Pucklates? (Nevermind, that's awful)

The Calgary Flames may have released Theoren Fleury from training camp but that doesn't take away the fact that "of the 56 players who tackled intense fitness assessment testing, Fleury came in 11th."

"I've been to 19 training camps (in my career)," he says.

"And this was the best results I've ever had overall. I knew that I'd worked hard and I'd done everything I possibly could to come into camp in shape, but you don't know until you do the test. I was probably as shocked (with my results) as everybody else was,"

It should come as no surprise that Pilates was a part of how Fleury managed to get himself into the best shape of his career and his life.

What an inspiring story! No matter where we are in our path, our age, our fitness level, our goals, Pilates can help us to be our best!

It's Easy Being Green

I love finding new ways to make my life have less of an impact on the environment, from walking to my local farmer's market and buying in bulk to reduce packaging, to choosing organic cotton and recycled fiber clothing.

We can make choices in our purchase of mats, props, and workout wear that are environmentally friendly too! Check out all of the options from Natural Fitness!

My personal favorite mat is from prAna, the revolution mat (I love their clothing too! They have lots of recycled fabric and organic cotton and hemp options.)

If you already have a PVP mat, have no fear, you can now recycle your old mats at, go figure, recycleyourmat.com















Other options include:
Blue Canoe Clothing
YogaTribe and Culture Clothing
Lotus Blossom Style Clothing
Inner Waves Organics Clothing
Be Present Clothing
Gaiam Clothing, Mats, Props
Jade Mats
Manduka Mats (eko only)

Pilates Before Painkillers

MD's in Australia are getting hip to alternative methods of pain management - namely Pilates!

"Dr Penelope Briscoe, dean of Australia and NZ College of Anaesthetists' Faculty of Pain Medicine . . . says doctors need to introduce patients to other strategies such as pilates, hydrotherapy and meditation to avoid misuse from prescription drugs."

click here to read the entire article http://bit.ly/hvO5Z

Guyville's "Pilates for Men" Video Series

So Art's form isn't the greatest (What would anyone expect? He's brand new to Pilates) but the improvements are noticeable. The change in the shape of his body is noticeable too! Check out the difference between
Week 1 ( http://bit.ly/Plts4Men ) and Week 6 ( http://bit.ly/Plts4Men6 )

In their own words "This series proves that Pilates isn't just for the ladies." It's so true. I'm encouraged by an ever increasing number of men trying Pilates, but the average studio still sees predominately female clients.

In an effort to break the stereotype, I continue to post news clips on top male athletes who use Pilates as part of their training. Ultimately the amazing results seen by those relatively few men who are secure enough in their masculinity to step into the studio will speak for themselves and the word of Pilates will spread like wildfire through the male population.

Horsing Around

If you are an equestrian, you know just how much strength and balance is required to ride well. The postural alignment that you gain from regular practice of Pilates exercises can help balance your seat (positioning and use of the pelvis for those of us non-riders). Whether you're a left loader, a right loader, hyper-kypohotic or hyper-lordotic Pilates can help you balance your posture so that you ride more efficiently, and communicate with your horse more effectively.

Check out this article from Pilates-Pro for more detailed information bit.ly/48CIjR

Random Posts

A random selection of inspiring, informative, and/or idiosyncratic posts to enjoy.

For Inspiration - a computer programmer who decided to pursue teaching pilates after being laid off for the second time in five months. bit.ly/CK4O9

For Interesting - The New Zealand Herald reports on how the way your body deposits fat can indicate internal processes. bit.ly/izaax

And then there's idiosyncratic - Don't ask, just click. bit.ly/z4F1k

Today Only . . . Pass it On!

Do you know anyone who's been dying to try Pilates but just needed a little something to prompt them into action? Well here it is!

For less than twelve more hours Bella Forma Pilates is featured on Groupon. Today only, first time clients can purchase 2 Private lessons and 1 Group Mat Class for only $50!!! Pass this on to your friends or perhaps purchase a few as gifts!

signing up for classes is as easy as clicking on
www.bellaformapilates.com

Bella News

Our new newsletter is out! This month, the "C" word - Commitment ~Gasp~

Commitment to yourself, commitment to Pilates, commitment to every last count of the hundreds!! Here's a sample.

Hangin' With the Hundreds

Inhale 5 counts, exhale 5 counts, 40...
"I can do this!"
Inhale 5 counts, exhale 5 counts, 50...
"Gettin' a little tougher now."
Inhale 5 counts, exhale 5 counts, 60...
"How many more of these do I have to do?"
Inhale 5 counts, exhale 5 counts,70...
"Ugh, I'm not going to make it!"
...and you proceed to collapse into a heap onto your mat.

So you've made the commitment to your private lesson/class for the week. Hard part done, right? But now you are faced with the daunting challenge of the 100s. Does anyone really look forward to this exercise? Our bodies are always trying to choose the path of least resistance first. How tempting is it to skip that last 20 counts?

Did you know that just as you can train your body/brain to develop proper muscular patterning, you can also teach your body/brain to learn faulty ones. Therefore, when you don't complete the 100s because of fatigue, essentially you are training your body to stop when it is tired or when you are mentally challenged by the exercise.

Sometimes back or neck strain can impede your ability to perform the 100s properly. If you are experiencing back or neck strain there are a variety of ways to modify the exercise. For example, in cases of back strain, your legs don't have to fully extend. You can keep your knees bent into tabletop position or with your legs resting on the Swiss ball. You can even bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor. For those with discomfort in the neck, the 100s can be done with your head completely flat on the floor. Using the Triad ball underneath your head like a pillow is another great way to alleviate neck strain as it allows you to experience the feeling of flexing your trunk with adequate support for your head. Ask your instructor what modification(s) best work for you. In other words, there is a version of the 100s that is appropriate for you, wherever you are in your Pilates today.

In most circumstances, with the proper concentration, focus and form you'll be able to complete that last repetition or two. Tapping into your mind/body connection could give you just enough mental agility to supersede what you feel like is your physical limit. Try doing more than what you think you can. You might surprise yourself. So make that commitment to execute a full 100 the next time you are in class.

Happy Hundreds everyone!

To Your Health - Sugar Blues

Diabetes affects some 27 million Americans, and another 54 million are pre-diabetic. These are staggering numbers, especially when you consider that a growing percentage of this population is children. The good news is that unless you have type 1 diabetes, which is genetic, this life threatening condition is both preventable and treatable through "alternative" measures. (Obvioulsy work with your doctor and a registered dietician to monitor your blood glucose levels if you wish to treat your diabetes in a holistic fashion. You may be able to decrease your insulin dependency, but the process needs to be carefully monitored)

I have a bigger sweet tooth than anyone I know, but I am able to keep my cravings in check by snacking on fresh fruits, using stevia (an herb with zero calories and zero glycemic index!) and agave nectar (a low glycemic syrup from the agave cactus). Be careful though, stevia is EXTREMELY sweet. A couple of drops is usually enough.

If I am craving chocolate, I drink an 8 oz. glass of unsweetened chocolate almond milk with a few drops of stevia. It provides 25% RDA of vitamin D, 20% RDA of calcium, 50% RDA vitamin E, and 10% RDA vitamin E, with ZERO sugar and only 3g of carbohydrates. I get all the chocolatey goodness without the refined sugar.

Another favorite is Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss, a non-dairy "ice-cream" made out of coconut milk and sweetened with agave nectar. It comes in several tempting flavors like "Mint Galactica" and "Cherry Amaretto". No refined sugar, no dairy, what's not to love?

Sugar cravings can be a signal from your body that it needs protein. Try having a serving of unsweetened yogurt with some fruit, or maybe go for a protein smoothie and see if that satisfies you.

Finally, get your body moving!!! Exercise takes energy, lowering blood glucose levels and decreasing your risk for the many detrimental effects of high levels of glucose in the blood. Your Pilates workout just got a little bit sweeter! Check out this article for a bit more on exercise and diabetes http://tinyurl.com/m7pgnu

Have a healthy weekend!

For the Boys (and Men)

Real men do Pilates . . .

Add yet another top MALE athlete to those who use Pilates as a part of their fitness regimen. World Champion sprinter Terrance Spann practices Pilates and teaches others when he's not training.

http://www.americustimesrecorder.com/sports/local_story_244200323.html?keyword=topstory