It stands for Total Body Resistance Exercise. Some are now referring to the method as “Vertical Pilates.” It was developed by a Navy SEAL and improves agility and strength for athletic performance. It is a method of leveraging body weight with suspension straps hung from the ceiling. Other benefits include core strength, power, flexibility, balance and enables you to work at your level by adjusting your body position. There is no added resistance or weight, just you against yourself and your body weight.

I first discovered TRX at Control Pilates in the Dominican Republic where I taught. The class was fun, upbeat and called my Powerhouse into action. You cannot help but use your core in these most challenging positions and exercises. What I didn’t like was that I was sore for several days after. But that just means I need to do it more, right?

Recently I have had the opportunity to re-discover TRX and a nearby studio called Forza. It has been great to try 3 different teachers and experience the different training styles. They combined with Pilates, Yoga and they even have a 30/30 class where you do 30 minutes of CycleOps and 30 minutes of TRX. After doing 3 days in one week, I was sorer than ever! Yet I’m still going to go back for more.

Pilates Method Alliance

After teaching a mat class, I have had clients come to me and say, "Now I know what Pilates really is!" I was not at all baffled by this comment, because I too was confused by what doing, "Pilates" really meant when I first learned about the discipline. There are so many different ways of teaching the same method. And with the growing popularity, internet certifications have surfaced for only $39 and no practical exam. But what really makes Pilates, Pilates? What is the common thread? The answer is somewhat difficult to articulate, however I would argue that Pilates is a method of exercise that requires centering, control, concentration, flow, breath and precision as taught by Power Pilates. And the Pilates Method Alliance has their own definition as, "Pilates is a method of exercise and physical movement designed to stretch, strengthen, and balance the body. With systematic practice of specific exercises coupled with focused breathing patterns, Pilates has proven itself invaluable not only as a fitness endeavor, but also as an important adjunct to professional sports training and physical rehabilitation of all kinds." I'll try to remember that next time someone asks me what Pilates is. Hehe.


I was grateful to uncover this definition, as lengthy as it may be, as it was difficult to find one concrete answer in the past. Futhermore, there are so many different places offering Pilates these days, and it is difficult to know what to look for. As a Pilates professional, I refer people to two places. One, the company I was trained with, Power Pilates known as, "The Harvard of Pilates schools" and their website, www.powerpilates.com. When you are ready to begin, you can click the tab, find a studio or facility in your area. They offer the benefits of Pilates, History of Joe Pilates and much more. Secondly, I refer people to the Pilates Method Alliance, (whom I recently became certified with) and their website at www.pilatesmethodalliance.org. There you can click on the tab, "find a PMA certified teacher" and then locate within the state of the USA or even internationally. The PMA is helping to establish standards for the Pilates professionals.


What is Pilates Method Alliance? Since Pilates legally became a term to describe a specific discipline in 2002, it has grown in popularity and was in need of a strong organization to represent it. The PMA erected in 2001 to make Pilates a more professional industry and increase our credibility as Pilates instructors. Futhermore, they help to unify Pilates professionals and facilites and preserve the intention of Joe Pilates and his method. The need for a common connection in the Pilates business led the organization to create the first third party certification. This certification gives Pilates professionals a second accredidation to give the consumer more assurance that the teacher is competent and safe. This is a primary necessity for any established profession.


Now you can avoid the "Pilates teacher" who may have taken an online training course for $39 who does not necessarily practice a safe and effective method of Pilates. It only takes a little time to do some online research. And once you find a PMA certified and better yet, a Power Pilates certified instructor, you can rest assured that you are in good hands. I always recommend trying a few teachers as not all personalities are a good fit. It would be a shame to miss out on an opportunity to learn Pilates solely because you did not like the first teacher you tried. Good luck and I hope you find your own definition of what Pilates is to you.

My First Pilates lesson in the Dominican Republic

So I took my first Pilates lesson that was not online that is, since living in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The teacher, Virginia, asked me if I wanted the lesson in Spanish, English or a mixture of both. My first reaction was to have her teach me in Spanish, but then I thought better of it and said maybe she should try both. Luckily, she was teaching me Pilates and not how to cook or something I was less familiar with doing. I was able to figure out what she wanted me to do by the inflection of her voice, where her eyes were looking and when I didn't get it, she just moved my body where she wanted it.

She took me through an advanced reformer workout and somehow I managed to go through all the exercises in the routine, even though I was at least 5 minutes late (You can blame that on the driver who forgot about me.) Her equipment was very similar to the gratz equipment that I had learned on, but she told me that her husband had hand crafted all the wood pieces according to the standard dimensions since shipping things here from the U.S. is so expensive. I loved the feeling of the carriage and the springs, not very smooth, like you really had to work the equipment (And I definitely feel it today.) It was like going back in time for me when I was able to work out in the studio where I was learning to teach, all good memories and quite nostalgic for me.

Despite my familiarity and 6 years of practice with this method, she was still able to surprise me and throw in some pretty cool variations. I've never done short spine right into a frog with my hips up in the air. It was delightfully challenging and my hamstrings are talking to me today. And just when I thought I was going to impress her with my advanced corkscrew, she made me pause, hips up and twist my ribs to one side. It was super hard yet super fun.

What I thought was so cool, was that I was so familiar with the routine; even here in a place that is so different in every way, I was able to follow along and work harder than I have in a long time. And despite the fact that I've only traveled to other Power Pilates Affiliate Training centers in the U.S., I feel pretty confident that I would get the same quality of workout in Greece, Italy , or Brazil.

Less is more

There are a few phrases I consistently use when teaching my Pilates classes including pull in your powerhouse, draw your shoulder blades on your back, and hug your midline. And one that is not an active cue but really makes you think about what Pilates is and what it's about is "less is more." Pilates is fundamentally about precision and control. Thus, if this is your main goal, then less range of motion, less resistance, less choreography, less props, and even less music enhance the workout that you achieve by narrowing your focus on very specific muscular efforts and body alignment.

It is easy to become lazy and choose to entertain yourself or your clients with all the extras. I think this is especially true if you adhere to a classical approach and follow a system of exercises. A great teacher will challenge you to achieve more than you thought you could! They will stress the importance of working with intent to execute the exercises in a manner that requires all of your effort and attention. In Joseph Pilates book, "Return to Controlology" he states “A few well-designed movements properly performed in a balanced sequence are worth hours of doing sloppy calisthenics or forced contortion." We all must remember that Joseph called his system Contrology before it became Pilates.

What is the difference between Classical vs. Contemporary Pilates?

I was very baffled and confused by this very question when searching for the best company to certify me to teach Pilates. After taking Pilates lessons from 5 different Pilates teachers around the valley, the choice became clear. I followed my instincts based on how I felt after my workout and from the confidence I felt my Pilates teacher exuded. I wanted to stay after my workout and discuss my body and its weaknesses and strengths, something I never felt the urge to do before. I felt excited and eager to continue working out this way because I instantly stood taller and felt my body moving more freely. Knowing what I know now, I am so glad that I chose Power Pilates, a classical method.

Why did I feel this way and why was it so much more profound then the other workouts I experienced? I have to give credit to my Pilates teacher who had much experience and really pushed me to do more than I thought I could. Additionally, I now know that following the system of classical Pilates really makes a difference in how you feel after the workout. There is a reason Pilates was created in a certain order with specific progressions and not a lot of deviation. One exercise prepares your body for the next and gets you "connected to your powerhouse." You lie down on your back in order to feel your spine in a neutral position while working your core. You progress to seating, kneeling and ultimately standing with a stronger sense of body alignment and muscular integration. The exercises prepare you to stand correctly and to maintain that posture when moving and going throughout your day.

So why contemporary Pilates? Some of the exercises Joseph Pilates created have been broken down and modified in order to be more accessible to the general public and/or to be more biomechanically sound. This is seemingly reasonable and logically, however I feel Power Pilates has accomplished these tasks without deviating from the true intention of Pilates or making it at all unrecognizable. For example, a lot of the classical Pilates work is done in "Pilates stance" or in a slight externally rotated position of the legs. Power Pilates has changed this and made many of these exercises to be taught in parallel, or with the feet tracking in line with the hips. This was done because it is believed to be more biomechanically sound and simply easier for the average client to be able to properly perform.

My take on contemporary Pilates methods such as Stott, Balanced Body, and Polestar is that they have ultimately changed the information so drastically that it makes you wonder why. I'm not convinced I know the answer. I find it curious that even the names of exercises are different. The purpose of the exercies sometimes seems unclear not just to myself but to the teachers instructing them. What I have witnessed is there does not seem to be a system that this approach follows, but rather a random selection of exercises. Pilates Teachers always have a choice as to what exercises they will teach, but as a Power Pilates teacher you follow an order and choose to interchange one exercise with another according to the client that is in front of you. The exercises are given in a progression from beginner, intermediate, and advanced systems including Mat, reformer and an individual needs grouping of exercises. It’s just so much easier and effective this way.

Despite my confidence in my training, I have experienced and learned some new adaptations to classical exercise and sometimes like them better than the original. I have utmost respect for fellow Pilates teachers trained under other methods and learn things from them as well. There is definitely more than one way to teach and I feel that we must keep an open mind to continue growing with the method. I just think we should look hard and decide reluctantly when changing Pilates. Good things stand the test of time and Joesph Pilate's work is clearly brilliant.

Use Pilates to Get Back into Your Beach Bod

If you’re finding it hard to get to the gym these days, you’re not alone. I teach Pilates Fitness for a living and still find it difficult to squeeze the time in and somehow manage to be presentable enough afterwards to go back to work. Truth be told, I usually take bird baths these days as I’m not motivated enough to wake up at 5 a.m. to work out and shower before I go teach. I prefer to squeeze it into my mid-day routine. But what I wanted to share with you is how easy it is to add Pilates to your lifestyle.
I always tell my clients that the basic system mat is a great routine to do first thing in the morning. It will only take you 5-10 minutes and consists of 11 exercises:

The Hundred
The Roll-up
Single leg circles
Rolling like a ball
AB series:
Single Leg Stretch
Double Let Stretch
Scissors
Lower-Lift
Criss-Cross
Spine Stretch Forward
Saw

These simple yet effective exercises, when performed correctly, are the foundation to all of the classic Pilates exercises. And the best part is all you need is your body and a Pilates Mat and of course the knowledge of how to perform these exercises. Visit one of your local Classical Pilates teachers, or visit powerpilates.com to learn and develop the strength and flexibility to master these moves. Whenever your body needs a little tune-up or feels stiff, try these out and you will feel invigorated and walk taller. Did I mention that if done often enough, you could have a better beach bod!

Why is so great about Pilates?

There is something great about coming in for a workout and lying down on your back to begin. It's not so intimidating when you know you're going to go thru a progression of exercises that start with you in supine (lying on back), to seated, to kneeling and you will ultimately finish with a standing exercise. It's refreshing to know what to anticipate and that your body will catch up to the idea that you're in for a workout. What other form of exercise does this? None.

Why is Pilates performed in this fashion? Lying down a flat surface helps you to find your boney landmarks and get you into a neutral pelvis. Neutral pelvis is when the pelvis is neither in an anterior tilt or posterior tilt. In other words, the tail bone is in line with the mat rather than tucked or arched. Whatever the pelvis does, the rest of the spine has to follow which is what makes it so important and why Pilates has become associated with great posture. When we find the "connection to our powerhouse", we are engaging our core muscles and doing this while we are in a neutral pelvis. Thus, we teach the body to maintain this position on its own.

This is why Pilate’s enthusiasts generally appear taller and stand with such confidence. We don't have to constantly think about engaging our core because practicing Pilates with consistency makes this automatic. I hear people say that they just need to "stand up straight" or "pull there shoulders back", but let's face it, we have enough on our minds. Who can remember do that 24/7? It's not likely unless your body has been trained to do it.

There was a lot of controversy surrounding Classical Pilates and whether it was performed in neutral pelvis. Some Pilate’s practices got a bad rap because the information was misinterpreted and people thought it was to be performed in a "flat back" position. In other words, the pelvis was tucked under so there were no natural curves in the lower back area. This is why Pilate’s teachers are now so specific about where your body should be when you begin learning the practice. If you are training your body to be out of neutral, this can cause pain and misalignment of the body. Thus to get into a good position, I always begin my class the same way.


Lie down on your mat with your knees bent, arms long by your side. Breathe fully and deeply into the side and back of your lungs. Feel the back of your head heavy, and your shoulder blades imprinting on the mat. Breath into your ribcage and feel the back of the ribs touch the mat and your tailbone long and heavy. Draw your naval in and up and you are ready to begin.