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!

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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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!

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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Welcome to the new and improved Pilates-Pro.com. We’ve added some exciting resources and features that make our site an even better meeting place for the Pilates community on the Web. You can now:

• Search for jobs and post career opportunities on our Jobs page.
• Browse our calendar of worldwide continuing education workshops and use it to promote your own events.
• Ask questions and share ideas with other instructors and studio owners on our Community page.
• Search our archived articles for specific topics using the Search box on the top, left side of every page.
• Buy and sell equipment and promote new products on our Marketplace page.

So take a spin around and let us know what you think. While you’re at it, sign up for The Pulse, our free eNewsletter. In it you’ll find exclusive Pilates news, tips and advice, updates about the site and special offers from our partners.

Peace and health,
The Pilates Pro team

With his democratic approach to fitness, it’s likely that Joseph Pilates would approve of today’s video-sharing technology if it meant more people would be able to enjoy the benefits of his exercise method. It’s a wonder, then, that only one short clip of him has made it to YouTube so far. You’ll find it buried among a smattering (about 3,700 at last count) of modern clips from around the world that include single exercise demos, short workouts, earnest explanations of the method and even Pilates bloopers. Hopefully more original Joe footage will find its way to YouTube eventually, but we’ll have to settle for Arm Circles for now. Enjoy!

The British press is buzzing with more than just news of Prince Harry—we did a little digging and found a bevy of Pilates-related stories from the UK.

Britons Are Leaving the Gym
Memberships are plummeting at British gyms, which have “been elbowed aside by yoga, Pilates and outdoor boot-camp-style programmes such as park circuits,” according to The Times.

Pilates Wear Reviewed
The Telegraph takes a look at Manuka Life, a line of yoga, Pilates and meditation clothing. It’s only stocked in British stores, but they will ship to other countries, including the U.S.

London Physio Clinics a Great Place to Work
Congrats to Sports & Spinal Clinics of London, which was listed No. 65 in The Sunday Times’ Top 100 Best Small Companies to Work for 2008. This group of seven physiotherapy and rehab clinics incorporates Pilates into its clinical work and offers Pilates classes.

Cricket Player Paul Collingwood Credits Pilates
“I’ve got a Pilates bench that looks like a torture device,” said the stylish Collingwood in the Daily Mail.

…And in American news…
Instructors everywhere will appreciate this nice profile of Rosanna “Nahnie” Barberio, a dancer-turned-Pilates-instructor who left New York to start a studio in Lansing, MI.

A book recommendation from Madeline Black 

A Pilates teacher today is presented with clients with issues beyond the physical. They may have problems that are emotional, energetic or spiritual in nature. The physical part is easier for us to understand because that is what we are trained to see and intellectually problem-solve. Sometimes, however, the effort we put into planning and working with a client doesn’t advance the client as well as we’d like it to.

In order to work in a deeper, more expanded way with my clients, I’ve searched out new methodologies and philosophies over the years. I’ve also studied myself to find more clarity, balance and openness. (A teacher once told me not to treat someone who is healthier than you are.) I’ve spent years learning and receiving IMT (Integrative Manual Therapy), other manual therapies, energy work and meditation practices, and I’ve done lots of reading. Through these explorations, I’ve developed tools to share or reference for my clients. And sometimes, I simply observe and better understand their complexity without making any comments or judgments to them. A Pilates teacher’s scope of practice is to refer a client, when appropriate, to their practitioner of choice such as a doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist. I may also recommend a book.

In the coming months, I will be sharing some of the books and resources that have deepened my knowledge and self-practice and have enhanced my teaching beyond Pilates.

This month, I recommend a book about dealing with trauma: Waking the Tiger by Peter A. Levine, PhD, with Ann Frederick (North Atlantic Books, 1997). Dr. Levine is well known for his research about how animals in the wild deal with stress and trauma. His discoveries have led him to successfully treat people to release trauma in the body.

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By Carrie McCulloch

Carrie McCulloch is a 4th-year medical student at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, a Certifying Instructor for Pilates Academy International, and Course Co-Director for the Functional Anatomy for Movement & Injuries (FAMI) Workshop.

Degenerated discs, prolapsed discs, bulging discs, herniated discs—these terms float around Pilates studios quite freely. Indeed, these conditions are some of the most common reasons why clients with back pain seek help from Pilates instructors in the first place. Despite their familiarity, however, these terms—and the medical jargon surrounding them—can get quite confusing. Here, I’ll explain the particulars of three common disc problems and suggest programming tips for affected clients.

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