Edition 31 - 2010 Term 3
Dear PILATES 4 You Participant,
Congratulations on your progress. This
newsletter is designed to help improve
your technique.
Remember, results come from regular
focused exercise. PILATES is fun.
CONTROL FRONT
(PLANK EXERCISE)
Control Front (plank position) requires a
fair amount of upper body strength.
The exercise focuses on strengthening the
shoulders, back and butt and increasing
control and balance.
Getting set
Online Newsletters
Visit www.pilates4you.com.au for a copy
of this newsletter and all past newsletters.
The password is CORE. Look in the
members section.
Make-Ups & Extra Classes
Get into a push-up position.
Place your hands shoulder distance apart
and support your body on strong, straight
arms.
Make sure that your body is in a straight
line, rigid and strong like a plank.
If you have missed a class, please make
sure you do a make-up class by attending
any other class or location at any time
during the term.
If you feel strain in your lower back, think of
lifting up your hips slightly, scooping your
belly in and really squeezing your butt.
of
term
is
Sat
Complete 6 repetitions, alternating legs.
Term 4, 2010
Do’s and don’ts
The new term starts on Monday 11th
October. As a current participant, you
have reservation priority.
Think about bringing a friend - they
provide that extra motivation to push
you along to class!
foot (as you rock forwards, point the foot;
as you rock backwards, flex the foot).
Put your foot back down as you rock
forwards and switch legs.
If you run out of visits on your card,
simply pay as you go for extra classes at
the Term Participant Casual Rate of $17.
Please make sure you book early for next
term.
Point and flex the foot of your lifted right
leg, as you mirror the rocking on the left
Squeeze your inner thighs together while
lifting your belly and squeezing your butt.
25
The last day
September.
forwards and back 3 times.
•• Do keep the crown of your head
reaching long in front of you.
Visualise: you’re a wooden plank that could
withstand weight if someone were to step
up on your back.
The exercise:
•• Do keep squeezing your butt and pulling
your belly in throughout the exercise.
•• Don’t let your shoulders hunch up by
your ears. Instead, keep your shoulder
blades pulling down your back.
Breathe continuously.
Visit pilates4you.com.au for
newsletters and info
Contact Lorraine on
9907 8478 or 0414 504 498
Weight Loss Through Pilates
What is it about Pilates that might help us
maintain a desirable body weight?
In theory, the weight loss formula is very
simple: to lose weight we need to expend
more energy (through physical activity)
than the energy we consume from the
foods we eat.
Hmmm … easier said than done you say?
In practice, losing weight and maintaining
a desirable body weight can be a struggle
for many of us.
Studies have shown that Pilates can help
Maintain your plank position and rock
forwards and back on your toes 4 times.
Keep your torso stable by pulling in your
belly and squeezing your butt.
Keeping the rhythm of the rocking, lift your
right leg up and hold it there as you rock
with weight loss but not necessarily just
because of its energy-burning qualities.
Pilates’s ability to help participants lose
weight and maintain a healthy body weight
is more likely to come from its ability to
promote behaviour change, self-awareness
and discipline.
If weight loss and weight maintenance
are your key goals then regular Pilates
should be done in conjunction with other
more vigorous kilojoule-burning activities,
especially aerobic activities such as walking,
swimming, cycling and jogging, and also
muscle strengthening/toning exercises
Modification
You’ll gain upper body and core strength
just by holding the plank position.
After you can hold the plank for 10 seconds,
try adding the rocking forwards and back
on your toes.
such as weight training.
Together with a healthy nutrition plan,
these different types of exercises will help
promote weight loss and healthy weight
maintenance.
Pilates offers a lot beyond simply the
physical activity itself, which can help
in sticking with a weight loss or weight
maintenance plan.
However, there are more efficient ways of
burning kilojoules than simply doing Pilates
alone, so the greatest benefit would come
from combining Pilates with other forms of
aerobic exercise to maximise weight
loss and promote weight maintenance.
Pilates is especially good for toning and
shaping and helps promote the selfdiscipline needed to stick with a healthy
nutritious food plan to maintain a healthy
weight.
It is all about promoting healthy
behaviours and sticking with them.
Take home message
Pilates is a great form of exercise.
For even better results and greater weight
loss,combine pilates with other types
of exercise, such as vigorous walking,
jogging, cycling and swimming.
A weight training program that
promotes muscle strength should not be
overlooked.
Doing a variety of exercises also helps
with maintaining our motivation so that
we don’t get bored doing the same
thing all the time.
For weight loss and weight maintenance,
the best approach is to combine a
healthy nutrition plan with a variety of
kilojoule burning exercises that promote
cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength
and tone.
Tips For Sticking To Your
Exercise Program
Ever joined a gym or bought a bike - only to
find it’s easier and warmer staying home?
What are the tricks to actually getting out
there and exercising?
The major health and wellness benefits from
exercise come from long-term, consistent
training.
For all the commitment-phobes out there,
this is probably a major source of frustration
but the news isn’t all bad.
Keeping up the exercise habit (or starting
one) isn’t as hard as you might think.
Turn things around
Here are some tips to help you keep your
program going:
1. Make your workout a daily priority
•• Leaving your exercise to the last minute,
or for when you have some spare time, is
a recipe for disaster!
•• Book your exercise times into your diary.
•• Put your weekly Pilates class into your
diary for each week at the beginning of
term.
•• Plan Pilates make-up classes ahead of
time. Remember you can attend any
class at any location during the current
term - no excuses!
•• Treat evening classes as a time to reboot and re-charge at the end of a day.
Exercise is a great way to replenish
yourself after the stresses of the day.
PILATES Ten Commandments
CONCENTRATION
VISUALIZATION
BREATHING
CONTROL
CENTRE
FLUIDITY
PRECISION
LENGTHENING
CONNECTEDNESS
PERSISTENCE
Your mental presence wills your body into action
Your imagination sharpens your focus
Your breath cleanses, energises & relaxes
Your controlled muscle movements maximise results
Your powerhouse is your source of strength & energy
Your grace causes your body to flow naturally
Your perfect alignment & precise movement rewards
Your flexibility & strength develops with elongation
Your coordination of mind & body generates vitality
Your commitment delivers ongoing refinement
Free Pilates
Feeling the pinch of inflation and higher
interest rates?
PILATES 4 You has negotiated a special
deal with Smartmove Professional
Mortgage Advisers.
You could be eligible for a PILATES 4 You
term gift voucher worth $170. Plus the
savings on your mortgage will probably
more than pay for your ongoing pilates
classes. To find out more visit:
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[email protected] before 10 Oct.
later.
been running, swimming or cycling.
•• Planning is important.
•• If you can set aside regular training time
you’re well on the way.
3. Set realistic goals
•• Set short-term and long-term training
goals.
•• For long-term benefits, it’s important you
set small, achievable training goals.
•• The benefits of exercise will accumulate.
4. Don’t over do it!
•• If you get injured training, your progress
will be slowed.
•• Getting injured is a major reason why
people drop out of training.
•• Wear proper training gear, do the
exercises carefully and correctly.
•• Allow sufficient recovery time between
sessions.
5. Exercise for fun.
•• Exercise should never be a chore.
•• Exercise for fun - make sure you enjoy
yourself.
6. Work out with a training partner
•• One of the benefits of having a regular
training partner is you can each motivate
each other to exercise.
•• Ideally, train with someone who has
similar goals so you can help each other
during a workout.
7. Keep a training diary
•• Don’t panic if you miss a session.
•• Keeping a record of your exercise
activities is a good way to check on your
progress.
•• Simply reschedule for the next day or
•• Note the distances covered if you’ve
2. Be flexible in your approach
2010 Pilates Terms
•• Note how you felt when you did your last
Pilates class.
•• Was it too easy? Should you increase
your exercise levels?
•• The diary is a good way to monitor your
success and where you might need to
focus your training.
8. Add some variety
•• Complement your Pilates classes with
walks or runs.
•• Try to do 3 different types of exercise
each week
•• There are many different types of
exercise training and you can benefit
from most of them.
9. Reward yourself
•• Setting yourself training goals is
important - so is making sure you reward
yourself when you achieve them!
•• When you’ve reached a milestone,
savour the moment and treat yourself to
something special.
•• It might be a dinner out on the town or
buying a new pair of running shoes.
•• Whatever the
achievement.
case,
enjoy
your
Complement your pilates
exercise with a well balanced
diet and aerobic exercise.
Pull up on your Core every
time you stop at a red light