Amanda Martin

Debra GoodmanFor the fourth installment of our Pilates On Call series, we’re focusing on the topic of pregnancy. We’re sure it will be a busy and popular post, if site traffic for this topic is any indicator.

Pilates On Call is a month-long, open Q&A session with an expert, so this is your opportunity to ask about the finer points of Pilates exercise with this population. Perhaps you’d like advice for working with a newly pregnant client, or information about a particular pregnancy-related condition.

We’re thrilled to welcome Debra Goodman, MSPT, back to the site. She’s written several popular articles on Pilates and pregnancy for us, and has an extensive background treating pregnant and postpartum patients. She is one of few physical therapists trained in internal evaluation and treatment of the pelvic floor muscles. And we’re equally thrilled to introduce Amanda Martin, owner of balance in Athens, Georgia, a Pilates and wellness studio that specializes in working with pregnant and post-natal clientele, among other populations. She has been doing this kind of Pilates work since 2004.

Post your questions in the comments section below or email them to us editor@pilates-pro.com. Debra and Amanda will get to them as quickly as possible, but might need a day or two to respond.

When tragic events like the recent earthquake in Haiti happen, the devastation is incomprehensible. The outpouring of aid that follows is, at least, heartening, and the innovative ways people come up with to raise funds are impressive and inspiring. The Pilates community is no exception. Information about Pilates fundraisers for earthquake relief is starting to come in, so we’re rounding it up to help out and hopefully to encourage more of the same.

After the jump, read on to find out how different Pilates businesses are pitching in to help with the relief effort in Haiti. You just might find some good ideas for a benefit of your own.

By Shari Berkowitz

Pilates conferences are a relatively new phenomenon, but what a phenomenon they have become! Every major training program has at least one and many independent trainers have them, too. Navigating the conference landscape can be tricky. How do you know which ones to go to? How do you know when it’s time to go to these conferences? Most important of all, how do you make sure you’re getting the most for your time and money?

The first thing to consider is what you’re looking for in your continuing education. You need to know what it is you want to buy in the marketplace and then find who is selling what you want. Figuring that out is key, and it’s not as difficult as it seems to determine what it is that you want in your continuing education. Though there appear to be so very many directions you could go in, there are only three things to truly consider: 

By Christine Binnendyk

Pilates and dance conditioning have a long history, and they make for a highly effective combination. Joseph Pilates himself was well-known for working with many prominent dancers during his lifetime. I’d heard the buzz about barre-style workouts such as Lotte Berk, Fluidity, and Bar Method. I had even tried out a few videos. But it wasn’t until I ran across Barre3, the Portland, Oregon, based studio with the tagline, “Where ballet barre meets yoga and Pilates,” that it hit me: Dance conditioning can be a breath of fresh air for Pilates studios, to draw new clients and keep existing ones coming back for more.

Barre Classes
Mt. Pleasant Pilates studio owner Nicole Wallen launched a program called Body By Barre just over a year ago. “It’s been a great success,” she says, and the ticket to bringing in new clientele.

By Nicole Rogers

Continuing education workshops are something I go back and forth on. Don’t get me wrong; they are absolutely essential to high quality teaching. Yet, sadly, I often zone out at some point. Sitting on the floor for eight hours makes me want to jump out the window and I don’t like eating raisins out of my purse for “lunch.” But if I learn even one good cue or variation from a workshop, it makes all of the discomfort worth it. The infusion of knowledge enriches my teaching and gets me excited about the process all over again.

Jillian Hessel’s new DVD, Learning From Two Masters, basically solves my problems with workshops since I can watch and review at my own pace. And there is a bounty of information to review. No matter what your background, you would be hard-pressed not to find something of interest here. Though Hessel started her Pilates education in New York, plenty of variations have found their way into her work. And I think there is something here for everyone with an open mind. Hessel trained with many of the elders, and most intensively with Kathy Grant and Carola Trier. Here, she teaches a workshop sharing her vast knowledge as an instructor, specifically as influenced by Grant and Trier.

If you’re in the process of building your Pilates business, consider the importance of developing your brand. A brand is a way for potential clients to understand what you’re selling in the blink of an eye. It’s also helpful to clarify your vision for your business, which makes promoting it that much easier. Here, studio owner Erika Quest, a former corporate marketer and branding strategist, shares her studio-starting journey along with strategies and how-to’s for marketing a Pilates business from the very beginning.

By Erika Quest

In late 2005, at the peak of my corporate career in advertising, I was faced with a life-changing decision. I could continue on my corporate path, which guaranteed the comfort of a regular paycheck but was packed with long stressful hours and little time for my family, let alone myself. Or, I could take the plunge into my passion and open a Pilates studio.

I was introduced to Pilates in 2001, after suffering a back injury. A friend of mine suggested that we attend a Pilates mat class together and I was immediately hooked. I began taking mat every week and soon added in equipment classes. After about six months, I became so passionate that I decided to learn more about Pilates and study to teach through Body Arts & Science International and Rael Isacowitz. I figured I could take on clients in the evenings and on weekends.

As 2009 draws to a close and we refocus our energies on the year to come, it’s nice to reflect on the year past. Thus it’s time for our very own Pilates-Pro.com “Year in Review,” a countdown of the site’s 10 most popular articles in 2009. (This is a great place to start if you’re just discovering us!) We’d like to extend huge thanks to all of the innovative, thoughtful, dedicated and generally amazing Pilates experts who contributed to Pilates-Pro.com this year. Kudos as well to the growing number of community members who use the articles and forums as a place for lively, insightful discussion. Pilates-Pro.com continues to grow because of you. And of course, if you have topics you’d like us tackle in 2010, please drop a line and let us know!

1. Pilates for Scoliosis by Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT
2. Pilates for Feet by Madeline Black
3. Five Ways to Combine Cardio and Pilates by Nicole Rogers
4. Pilates on Call with Siri Dharma Galliano
5. Postpartum Recovery: Helping New Moms Get Their Bodies Back by Debbi Goodman, MSPT
6. 16 Fitness Wear Discounts for Pilates Instructors by Christine Binnendyk
7. Pilates DVD Review: The Jump Board Workout by Nicole Rogers
8. Pilates on Call: Core Conditioning PTs
9. Five Ways to Hook Men on Pilates by Julian Littleford
10. Five Ways to Build Successful Client-Instructor Relationships by Devra Swiger

Abi and Joseph Ballet WrapBy Lauren Charlip

Here on the East Coast we’re slogging through the first big snow of the season. When the mercury hovers this low, it can get pretty chilly in the studio. This has us thinking about what kind of cozy, moveable extra layer we’d like to be wearing. We can say this much: we don’t want to sacrifice style. We’ve always loved the look of the classic ballet wrap top, and it turns out our favorite workout wear lines do, too. Several of them have come out with chic new versions this year. They’re elegant alternatives to a hoodie and versatile pieces that you can easily wear out of the studio and keep on for the rest of the day.

We’ve rounded up our favorite updates on this dancewear classic, perfect for taking the chill off your workout. Click through to see five of our top picks. And don’t forget to wrap up, because baby, it’s cold outside!