Treating the Whole Person with Myofascial Release

I spent 4 days last week completing my level 2 training in myofascial release (MFR) with John Barnes- the pioneer in the field- exploring how using MFR can be used to treat the whole person. Witnessing how the body can heal itself when the client and practitioner are open to the process and are willing to trust one another has been an incredible experience that I am so excited to be able to share with the Pilates in the Grove family. As a practitioner who always struggled with a “traditional” approach to healing I was consistently being told that I needed to “be less intuitive and more scientific” and “don’t work so far outside of the box”.

In my humble opinion, helping people to heal isn’t just about knowing which exercise to do or knowing every attachment site of every muscle in the body- it’s about treating the whole person.

As an MFR practitioner I encourage my clients to...

Stop the Sitting Epidemic by Moving More

How much time do you spend sitting each day? We used to think that getting daily exercise would help fight obesity and disease and keep us strong and healthy. Unfortunately, what the research has been showing for the last few years does not support that theory. What we have is a sitting epidemic on our hands.

Think about how our lives are designed around sitting. We wake up and (if we’re lucky) sit down for breakfast, then we sit in the car as we drive to work or school, 85% of us spend the day at a desk, we sit down to have lunch, after work we get back in the car and sit to drive home, finally we get home and sit down on the couch to relax, watch tv, and have dinner. On the weekend maybe you go to a movie where you sit for several hours or spend time on the computer playing games, facebook stocking, or surfing the web. If you’re really good maybe you set aside time to work out each day and you feel good about...

Meet the Team: Lindsay Katz

Favorite thing to eat for breakfast:

Honey nut cheerios (but only on Saturdays as part of cheat day!)

I don’t leave home without:

My beats wireless headphones. I won them as a sales prize at work and never thought I’d love them as much as I do!

If Joseph Pilates were alive today what would you ask him or have him teach you?

The saw/circumduction on the Cadillac—it was my worst enemy throughout my teacher training!

What qualities do you admire in a teacher?

Enthusiasm, Knowledge, Flow, and GREAT music

Top 3 places you have traveled? 

Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Israel

Top 3 places you would like to travel?

AUSTRALIA, Japan, Budapest

How would you describe your fashion style?

Trendy yet comfortable—I keep up and am in the know of the latest fashion styles but my designer of choice is usually Lululemon

3 things you would grab in a fire?

Teddy (my Shih Tzu), my iPhone, and my purse

Top 3 things on your bucket list?

...

Top 50 Diet Mistakes

We hear so often of people wanting to change their diet and nutrition, but there are so many myths that people fall prey to. Here are some of the top diet mistakes we see people making when it comes to their diet and lifestyle.

Top Mistakes

1. Having a negative or defeatist attitude.

2. Going on a diet that has an eating pattern that you cannot adhere to for the rest of your life.

3. Believing that you can eat cabbage soup—or any other low-calorie, but monotonous food—every day for the rest of your life.

4. Obsessing over counting calories.

5. Weighing yourself too frequently.

6. Not drinking enough liquid.

7. Drinking sugar-laden drinks.

8. Eating more white bread and pasta than protein, lean meats, fruits, and vegetables.

9. Consuming processed foods more often than fresh foods.

10. Overcooking vegetables so that they are not appetizing.

11. Not having a plan.

12. Blaming others for your shortcomings.

13. Judging quickly.

14. Not knowing the...

The Power of Music and Movement

I think it’s absolutely stunning how much music can move us. We can’t deny the effect that music and movement can have on our moods, creating an environment, and in some cases, even giving us health benefits!

There have been studies showing the benefits of music on a number of conditions including improved memory recollection in elderly, improved gait (walking) training in patients with Parkinson’s disease, and improved rehabilitation participation in patients recovering from stroke; others have researched and shown the positive role of music on mood, anxiety, depression, pain control, social participation, eating habits, cancer recovery, and pediatric conditions.

Because music can bring people together, and because it has such a strong influence on us mentally, physically, and emotionally, I thought it might be fun to share with you some of my favorite artists (from A to Z). Feel free to check them out on Spotify, Pandora, NPR tiny...

Kelsey’s Top Pilates Exercises for Runners

Here at Pilates in the Grove, we tend to so see runner clients with aches and pains that they usually attribute to overuse. 

Well, I’m here to tell you something…most of those injuries are not because you’re running too much, but rather running with the wrong mechanics! Any serious runner should be complementing their aerobic exercise with a daily mobility/flexibility routine in order to optimize postural alignment during runs.

Kelly Starrett, physical therapist and co-author of "Becoming a Supple Leopard", say that “one of the things you should be able to do as a runner is, with your feet and knees together, squat all the way down without your heels coming up.” A good habit to make is practicing this type of squat on a daily basis to ensure that you have hip and ankle range of motion that are within normal limits.

Some key factors in maintaining proper running mechanics and preventing...

Pilates for Athletes: How Pilates Can Transform Your Game

While Pilates as an exercise form has been in the US for almost a century it has only recently become popular practice by teams and athletes in organizations such as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA.

They are recognizing that Pilates is one of the best forms of holistic conditioning a top-tier athlete can participate in. The integration of the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle and emphasis on proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment and smooth flowing movement allows athletes to access each part of the body individually, and become familiar with the functional mechanics. With Pilates training, athletes can hit the ball farther, run faster, and jump higher – all while decreasing their risk of injury.

Basketball and Pilates

Few sports place greater athletic demands on participants than basketball. Basketball requires the jumping ability to compete for rebounds, shoot over opponents and contest shots. Players...

New Year, New You

At the start of every year, it seems like every marketing campaign switches to the theme “New Year, New You”.. or something very similar.

With the idea that everyone starts out on January 1st with a new set of goals, expectations and a positive attitude for the upcoming year.

Different Perspective

Of course, I am going to do my best to go into 2017 with a slightly different outlook than I am closing 2016 in.. but, I also  know I’m not going to magically be the exact person I want to be on January 1st (even though it would be nice).

My goal for 2017 is to take time to work on myself day by day and little by little. Whether it’s mentally, physically, or both, I encourage you to do the same.

Maybe 2016 didn’t go exactly as you had planned (I know mine didn’t). Maybe you weren’t able to tackle all of the debt you wanted to pay off, or you didn’t lose those 10 pounds you had planned on, or you didn’t get the...

Healthy Eating Tips for the Holidays (and Every Day)

Eat before you party 

Don’t deprive yourself