg tips
• 2x 8 packs of 1 ½” Anti-Skid pad circles
• 2 x 3” carabiners
• 1x small Elmerʼs Wood Glue, exterior
• Pushpins 
• 1 small box 1¼” Brad Nails
• Silicone

Tools Needed:

• Table Saw
• Skill Saw
• Chop Saw
• Screw Gun
• Compressor, hose, nail gun
• Assorted size of Wood Drill bits, up to ⅜”
• Hammer
• ¼” ratchet
• Pliers

Instructions:

Mat: Rip on table saw 1x8x8ʼ pine down to 2 ¾” x 8ʼ. You will get two out of each board, which is 4 pieces. Set your chop saw to 45 degrees, cut 4 pieces 40” long to long. That takes up 2 of the 8ʼ pieces. Save leftovers. Next, cut 4 pieces 24” long to long out of the other two 8ʼ pieces. Cut 2 pieces 22 1/2” square. Cut plywood to 40”. Now take two 24” pieces and two 40” pieces and make a frame of 24”x40”. At each 45 degree joint, put glue, 2 finished nails and one screw in the middle. Glue the top of your frame which is 24”x40”, place plywood on glue. With an ⅛” drill bit, pre-drill pilot holes and screw every 5” or so around the entire frame making sure to put 2 screws on either side of corner an inch in or so. Put this aside and build the second half of the folding mat the same way.

Foot Boxes: With the leftover pine, cut on chop saw four 10” long to long pieces and four 12” long to long pieces. Take two 10” and two 12” pieces and make a 10”x12” frame the same way you did with the mat above. Cut the third piece of plywood to two 12”x10” pieces. Glue and screw plywood to frame in the same manner as above with mat.

Dowels: Cut dowel to 2 pieces measuring 10”. In the center of circle, pre-drill 3/16” hole and screw the point end of hanger bolt into dowel. You may accomplish this by taking ¼” nut and screwing that in completely on the machine side of the screw, all the way to the middle and using an adjustable wrench to screw in the wood part. Pick one of the mat boxes, measure from corner on 40” side –2“, make a mark. From bottom of box up towards plywood, measure 2 ⅜”, which is center of your ⅜” hole. Drill hole through the pine. Do the same thing to the opposite corner of the 24” side.

Eyebolts for Foot Strap: With other mat box on one of the 24” sides, measure 5 ½” from each corner, 2 ¼” up from the bottom. Drill two ⅜” holes.

Foam and Vinyl:

Start with covering a foot box in vinyl. Take 1 foot box, 1

On October 7, 2009 I received a very exciting email.  Upon her move to Oceanside, CA Junghee Won wrote to introduce herself with the hope of starting to work at my studio. She included a brief outline of her training and experience and my eyes grew wider and wider as I read on. I felt like the luckiest Pilates instructor alive. You had me at Romana Now if only I had a studio…

I thought her name sounded familiar and it was only a few days later that I figured out where I had seen her before. Probably many have seen the DVD series from classicalpilates.net. She along with Peter Fiasca, Jamie Trout and others are featured in this pristine Pilates video series.

We met for coffee and have been friends ever since. I was hungry for weekly private lessons and started training with her in her home shortly thereafter. She thought I was only interested in the occasional lesson, but I felt so good and strong after her lessons that I actually remembered why I became a Pilates instructor in the first place. This exercise feels so good! I remembered when I began taking classes at Excel Movement Studios and the time my duet partner didn’t show, resulting in my very first private Pilates lesson. Oh wow – so much more focus and I learned so much – this is the way to go! It all came flooding back to me when I started my lessons with Junghee. She made me do all the stuff that is very challenging for me and she had such a brilliantly simple way of answering my questions. She introduced me to a wonderful quote from Albert Einstein: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
‘Nuff said.

Junghee now lives in the New York area and although I dearly miss having her so close in California, she is happily kicking lots of popos at New Jersey’s Can Do Fitness.

Click here to read Junghee’s Interview in Korean.

1. What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?

Junghee Won: Roll Up, Open Leg Rocker, Teaser, Neck Roll on the Mat. The Roll Up makes me strengthen my powerhouse and mobilizes and stretches my spine. This makes me feel so good and then I feel like I’m ready to move on to the next exercise.  Open Leg Rocker reminds me to find the center again and balance in a seated position and gives me the focus that I love to feel.  The Teaser challenges me to lift my center and use the whole body connection from head to toe which I enjoy so much. After all that, the Neck Roll is important to me to strengthen my back and anteriorly stretch my entire body which I can really feel.  Rolling my neck is like a moment of break time while holding in the powerhouse enjoying the feeling of stretching my neck all around.
I love Foot work, Coordination, Pulling straps, Short Box series, Semi Circle, Chest Expansion, Thigh Stretch, Up Stretch, Knees Off.
I can’t stop talking about my favorite exercises on each apparatus. I was thinking about how these exercises are related and why I love them. I found my answer which is simply that these exercises enable the flexion and extension of my entire body. So, I have to say all Pilates exercises are equally so wonderful to me.  But if I have to choose one, it would be Semi Circle or Snake/Twist on the Reformer. Semi Circle is an opening of the hips and chest more aggressively with deep opening of the spinal column. Snake/Twist has even more challenge of strength and control.  I still remember when I learned Snake/Twist the first time, I was so excited to learn it even more than any others.  I guess I love very challenging exercises because of my dance background and because then I feel much stronger and more expressive with my body.   

2. What exercise is your least favorite? Pick only one.

JW: Honestly, none!  But, I hated Rolling Like A Ball in the past.  I know why I hated it. I wasn’t so good at it and I’m still not good at it.  My spine is very flat.  Especially my lumbar spine is not so good in flexion.  When I learned Rolling Like A Ball the first time, I couldn’t do it at all but I got better and better.  It took time to open up my lumbar and I later I could enjoy this exercise.  What a wonderful feeling of massaging the spine on the Mat!  
I have realized there is a limitation in every single body. I’m not talking about injuries. Some people have longer fingers.  My spine has less mobility in flexion which wouldn’t be fixed ever because of structural matter.  But I have gotten better flexion than before.

3. What turns you on creatively, mentally or physically about the Pilates method?

 JW: Routine, deep work on my body, flowing movement with many different types of elements, and extremely strong muscle action.  After all these work, I really feel my body / mind is so relaxed and very satisfied.  I was a strong dancer and have tried many other exercises and movement methods.  I had chances to learn other methods in the school I attended.  I wasn’t just a dancer.  I have three Dance Education degrees.   The Pilates method is the only one that is so clear and makes so much sense to me. I feel so good after the practice.  This is the reason I do Pilates.

4.What is your idea of earthly happiness?

JW: Through life lessons and what I have experienced.  I remember a part of the book the Talmud.  Three people A, B and C are traveling together.  One of these three will have two teachers among them.  One is good to learn and the other is not good to learn.  It doesn’t matter good or bad.  One will get always

Click here for English translation.

필라테스올로지 블로그

인 사이드 필라테스 스튜디오: 박사 원정희 선생님 편
(Inside the Pilates Studio: Junghee Won Ph. D.)

저자:    안드레아 마이다(Andrea Maida)  
안드레아 마이다 선생님은 클래식 필라테스 강사이며 미국 캘리포니아 샌디에고 솔라나
비치에 살고 있다. 현재 자신이 살고 있는 집에서 필라테스 홈 스튜디오를 운영하고 있으며 이 곳 필라테스올로지(Pilatesology)의 인 사이드 필라테스 스튜디오 블로그의 저자 이다.  이 글은 안드레아 선생님과 원정희 선생님과의  필라테스 관련 열 가지 질문 인터뷰 내용이다.

2009년 10월 7일, 나는 매우 놀라운 이메일을 받았다. 원정희 선생님이 자기소개와 함께 캘리포니아 샌디에고의 오션사이드로  이사 온다는 내용과 필라테스를 가르칠 스튜디오를 찾고있다고 했다. 놀랍게도 나의 스튜디오에서 말이다. 원정희 선생님은 간략히 자신의 필라테스 트레이닝 내용과 경력을 소개 하였고 그것을 읽는 순간 나의 눈은 점점 커져갔다. 정희와 함께 일 할 수 있을 것이라는 내 자신이 최고의 행운아라고 느껴졌다. 로마나(Romana)라는 단어가 정희, 네가 나를 사로 잡았어.  ^^* 아… 지금 내가 스튜디오를 소유하고 있었다면!!
처음, 그녀의 이름은 어디선가 들어 본 듯 했고 몇 일 후 난 어디서 그녀를 봤는지를 깨달았다. 아마도 많은 사람들이 classicalpilates.net 웹사이트에 나오는 ‘클래식 필라테스 DVD 시리즈’를 봤을 것이다. 원정희 선생님은 피터 피아스카(Peter Fiasca), 제이미 트라우트(Jamie Trout) 그리고 그 외 몇 사람들이 출연했던 오랜 초창기 클래식 필라테스 비디오에 첫 솔로 모델로 나왔던 그 사람이었다.
드디어 우린 처음 카페에서 만났고 그 이후로 지금까지 쭉 친구가 되었다. 난 그 당시 필라테스 개인레슨을 누군가에게 무척 받고 싶어 하는 배고픈 상황이었기 때문에 원정희 선생님의 출현은 나의 기대였고 그녀의 홈 스튜디오에서 레슨 받기 시작 하였다. 원정희 선생님은 내가 어쩌다 한 번씩 레슨 받고 말 것이라고 생각 했나보다. 그러나, 그녀의 레슨 을 받고 나면 몸이 시원해지고 강해지는 것을 느꼈고 이 느낌은 예전에 내가 왜 필라테스 강사가 되고 싶어했는지를 일깨워주는 레슨이었다. 정말 몸이 시원하다! 내가 처음 필라테스를 배울 때 어느날 같이 레슨 받는 내 운동 파트너가 결석을 했고 그로 인해 우연히 처음 개인레슨을 받게 되었을 때를 기억한다. 어머나 개인 레슨이 훨씬 낫구나. – 더 집중되고 훨씬 많이 배우기 때문에 – 바로 이렇게 해야겠구나! 원정희 선생님의 레슨은 예전에 느꼈던 이런 기억들을 다시 되돌리게 했다. 그녀는 내가 할 수 없었던 고 단위 운동들을 하게 끔 만들어 주었고 내가 궁금해왔던 질문들에 대해 간단하고 명쾌하게 늘 답해 주었다.
정희 선생님은 지금 다시 예전에 살던 미동부 뉴욕 지역으로 되돌아 갔고 난 그녀와 함께 했던 이곳 캘리포니아에서의 시간들이 너무나도 그립다. 그녀는 지금 뉴저지 에지워터(Edgewater, New Jersey)에 있는 캔두 피트니스 (CAN DO FITNESS)내의 필라테스 스튜디오서 많은 사람들에게 필라테스 운동으로 호령하며 행복하고 신나게 살고 있다.

1. 원정희 선생님이 제일 좋아하는 필라테스 운동은 어떤 것입니까? 그리고 왜 그 운동을 제일 좋아하시는지요?

원정희: 굴러 일어나기(Roll Up), 다리 벌려서 등으로 구르기(Open Leg Rocker), 티저(Teaser), 매트에서 목 돌리기(Neck Roll on the Mat) 요. Roll Up은 내 파워하우스(Powerhouse)를 고정 그리고 강화시키고 척추를 시원하게 스트레칭시켜 줍니다. 이 느낌이 저는 너무 좋아요. 그리고는 이 후에 다음 운동 단계로 넘가는 준비를 만들어주는 느낌이에요. Open Leg Rocker는 앉은자세로 나의 중심과 밸런스를 다시 일깨워주고 그로 인한 집중력을 줍니다. 전 이 느낌이 너무 좋아요. Teaser는 나의 센터를 한층 더 끌어 올려야 한다는 도전감과 제가 좋아하는 전신의 연결선 즉, 머리 꼭대기부터 발끝까지 쭉 연결하는 밀착감을 줍니다. 앞서의 이 모든 운동 이 후, Neck Roll 자세와 운동 느낌은 제게 중요합니다. 이 운동은 전신 앞부분 그러니까 가슴, 복부 그리고 힙 압부분과 압쪽 허벅지 모두 연결해서 쭉 스트레칭 해주고 어깨아랫부분과 등을 강화 시켜주거든요. 그리고 목을 길게 빼고 오른쪽 왼쪽 한 바퀴씩 돌려주면 아주 시원해 집니다.

전 리포머(Reformer) 운동 중 발 운동(Foot Work), 코디네이션(Coordination), 끈 당기기(Pulling Straps), 숏 박스 시리즈(Short Box series), 세미 써클(Semi Circle), 가슴 열어주기(Chest Expansion), 허벅지 스트레칭(Thigh Stretch), 업 스트레칭(Up Stretch), 무릅 들고 스트레칭(Knees Off)도 좋아 합니다. 이루 다 말 할 수 없을 정도로 수 많은 필라테스 각 운동을 좋아해요. 각 필라테스 운동 기구에서도 말입니다. 정말 시원하고 하고나면 기분이 이루 말 할 수 없을 정도로 상쾌해져요. 전 왜 제가 이 운동들을 좋아하는지를 생각해 봤어요. 간단한 대답을 얻었죠. 그 이유는 전신 앞, 뒤 구석구석을 늘려주고 강화 해주거든요. 각 관절 마디마디 운동 시켜준다는 거죠. 당연히 시원해 지죠. 그러니 모든 필라테스 운동은 정말 놀라울 정도에요. 그래도 한 가지만 좋아하는것을 고른다면 리포머에서 세미 써클(Semi Circle) 혹은 뱀 동작/ 트위스트(Snake/Twist) 일것 같아요. 세미써클은 가슴과 등판 온 척추 마디마디 그리고 압쪽 힙관절을 무지 많이 스트레칭하고 오픈 시키거든요. Snake/Twist는 컨트롤/밸런스 능력과 강화의 힘이 많이 들어가는 고단위 동작인데 도전감을 불러 일으켜서 좋아요. 지금도 생각나요. 처음에 이 운동을 배울 때 전 너무 신나했어요. 제 생각엔 예전에 무용수 였다는 저의 경험때문에 난이한 동작 하는 것을 좋아 하는것 같아요. 해내고 나면 해 냈다는 성취감 때문인것 같아요.

2. 덜 좋아하는 운동이라면? 하나만 골라 보세요.

원정희: 솔찍히 말해서 없어요!  근데, 예전에 공 처럼 구르기(Rolling Like A Ball)를 싫어 했었어요. 제가 왜 싫어 했냐면 그 운동을 잘 못했기 때문이에요. 사실 아직도 아주 잘 되지는 못 해요. 제 척추가 좀 일자식 척추에요. 그리고 남 보다 둥그렇게 말리는 유연성이 덜 하죠. 특히 척추 아랫 부분(Lumbar)요. 그래서 등을 동그랗게 말기가 좀 쉽지 않은 구조적 특징이 있어요. 그러니 이 운동이 잘 안되죠. 처음엔 이 운동이 제겐 너무도 힘들었어요. 점차 좋아지더군요. 척추 마디를 열어주고 그곳에 유연성을 넣기란 쉬운게 아니죠. 시간이 걸리는 일이죠. 지금은 이 운동을 아주 즐깁니다. 하고 나면 등 마사지 받은 느낌이 들어요.
모든 사람들 신체에 따라 이렇게 각각이 구조적 특징을 가지고 있다는 것을 필라테스 하면서 자세히 알게 되었죠. 전 지금 상해에 대해서 말하는 것은 아니구요, 구조에 대해서 말씀 드리는 거에요. 어떤 사람은 길쭉한 손가락이고 어떤 사람은 짧은 손가락 가졌듯이요. 제 척추 아랫부분이 동그랗게 숙이는 것이 조금 덜 유연하거든요. 뒤로 젖히는 것이 더 유연성이 있어요. 이것이 제 척추가 구조적으로 그렇게 생겨서인 것도 있다는 거죠. 지금은 더 훨씬 좋아지긴 했어요.

3. 필라테스 교수법이 신체적, 정신적 그리고 창의력에 있어서 어떤 매력을 주었나요?

원정희: 일정한 고정된 규칙적 프로그램이란 점, 그래서 보다 깊이 이해하고 움직일 수 있다는 점, 여러가지의 각각 다른 움직임의 요소로 끝임없는 동작으로 구성된 점 그리고 모든 근육을 긴장 시켜 움직인다는 점이요. 이렇게 움직이고 나면 뭔가 만족 스럽고 몸과 마음이 일치되는 느낌이 생겨요. 신체과 정신의 통합이요. 전 예전에 발레와 현대무용으로 다져진 무용수였고 여러가지 다양한 운동과 움직임의 교수법을 해봤어요. 제가 뉴욕대를 다닐적엔 무용만 한것이 아니라 여러가지 움직임 교수법을 접할 기회가 많았거든요. 전 세 개의 학위 소유자인데 모두 무용과 전공입니다. 무용만 배우는 것이 아니고 그에 연관된 많은 학문도 접합니다. 제게는 여러가지 중, 이 필라테스 교수법에 가장 감명을 받았고 많이 배우고 느낀점이 많았어요. 매우 선명하고 이해 하기 쉬우면서 신체에 다가오는 느낌이 아주 확실 했어요. 무용수였지만 필라테스 시작 이후로 정말 제 몸에 변화가 많이 왔습니다. 무엇보다 몸으로 느끼는 감각과

This just in from my favorite Pilates enthusiast in Scotland…you know who you are…

I wanted to ask you if I may, about the use of Pilates Stance…I think I have seen it suggested somewhere that it was a term and position introduced by Romana? Is that your understanding? Seems credible since she was a dancer.
Do you know what Jay says about this?

Boy oh boy, do I know what Jay says about this. Here’s a sneak peek of Inside the Pilates Studio: The Jay Grimes edition:

7. What is your least favorite Pilates word?
Jay Grimes: There are so many – can I have more than one? With the certification programs came a whole new language, and I hate most of it: powerhouse, scoop, ugh! But if I have to choose just one word I think it would be “Pilates stance.”

Jay maintains “there is no such thing as ‘Pilates stance’.” It is a made-up word. Joe didn’t make it up or use it. Joe simply looked at the way the bones hang on the skeleton. In the natural position of the bones the feet have a slight splay to them. It is for this reason we use the heels together-toes apart position.

It is the hang of the bones that creates the slight, quite narrow V position that is found in the Pilates method. It is not a ballet first position. It does not come from Romana. Romana was a ballet dancer and had a great love for ballet. In the years just after Joe’s death the Pilates Studio saw a great influx of dancers from both the New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. The studio of this era, now under the direction of Romana and located at 56th Street, could perhaps be the origin of the ballet terms that exist today in the Pilates’ repertoire. Joe of course was not a dancer and reputedly disliked teaching most dancers.

Jay Grimes vehemently states that there were no ballet terms in Contrology. “It’s like going to a Japanese restaurant and ordering a steak and a baked potato.”

Personally I feel that the feet/legs/lower body is perfectly organized in this v-shaped position. It is true that there are bodies for which a parallel position of the feet is better. But the pressing together of the heels helps to knit together the entire line of the bottom of the buttocks down along the inner thighs and to the heels. Keeping the legs glued tightly together strengthens all the muscles that run along the insides of the legs and can give balance to the often overly developed outer thighs and hips.

Perhaps the term Pilates Stance emerged as a shorthand. Regardless, I have seen it written just as I have it in the previous sentence. Pilates Stance. This should not be interpreted as Pilates’ Stance. Punctuation matters. This heels together-toes apart position, while employed by Joe Pilates was not an invention of Joe Pilates, but rather an observation, which he did not label with the term ‘pilates stance’.

So. Skeleton Stance anyone? (please, NO.)

1. What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?

Siri Dharma Galliano: Teasers. Burns the fat around the inner organs.

2. What exercise is your least favorite? Pick only one.

SDG: Twist on the chair. It’s difficult. You can only do it on a proper chair, hard to hold the alignment. If you don’t practice it you cant do it.

3. What turns you on creatively, mentally or physically about the Pilates method?

SDG: It feels good and makes sense

4. What is your idea of earthly happiness?

SDG: A long hot bubble bath.

5. What to your mind would be the greatest misfortune?

SDG: Another atomic bomb let loose.

6. What is your favorite Pilates word?

SDG: Pilates.

7. What is your least favorite Pilates word?

SDG: Elder.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

SDG: Law.

9. If Heaven exists, and by some chance when you arrive at the pearly gates Joseph Pilates is also there, what would you like to hear him say to you?

SDG: Thank you.

10. What did you learn today?

SDG: The boyfriend can make the bed without asking him.

Click HERE to check out Siri’s classes!

Flexible is defined as “capable of bending easily without breaking, and (of a person) ready and able to change so as to adapt to different circumstances.”

The above quote is from Buck, one of my favorite documentary films which isn’t about Pilates at all but still spoke volumes to me about the relationship between Pilates and life. 

Kathy Grant stated that Pilates is “for the unexpected.” As an 84 year-old woman with decades of Pilates under her belt she was able to avoid serious injury after a fall on a New York City subway platform. It was her Pilates training that enabled her to “bend easily without breaking” and “adapt to different circumstances.” Read Kathy’s full answer to the question “What is Pilates for?” here.

Often when one thinks of flexibility it’s hard to think beyond the stretch of the back of the legs, the hamstrings. However, in a broader sense flexibility gives one resilience and recovery. It is flexibility that allows one to be spontaneous and therefore vibrant and alive. Charles Darwin speaks of “survival of the fittest” and “adapt or perish” in his landmark book, The Origin of Species.” In business “adapt or perish” is a tenet for longterm success. In Pilates, while uber-flexibility or hypermobility lies at the far end of the spectrum, balanced and true flexibility equals strength, meaning everything works.

Last week my client Lorin paid me one of the highest compliments I could receive as a teacher – a teacher of anything really. We were working on the Boomerang on the mat. I suggested that she could get more out of the reach of the arms as they make their way around to the feet.

“There is a nice moment there that you are missing.” I said, pointing up how much more reach and therefore range of motion she could mine out of the exercise.

She looked up and told me that this particular correction could speak about the bigger picture: Life. Work. Love.

Wow! Thanks Lorin!

And what is Pilates without those three magic ingredients? So there you have it: Life speaks to Pilates and Pilates returns to life! Oh you saw that one comin’ din’cha?

Jay Grimes’ program for teachers “The Work” is giving me the privilege of studying alongside wonderful teachers from all over the world, including the lovely Kara Wily. Recently a client mentioned an evidently famous quote from Brendon Burchard, a frequent speaker on motivation, high performance and leadership: 

“Experts are always students FIRST!” 

Kara Wily clearly falls into this category. I love in Jay’s workshops when Kara demonstrates an exercise that Jay has prefaced with something like “This one was only for the men” or “Joe gave this to his boxers.” Immediately Kara assumes a resolve that sets her jaw and hones her gaze to a laser-focus. It’s a look that says “Oh yeah? Bring it on. I’ve got exercises like that in my back pocket.” She is fierce and takes no prisoners.

Look for Kara in the September/October issue of Pilates Style and soon in the on-line edition of the Huffington Post. See, she is out there and gettin’ it done!

1. What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?

Kara Wily: Right now it is the breast stroke on Reformer.  I feel like I am flying.

2. What exercise is your least favorite? Pick only one.

KW: (She says tapping her feet and scanning her studio…)  Okay really?  The sand bag—I know I should do it and I really just get bored—but that is probably even more of a reason why I need to work on it.

3. What turns you on creatively, mentally or physically about the Pilates method?

KW: Newtonian laws of motion are so relevant to the Pilates, and exercise in general, but you really see action and reaction when you lose control in Pilates.  I love that all three of those aspects of cognition and experience intersect in Pilates, it is problem solving in motion.

4. What is your idea of earthly happiness?  

KW: Moving forward.

5. What to your mind would be the greatest misfortune? 

KW: To stop trying.

6. What is your favorite Pilates word? 

KW: Engage.

7. What is your least favorite Pilates word? 

KW: Tabletop.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?  

KW: Photo journalism.

9. If Heaven exists, and by some chance when you arrive at the pearly gates Joseph Pilates is also there, what would you like to hear him say to you?  

KW: That he would teach me thirty lessons.

10. What did you learn today?  

KW: Piet Mondrian was an artist, and yet every quote I read from him makes me want to know more about him.

When I first met Sandy she seemed quite calm and quiet. Gradually I came to discover there’s a whackadoodle residing just under the surface. Awesome. Actually I was a bit relieved.

I can’t say enough about the Vintage Pilates studio. It is a serious place to learn and full of fun friendly people, teachers and students alike. Oh yes, and then there’s Jay Grimes. Make that fun, friendly and world-class.

1. What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?  

Sandy Shimoda: Hmmm…my body is seriously fighting over the answer to that question right now!  There are those exercises that feel so good on my body, then there are those that challenge and invigorate me – I love so many exercises for different reasons.  Well, since the latest addition to Vintage Pilates is the Guillotine, I will say my most RECENT favorite exercise is the dismount from the Guillotine that allows me to swing from my center, stretch through my thighs, then pass through the bridge to come to standing. When I am finished I am inevitably smiling. 

2. What exercise is your least favorite? Pick only one.

SS: It’s hard to even come up with one but I will give it a sincere try.  I don’t love the squirrel because I don’t get the satisfaction of a satisfying stretch along with the control and strength that is required in that exercise.  

3. What turns you on creatively, mentally or physically about the Pilates method?

SS: Physically, I am drawn to movement of any kind and I dig the fact that Pilates has given me the tools to approach any activity with strength and control.  The cherry on top is that I have more ease and freedom whether I am hiking, salsa dancing or scuba diving! Mentally, I appreciate the focus and courage needed to drive my own work out.  Creatively, I love finding the words, the touch, the imagery to lead students deeper into their Pilates work out. 

4. What is your idea of earthly happiness?

SS: Being present to each miracle, gift, and act of love in every moment (including but not limited to enjoying a green tea latte, sitting on the sand at Sunset beach, watching the sky turn its brilliant hues on a warm Hawaiian night, with the someone I love).

5. What to your mind would be the greatest misfortune?

SS: To become intolerant (including but not limited to deciding that I had all the answers, rejecting anyone else who thought differently, while barking in English for a decent cup of coffee at an elegant cafe in Italy).

Take 2: Losing a sense of self.  Without it we are beings lost in a crowd of bodies, looking for purpose and questioning our every thought.  When we know who we are and we stay true to ourselves life becomes interesting, full and personal.

6. What is your favorite Pilates word?

SS: Exhale.

7. What is your least favorite Pilates word?

SS: Guillotine.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

SS: Interior design.  I think it would round out the other 3 I have already enjoyed.

9. If Heaven exists, and by some chance when you arrive at the pearly gates Joseph Pilates is also there, what would you like to hear him say to you?

SS: Setzen Sie auf Ihrem Leotard!  Am Reformer zu springen! (Ed. note: this loosely translates  to ”Put on your leotard! Get on the reformer!”)

10. What did you learn today?

SS: It’ll be alright in the end.  And if it’s not alright. It’s not the end.  (courtesy of Aunt Sookie)

I am an ardent admirer of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. We recently celebrated our 40th birthdays together a *few* years ago. Python is sketch comedy writing at its tightest and silliest. I can watch these guys over and over again and laugh every single time. Choose to steal any bit from Monty Python and you have yourself an actor-proof sure-fire gem of comedy. They are simply the best!

Yup. Guilty.

Communication can be an enormous asset to a teacher. It is clear and precise direction that guides the client safely and efficiently through the entire lesson. Some things I come up with work well immediately and others for a myriad of reasons fall flat and cease to be helpful. More experience brings a teacher deeper into the study of humanity and what we respond to, how we behave and/or misbehave. 

For nearly a year now I have been fortunate enough to observe Jay Grimes up close and personal. Jay Grimes is the Monty Python of Pilates. No doubt over his many years of teaching he has gone through numerous corrections to get people to work and connect more deeply. He has seen it all: the good, the bad, the wildly tense, the ridiculously out of control. My favorite game is to watch his gaze follow the movement of his client. His eyes cover a lot of territory as the client moves, darting from one part of the body to the center and back again. I like to challenge myself to discover what he sees. What is he looking at??! He takes it all in, quietly, yes quietly observing. So when he does say something it is usually a goodie; his direction clear and simple, his material deftly edited by his wealth of experience in the Pilates method. Each line is a keeper. So of course I have to try one on and see how it feels. Right?

Be mercenary. Steal from the best! 

During Going Up Front on the Electric Chair there is a point where one is standing with one foot on the Electric Chair, one foot on the pedal. The heel of the pedal foot is up and one must reach the heel down as much as possible, lift it back up again and then continue the exercise. The tendency is that as the heel moves downwards, the back sways or sinks and the stomach goes on vacation, like it is a time for resting. So I usually spend a lot of energy trying to teach people to stay lifted and not let everything go at this point. Jay’s solution as you reach the heel down? “Don’t get any shorter!” 

And don’t you know, it works like a charm. It is very communicative and everybody gets it. Humanity it seems never intentionally desires to be shorter if they can help it…

All I had to do was simply say it. It is a magic correction (Gravitas not included).

Oh and I stole it, you know I did.  

I met Chris Robinson circa 2007. I had heard his name a few times before, mostly from women, more often than not in a different pitch than their normal speaking voice and accompanied by a swoon. Hmmm…interesting.

Chris, you may not be happy that I am leading with the swoon factor. 

But wait, hear me out. 

In the last couple of years I have had the opportunity to speak with Chris about his perspective on the true work of Joseph Pilates, the greater Pilates industry, life, etc… We have been devotees of Jay Grimes for years and often see each other at Vintage Pilates in LA for lessons. Out to dinner with colleagues and friends, we have been scolded for persisting to talk about “work.” We just can’t stop. We love Pilates. During his workout with Jay, Chris’ love for movement is abundantly clear. The Pilates Method excites him. Athletic movement animates him with an infectious enthusiasm for learning and the pursuit of perfection. He nods with satisfaction when executing an exercise better today than yesterday. 

So I have to agree, Chris, your approach to the work is decidedly swoon-worthy.

1. What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?

CR: Double Leg Stretch. Every exercise in the Method has elements of the Double Leg Stretch. If you get this exercise correct, then you’ll understand the others much better.

2. What exercise is your least favorite? Pick only one.

CR: Overhead. Because my shoulders are so tight, I have to use all of my strength and energy to do it correctly.

3. What turns you on creatively, mentally or physically about the Pilates method?

CR: The fact you can always go to a deeper layer amazes me. I can work on an exercise for years and then one little adjustment and the exercise is completely changed.

4. What is your idea of earthly happiness?

CR: Balance!!!

5. What to your mind would be the greatest misfortune?

CR: Imbalance!!! LOL

6. What is your favorite Pilates word?

CR: REACH!!!!

7. What is your least favorite Pilates word?

CR: STRETCH!!!

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

CR: Astronaut!!

9. If Heaven exists, and by some chance when you arrive at the pearly gates Joseph Pilates is also there, what would you like to hear him say to you?

CR: I would like him to tell me if I’m teaching his work correctly. 

10. What did you learn today?

CR: How to do the Control Push Up Reverse correctly by connecting the feet to the powerhouse.

Question #10 foreshadows my first Pilates Style featurette, “What Did You Learn Today?” in their upcoming September/October issue. Chris Robinson and I will both say more about this famous question that Romana Kryzanowska asked her students on a daily basis. Stay tuned to Pilatesology for further information.

For more information about Chris Robinson find him at http://www.corecoach.net/aboutus.php

Kara Wily Pilates Studio in Los Angeles now offering 

Your Time

a new Pilatesology-in-action program

Students pay a monthly fee of just $60 to use the apparatus and do their own independent workouts. 10 Private lessons at KWP or elsewhere are required before beginning the program. Kara finds that people love it. Just make a reservation via the studio’s MINDBODY Online scheduler, and get your Pilates on! Clients say it is exactly what they have been looking for and that they don’t understand why other studios aren’t offering this unique program. Kara feels that Pilatesology is the perfect tool for those who may be hesitant to start an independent workout program. With the use of Pilatesology they have just enough guidance via the instruction on the site for motivation and growth. Recently a journalist came in to try it out. He too had reservations about practicing Pilates on his own. He felt the instruction was so good on the site that he could really learn and establish his own solo practice. Kara also loves recommending her Pilatesology-in-action program because clients can get even more out of the site by using the Foot Corrector, Wunda Chair, etc. and not limit themselves to work on just the Reformer or Mat.

Your Time is offered six days a week: morning, afternoon and night.

Participation in the Your Time program also gets you one private lesson/month at a special rate of just $40. 

Come have some fun working out with Kara and Pilatesology!

My love affair with the Pilates Method began with 3-4 months of practicing only the Mat. I was desperate to fit into the skimpy costume the theatre had bestowed on me for an acting role and therefore willing to try anything. 

I enrolled in a six-week mat course at Excel Pilates in Washington, DC. (A big shout-out to all my fabulous Excel peeps, past and present!) I made a couple of fantastic friends in class and we decided to form a trio for weekly apparatus work with our instructor, the lovely Lesa McLaughlin. To this day I hold the Mat as my favorite apparatus with the Reformer a crazy-close second.

But back in the Naughty Aughties my first carriage ride was a bumpy one. Not used to being encumbered by straps, springs, BOXES, etc…, I stared down at my flailing arms in the Hundred…oh the carriage should stay still, eh? Ce n’est pas possible! I quite enjoyed the Teaser until I had to haul myself up atop Mt. Long Box dragging pesky straps and handles. And whose bright idea was it to turn that perfectly good Long Box into 

The. Short. Box. 

All I can say is “My Kingdom for the Tree.” Otherwise I don’t know what all went on there. I am pretty sure it went something like this:

Ooooh, I like this first exercise (Round)….it gives a nice backbend and back massage…until I must…get…back…up. Ooof. Then the Flat Back helps me find out I have ribs ribs ribs that shall not be silenced! Um, what’s next…? (Stall stall stall…my brain does not want to remember the next bit of torture.) Oh yeah, Side to Side, right. This is the one where Lesa comes to fix me… I have not a clue what is going on here, whatever I do is clearly the wrong answer…and as if it could not possibly get any worse I discover that somehow I live a life devoid of twisting because it is surprisingly damn hard. Yay! It’s time for the Tree! Yeah, yeah, it’s not about my leg…sheesh!

Not that Lesa let us do the other Reformer exercises any old way but is it my imagination? Why and how are these Short Box exercises so exacting? She is super particular about all the different positions. Does one ever advance to the point where one can banish the @%$#^@**! Short Box??!!!

No.

And now it’s 2012 and I. Friggin’. LOVE. It. 

Thank you Lesa, I hope I can see you in person very soon and present to you my Short Box 12.0. See Andrea lift! And Twist! See her reach from Side-to-Side and take a trip Around The World! I might even Go Fishing for you!

Enraptured as I am, let me extoll a few of the virtues of my newly beloved Short Box:

1. Posture, posture, posture. Again one of the reasons I love Pilates is that left to my own devices I have terrible posture. Someday I aspire to sit up as tall as I do in the Flat Back while using my laptop!

2. Stomach for Days: Yes for sure the Tree is not about your leg, but again another Aha/Duh! exclamation at this crazy stomach exercise…We are doing Pilates, right? What are the chances of encountering a stomach exercise? Say it with me: Duh! Make yourself a sweaty mess with this one.

3. A Corkscrew for the upper body: You can be the tree before the Tree! Use your wonderful flowing Around the World to root legs in the strap and let your beautiful supple strength branch out in the breeze in this challenging Twist variation.

4. Don’t even get me started on the virtues of the Side Sit Ups here That could be a whole post unto itself!

Many of our members are Pilates instructors looking for a fresh perspective as well as a way to work out without having to be their own teacher. A letter from Jaime Cole, Pilates Instructor/Owner at Pilates-a-Go-Go:

I am very grateful for Pilatesology’s variety of classical Pilates workouts and education because they enrich my teaching and give me a good workout! It is nice to have talented teachers teach me in the comfort of my own studio. My husband and two teenagers enjoy working out along with the Pilatesology instructors too!  They say that the instructors are nicer than I am, probably because my family actually “listens” to the instructors on Pilatesology.

Not only am I impressed with the site content, but it also presents an open window into the world of classical Pilates. As a Pilates Instructor that received her certification through a contemporary Pilates program, Pilatesology brings classical Pilates to life, enhancing my studies of the method. While I understand the site is not a replacement for a classical Pilates certification program, it gives access to the creative cueing, sequencing, and variations of the method, used by some of the most respected teachers in the industry.  

The welcoming and generous atmosphere at Pilatesology gives the member a sense of being a part of the classical Pilates community. This is not the first site to offer online Pilates, but it is the first to dedicate itself to honoring the true teachings of Joseph Pilates.  It was Joe’s vision that every man and woman practice his method to Return to Life. And through the utilization of the world wide web, his vision is becoming a reality. I believe that if Joe were alive today he would definitely approve and be very proud!  

Your creation of the site has inspired me to proceed with a classical Pilates certification program. In the mean time I will continue to appreciate and share the workouts, teachings, and seminars that you so generously share with us!

Sincerely,

Jaime Cole and Family

Oceanside, California

Dear Jaime: THANK YOU for your wonderful words of support! We want you and anyone else who is interested in furthering their Pilates certification to please check our new Studios & Partners page and Teacher Training page for listings of the studios and certification programs that we recommend. 

Check out some of Jaime’s favorite classes (click on the title of this Post if classes don’t appear below):

I had been in California for only a few years at that point and Alisa was new to the area having just relocated from New York City. We were some of the only teachers that were trained through Romana and Drago’s Gym (now True Pilates NY) so we got to talking and had a great time. Over the years I saw more and more of Alisa each time I would attend Jay Grimes events as we were both smitten and taking lessons with him whenever possible. Running my own Pilates business was new to me and Alisa had a way of making her business look confident, polished and easy. I would look to her as a way to promote and model my own studio as I gained more and more experience and clientele. Recently I discovered in addition to our voracious appetites for all things Pilates, we also happen to love love love Queen. Coincidenza?

1. What is your favorite Pilates exercise and why?

Alisa Wyatt: The Boomerang because of it’s fantastic name and the fact that it always makes me smile, even when I goof it up. It requires strength, stretch, control, and a letting go of all the dumb stuff in your head. You can’t think about your To Do list during The Boomerang. 

2. What exercise is your least favorite? Pick only one.

AW: Ha ha, I like that you only want one least favorite exercise. I used to have a long list but then I realized that the exercises I didn’t like were the ones that my body really needed and I stopped disliking them. But if I was forced to pick one it would be Swan on the Mat. I love all the other Swans, but on the mat I have this brain block that makes me think there’s a 50lb. sandbag on my shoulders. I’m looking forward to the day the sandbag comes off.

3. What turns you on creatively, mentally or physically about the Pilates method?

AW: I simply love movement and learning, and Pilates puts the two together which is completely satisfying to me. Even after 14 years of study, I’m still discovering how to move better myself and that continually renews my passion to teach. Creatively, I get to rediscover how the method applies to each body I work with, and then watch that person transform. 

4. What is your idea of earthly happiness?

AW: Hanging out with my husband, regardless of the activity. Cupcakes come in a distant 2nd.

5. What to your mind would be the greatest misfortune?

AW: Losing the ability to move.

6. What is your favorite Pilates word?

AW: Right now my favorite Pilates word is ‘zest’ because it says for me what Pilates gives you. Here’s the quote that inspired my love of zest: ‎”Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.” – Joe Pilates

7. What is your least favorite Pilates word?

AW: I’m not looking to create controversy with this but Neutral Spine / Neutral Pelvis (which is it anyway?) has always frustrated me. I get the idea behind it but I think the term over-explains or perhaps misinterprets a concept in Joe’s original work that is really quite basic: lengthen your spine as much as possible from top to tail and pull your stomach in to support that length. Keep that happening as you do some cool moves that by-the-way also have amazing health benefits.  

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

AW: Professional athlete. I didn’t participate in team sports as a kid and I can’t say I have any real talent worthy of this dream but I love the dedication that athletes give to their sport. The all-consuming nature of it appeals to me. 

9. If Heaven exists, and by some chance when you arrive at the pearly gates Joseph Pilates is also there, what would you like to hear him say to you?

AW: “Now you are an animal.” (quoted from 2/12/62 Sports Illustrated article)

10. What did you learn today?

AW: Don’t wait to have fun.