Most of us understand the importance or benefits of training for exercise, especially specific practices such as Pilates, Yoga, running, jumping or lifting. We see the direct correlation between good or ideal form and alignment with athletic abilities as well as injury prevention. We work our full body movements (squats) as well as isolated areas. (biceps, quads, abs etc.) What about the pelvic floor? How do you feel when you laugh, cough, or sneeze? Is anything else happening? Where or what is my pelvic floor?
Imagine the area between your pubic bone and tailbone, then your two sitbones. Then, visualize those 4 points coming in towards center and up towards the sky. That area is your pelvic floor or diaphragm. Want more detail? Watch this you tube video, it is an anatomically correct 3D tutorial. Why is it important? This area is responsible for bladder control. bowel control, sexual function, support of the reproductive organs, and is often seen as the foundation or deepest layer of our core. Some pelvic floor disorders are overactive bladder (OAB) or urinary urgency, stress urinary incontinence (leaking), pelvic organ prolapse (POP), and chronic pelvic pain. Are there other parts of our body or activities we could improve by training this area? Yes! Posture, SI dysfunction, chronic lower back pain, gait, and more. Do I have to isolate it in order to work or strengthen it? No! In fact when we use facilitated muscular contraction by recruiting other areas such as the glutes, transverses abdominus, or hip muscles we get a much stronger connection. Why do we need to add different forms of training? The pelvic floor muscles are composed of both fast twitch (fast contraction time, fast fatigue) and slow twitch (endurance) fibers. They require different types of challenges to improve fitness, and we ideally want balance in the ability of these fibers. Traditional plyometric training can hypertrophy or enlarge the fast twitch fibers. Too much bracing or static training isn’t ideal either. We want a dynamic, strong, and adaptable pelvic floor so we train for endurance, coordination, and strength. How can I tell if I’m doing it correctly? There are specific ways to measure contraction or activation of this area, but they aren’t always necessary. When we try different exercises (in different relationships to gravity) and work that idea of facilitated muscular contraction (getting other areas involved to feel more of an action) you can usually start to develop a more fine tuned awareness. Once you find your most successful exercises to practice, consistency is key. Just a few minutes every or most days will have a huge impact! Want to learn more? Register for my pelvic floor training workshop. (click here) Read my blog post on my Pfilates training. (click here) Contact me to set up a one on one Pilates session. (click here) Classes start on Monday 9/10!
Registration is still open. All the classes have made minimum enrollment, so all the options below are available. Mondays 5:30-6:30pm Intro to Pilates 9/10-12/10/18 #58571 $70 No Class: 11/12 6:30-7:30pm Pilates & Stretch 9/10-12/10 #58570 $70 No Class: 11/12 Wednesdays 9:30-10:30am Building Better Bones 9/12-12/12 #59569 $74 ($7 drop in) Register Online Today! www.tempe.gov/brochure For More Information: 480-350-5200 Interested in trying a group class but feel a bit intimidated? or not sure it will work for you? Click here to connect with me and we can figure it out together Classes start on Monday 9/10!
Registration opens 8/13 for residents and 8/20 for non-residents. Mondays 5:30-6:30pm Intro to Pilates 9/10-12/10/18 #58571 $70 No Class: 11/12 6:30-7:30pm Pilates & Stretch 9/10-12/10 #58570 $70 No Class: 11/12 Wednesdays 9:30-10:30am Building Better Bones 9/12-12/12 #59569 $74 ($7 drop in) Register Online Today! www.tempe.gov/brochure For More Information: 480-350-5200 Interested in trying a group class but feel a bit intimidated? or not sure it will work for you? Click here to connect with me and we can figure it out together ![]() When: Saturday September 29th 1-3pm (please arrive 10-15 mins early to get checked in) Where: Spirit of Yoga 1420 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282 (parking details will be included in your confirmation email) Description: Your pelvic floor health and fitness can (negatively or positively) affect efficient core activation, continence, sexual health, recovering from pregnancy, and more. We will explore a general idea of relevant anatomical landmarks without getting too mired up in the details. With that information in mind, we will explore and create successful ways for you to engage your pelvic floor. (which will increase the efficacy and results of your exercises) Once you get the hang of that, we will start developing and enhancing the coordination of your pelvic floor, core, and breathing. You will learn specific exercises to work on at home, and these new skills will translate easily into many everyday movements. (click here for more info on Pfilates) Men and women are welcome! This workshop is open to a variety of fitness levels, but please make sure that you can get up & down off the floor unassisted. Registration is capped at 20 participants to allow for individualized attention. Price: $65 early bird-registration until September 1st, 2018. $75 September 2nd- September 28th $80 at the door Register now to guarantee your spot! (click here) What you get: -2 hour workshop. - A coreageous ball that you will use in the workshop and take home with you to allow for continuity in your practice. - Access to online videos to supplement and support you after the workshop. - Access to an online forum for workshop participants where you can interact with other people to share your experiences, post results, motivate each other, and ask Pippa questions directly! How to register: Click on this link. Once you register, please keep an eye out for a confirmation email with some helpful details. Hope to see you there! Hey guys!
So- I often get asked what kind of Pilates is “the best.” As you can imagine, there are lots of differing opinions out there. Mine happens to be that “the best” kind of Pilates is the kind that you can do safely, pain-free, and consistently. If it also feels awesome and is fun or you are encouraged by your progress, then I endorse it even more fully! I have summarized some of the pros and cons below based upon my training, experience, and professional opinion. If you have some thoughts you’d like to share below in the comments, I’d love to see them! Overall Benefits of Pilates
The list goes on and on, but those are some of the highlights. Benefits of Private Lessons:
Benefits of Group Classes:
Benefits of Videos:
Benefits of Mixing the Modalities:
What works for you? Please feel free to comment or ask questions below. If you are interested in trying some private lessons or need some guidance on adding some Pilates into your life, click here to contact me directly. It seems like it should be so simple and easy. Right? But, most of us struggle to really get the hang of healthy, effective breathing mechanics. There are so many different ways to do it and cue it, it can get really confusing. This is an image that I find very helpful. You see the person inhaling and exhaling. The trampoline represents the pelvic floor, where our core originates, and the bell is the ribcage.
In Pilates, we want to find some synchronicity or coordination between our breathing and our core activation. The idea of the diaphragm drawing down towards the floor as we inhale, then drawing up towards the sky as we exhale can facilitate activation of the pelvic floor and internal lift. It can also help us steer clear of unnecessary neck and shoulder tension. Want more help with this? Check out these videos…click here I became a Pfilates certified instructor in April 2018. I really love the concepts and the results they are giving my clients and myself! I have been using the Pfilates repertoire as well as applying the principles to many other exercises in my group classes and private lessons. I’m getting awesome feedback and look forward to exploring new ways to share and integrate the work. What is Pfilates? The Pfilates program was created by Dr Bruce Crawford to provide a more effective alternative to current options for pelvic floor conditioning. Like any other fitness program, success relies upon consistency and ongoing attention.
How can it help me? Dr. Crawford asserts that bladder control is a fitness issue. His respected research and documented results prove the success of this method. Check out his website by clicking here. Are you experiencing incontinence, increased frequency, or urgency to urinate? Do you feel like you’d like to get up fewer times at night to urinate? Do you find yourself constantly making sure you know where the restrooms are? Do you want some help, but feel like these symptoms are just part of aging or you’re too embarrassed to ask? Have you tried other methods and been left disappointed or frustrated? What are the statistics for improvement? There has been a documented 74% improvement in subjective bladder symptoms (urgency, frequency, incontinence) within a 4-6 week period. Once you get the coordination and awareness to effectively & efficiently recruit your pelvic floor and the appropriate co-contractors, it can improve your overall fitness level. Many of my students have been responding very positively and feeling like they are getting more bang for their buck in their workouts. Our sessions or classes seem more intense, and they are experiencing obvious gains in their strength, balance, and coordination. What are the benefits of doing Pfilates focused private lessons with Pippa? We will assess your beginning point and strategize your plan. There are many options, it is simply a matter of deciding what will work best for you. - You could start taking private Pilates sessions with me where we integrate the Pfilates work into each session in order to review, fine tune, and adapt your home practice as needed. You’ll receive consistent feedback, encouragement, and opportunities to ask questions. - You could also come in once at the beginning of your program. You would receive specialized cueing, pick the 3 Pfilates exercises for your daily practice, and create some accountability measures to ensure your success. You would then work on your daily practice for few weeks on your own, and we'd re-check and adjust as needed every 4-6 weeks. - You could buy the official Pfilates kit with helpful tools & resources, or simply add exercises as a daily practice and track symptoms or improvement on your own. (click here) Want to try it? Contact me (click here) Check out the official Pfilates site (click here) Classes start on Monday June 4th!
Registration is now open for everyone…. New faces are always welcome, returning ones too! (If you’re in the group classes and need some extra help, please bear in mind that you can always book a private mat lesson to get some one on one attention and personal corrections.) Mondays 5:30-6:30pm Intro to Pilates 6/4-8/20/18 #58114 6:30-7:30pm Pilates & Stretch 6/4-8/20/18 #58113 Wednesdays 9:30-10:30am Building Better Bones 6/6-8/22/18 #58112 No classes 7/2 or 7/4/18 All classes $59 to register for the entire session. ($7 drop in available, only if classes meet minimum enrollment) Register Online Today! www.tempe.gov/brochure For More Information: 480-350-5200 One of my favorite yearly conferences is the Pilates & Rehab Summit here in Phoenix every April. Balanced Body runs the event at the Buttes, so there's so much to learn in a gorgeous setting. I also get to catch up with old friends and usually end up meeting some new ones too. (click here for more info)
As a volunteer, I don't know which classes I will get to attend but I am registered for a pre conference event titled "Plyometric Pelvic Floor Training" with Dr. Bruce S. Crawford, MD. I'll keep you guys posted and post some fun pics. In the meantime, there are some great subs lined up for my group classes. |
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