True Pilates Sydney Studio Instructors - Luke Cook and Pablo Comino training in the studio  It’s no cosmic revelation that every person in the universe is unique in Mind, Body and Spirit. Part of what makes us who we are is from what we see, hear and feel — its individual and personal. Therefore when we talk about Pilates instruction and teaching — all instructors/ teachers are their own person as they determine the focus and approach to a body. At the studio, as a team of teachers we are diverse in our approach and teaching. We each bring a different dimension and goal in a class, but y ..read more

True Pilates Sydney Team demonstration  Last week we hosted our studio’s Christmas Party for 2017 — the sense of community was well and truly alive as we came in celebration to toast the end of the year and more importantly to our Pilates community of clients and peers. So often we get caught up in the day to day running of the studio — albeit as an instructor focused on teaching or as a client taking a session. We can easily forget as individuals ‘we’ are part of a community. It was lovely to see clients connecting over their dedication to Pilates, and for us as instructors — it was a g ..read more

Since Yoga hit the mainstream, it has been the darling of the health and fitness world with everyone raving about the body and mind benefits. Active wear has never been more fashionable with Yoga mats fast becoming the latest fashion accessory. However, more recently I have seen more press on ‘Yoga being bad for your body’ which has brought some controversy to the Practice. My belief is the fault is not in the practice itself but ‘how’ we practice. Because of its popularity the market has become saturated with Yoga variations and offerings and most of them with on-mass instruction oppose to t ..read more

Pilates demonstration of true strength, co-ordination and control stems from technique and precision. It is more than just being on a reformer and working up a sweat. Pilates is about moving with intention — technique, and being mindful of its execution — precision. It is true learning the sequence and co-ordination of each exercise is part of Pilates, but it is in the detail that one learns to work from the correct muscles to change the body. This is why Pilates is not simply aerobic but an exercise methodology. The most obvious benefits of adopting good Pilates technique are; Precisio ..read more

I view life as a journey of acquisition in respects to knowledge. It is a continuous path to acquire, broaden and deepen one’s understanding. I believe it is only through dedication, discipline, ingenuity and time can it lead to intuitive wisdom.  My ethos to Pilates teaching and training practice is much the same. As much as I am of the belief you can learn from everyone, I am also selective with my time and attention (retention), therefore I endeavour to train and learn from the best.  Since I started my Pilates journey in 2007, I have made it my mission to broaden and ..read more

Breaststroke on the reformer with 2nd Generation Pilates teacher Cynthia Lochard In the previous post, we defined what is Pilates. In this article, we will elaborate more on what is Traditional Pilates and how it differs to other Pilates methods. As Pilates grow in its popularity, so does the Pilates offering. Some Pilates methods have a more clinical/ physio approach, while others are more gym like with group class sessions. In these instances, the Pilates method is in some way modified, diluted and thus incomplete. On top of the various Pilates methods available, the exercise world adds to ..read more

Long Stretch on the Reformer Pilates is not Yoga. It is not a relaxation stretch class. It is not physiotherapy. Pilates is exercise — a weight resistance strength methodology that is progressive with over 500 exercises across various Pilates apparatus. It was invented in the 1920’s by a fitness expert named Joseph Pilates. Pilates focuses on strengthening the deep core muscles of the torso; abdominals, hips, lower back and buttocks — which as a collective, Pilates himself coined the ‘Powerhouse’. Pilates is progressive and adaptive — as one grows in strength, the level of difficulty and inte ..read more

Teaching the ‘Shaving’ of the Arm circles series on the reformer The popularity of mainstream Pilates has seen it evolve from gyms to more specialised Pilates studios. This evolution is a step in the right direction, but I sometimes wonder if some studios haven’t simply applied a gym class mentality to the Pilates method. Pilates demonstration of true Strength, Coordination and Control stems from technique in its strength work and precision. It is more than just being on a reformer, moving the body and cracking a sweat. Many Pilates studios have sacrificed the integrity of the Pilates method ..read more

Arm circles on the reformer The complete (Advance) reformer repertoire (excluding the archival, super advance and variations) has about 56 exercises — with the goal of a 45 minute workout. Having said this, at times in between clients when pressed for time and energy, I often default to a modified routine that embodies Pilates’ modus operandi of Strength, Control and Flexibility. As teachers, outside of teaching we sometimes forget about our own body maintenance. I can’t stress enough the importance of staying strong and focused in Mind and body. To be energised and fit is pivotal to one’s ow ..read more

Image sourced from www. breakingmuscle.com   It is no secret that Pilates is great for back pain management, maintaining spine health and prevention of back injuries. Why? Because Pilates is all about stabilising and strengthening the trunk to support the spine. We refer to this as strengthening the ‘Powerhouse’. The Powerhouse is composed of muscles in the trunk & pelvic stabilisers. The Abdominals (upper and lower), lower back make up the trunk, and the hips and gluts make up the pelvic stabilisers. Pilates differs from most core training regimes as it anchors the spine while maint ..read more