By Amy Leibrock 

Whether you get involved with Pilates in the Schools or want to teach Pilates to kids at your local YMCA, getting children started in Pilates can be a rewarding and inspiring experience. Just ask Kim Carruthers. After 10 years teaching Pilates, she had a thriving studio, Physical Perfection, in Los Angeles and star clients like Tyra Banks and Patricia Arquette, but she was looking for something new to excite her, something, she says, “to bring the benefits of Pilates outside the walls of my studio.”

Carruthers found what she was looking for when she volunteered to teach Pilates to children who were financially less fortunate in 2005. It was so successful, both for the kids and for her, that now, on top of her fulltime studio, she teaches six classes per week to kids and teens through her Pilates in the ‘Hood program. Carruthers sees her students get fitter, but they also tell her it helps them focus on their schoolwork and relax when they’re stressed—and many practice at home or teach moves to their families. “Part of my goal is that later on in life, no matter what, this will be a foundation for them,” she says.

It sounds great, right? After all, wasn’t this also Joseph Pilates’ goal? For everyone to do Pilates? Yes, but if you’re ready to bring Pilates to the children and have never worked with kids, you might have some questions. Like, how do you explain the Powerhouse to a 7-year-old? Or how do you find the kids in the first place?

To answer these questions and more, we sought Carruthers’ advice. In this first part of our 2-part series, she shares her tips for teaching kids and teens. In Part 2, she’ll offer up ideas for starting a program in your own area.

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Zobha Grace TankBy Amy Leibrock

When I first found the new Zobha fitness apparel line online, I was captivated by its elegant styles and colors and classic eveningwear details. Now, with samples in hand, I’m happy to report that the line is more than just a pretty face. Founder and yoga instructor Jamie Hanna’s goal of creating clothes that embody the element of “grace” that attracts her to yoga shines through in the fabric, fit and performance of the pieces I tried.


Zobha Audrey TankMy favorite is the Grace Tank ($56, sizes 2-10). It has a flattering scoop neck and long waist that won’t ride or roll up, and the cut around the shoulders is perfect for showing off strong Pilates shoulders. The variety of other top styles will cover and flatter a variety of body types and seem to run true to size. And you’ve gotta love the names—Audrey, Jayne, Ava—that evoke icons of Hollywood style.

The fabric, a wicking blend of Supplex and Lycra, has a cotton-y feel and matte look that made me feel zipped-up but not bound in. I do have one word of warning for Pilates regulars—the Straight Leg Capris ($60) are cut a little too low and will quickly ride down during a typical Pilates workout—try the Essential Pant Capris ($64, sizes 2-10) instead; they have better coverage. The line also includes a few hoodies ($64-$66) and seamless “yoga panties” (thongs and boyshorts, $16-$18), and they have maternity, men’s and children’s lines in the works.

BONUS: The folks at Zobha were kind enough to offer Pilates-Pro.com readers a 15% discount on website orders. Get yours by entering the code Z0815PPro at zobha.com from now until May 31, 2008. Happy shopping!

Cecile Bankston, Assistant Director of West Coast Pilates and mother of four, has created the perfect gift to pass on to your clients this Mother’s Day: A Spine Corrector sequence designed just for moms! This selection of moves targets the muscles moms use most when lifting and child-wrangling—namely the arms, back and core. Try these exercises on your own then pass them along to your clients for a gift that truly keeps on giving. [Note: This is not a post-natal workout—it’s designed for moms with toddlers and beyond.]

Spinal Roll
Begin sitting on the Spine Corrector with feet in a diamond position. Round the spine forward, holding the abdominals in and up. Contract the abdominals and roll back to the shoulder blades. Bring arms by ears and then to the ceiling. Contract, and roll up to sitting. This is shown with a pole, but can be done without. Repeat 5–8 times. This is great for the abdominal muscles which are needed for lifting children and bending efficiently. Also, strong abdominals prevent lower back pain.

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By Madeline Black

In order to work in a deeper, more expanded way with her clients, Pilates instructor Madeline Black has searched out new ideas and methodologies during her career. This is the second in her series of reviews in which she shares some of the books and resources that have deepened her knowledge and self-practice and have enhanced her teaching beyond Pilates.

If you’re reading this site, you probably don’t need anyone to convince you of the mind-body connection. But your clients might be more skeptical. What if you could hand them a book that makes a strong scientific case for the link? Enter Bruce Lipton, PhD.

Dr. Lipton is an author, former research scientist in cell biology at Stanford University and medical school instructor. His research in cell biology and quantum physics has broken new ground in how science views the role of cells in our health and the power of our mind on the body. In his book, The Biology of Belief, Dr. Lipton explains his research and introduces to us enlightening concepts of cellular life, the impact of the environment in and around our cells, and how we manifest states of well-being or disease.

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It’s been just 3 weeks since we’ve added the Pilates-Pro.com Community Forum, and there are already several great conversations going.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s a sample of one of the hot topics, Fitness vs. Bodywork?, started by Alycea Ungaro:

“Where do you think our craft is headed? Might our training become more anatomically based and potentially longer to complete? Would a degree be possible one day? Or will there be a backlash of other bodyworkers, pushing Pilates back into the fitness arena exclusively?”

The Pilates-Pro.com team just got back from the Body Mind Spirit educational conference that took place last weekend (April 23-27) in Santa Clara, CA. Pilates and Gyrotonic teachers took over the hotel and convention center as they floated between classes and the expo hall (and the pool—the weather was beautiful!). This year, the regular 3-day conference was fortified with two days of pre-conference intensives with tracks for both beginner and advanced instructors and those interested in scoliosis and osteoporosis. Yoga, which used to be on the BMS rooster, wasn’t available this year, but Feldenkrais and other somatic techniques were on offer.

The expo hall floor was also buzzing with equipment demos, new products and old favorites. Flip through our slideshow above for a few of the highlights, and look for more details about some of the products soon on the site.

P.S. We created the slideshow using Flickr and PictoBrowser. We’ve also started a Pilates-Pro.com group photo pool on Flickr, which is open to everyone to join and post and share Pilates pics. More on this later!

The first Saturday in May—May 3 this year—brings another Pilates Day celebration. The festivities, which are sponsored by the Pilates Method Alliance, once again call attention to the Pilates in the Schools Program, with the main event taking place at St. Philip’s Academy, in Newark, New Jersey, under the direction of Marggi Vangeli (pictured above with her students). Vangeli, a member of the PMA Board of Directors and owner of Bodies in Balance Pilates Studio in Madison, New Jersey, has been working with 5th graders at the inner city school since February; on Pilates Day she plans to lead her students through a matwork demonstration for the students’ family members and community leaders and also offer an open Pilates mat class.

Satellite Pilates Day events, held at volunteer studios from around the world, are being promoted as interest- and awareness-raising events rather than the PMA fundraisers we’ve seen in the past. Participating studios and instructors were encouraged to create activities that promote the Pilates in the Schools initiative, but those who don’t work with children have tailored classes and demonstrations to meet other community needs—like teaching area seniors—and promote the Pilates method.

If your studio is doing something special for Pilates Day, please share your plans in the comments section. Happy Pilates Day!

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RELATED LINKS
Pilates in the Schools
Top 7 PMA Highlights

By Elaine Ewing

Have you ever had a Pilates client who seemed to be advancing nicely, then sciatica strikes? This condition—which is an irritation or pinching of the sciatic nerve—often includes pain radiating from the lower back down the back of the leg, tingling in the toes or feet and numbness along the track of the nerve. Sciatica is a symptom of another problem in the body, such as a herniated disk, lumbar spinal stenosis, disc degeneration, pelvic instabilities or Piriformis Syndrome. It is important to remember that, while Pilates work can increase sciatica symptoms, it is not a cause of the condition.  

Luckily, the practice can be modified to make irritation of the sciatic nerve less likely. In working with clients, and in my own battle with the condition, I’ve found that certain positions, practices and cues can actually cause an increase in irritation, but a few subtle changes can help deter flare-ups. Below I’ve listed some easy-to-avoid situations that can contribute to discomfort in sciatica sufferers. Usually, when one of these root causes is found and eliminated early, the sciatica will decrease or disappear.

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Top Story: US News Touts Pilates for Building Balance in Elderly
A study about the effectiveness of yoga for preventing falls has some experts skeptical. Debra Rose, codirector of the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence at University of Southern California, told US News that the improvements in coordination and motor skills that Pilates and tai chi provide are more effective at preventing falls when walking.

Athletes Still Love Pilates
LA Dodgers’ James Loney is using Pilates to “stay ahead of the curve” on the baseball field, while Philadelphia 76ers’ Maurice Cheeks introduced his entire basketball team to Pilates. Golfers in South Africa are also getting into the method.

More Pilates News
• Read the story of Dolly Kelepecz, a former showgirl who brought Pilates to Las Vegas.

• Is Feldenkrais “creeping into the consciousness of American households?” The Detroit Free Press thinks so—here’s its in-depth look at Feldenkrais, complete with a 5-minute audio guide.

By Lesley Powell

“Push your shoulders down.”

We hear that phrase frequently in Pilates studios, but I say it’s time to throw that cue out. Why? For most people, pressing the shoulders down freezes the shoulder girdle’s function and interrupts its natural rhythm.

The arms connect to the torso through the shoulder girdle, shoulder blades, clavicles and humerus bones. Each bone moves in different degrees of rotation and timing. The timing and the control of these motions are essential to a healthy shoulder. This “scapular-humeral rhythm” is like a symphony—each bone is an instrument playing a different variation of a melody.

A great scapular-humeral rhythm will invite the correct phrasing of the arm and core muscles. When you get a client to better use her shoulder girdle, her arm strength, posture and connection to the core will improve. Read on to learn how this rhythm works and how to help your clients improve theirs.

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