Entries in Joseph Pilates (5)
Pilates Holiday Gift Wish Lists
By Nicole Rogers
Sometimes the best gifts are things you’d like to receive yourself. While you’ve been out shopping for family, friends and clients, have you stopped to think of what you might like to find gift-wrapped for your own Pilates practice this year? With that in mind, we asked some Pilates professionals what items are on their Pilates wish list for 2010, and they answered with great ideas and suggestions for every budget.
Practical and Portable
With a busy schedule and a practical budget, Kayla Laurene, who is currently pursuing her certificate at Power Pilates in Manhattan, has a list full of pragmatic ideas in a variety of price ranges. First on it, she writes, is this Sweetheart mat bag in papyrus green, “a great mat bag that is big enough for a nice thick Pilates mat and is really pretty too!” The regular price is $125, but it’s on sale for $85.
Lauren Charlip
in Equipment/Resources, Joseph Pilates, Pilates Arc, Pilates Clothing, Pilates books, mat bag
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Chasing Joe Pilates
By Stacey Redfield
The life history of Joseph Pilates appears to be covered, to some extent, in just about every Pilates book, workshop, conference and training program.
The narrative that’s passed on about his life generally goes like this: He was born in Germany, and it is rumored that he was a sickly kid who became obsessed with developing his own physical strength. He first wife died in Germany when he was 30, and somehow he made his way to England—Joe stated that he was touring with a circus troupe. When WWI broke out, he was interned on Britain’s Isle of Man because of his German citizenship. It is a common belief in the Pilates community that the rehabilitative work he did with his fellow detainees became part of the foundation of what we know today as Pilates. (Unfortunately, records from the Isle of Man were destroyed in the war and I haven’t found any official account of his work there.) Pilates immigrated to the United States in 1926, and in doing so, made the acquaintance of Anna Clara Zuener, whom we all know as Clara, and with whom he remained until his death in 1967. After arriving in the States, he opened the New York City studio in which he taught for the duration of his life, though exactly when he opened it is unclear.
There is also plenty of lore about Joe Pilates. For instance, there are many stories about Joe’s love of beer, women and cigars. Though there’s reason to believe them, one might wonder, for example, just how far-fetched is the story of Joe running through the streets of New York in the middle of winter wearing just a pair of skimpy white trunks and his gym shoes?
Lauren Charlip
in Anna Clara Zuener, Clara Pilates, Isle of Man, Joseph Pilates, Physical Culture, Pilates History
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18 Comments
Daisy Fuentes Teaches Pilates
By Alycea Ungaro
Yes, it’s true; the Pilates technology you’ve been waiting for is about to be released. Pilates has come to the Wii, merging fitness and fun in the newest incarnation of mass-market health and wellness. Your teacher is none other than the delightful and engaging Daisy Fuentes.
Wait, what? Daisy Fuentes? Uh, ok. Why?
I knew Daisy Fuentes did Pilates but when did she become a teacher? Common sense dictates that she must have expanded her credentials and become a trained Pilates instructor. I mean the corporate bigwigs at Sega wouldn’t have dared to allow her to instruct what will be roughly, oh, I don’t know…millions of people for fear of injury. Hmmm…maybe not.
I’m thinking Daisy did not enroll in a certification course and log in hundreds of practice hours so that she could teach you the perfect form and proper execution of the Pilates method. I’m guessing she didn’t hit the books hard to learn human anatomy or the basics of exercise physiology either. [You can see snipets from the Wii Pilates program here.]
To be clear, I’m not really picking on Daisy here. I’m sure she’ll make do just fine. Maybe as good as Jane Fonda even, or the myriad other celebrities that suddenly become fitness experts overnight. Personally, I just like to believe that my teachers are really teachers and that the experts I let into my life are really experts. So far as I can tell, Daisy’s claim to fame here is…her fame.
Think for a moment about the people you learned the most from in your life. Your first grade teacher: not famous, I’m sure. A coach or dance teacher: similarly off the radar by media standards. A professor somewhere along the way? These people were educators. Trained not only in their discipline but also in the discipline of teaching. Teaching is a craft. A skill set not easily learned and one that is very difficult to master.
Legend has it that Joe Pilates was not a very good teacher. He was a remarkable inventor, an unparalleled innovator but none to impressive with his communication skills. By contrast, his wife Clara is touted as the real teacher at the original Pilates studio. Her gentle touch and soothing voice are recalled even today by her devoted students.
I’m happy that Pilates has come this far and that people worldwide will have the benefit of Pilates in their homes. It’s thrilling to see the growth of this method still soaring after all these years. And I guess that celebrities not only endorsing but now branding Pilates as their own is a hallmark of the method’s success. So what’s next?
Will Miley Cyrus launch a Teen-ilates DVD? Let’s hope not.
Alycea Ungaro is the owner of Real Pilates in New York. This essay was originally published on Alycea’s blog.
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Amy Leibrock
in Alycea Ungaro, Clara Pilates, Daisy Fuentes, Joseph Pilates, News/Research, Pilates History, Teaching Strategies, Wii
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6 Comments
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1 Reference
Pilates Goodies
Happy Friday, everyone. We’ve found a few Pilates Internet goodies lately we wanted to share.
Joseph Pilates for Everyone!
Thanks to Paul of Vertex Physical Therapy in Los Angeles, a few more Joseph Pilates video clips have made their way on to YouTube. They are extremely fun to watch, especially this one of Joe teaching a beginning student Reformer exercises, which also shows his progress 6 months later. (I just wish they had audio!) You can view more Pilates videos on our new Pilates-Pro.com YouTube channel. (If you’d like us to feature your video on our channel, send it to editor@pilates-pro.com.)
Free Podcasts
Balanced Body recently launched new free podcasts, available in a variety of formats, featuring some top Pilates experts such as Brent Anderson, PhD, Dawn-Marie Ickes and Christine Romani-Ruby. They plan to release new podcasts each week in four categories: Instructor, Rehabilitation, Enthusiast and Elizabeth’s Corner (from Elizabeth Larkam).
Madeline Speaks
This online freebie is a hidden gem. On Madeline Black’s blog, you’ll find a three-part intereview with the Sonoma, CA, instructor in which she talks about how she found Pilates as a young dancer and talks about Pilates and feet and her new workshop, Sole to Spine. (Also see her article Pilates for Feet for more!)
Amy Leibrock
in Balanced Body, Equipment/Resources, Joseph Pilates, Madeline Black, Video
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1 Comment
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1 Reference
Pilates Videos to Enhance Your Teaching
Pilates finess videos can jumpstart those days you don’t feel like putting yourself through a workout, but it’s rare to glean useful teaching tips from a standard exercise dvd. For true teaching inspiration, it may be a better idea to look to some of the specialty videos available, instead.
For a brush-up on efficiency:
“Transitions and Order”, from Rebecca Leone and Heidi Byrnes of Pilates Powerhouse NW
If you need to add order and efficiency to your studio or sessions, check out the tips in this DVD. Designed for studio owners and instructors, the first part of this offering details practical suggestions for equipment storage and maintenance. After implementing these ideas, never again will you scramble around during a session looking for the correct prop. The remainder of the DVD is dedicated to teaching the transitions between classical exercises on the mat and Reformer—where to put the handles after each exercise, when to tip the headrest down, and so forth. This video is especially useful for instructors who have a clear understanding of the exercises, but are looking for ways to speed up and smooth out their classes and private sessions. After learning the linking steps on this DVD, instructors can slowly teach the transitions to students, which will ultimately keep the students focused all session long.
Amy Leibrock
in Education, Equipment/Resources, Joseph Pilates, Julian Littleford, Mary Bowen, Pilates DVDs, Pilates History, Rebecca Leone, Teaching Strategies
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