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Ron Fletcher
dies at 90; opened West Coast's first Pilates studio Ron Fletcher learned the exercise system from its creators in New York in the 1940s when he was
a Martha Graham dance student. His Beverly Hills studio attracted a who's who of Hollywood in the 1970s.
“We revere
him as an elder teacher,” a co-founder of the Pilates Method Alliance said of Ron Fletcher.
(unknown / December 10, 2011)
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By
Elaine Woo, Los Angeles Times
December 11, 2011
Ron Fletcher, a former dancer and choreographer who helped popularize the Pilates
exercise system when he opened the first West Coast studio in 1972, died Tuesday at his home in Stonewall, Texas. He was 90.
The cause was congestive heart failure, said Kyria Sabin, director of Fletcher Pilates, which trains instructors in the exercise
methods Fletcher developed based on the teachings of Joseph and Clara Pilates. Forty years ago, few people outside of New York, where the Pilates method was first taught, had heard of the unusual
fitness regimen, which involved strange-looking machines and movements similar to yoga and calisthenics. Today it is practiced
by millions of people around the world, a popularity due in part to the celebrity buzz that surrounded Fletcher's Beverly
Hills studio.
Located above an exclusive salon at Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, it
attracted a who's who of Hollywood in the 1970s, including Candice Bergen, Ali MacGraw, Dyan Cannon, Katharine Ross, Barbra
Streisand, Raquel Welch and Cher. Even Nancy Reagan, then California's
first lady, dropped in for raucous gabfests with Fletcher, whom she had known since her acting days in the 1940s. "I
saw every actor and actress you ever heard of in there … all the time," MacGraw recalled in an interview last
week. "It was fun. You'd crawl in and say, 'Oh God, I'm going to have to really work for this hour' … but you
laughed all the way through it because Ron … was hysterical." In the Pilates world, he was seen as a pioneer
who took the fitness program in new, sometimes controversial directions, expanding it to include standing exercises, floor
work derived from his early studies with dance icon Martha Graham and upper-body work done with the aid of a rolled towel. "We revere him as an elder teacher," said Kevin Bowen, a co-founder of the
nonprofit Pilates Method Alliance, which sets international training standards. "He opened the first studio in Los Angeles
… and immediately made an impact." The "elders" were a small core of instructors who were trained by
the Pilateses, German immigrants who established a studio in New York in the 1920s that attracted many dancers with injuries.
One of them was Fletcher, who was a Graham student in the late 1940s when he sought the Pilateses' help to treat a sore
knee. When he walked into their studio and saw the collection of
odd contraptions Joseph had invented for Pilates work, he nearly turned around and left. "It looked like a medieval
torture chamber," he told the Allentown Morning Call in 2003. "But within an hour I knew I was in the right place."
He followed the exercises, which emphasized using the mind to stretch, strengthen and control the body, particularly the
abdominal core. Fletcher healed his knee without surgery. Born of
Irish and Sauk Indian descent on May 29, 1921, in Dogtown, Mo., Fletcher grew up there in humble circumstances. After World
War II, when he was working in the advertising department of Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, he went to a performance of
Graham's company and decided he wanted to join it. Undeterred by his lack of formal dance training, he showed up at her
studio every day for three weeks but couldn't get past the receptionist. Finally,
the elegant doyenne of modern dance emerged to find out who the bothersome young man was. After asking a few questions and
observing his graceful movements, she agreed to let him take classes with her. He parted with Graham when he joined the cast
of the 1946 Broadway musical "The Lute Song," starring Mary Martin, a move that launched his career as a dancer
and choreographer. He staged shows for the Ice Capades for 13 years, a run that ended because of a drinking problem. During
what he called "one of my worst benders ever," Fletcher missed the opening of the 1965 Ice Capades in Madison Square
Garden and was fired. Two years later he joined Alcoholics Anonymous. During his recovery, he returned to Pilates, working
closely with Clara after Joseph died in 1967. He credited Clara with pointing him to his next career. With her approval,
he opened the Beverly Hills studio but deliberately didn't advertise it, which gave it an aura that appealed to the in crowd.
His first client was Judith Krantz, a journalist married to a Hollywood producer who later wrote the bestselling novel "Scruples." When they met, he announced that he was a gay recovering alcoholic of mixed parentage
with a humor that, she wrote later, "won my heart instantly." "He was ultra-charming," Krantz, who still
practices on a custom pink-leather Pilates machine, recalled in an interview last week. As Pilates classes proliferated,
especially after a federal district judge canceled a studio owner's trademarking of the Pilates name in 2000, Fletcher complained
that standards were falling and wished that the fad he had a hand in shaping would end. One of his pet peeves was people
who called it "pul-LAH-tees"; he insisted that it was pronounced "pul-LAH-tis." He gave up his studio
about 20 years ago and moved to Texas but continued to travel the world giving workshops. He taught his last class in May
at a 90th birthday celebration in Tucson. His longtime partner, John Battles, died last year. He is survived by a half sister,
Fran Herrera, of Los Angeles. elaine.woo@latimes.com
September 12,
2011
ACSM
and the Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) global health initiative have worked with global and national organizations, including some
of yours, to ensure that the United Nations (U.N.) formally and emphatically recognizes that sedentary lifestyles—and
the resulting noncommunicable diseases and conditions to which they give rise—are a growing and soon-to-be catastrophic
threat to global health as well as economies and productivity. We have also worked to ensure the U.N. would call on nations
around the world to do far more to promote increased physical activity and sports.
Monday, the U.N. General
Assembly approved and launched an all-out attack
on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular
diseases and diabetes. The effort is devoted to curbing the risk factors, including physical inactivity, behind
the often preventable scourge that causes 63 percent of all deaths. The overall annual toll of NCDs is estimated at 36 million
out of a total of 57 million deaths.
The two-day, high-level
General Assembly meeting, attended by heads of state, senior health ministers
and other world leaders, adopted a declaration calling for a multi-pronged campaign by governments, industry and civil society
to set up by 2013 the plans needed to curb the risk factors behind four groups of NCDs: diabetes, cardiovascular diseases,
cancers and chronic respiratory diseases.
ACSM staged a powerful preconference prior to the U.N. vote on Sunday,
making the strongest case possible for the role of physical activity and sports in improving global health. ACSM’s
preconference was attended by ministers of health, the U.S. Surgeon General, delegates to the U.N. summit, and leaders from
not-for-profit organizations, philanthropies and industry. Key partners were the Pan American Health Organization, the CDC/WHO
Collaborating Center on Physical Activity and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. A spectrum
of organizations worldwide, including public health, physical activity advocates, philanthropies and others, participated.
Presentations and comments defined challenges and held up successful programs as best practices to emulate.
The vote
at the U.N. summit on Monday came quickly and unanimously. A succession of heads of state and other national leaders
followed, making public commitments to doing more to address risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, with a special emphasis
being placed on physical activity.
“This will be a massive effort, but I am convinced we can succeed,” Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon told the opening session of the landmark summit, only the second ever to deal with health (the first was HIV/AIDS).
He noted that more than a quarter of all people who die from NCDs succumb in the prime of their lives, the vast majority of
them in developing countries. “Our collaboration is more than a public health necessity,” Ban continued. “Noncommunicable
diseases are a threat to development. NCDs hit the poor and vulnerable particularly hard and drive them deeper into poverty.”
He described how millions of families pushed into poverty each year when a member becomes too weak to work or when the costs
of medicines and treatments overwhelm the family budget.
“The prognosis,” said Ban, “is grim. According
to the World Health Organization (WHO), deaths from NCDs will increase by 17 percent in the next decade. In Africa, that number
will jump by 24 percent.” The Secretary-General repeatedly cited physical activity as of fundamental importance to global
health. He called on governments, individuals, civic groups and businesses to all play their part General Assembly President
Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, also noting the importance of physical activity, stressed the need for international cooperation
to tackle the problem. “The global community must work together to monitor, reduce exposure to risks, and strengthen
health care for people with noncommunicable diseases,” he said.
“The impact of this loss, this tragedy,
goes beyond individuals, beyond families,” said Al-Nasser. “NCDs are altering demographics. They are stunting
development. And they are impacting economic growth.”
Action
needed at all levels
The declaration calls for greater measures at global, regional and national levels to
prevent and control NCDs and stresses that about nine million of the deaths occur before the age of 60, with nearly 80 percent
of those in developing countries. It cites “the vicious cycle whereby noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors
worsen poverty, while poverty contributes to rising rates of noncommunicable diseases.”
Noting that “the
rising prevalence, morbidity and mortality” of NCDs can be largely prevented and controlled through collective and multi-sectoral
action by all member states and other relevant stakeholders, it highlights the need for universal national health coverage
and strengthened international cooperation to provide developing countries with technical assistance and capacity-building.
The declaration calls on WHO, as the lead UN specialized agency for health and the vanguard of the global effort, to set up
a comprehensive global monitoring framework and prepare recommendations for voluntary global targets before the end of 2012.
ACSM and EIM are working with a worldwide network of organizations on a series of strategies and actions plans that will
support the U.N.’s actions. We will keep you posted of any major developments.
x x
Good posture means good health Standing up straight is about more than just appearances By Joanne Kempinger Demski, Special to the Journal Sentinel - Aug. 9, 2010 Angela Peterson Patty
McNichols, owner of The Lift Pilates Studio on N. Broadway, shows what good and bad posture look like. Because of poor posture,
she said, "kids are looking like older people sooner." Poor posture
is sure to make you look dowdy and out of shape. But more important, slumping and hunching can cause physical problems that
last a lifetime.And these days, it's affecting all ages."Poor posture is really a pediatric problem that has geriatric consequences," said Danille Parker, a doctor
of physical therapy at Marquette University."If you don't catch it early, you will have a large number of problems such
as aches and pains later on that are attributed to poor posture. Any joint in the body can be affected by poor posture."Likewise,
good posture is key to overall health."Your
body works much more efficiently in proper postural alignment. The better your alignment and posture, the more energy you
are going to have and the less aches and pains you'll suffer from. Everything will move through your body the way it should,"
Parker said.Parker, who is also a geriatric clinical specialist and exercise expert for aging adults, said bad posture is
on the rise for kids because they spend so much time sitting and because they carry loaded backpacks."Our society is
tending to become much more inactive. These activities are encouraging poor posture. It will be an epidemic problem in a few
years," she said.Patty McNichols, owner
of The Lift Pilates Studio, 758 N. Broadway, said that because of poor posture, "kids are looking like older people sooner."She
said when they lie down on a mat to do Pilates at her studio, their shoulders round forward, they have a forward head position,
and they are already experiencing back pain from sitting at computers and carrying backpacks.Larry Pleva, a physical therapist at M & M Physical Therapy in South
Milwaukee, said that when he does see a young person with good posture, he notices it right away because it's so unusual.But
many adults he works with have posture problems, too, due to jobs that require them to sit for long periods. He said poor
posture in any age can lead to tight muscles in the chest and the back of the head and to weak, overstretched muscles in the
shoulder blades that can cause postural strain and degeneration of the spine. To remedy the problem, Parker suggests a well-rounded
exercise program that includes strengthening and stretching. Aerobic activity is essential because it helps build the endurance
needed to keep good posture, and core muscles should be worked because a strong core is essential to good posture.For the general population she suggests stretching hip flexors
because they become short from too much sitting, strengthening the lower back and glutes, stretching anterior chest muscles,
strengthen scapular muscles and stretching the upper neck muscles. For older people she suggests strengthening the upper back,
shoulder and scapula areas. Stretching - In addition to getting on the right exercise program, Parker said stretching just a few
seconds can also make a big difference. "I tell people it's impossible to maintain the best posture all day long,"
but if you even straighten up for five seconds every hour you will notice improvement over time. "Pretend that you have
a cord at the top of your head and that cord will pull you straight up to lengthen your spine," she said. One stretch
Pleva said will work on posture: Rest your head and shoulders on an exercise ball and let your arms hang out to the sides.
A shoulder blade retraction or squeeze, and standing against a wall are also good choices. "Picture a soldier at attention.
They throw their shoulders down and back and pop their chests out." Or, stand against a wall and bring your head to the
wall without looking up or down, he said.Jennifer
Moreau, owner of Anytime Fitness in Cudahy, suggests short breaks to do breathing exercises because poor posture also can
be the result of stress. "Most people keep their stress in their upper back and shoulder areas. That can tighten up those
muscles as well," she said. She suggests holding the chest and shoulders up, taking a deep breath, then letting it out.
She said this not only helps you get rid of stress, it also helps you concentrate on keeping good posture. And that's crucial
when you're exercising, because you can injure yourself if you exercise with poor posture. Core strength - Improving posture requires strength exercises for the entire body with lots of
core work, she said. Having a strong midsection helps you sit up straight. Pilates and yoga exercises are also good choices
because they stretch and strengthen muscles. Pleva also likes Pilates for improving posture and said, "a lot of things
we do as physical therapists are rooted in Pilates." But more basic forms of exercise - such as riding a bike - can help,
too.McNichols
said Pilates is good for improving posture because it's about uniform development of the body. "You're both strengthening
and stretching at the same time. Pilates is alignment, and that's what posture is. Pilates is trying to get you back in alignment,"
she said. McNichols said she noticed a difference in herself when she switched to Pilates after doing lots of cardio and weight
training. "It changed my body, I stand up straighter, I'm stronger and I have better posture," she said. "I'm
stronger from the inside out now at 50-something than when I was at 20-something."
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| Pilates Elder - Kathy Grant |
Pilates Blog: By Marguerite Ogle, About.com Guide to Pilates Pilates Elder
Kathy Grant has Passed AwaySaturday May 29, 2010Kathleen Stanford Grant 8/1/1921 - 5/27/2010 Kathy Grant passed away on Thursday, just shy of her 90th birthday. A legendary
teacher and direct lineage holder from Joseph Pilates, her contribution
to the Pilates community is immeasurable. Starting out as dancer,
Kathy Grant began teaching 1957 when she was one of only two people to ever receive a certification to teach directly
from Joseph Pilates. Since 1988, Kathy Grant was based at NYU, Tisch School of the Arts where she taught a year long Pilates
course. Known for her strength, and devotion to the precision of the Pilates method, Kathy Grant also touched, and changed,
the lives of many students through private instruction and workshops around the country. Kathy Grant is among a small group
of instructors, known as Pilates Elders, who studied directly with Joseph Pilates. As I contemplate
her passing, I am deeply touched by the tremendous gift that the Elders, like Kathy Grant, have given us. We would not have
the Pilates Method at all if not for them.A newsletter from the PMA says
Kathy Grant was especially interested in the environment and the well being of animals, as well as the arts. Her family
suggests that contributions to charities associated with those causes would be appropriate in memory of her. Cards and letters
can be sent to: Bridge Pilates, 68 Jay St. #225, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Funeral or memorial plans have not yet been made. The Hidden Art of Achieving Creative Flow By Everett Bogue
Have you
ever had a creative evening when time suddenly flew by? A day when you executed a difficult project at work flawlessly? A
brief moment in time when your challenging exercise routine felt effortless? All of these times you were in a state of flow. Flow is a concept developed by Mihaly
Csikszentmihalyi of the University of Chicago, who has studied the phenomena his whole career. Daniel Pink reintroduces the
concept in his new book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Many people flow through their lives in an effortless fashion,
while countless others have a difficult time achieving a flow state.
Why flow is hard to achieve
Flow is a moment in time when you’re
both challenged at the activity that you’re doing, and when you also have complete autonomy in the task you’re
conducting.We
engage in flow under your own volition, with a skill which we’ve had some amount of experience.If you’re not flowing, it’s probably because
you aren’t allowing yourself to be challenged, you’re completely overwhelmed, or someone else is holding you back.The majority of my experience with flow
has been with dance and writing. I’ve studied dance for many years, and one of the technical skills that dancers work
on is called improvisation. Improv is very tricky in dance. You have to turn off your mind and simply dance with your instincts.When you’ve mastered improv dance,
you’ve reached the sweet spot between your brain transferring commands to your nervous system. There is no longer any
thinking involved, as thinking in improv dance will make everything stop. There just isn’t any time for brainwork when
you are constantly moving.Csikszentmihalyi
hypothesizes that these moments of flow occur because we’re simply activating too many neurological functions. Because
of this we no longer have capacity to be aware of what functions we’re engaging in. So the ‘conscious of me’
part of the mind switches off, your awareness of yourself slips away, and you just do it.
You’re simply flowing in the the present moment
I have also experienced flow in writing.
I think it’s very important for writers to engage in flow. A lot of writers stop and meticulously edit their work after
every sentence, but writing this way (for most people) is counterproductive.Why? I believe it’s because of the same reason that
dancers can’t stop dancing in improvisation. If you just keep writing for 30 minutes without stopping, you give your
mind a chance to turn off the ‘conscious of me’ brain functions. This in turn grants more brain power to challenging
the boundaries of your writing ability.You cannot edit while you’re producing work. If you do, you’ll be constantly switching between
your right brain and your left brain. Your creative center will be switching off and on and it will be harder to produce anything
meaningful.
A
classic example of real world flow
Ray Bradbury was a freelance writer who was trying to support his family.
However, he was working at home with his cute little children. This proved to be incredibly distracting, so he had to find
somewhere else to write. So, he headed over to UCLA’s Lawrence Clark Powell Library.In the basement of the library there was a number of typewriters
that gave 30 minutes of writing time for a dime.Ray was very poor at the time, and needed all the money he could to support his family. Whenever
he popped in the dime, he wanted to get his month’s worth. This forced him to write at a frantic pace until his time
was up. The most frustrating element of writing the novel was when the typewriter keys tangled, because it meant that he was
wasting valuable time.In
between these 30 minute typewriter banging sessions, he would wander the halls of the library studying books and contemplating
what he would write for the next 30 minutes.The novel Ray finished was classic sci-fi novel Fahrenheit 451. He created this novel in record
amount of time, and recalled feeling as if the flow of time had accelerated. The novel wrote itself, effortlessly.
Think about how important it is to flow
I
really believe many people miss this aspect of engaging in their work. If you aren’t flowing, you’re not reaching
the peak of your ability. There is so much untapped hidden potential in flow, just waiting to be retrieved.People who have learned flow are challenging
themselves and creating work at their best. We no longer have dime typewriters at the library, but there are a number of ways
to practice flow without them. Nine simple ways you can bring yourself into flow
1. Pick a enjoyable, challenging
activity. The easiest way to enter flow is by doing something you love. The activity also needs to challenge you,
one you are extremely passionate about, that you enjoy doing, and that causes you to grow. If the activity is boring to tedious
you won’t enjoy it, and so there is no way you can engage in flow.
2. Eliminate distractions.
Turn off your phone, log out of twitter, switch off gmail. If you’re constantly flipping back and forth between different
tasks you’ll never be able to achieve flow. A foreign distraction will quickly bring you out of the flow mindset.
3. Think before you do. Do any research or preparation before you engage in the activity you wish to flow
in. If you stop and do research while writing, or have to grab a bite to eat in the middle of a run, you’ll throw yourself
out of the grove. Preparation is the only way to avoid that.
4. Isolate yourself. The best way to achieve
flow is alone. If you’re in a room full of people, your mind will constantly be drawn away from what you’re doing.
Shut the door, put on headphones, or find another way to isolate yourself.
5. Let go. Give up any expectations
that you have for yourself. If you enter a flow situation with preconceptions about the results that you’ll get from
the practice, you’ll inevitably disappoint yourself. You also run the risk of narrowing your focus to a point where
you can’t change coarse naturally if your flow takes you down a road less traveled.
6. Give yourself a
time limit. Like Bradbury, set a timer on your activity. Give yourself 30 minutes of uninterrupted flow time and
just go at it with everything you’ve got. Forget about how much time you’ve been doing the activity, and how much
time you have left, just flow. You may just find that you lose track of time completely.
7. Keep moving.
Continuous motion is key to flow, don’t give your mind a chance to start second guessing what you’re doing. Keep
moving with the activity you’re flowing in. Go at a pace that’s challenging for you, but not overwhelming. You
want to be calm and collected, but also have forward momentum.
8. Don’t think. Switch off the
part of your brain that observes what you’re doing. This is your self-consciousness, your ego, your sabotage. Why flow
is so important is that it circumvents the necessity to constantly critique yourself. This can be hard, if you’re used
to constantly second-guessing everything you do, but it is so important to successfully entering flow.
9. Practice.
Like any useful skill, flow takes time to master. Don’t stress if you can’t do it right away. If you’re
interested in achieving a state of flow, you need to practice regularly. Set a time every day that will be dedicated flow
time. Eventually you’ll start to recognize when you’re flowing, and when you’re not. After many hours of
practice, you’ll eventually become a flow master.
Walk
The Walk Pilates
Style - May/June 2009 Issue
Do you need to go to Harvard to learn how to walk? Probably not, but according
to the Harvard Health Letter, you'd likely benefit from a refresher course to correct some of the bad habits you've acquired
over the years. An improper gait can lead to sore feet and ankles as well as to neck, shoulder and back aches - and
it can increase your chances of falling. Here, a little adult ed to help you achieve an elite stride.
o
Look straight ahead. Watching
your step does not mean walking with your head down. Keep it erect and in line with your spine, with your eyes trained
10 ato 20 feet ahead. If you need to look down to navigate rough or uneven terrain, use your eyes, not your whole head.
o
Keep your shoulders level. Make
sure they're level both from left to right and from front to back (neither slumped forward nor thrust back). If you're
carrying a heavy load, a backpack is a better choice than a large handbag. (And if you can't give up your purse, switch
shoulders every few minutes.)
o Land on your heels, lift up with your toes. Think about showing the person behind you the sole of your shoes.
o Shorten your
stride. A long step can throw you off balance, so take
more, shorter steps.
Bottled Water: The difference is NOT clearArticle from “Focus on Health and your community
Hospital”, Spring 2009, North Shore LIJ
Bottled
water sales in the US have quadrupled in the last 20 years, according to beverage industry analysts, and if the trend continues,
it may soon replace soda as the American beverage of choice. That Americans are cutting down on carbonated
soft drinks in favor of plain water is a healthy trend. That’s because individuals who get their
fluids primarily from sodas are also consuming a lot of artificial sweeteners, sugars, colors and preservatives.
Pure water is always a great choice, but be wary of “fortified”
water products that advertise various combinations of herbs, vitamins and minerals. These beverages are
often sweetened like soda and pack extra calories without any proven therapeutic benefit. Though bottled water is healthier than sweetened
drinks, it is much more expensive that tap water. Bottled water can cost anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000 times
the cost of tap water. Does it make sense to pay this premium? If you buy bottled water
for its “purity,” you’re not getting what you pay form. While pretty labels and potent
advertising campaigns suggest that some bottled water comes from pristine mountain springs and crystal-clear glaciers, it
rarely does. In fact, a lot of bottled water is packaged in urban locations that draw from municipal water
supplies. And wherever it comes from, bottled water is regulated by virtually the identical federal and
state standards for chemical and biological contaminants as the water coming from your faucet. So as far
as purity goes, there’s rarely a meaningful difference. x There’s
also an environmental benefit to choosing tap water over bottled: It takes about 1.5 million barrels of
oil per year to manufacture the plastic water bottles produced for US consumption, and still more barrels of oil to transport
the bottles to market, in some cases halfway around the world. Since the empty bottles have no redemption
value in most states, more than 80 percent of them end up in landfills or by the side of the road, where it takes hundreds
of years before they even begin to break down. San Francisco, Albuquerque, Minneapolis and Seattle are
son concerned about the cost to taxpayers of handling this particular form of waste that they have banned the sale of single-serve
bottled water within city limits.
If you
don’t like tap water but don’t want to create unnecessary waste, a home filtration device can fill the bill.
The priciest systems are whole-house filters; others attach to individual faucets to purify water as it comes out;
still others are half-gallon pitchers that filter water at each pour. All choices involve replacement cartridges
that, if maintained according to manufacturers’ directions, remove chlorine, lead, certain pathogens, pesticides that
can make their way into drinking water. And they do it at costs measured in pennies rather than in dollars.
We can all drink to that!
Get Fit to Ride Improve your riding with simple exercises from
the ground up By Patrice D. Bucciarelli xo Linda
Denniston’s clients know when they arrive at her fitness center that it will be a while before they sit on a horse.
Denniston believes that fitness comes before equitation. So her classes start in the gym, not in the saddle.“We start with the groundwork because people don’t
understand the biomechanics of their own bodies. And that’s critical to staying on the horse,” says Denniston,
an experienced dressage competitor and training manager for Cedar Rowe Lusitanos Equestrian Fitness Center in Bollinger, Md. xo According to Denniston, most clients come to her as referrals from trainers who believe muscle conditioning
and fitness will help their students get more out of riding lessons and improve their scores in competition.The desire to better connect with her horse is what led Kathryn
Bono to believe that fitness is essential to good riding. Advised by her dressage instructor to get fit, Bono began working
with Denniston. Nearly three years later, Bono, 56, credits the program with building her body and her confidence —
even after having bilateral hip replacement surgery.According to Bono, working out can enhance any equestrian discipline because it improves the rider’s
overall fitness and coordination, and results in a seat that is independent of the reins. A fit rider allows the horse to
perform better and without interference. xo During 60-minute sessions, Denniston’s
clients work on flexibility, balance and cardiovascular stamina by working with body weights, free weights and on treadmills.
Next, they practice achieving a balanced seat on the lunge line astride one of Denniston’s school horses. As part of
her program, students commit to a 20-minute exercise routine a minimum of twice a week — much of it focusing on developing
core (abdominal) strength.“It’s
very progressive — step one, step two, step three,” she says. “People get a chance to understand how their
bodies work.”Equestrians
who adopt and maintain an exercise routine get other perks, too, according to Rallie McAllister, MD, a physician, author and
lifelong equestrian based in Lexington, Ky.“Conditioning,
building strength, flexibility and endurance have huge confidence benefits and create body awareness — knowing where
you are in space,” McAllister says. “All are necessary for equestrian sports.”McAllister stresses building strength in the arms, legs and upper
body using resistance training with hand weights, and stretching exercises to promote flexibility. “The more you work
out, the stronger you will be,” McAllister says. Yet, despite the benefits, many equestrians are reluctant to view exercise without a horse as relevant
to their success. xo “The key getting
equestrians engaged is to prove to them that fitness will actually improve the quality of their rides,” says Elizabeth
Hanson, certified pilates instructor and founder of Equestrian Pilates, a program designed especially for riders of all disciplines.
“When riders have limited upper body and core strength, they’re out of balance. And when they’re out of
balance, their horses are, too.”According
to Hanson, that’s because horses mirror their riders. It’s an easy concept to test. “Start your horse out
at a walk and engage your abdominal muscles,” Hanson says. “Your horse will engage his abdominals, too. You’ll
know this because you’ll see his behind go down. Now he’s balanced and collected.” Pilates and Low Back Pain - Relaxation & Pelvic Neutral - by Bruce Thomson, Easyvigor.net Imagine you have arrived for your first Lesson at a Pilates studio You don’t know what
to expect, but you are prepared to keep an open mind. At the end of this Lesson you will be able to: Lie in the Relaxation Position. Find “Pelvic Neutral” Work the transverse abdominal muscle, which is a major stabilizer of the lumbo-pelvic region. Breathe into the front, back and sides of your rib cage. And finally, you will be able to perform items 2, 3, and 4
together while lying in the Relaxation Position, while lying on your front; and also while sitting and standing. Lie
in the Relaxation Position (see diagram). Use a comfortable mat or carpet. Support your head with a folded up towel or bath
mat, about 3 cm thick. Keep your feet and knees in line with your hips, or a little wider if that is more comfortable. Place
hands on abdomen (see diagram) Take a deep breath, and release it slowly. Find “Pelvic Neutral”. Pelvic Neutral is the mid point of movement
at the point where the lumbar spine joins the sacrum. All joints are safest at or around their “mid-point”. Your
body does not automaticaly know a joint's mid point, but it can be taught! Imagine there is a compass on your abdomen,
with the needle pointing toward the north (your head). Before we can find “Neutral”, we need to explore the full
range of pelvic tilt.
|
|
| Compass North - imprinted |
Tilt your pelvis to the north (toward your head- see diagram). xo xo xo xo xo xo xo
Now tilt
to the South (toward your feet- see diagram). Caution! Do not push beyond the level of mild discomfort! xo xo xo Now come back to the centre of your pelvic range of movement. You should
still have a small natural arch in your back (not quite enough to get your fingers under). The “compass” is flat.
This is Pelvic Neutral.
Pilates and Older Adults: A Gentler, Effective Way to Stay Fit by Ken Endelman xoxo For the older population keeping fit is essential. But so many forms
of exercise can be hard on the bodies of older adults. Many have turned to Pilates sessions at their local clubs as a way
to stay in shape while reducing the risk of injury that weight-bearing exercises may cause. With its focus on controlled breathing
and quality of movement-not quantity of repetitions many experts agree that Pilates is one of the best ways for older adults
to stay healthy. “Pilates is perfect for older adults because
it does not have the impact on the body that other forms of exercise do, and is not nearly as severe on the joints as most
workouts are,” says Ellie Herman, owner of several Pilates studios, and a renowned Pilates instructor and author. “It
really is a gentle way to exercise. If you’re an older adult and haven’t exercised in a while, Pilates is a safe
way to restart a workout program.” Most conventional workouts tend to build short,
bulky muscles more prone to injury–especially in the body of an older adult. Pilates focuses on building a strong “core”–the
deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine. Many of the exercises are performed in reclining or sitting
positions, and most are low impact and partially weight-bearing. It also can positively affect postural positions. “Pilates for older adults, particularly on a Reformer (resistance-based
equipment with springs and ropes connected to a sliding padded carriage) is wonderful because it is a relatively light resistance
as opposed to some gym equipment, where even the lightest weight on the rack might be too much for them,” says Beth
Williams, a physical therapist at Dynamic Movement in Reno, Nevada. Increased Stability and Balance Pilates centers on movements at the midrange
of the body instead of the extremities (arms and legs), where, again, the potential for injury is greater. In contrast with
other forms of exercise, Pilates develops the midrange and gradually works toward the end range, while maintaining complete
control around the joints. To the benefit of older adults, Pilates teaches control and stability in a small range of motion,
graduating to a larger range of motion as they gain control and confidence. Increased
control and stability is crucial for older adults as it can help them improve much of their functional movement, including
balance and posture. “As people get older, they can lose some of their balance and coordination. Pilates increases strength
and flexibility in both the core and the legs, which positively affects balance. This, along with basic fitness benefits,
can help them reduce the risk of falls,” says Herman. “And Pilates is also a good way for older adults to rehab
from surgical procedures like a hip replacement or knee surgery.” An
Antidote for Many Ailments Pilates also helps with a variety of age-related ailments. Arthritis
sufferers benefit because the gentle mid-range movements decrease the chance of joints compressing while maintaining the range
of motion around them. For sufferers of osteoporosis or stenosis, Pilates can also help. For osteoporosis the simple and standing
Pilates leg exercises may increase bone density in both the spine and the hip. For lumbar stenosis there are exercises that
can stretch out tight back muscles and strengthen the extensor muscles of the spine to counteract the forces of gravity that
can pull people into a hunched position. Be careful, however. Any type of flexion exercise, for example, is not good for someone
with osteoporosis. Conversely, any type of extension may cause injury to someone with stenosis. If you have either of these
conditions it is important that you make sure your Pilates instructor knows how to modify the exercises so that you do not
hurt yourself.Pilates has also
been documented to slow or reverse the effects of debilitating diseases like Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. The
mid-range motion of the exercises can help people overcome rigidity and become more limber. It can even help with brain traumas
like a stroke. “The sooner people with brain damage or
a stroke can start balance exercises with Pilates and get their bodies moving symmetrically, the better they will fare in
their overall permanent outcome,” says Herman. Most
clubs now offer some type of Pilates program. If you are an older adult and are interested in Pilates, talk to the program
director about what kind of Pilates class will best benefit you. Many clubs offer classes geared specifically for the older
population. It is also a good idea to consult your doctor before you start a Pilates regimen. xoxo
Ken Endelman is Founder and CEO of Balanced Body Inc.
Ken began his career as a designer and craftsman of fine custom furniture - a background
apparent in every piece of hand-finished equipment the company makes. Since the early 1970s, Ken Endelman has updated Joseph
Pilates’ equipment with state-of-the-art engineering, materials and technology, many of which have become industry standards.
The company has been awarded twenty-four U.S. patents, with more pending. Balanced Body Inc. continues to actively promote
Pilates to the fitness industry, the medical profession and the media. This article was originally seen in Beyond Fitness Magazine.
xo
Pilates: Effective For Injury Rehabilitation by Ken Endelman - Founder and Ceo of Balanced Body Inc.
Most people all over North America are familiar
with Pilates - it is still is one of the fastest growing exercises in the world. And millions more have experienced the physical
fitness benefits of added strength, length, and agility that it provides.But few know that Pilates is rapidly rising in another area - rehabilitation from
injury.
The Culprit - Muscular Imbalances
Many injuries are caused by muscular imbalances within our bodies. And many things cause these
imbalances - our posture, the way we walk, bend over, sit, lie down, or work out - basically the way we move. Most of us move
incorrectly in some way or another, which puts too much pressure on some muscles and weakens others, causing an imbalance. Take the back, for example: the way we move may put too much pressure
on the spine, while weakening the pelvic muscles in the front of the body or vice-versa. Either scenario creates an imbalance,
which means the body is much more perceptible to serious strains, pulls, tears or worse. Pilates exercises promote an even musculature throughout the body by strengthening the core. The
core is considered the “center” of the body and consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles
closest to the spine. Pilates also stresses spinal and pelvic alignment, which is critical in getting us to move the way we‘re
supposed to move to avoid injury.
A Flexible Form of Rehab
These are big reasons why physical therapists
all over the globe are now using Pilates as a form of rehabilitation. Kris Bosch, president of Northstar Pilates in Buffalo,
NY, says Pilates is tremendously effective for other reasons, too. “Part
of its success is indeed based on the approach to the principles of Pilates core strength, an even musculature, etc. But another
reason is that it provides a greater degree of flexibility than most conventional forms of physical therapy. This is true
because Pilates exercises can be modified for each person and still be extremely effective. You can go from basic movements
to very advanced, depending on how a patient needs to progress or how badly they are injured.” Conventional physical therapy, on the other hand, often involves
patients being given a set of exercises that may be too hard for them to tolerate, says Bosch. It might be because they cause
too much pain, or perhaps they are not aware of how to correctly position their body for maximum results - something that
Pilates teaches you to do.
Positive Movement Experiences
In addition, with Pilates, clients become responsible
for their own rehabilitation. It is not just coming to a therapist, lying down and having them do all the work. With Pilates
a patient learns where their body is in space and to identify the best movement sequence. All these factors contribute to
a positive movement experience, which Bosch says greatly facilitates a recovery.“When you create a positive movement experience, you are able to take
a step forward without pain. The more you move without pain, the more confidence you gain. And the more confidence you gain,
the more likely you are to try another movement or exercise. That‘s a very healthy rehabilitative cycle.” Most Pilates exercises are performed on a mat or piece of equipment called
a Reformer (a sliding carriage inside a long frame connected to springs, ropes and pulleys). One of the nice things about
Pilates, Bosch says, is the way you can combine the Reformer and mat together as a solid 1-2 approach: “It‘s nice to get them on the Reformer first, because the springs on the Reformer assist
the movements they attempt. This gets them out of bad or incorrect movement patterns they‘ve developed which probably
led to the injury in the first place. Then, as they progress and are no longer experiencing pain, they can use the mat for
home exercises to continue their rehab, strengthen those muscles and prevent further injury”.
Rehab vs. Conventional
Exercise
If you have injured yourself and are considering Pilates, it‘s important to make sure that
your instructor has physical therapy experience. “There‘s a big difference between teaching Pilates as a form
of exercise and using it as form of therapy,” says Bosch. “The principles of Pilates are awesome for rehabilitation,
but if they aren‘t used in conjunction with proper therapy techniques it could aggravate the injury. Before you start,
make sure you ask your instructor if he or she has physical therapy training.”
Ken
Endelman is Founder and CEO of Balanced Body Inc. Ken began his career as a designer and craftsman of fine custom furniture
- a background apparent in every piece of hand-finished equipment the company makes. Since the early 1970s, Ken Endelman has
updated Joseph Pilates’ equipment with state-of-the-art engineering, materials and technology, many of which have become
industry standards. The company has been awarded twenty-four U.S. patents, with more pending. Balanced Body Inc. continues
to actively promote Pilates to the fitness industry, the medical profession and the media. This article was originally seen in Beyond Fitness Magazine.
May - 2007 - Inner IDEA article Four Methods to Mitigate
Stress There’s no way to avoid stress altogether—pressures and tensions are a normal part of everyday existence.
But repeated and prolonged stress can do damage to your mind and body. Learning to protect yourself from the effects of chronic
stress may help you live a longer, healthier life, according to the Benson-Henry Institute (BHI) for Mind Body Medicine of
Massachusetts General Hospital in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The consequences of chronic stress can be serious. An extensive body of research
suggests that long-term stress, with its flood of stress hormones, can increase risk for many physical disorders, including
stroke, gastrointestinal problems, high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, sleep disturbance,
immune suppression, impotence, asthma and premature aging. Chronic stress, especially in people with high hostility levels,
can lead to higher risk for insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes, according to a study published
in the October 2006 issue of Psychosomatic Medicine. Long-term stress can cause cognitive and mood problems as well: confusion, poor
concentration, poor memory, depression, anxiety, anger and irritability are often linked to chronic stress. But research has
shown that certain stress reduction techniques can effectively eliminate these problems, according to Herbert Benson, MD,
Director Emeritus of BHI (BHI). The Relaxation Response
“The harmful effects of stress can be mitigated,” says Dr. Benson. “You can do this on
your own, simply by harnessing protective mechanisms that are part of the relaxation response—the physiological opposite
of the stress response.
“The relaxation response is a physical state of deep rest that changes your physical
and emotional responses to stress. It decreases your metabolism, rate of breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, and relaxes
your muscles. There are a number of ways to achieve the relaxation response. A generic technique we teach at the BHI has two
essential aspects—the repetition of a word, phrase, prayer, or sound; and the disregarding of thoughts that come to
mind, with a return to repetition.” The basic BHI relaxation response technique involves these simple steps:
* Pick a personal
focus word, sound, prayer or short phrase—for example, “peace,” “one,” or “I am relaxed
now.”
* Sit comfortably in a quiet place.
* Close your eyes.
* Progressively relax muscles from feet
to neck.
* Breathe slowly and naturally, and as you do, say your focus word, sound, phrase or prayer silently to yourself
as you exhale.
* Assume a passive attitude and don’t worry about how well you’re doing. When other thoughts
come to mind, simply say to yourself, “Oh well,” and gently return to your repetition.
* Continue for 10
to 20 minutes. Time yourself by peeking occasionally at a watch or clock.
* When you are finished, continue sitting quietly
for a minute or so, gradually allowing other thoughts to return. Then open your eyes and sit for another minute before rising.
* Practice the technique once or twice daily. Good times to do so are before breakfast and before dinner. Three Relaxation Response
Techniques
The relaxation
response can also be brought about through the use of techniques other than the basic Benson-Henry Institute method, including
those listed below. Choose the technique that is most effective, or combine two or three techniques if that works best for
you. 1. Progressive
muscle relaxation: This technique involves concentrating on tightening and then relaxing your muscles to gradually achieve
total relaxation. Sit or lie quietly in a comfortable position with your eyes closed and begin by inhaling as you tense the
muscles of your face into a grimace, squeezing your eyes shut and clenching your teeth. Tense only the facial muscles, leaving
the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and elsewhere in your body relaxed. After 8 to 10 seconds, exhale and let your face go
slack, feeling the relief from the tension. Now inhale as you tense the muscles of your neck and shoulders, then exhale and
relax. Proceed
in this way, alternately tensing and relaxing the muscles of your chest, abdomen, right arm and fist, left arm and fist, buttocks,
right leg, left leg, right foot, and left foot. When you have finished the exercise, take time to enjoy how relaxed your muscles
feel. Slowly open your eyes, and stretch before rising. 2. Breath focus: Sit or lie in a quiet, comfortable place. Take a normal
breath, then—with your hand on your abdomen—take a deep breath, inhaling through your nose and feeling your abdomen
expand fully. Feel how relaxed this deep breathing makes you feel. Now close your eyes and inhale deeply to the count of 10
as your abdomen expands, then exhale slowly and completely to the count of 10. Focus on your breathing and counting, putting
other thoughts out of your mind. Repeat the exercise, continuing for 10 to 20 minutes. When you are finished, slowly open
your eyes. Rest quietly for a moment before rising. 3. Guided imagery: Sit or lie comfortably in a quiet place. Close your
eyes and relax, breathing deeply. Now imagine yourself in a peaceful place far from the stresses of everyday life, in a setting
where you feel completely relaxed and happy—for example, lying in the warm sun on a deserted beach, or sitting on the
front porch of your grandmother’s house. Put yourself completely into the scene. Feel the sand on the beach. Hear your
grandmother’s voice. Use all your senses to conjure up a vivid image. Spend 10 to 20 minutes immersed in this relaxing
environment, and then slowly count backwards from 20, feeling the peace and strength you have absorbed from your image. Open
your eyes and lie quietly for a moment before resuming your normal activities. “These techniques are very effective in reducing stress,”
says Benson, “and they work especially well when coupled with efforts to adjust your attitudes and reactions to challenges
in a way that promotes resiliency. For example, working to eliminate negative attitudes and focus on positive outcomes—seeing
the glass as half full rather than half empty—can help you strengthen your ability to cope with stress and rebound from
it. Return to top Contraindications
of Exercise During Pregnancy - Table 2 ACSM's
Health & Fitness Journal Sept/Oct 08
Absolute Contraindications |
Relative Contraindications |
o hemodynamically significant heart disease o restrictive lung disease o incompetent cervix or cervical cerclage (surgical closure of cervix) o pregnant with multiples and at risk for preterm labor o persistent bleeding during second
and/or third trimesters o placenta previa
(placenta close to, or covering,
cervix o premature labor o ruptured membranes o pregancy-induced hypertension |
o maternal cardiac arrhythmia o fetal intrauterine growth restriction o severe anemia o extremely underweight (BMI, <12 mg/m²) o morbid obesity (BMI, ≥40 kg/m²) o history of sedentary lifestyle o
orthopedic limitations o uncontrolled
hypertension o uncontrolled insulin-dependent
diabetes mellitus o uncontrolled seizure
disorder o uncontrolled hyperthyroidism o chronic bronchitis o smoking |
Move slower,
feel better?
Excerpt from Health Magazine - Jan/Feb 2008 issue
Worried about your triglycerides? Then stop running and start walking, according to a surprising study published in
the Journal of Applied Physiology. The upshot? Walking and other moderate-intensity exercise are the
best kinds for reducing your level of triglycerides, a type of fat found in your blood. Researchers assigned 240 overweight,
middle-aged adults to do one of the following: work out intensely (the equivalent of jogging at 6 mph) either 12 or
20 miles per week, walk 12 miles per week at a moderate intensity (around 4 mph), or do nothing. The moderate exercisers
showed double the improvement in their triglyceride levels, compared with the other groups-and only the moderate exercisers'
levels stayed low for more than two weeks after their last walk.
Vital Stats
Health Magazine - Jan/Feb 2008 issue
1.5% - (Number in millions) of Pilates participants in 2000
10.7% (Number in millions) of Pilates participants in 2006
29.8 - percentage of 2006 participants doing Pilates for the first time
People often adopt a simplistic view when assessing posture and alignment; for example,
they measure only strength and flexibility and ignore the complexity of the factors involved. Strengthening a certain muscle
group or stretching another to improve posture and alignment is not enough. Correcting alignment is a process of neuromuscular
reeducation that requires enormous commitment, patience, and the guidance of a scrutinizing eye.
Posture may be
observed in terms of the alignment of the joints and bony landmarks and understood in terms of muscle balance and function.
It is often described relative to a plumb line—a straight line that runs vertically through the body. When viewing the
body from the side in relation to the plumb line, deviations in an anterior–posterior direction become apparent (in
the sagittal plane). The following landmarks of the body should line up vertically on the plumb line: the lobe of the ear,
bodies of the cervical vertebrae, shoulder joint, midpoint of the trunk, greater trochanter of the femur, a point slightly
anterior to the midline of the knee, and a point slightly anterior to the lateral malleolus (ankle).
Please note
that ideal posture is the ideal, a goal that one strives for but may never achieve. Each individual is different
in body type, center of gravity, habitual movement patterns, mental state, and genes; it is inconceivable to think that one
posture will fit all. However, the concept of an ideal posture serves as a guideline and a reference by which we can detect
deviations and gauge changes.
Posture affects every movement, exercise, and decision in an exercise program. Consider,
for instance, a person who has fatigue posture, which is characterized by a rounded thoracic spine and the pelvis
being forward of the plumb line in a posterior tilt. Although correction is complex, it generally involves extending the upper
back, strengthening the upper back extensors, strengthening the iliopsoas, and stretching the external obliques of the abdomen.
Bringing the shoulders into ideal alignment over the pelvis is also often helpful. On the other hand if a person has lumbar
hyperlordosis, which involves an increased lumbar curve of the spine often accompanied by an anterior tilt of the pelvis,
correction generally focuses on strengthening the abdominals and stretching the hip flexors and lower back extensors. Clearly
these two people will receive different exercise programs, emphasizing different muscle groups, with the selection of exercises
and the cueing appropriate for their particular posture. Managing Menopause
by Bari Cener
Article taken from Newsday's Wellness issue Oct/Nov 07
As if the hot flashes and mood swings aren't band enough, the
average weight gain during (and after) menopause is between 10-30 pounds. "Menopause by definition is the cessation
of bleeding for one year." says Sheryl Tomak, MD, FACOG of All-Island OB/GYN of Garden City. The mean age is 51
but peri-menopause can begin as soon as your early 40's. The reason for the sudden bloat? "Our levels of
estrogen-one of our feel good, "young" hormones- start to diminish," says Tomak. "Even very thin
women will notice less of a waistline.
Lower
estrogen levels also means susceptibility to osteoporosis and cardivascular disease. "Some women are candidates
for supplements like calcium, magnesium and COQ 10." says Tomak. "Don't just walk into a vitamin store and
buy random things," she warns. "You and your doctor should develop a regimen together to protect your heart
and bones."
As for tackling those pesky pounds? Aim to eat seven different colors of food a day-that
means fresh fruits and lots of veggies. Exercise is equally as important, says Tomak. "Get off the couch
- get moving!"
Return to top
NEWS RELEASE
June 1, 2005
For immediate release
PILATES AND YOGA PROVIDE WELCOME BENEFITS
Exercises lead to flexibility, relief of menopause symptoms and less back pain
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Pilates and yoga, often referred to as “mind-body
activities, show promising benefits which include increased flexibility, improved quality of life, relief of the symptoms
of menopause, and some reduction of lower back pain. The findings came from two studies presented today at the 52nd American
College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn
One study looked at the effects of yoga on
quality of life and flexibility in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Researchers at Richard Stockton College of New
Jersey in Pomona studied six women, ages 44 to 62, who participated in a one-hour-long yoga class twice a week for eight weeks.
Participants were also given a home exercise program, and instructed to practice on the days when they were not in class.
The yoga program used in the study was lyengar, which focuses on a specific sequence of poses that address menstrual disorders,
menopause and pregnancy.
Five of the six women who participated in the yoga program had an increase in low back
flexibility, and five out of six had reduced menopause symptoms, said M. Alysia Mastrangelo, Ph.D., PT, lead author of the
study. Those who experienced menopause relief had a decrease in hot flashes and night sweats.
Mastrangelo points
out that a benefit of increased flexibility is that this often helps reduce lower back pain. In addition, more flexibility
can one to more easily perform activities of daily living such as housekeeping, gardening and shopping.
The study that
looked at benefits of Pilates-based mat exercises involved 22 people over a 12-week period. All participants had experienced
some lower back pain. Fifteen participated in an hour-long Pilates-based mat exercise program, while the other seven continued
their normal daily activities but did not participate in Pilates. At the end of the study, both groups had a decrease in lower
back pain, but those who participated in the Pilates program had a greater reduction in pain.
We also saw that
the lower back pain was significantly decreased in certain areas of the lower spine, said lead researcher, Susan Graves, Ed.D.
The study really raised a number of questions, and we would like to study Pilates exercise further, with larger groups, and
be able to look at how different age groups do with this type of exercise as a method to control back pain. We know that many
exercises are effective in helping reduce lower back pain, when done in a controlled setting. Clearly we need to understand
more about why, and if there are particular techniques that provide greater benefits.
ACSM 52nd Annual Meeting
is going on now at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. For more information on the event, or to speak with
ACSM Communications and Public Information staff, please call (615) 458-0996.
The American College of Sports Medicine
is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 20,000 international, national, and
regional members are dedicated to promoting and integrating scientific research, education, and practical applications of
sports medicine and exercise science to maintain and enhance physical performance, fitness, health, and quality of life.
NOTE: The conclusions outlined in this news release are those of the researchers only, and
should not be construed as an official statement of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Return to the top
Monday,
July 2, 2007 Heart defibrillators
now required in gyms by law
By BLYTHE BERNHARD
The Orange County Register
SEAL BEACH –
Tom Morgan bought a heart defibrillator for his gym, Tru II Form, about a year and a half ago. He checks the battery every
morning when he gets in. "The only thing you can hope is that you never have to use it," he said Sunday as
a dance class grooved in the Main Street studio.
As
of Sunday, all health clubs and fitness studios are required by state law to have an automated external defibrillator and
employees trained to use it. Not everyone met the deadline. Gil
Yurly, who owns BodyWise Fitness in Newport Beach and Holy Spirit Gym in Costa Mesa, said he hasn't yet bought defibrillators,
which cost about $1,500. He gives the law a thumbs-down "from a gym owner's standpoint who's still looking to get over
the top." "They're a good thing for the big clubs, but at the small personal training facilities the odds
(of needing them) are greatly minimized."
Sudden
cardiac arrest causes 325,000 deaths nationwide each year, but how many occur at gyms is unknown. In a two-year study of 3
million members of large health clubs, 71 deaths were reported, according to the American Heart Association. The law
requiring defibrillators at gyms was enacted in part because physical activity can trigger heart stoppage, particularly in
people with blocked arteries or heart abnormalities. If someone collapses, defibrillator pads attached to their chest
can determine whether they are in cardiac arrest. A phone book-sized machine then instructs the user to send an electric shock
to the person's heart, restoring its normal rhythm.
Survival
rates for sudden cardiac arrest are very low, but can reach 90 percent when a defibrillator is used promptly. Brain death
can occur within four minutes after a heart stops functioning. One man was revived with a defibrillator used by another
gym member at a 24 Hour Fitness center in Irvine last year. Bally Total Fitness, with eight locations in Orange County, installed
defibrillators in January. Santa Ana-based LA Boxing has mandated the machines in all its gyms. Gold's Gym and LA Fitness
did not respond to queries on whether their local gyms have defibrillators. The response in Orange County has been mostly
disappointing, said Rhea Jones, vice president of HeartCharger, a Santa Ana company that sells and maintains defibrillators.
Jones says many gym owners are either ignorant of the law, or opposed to it.
While every health club is required to register their defibrillators with the county,
only 12 out of about 200 have done so, said Dr. Sam Stratton, medical director of Orange County Emergency Medical Services.
Stratton said he's supportive of the law, but concerned it doesn't go far enough. "There's not a lot of authority
that we have over compliance," Stratton said. "There's no funding to go out and survey the clubs to make sure they
have them." Even without laws requiring them, hundreds of defibrillators are scattered throughout the county at
stadiums, airports, courthouses, golf courses and beaches. Many of the public defibrillators have been installed by
the Ray of Life Foundation, named for San Clemente emergency room doctor Ray Jacobson, who died in 2001 of sudden cardiac
arrest at age 39. "I do work with a lot of fitness trainers," said Jacobson's widow, Helena. "Their fear
that somehow they're going to be liable should be gone now that there are Good Samaritan laws that protect them."
Defibrillators are simple to use and success
stories are seen regularly in local emergency rooms, said Dr. Richard Haskell, medical director of cardiology at Hoag Memorial
Hospital Presbyterian. "We had one a few months ago, the guy collapsed on the 18th hole," Haskell said. "(A
defibrillator) can make a difference between having a brain that is working or not working."
Contact the writer: 714-796-6880 or bbernhard@ocregister.com
Partially
taken from: Understanding the Benefits:
Cardiovascular and Strength Circuit
Training | | | By Terri Magrans, M.S., C.S.C.S., A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer - Life Fitness
Academy TrainerIn today’s busy society, many
fitness centers are seeking ways to provide their members with a time-efficient, yet effective workout. Cardiovascular and
strength circuit training programs enable facilities to do this as they are designed to move participants through a sequenced
order of exercises for a total-body workout that can be completed in less than 30 minutes. Therefore, this format of circuit
training allows fitness facilities to help busy people fit exercise into their day.
Cardiovascular and strength
circuit training is a total-body workout that involves performing a series of different exercises in one training session,
alternating between intervals of strength training and cardiovascular exercise (1). Because the workout includes both strength
and cardio training, exercisers will realize the benefits of both types of exercise.
Some of the benefits of total-body
strength training include increased strength, lean body mass, improved posture and muscle balance and increased bone density,
which helps prevent osteoporosis.
Unlike circuit programs, traditional strength training allows for heart rate
recovery during the rest period between strength training exercises. Because circuit program exercises quickly alternate between
strength and cardiovascular, the exerciser’s heart rate remains elevated and sustained above a resting level throughout
the workout. This promotes cardiovascular conditioning and reduces the need for a separate cardiovascular component in the
workout. Benefits of cardiovascular conditioning include improved energy levels, lower blood pressure, increased HDL (good
cholesterol) levels, reduced risk of heart disease and improved endurance.
Circuit training programs are also
proven to burn more calories compared to traditional strength-training programs (2-3) due to the maintenance of an elevated
heart rate. By keeping the heart rate up throughout the session, more work is performed in less time resulting in greater
caloric expenditure during the workout. (4). The addition of cardiovascular exercise between strength exercises also increases
lean body mass, which results in a higher resting metabolism (4). This means more calories are burned throughout the day.
The end result is that circuit training improves general conditioning, body composition, muscular endurance, muscular
strength, and cardiovascular fitness (5). |
|
Pilates
for Fibromyalgia By Gabriel Sherier
According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, Fibromyalgia
Syndrome (FMS) is an increasingly recognized chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain
and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue and sleep disturbances. While the cause and etiology One in every 2
women and 1 in every 4 men aged 50 or older will suffer an osteoporosis-related hip, spine or wrist fracture during their
lives (National Osteoporosis Foundation [NOF] 2005). Among women over 50, 1 in every 2 who walk into your classes has low
bone density and is at risk for fracture (NOF 2005). And research has shown that given the fragility of the osteoporotic vertebrae,
most fractures are caused by the stresses of everyday life (Cummings & Melton 2002; Keller 2003). As the disease progresses,
bones can become so vulnerable that fractures can occur spontaneously or through such mild trauma as opening a stuck window,
lifting a light object from the floor with a rounded thoracic spine or even just coughing or sneezing.
The importance
of weight-bearing exercise that loads and strengthens bone cannot be underestimated. In fact,research has shown that physical
exercise alone can halt the progression of bone loss (Smith & Gilligan 1987). And according to the Surgeon General’s
Report, “Health and Fitness professionals can play a major role in . . . identifying and advising high-risk individuals
and those who have osteoporosis Restless legs syndrome
Temperature sensitivity Cognitive and memory problems (sometimes referred to as ‘fibro fog’)of
FMS is unknown, the disease affects 6-12 million people in the United States: most commonly women (at a ratio of 9:1) between
the ages of 25 and 50 years old.
Obtaining a true Fibromyalgia diagnosis is difficult since no objective diagnostic tests
currently exist. The American College of Rheumatology established a tender point palpation diagnostic criteria in 1990. The
presence of pain occurring in 11 out of 18 tender point sites and present for at least 3 months is required for diagnosis.
Common symptoms of FMS include:
Sleep disturbances Morning
stiffness Headaches Irritable bowel syndrome Painful menstrual periods Numbness
or tingling of the extremities
Obtaining a true Fibromyalgia diagnosis is difficult since no objective diagnostic
tests currently exist. The American College of Rheumatology established a tender point palpation diagnostic criteria in 1990.
The presence of pain occurring in 11 out of 18 tender point sites and present for at least 3 months is required for diagnosis.
Common symptoms of FMS include:
Sleep disturbances Morning
stiffness Headaches Irritable bowel syndrome Painful menstrual periods Numbness
or tingling of the extremities
Traditionally, physical therapy has been shown to be helpful with
the treatment of FMS and is best used with interdisciplinary therapeutic applications. The goal of physical therapy with FMS
is education of the syndrome with instruction on limits and management. Exercises are important to maintain and improve function
and assist in managing pain, therefore it is crucial to establish an independent home exercise program. Muscle energy techniques
(MET) have been shown to be highly effective.
In a research
study completed by Mary Silva, MET showed a noted 50% or more decrease in pain levels in 60% of patients, a decrease in the
medications required, and improvements in quality of life. MET includes gentle stretching of the musculature with gentle contraction
of that muscle. From this we can conclude that Pilates, based on its principles, can be very helpful in treating this population.
Article from FitnessUniverse.com
The
Power of Pilates
An estimated 6 million people across
the country are now strengthening their bodies and minds, and losing weight, with the help of pilates exercises, the fastest
growing fitness trend in decades. Among the Hollywood celebrities publicly touting its benefits, Goldie Hawn, Candace Bergen,
Brad Pitt, Ben Afleck and Matthew Broderick.
Thanks to the Method’s popularity, a growing industry has emerged.
More than 11 thousand people in the U.S. now claim to be pilates instructors, but according to the Pilates Method Alliance,
(PMA), the international, not–for–profit, professional association that establishes certification and continuing
education standards for Pilates professionals, at least 25 percent of them have not been properly trained.
“If you are working with an instructor
who doesn’t have adequate training, you run an incredible risk of getting hurt,” says Kevin Bowen, co-founder
of the PMA. “Pilates isn’t something you just start doing one day. You have to make sure you have an instructor
who understands the Method and how to make the exercises work for you.”
If done correctly, pilates exercises
strengthen, tone and stretch the body, encourage proper breathing and facilitate good posture. Here are 10 important questions
you should ask an instructor before signing up for their class:
#1 What kind
of training did you go through and where?
#2 How much time was spent in your original training?
#3 How long have
you been teaching?
#4 Did you only learn the mat work or was your program comprehensive in nature, teaching you pilates
exercises on the pilates equipment?
#5 Do you understand the body, have basic knowledge of kinesiology and understand
fundamental biomechanics?
#6 Do you understand the aging process?
#7 Do you pay close attention to safety and guidelines?
#8 Does the facility where you teach practice safety standards
for group classes?
# 9 Do you have a commitment to continuing education?
#10 Are you affiliated with a professional
organization like the Pilates Method Alliance?
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Excerpt from the January 2007 IDEA Newsletter
Pilates Effective for Low-Back
Pain
By
Shirley Archer, JD, MA
Low-back pain is the most common cause of job-related disability in the United States, according
to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Among neurological ailments, only headache is more prevalent.
As a mind-body exercise professional, you no doubt encounter numerous clients with varying degrees of low-back discomfort.
Recent research supports the effectiveness of Pilates exercise for low-back pain, notes Shirley Archer, JD, MA, IDEA
member since 1988, certified yoga and Pilates teacher and award-winning author based in Palm Beach, Florida and Zurich, Switzerland.
According to a small, randomized, controlled study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy
(2006; 36 [7], 472-84), participants who practiced Pilates over a 4-week period experienced more relief from their symptoms
than those who went through typical treatment programs.
In
light of the growing popularity of Pilates in therapeutic settings, researchers from Queen’s University in Kingston,
Ontario, decided to test whether Pilates exercises were effective in improving the condition of patients. The investigators
randomly assigned 39 active adults ages 20-55 with chronic low-back pain to either a Pilates training group or a control group.
The experimental group exercised on Pilates equipment, while the control group received the usual care provided to individuals
seeking medical help for low-back pain. (“Usual care” included consulting with a physician and other healthcare
professionals and specialists.)
Post-testing revealed that the Pilates participants had significantly lower levels
of functional disability and pain intensity than the control subjects. A year later, the Pilates participants had maintained
their physical improvements.Return to the top
PILATES
Source:Wikipedia Pilates classes help to build strength and flexibility, with an emphasis on lengthening the body and aligning
the spine, rather than on building muscle mass.
The
focus of Pilates is on the "powerhouse" region of the body which includes the muscles of the abdominals and the
lower back. Because of its focus, Pilates has become popular not only in the field of fitness, but also in rehabilitation.
It can be used to progress individuals through movements that represent their day-to-day activities.
The focus on strengthening the core/powerhouse muscles and improving postural
awareness are especially well indicated for the alleviation and prevention of back pain.
Principles
Pilates follows principles based on a well-constructed philosophical and theoretical foundation.
It is not merely a collection of exercises but a method, developed and refined over more than eighty years of use and observation.
While Pilates draws from many diverse exercise styles, there are certain inherent ruling principles that bring all these elements
together under the Pilates name. One interpretation of Principles: Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breathing,
and Flowing Movement.
Mind over
matter
The central element of Pilates is to create a fusion of mind and body, so that without thinking about
it you will move with economy, grace, and balance; using your body to the greatest advantage, making the most of its strengths,
counteracting its weaknesses, and correcting its imbalances. The goal is this: to produce an attention-free union of mind
and body, the method requires that you constantly pay attention to your body while you are doing the movements. Paying attention
is so vital that it is more important than
any other single aspect of the movements or the method.
Breathing
Joseph Pilates believed in circulating the blood
so that it could awaken all the cells in the body and carry away the wastes related to fatigue. For the blood to do its work
properly, it has to be charged with oxygen and purged of waste gases through proper breathing. Full and thorough inhalation
and exhalation are part of every Pilates exercise. Pilates saw forced exhalation as the key to full inhalation. “Squeeze
out the lungs as you would wring a wet towel dry,” he is reputed to have said. Breathing, too, should be done with concentration,
control, and precision. It should be properly coordinated with movement. Each exercise is accompanied by breathing instructions.
Joseph Pilates stated, “Even if you follow no other instructions, learn to breathe correctly”.
Centering
Pilates called the very large group of muscles in our center – encompassing our abdomen, lower
back, hips, and buttocks – the “powerhouse.” All energy for Pilates exercises begins from the powerhouse
and flows outward to the extremities. Physical energy is exerted from the center to coordinate one's movements. Pilates felt
that it was important to build a strong powerhouse in order to rely on it in daily living.
Concentration
Pilates demands intense focus. For instance, the inner thighs and pelvic floor may be accessed when
doing a standing exercise that tones the triceps. The beginner learns to pay careful attention to their body, building on
very small, delicate fundamental movements and controlled breathing. In 2006, at the Parkinson Center of the Oregon Health
and Science University in Portland , the concentration factor of the Pilates method was being studied in providing relief
from the degenerative symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Control
Joseph Pilates built his method on the
idea of muscle control. That meant no sloppy, uncontrolled movements. Every Pilates exercise must be performed with the utmost
control, including all body parts, to avoid injury and produce positive results. It's not about intensity or multiple repetitions
of a movement, it's more about proper form for safe, effective results. Precision
Every
movement in the Pilates method has a purpose. Every instruction is vitally important to the success of the whole. To leave
out any detail is to forsake the intrinsic value of the exercise. The focus is on doing one precise and perfect movement,
rather than many halfhearted ones. Eventually this precision becomes second nature, and carries over into everyday life as
grace and economy of movement.
Fluidity
Pilates mat exercises are supposed
to be performed fluidly. There are no static, isolated movements. Concentration and body awareness replaces the quick, jerky
movements of other exercise regimes. Grace of motion is emphasized over speed; ultimately the movements are meant to feel
as fluid as a long stride or a waltz. Uniformly developed muscles are then developed to compliment good posture, suppleness,
and natural grace. However, with the usage of the apparatus, clients will need to take at least some time to adjust their
equipment settings and props.
USA Today - August 17, 2003
Male athletes get no pain, big gains from Pilates By Jill Lieber, USA TODAY
Celebrities Madonna,
Julia Roberts and Sharon Stone have done it. So have golfer Tiger Woods, basketball star Jason Kidd, pitcher Curt Schilling
and offensive lineman Ruben Brown. What they all have in common is Pilates, one of the fastest growing fitness activities
in America, according to SGMA International, the trade association for sports equipment manufacturers. Designed to increase flexibility and improve posture, balance and coordination, Pilates focuses on strengthening
the body's core or midsection. Once favored by rock divas, actresses and supermodels, the stretching and strengthening exercise
method developed by Joseph Pilates (pih-LAH-teez) has become the latest training rage for male professional athletes. "Since
I've done Pilates, I'm much better looking and 4 feet taller," says Rich Beem, winner of the 2002 PGA Championship. "Seriously,
I'm now so stretched out and have such great posture that I look and feel like a different person."
Developed in the early 1900s, Pilates consists of 500 exercises, all initiating from
the muscles in the abdomen, lower back, hips or buttocks. The cost of a private Pilates session with a properly licensed instructor
is comparable to or slightly more expensive than a personal training session. For athletes, the benefits include more efficient
movement as well as better endurance, speed and quickness.
Return To Top
No longer just for women
As mainstream as the Pilates method of developing core muscle
groups has become, male professional athletes interested in adding it to their training programs still must get past the stigma
that this is largely a women's exercise. Kidd, the Nets superstar point
guard, gave his wife, Joumana, a longtime Pilates devotee, a hard time when she told him it might help in his rehabilitation
of a broken ankle a few years ago. After weeks of making fun of Pilates, Kidd finally tried it. "I immediately discovered
how tight I was," Kidd recalls. "After one session I was energized. From that point on I was convinced it was a
great workout." For Kidd, Pilates is all about finding the edge. He estimates 30% of his strength and flexibility training
comes from Pilates. "Pilates has made me quicker, more explosive," he says. Rich Dalatri, the Nets strength
coach, has been instrumental in introducing the exercise method to the entire team.
"Pilates is rejuvenating, restorative, invigorating," he says,
"maybe because it gets the blood flowing through every inch of the muscles. It's so internal. It puts you in tune with
your body. It puts you in a different state." The Nets have invested in Pilates equipment for their weight room. The
players are so dependent that throughout the NBA playoffs in 2002, a leading Pilates company shipped special equipment to
the team's hotel on road trips. Patience pays off Pilates' founding father always proclaimed, "In 10 sessions,
you will feel the difference. In 20, you will see the difference. And in 30, you'll have a whole new body." Schilling,
the Arizona Diamondbacks star pitcher, agrees. "The first three weeks, I was really disappointed," says Schilling,
who incorporated Pilates into his offseason training program last winter. "I wasn't sweating. I wasn't winded, which
is what I associate with true exercise. "Then in the fourth week I started to understand the Pilates terminology, the
idea of working from your center. By the third month I was more powerful and flexible than ever before. And I'd lost 15 pounds."
Hannah Gallagher, Schilling's Pilates instructor, says, "He's a man. He's used to hard-core workouts, where you throw
up afterward. Pilates is not that. It is an equal balance of stretch and strength." After years of the no-pain, no-gain school of thought, male professional athletes say they appreciate
the kinder, gentler, holistic aspect of Pilates. For Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl offensive guard Ruben Brown, Pilates is all about
preventing injury.
"I'm a big guy with a gut," the 6-0, 300-pound Brown says. "I was always battling
back strain. Plus, I'm 30 years old now. I'm tired of lifting weights, taking the pounding." The last two offseasons
Brown has done Pilates three times a week. "My first session, it shook me up," Brown says. "It shook
everything up. It still does. "And man, those Pilates women are competitive. They want to see if they can get the big,
strong football player to wimp out. I told myself, 'Hey, ladies, I can do that, too.' " How has his body responded to
Pilates? "I came out of the season injury-free," he says. "I used to feel like crap after practice and games
but not since Pilates. "I learned how to breathe through my muscles. My posture is better. I can run more fluidly.
And I increased my bench workouts." 'Profound impact' on Mediate
For PGA Tour pro Rocco Mediate, Pilates is all about strengthening his back — and prolonging his career. After major
back surgery in 1994, Mediate says he wasn't the same. He couldn't bend over for long periods of time to practice his putting,
and his back always went out after lengthy plane trips.
Enter Pilates in November 2001
"After a week I was turned around," he says.
"After two I felt like I'd never felt before. "Mediate has since sold his weights and has completely outfitted the
workout room in his Ponte Vedra, Fla., home with several pieces of Pilates equipment. "Pilates never compromises your
back," he says. "I've got more motion in my shoulders, midsection and legs. I can repeat my basic swing more often.
Pilates is going to add five, six, seven ... years to my career." Caroline
Schmid, Mediate's Pilates instructor, says, "The golf swing is a little one-sided, which can create imbalance in the
body. Pilates helps to balance out the body against the forces of the swing. It helps to create less torque in the spine because
you learn to swing from your center and not from your limbs." Mediate's wife, Linda, also has had success with Pilates.
She has overcome injuries suffered in three car accidents as well as giving birth to three children: "I couldn't walk
unless I put my hand on my back." She gives Pilates credit for major improvements in her husband's game. "He used
to avoid putting, and now he's a putting machine," she says. "I want to hug Caroline because she has had such a
profound impact on Rocco."
Harvard Women's Health Watch Article/February 2000
Pilates Incorporates
Mind and Body
Pilates
body conditioning is one of the most popular forms of exercise today -nearly 500 studios nationwide teach the rigorous exercise
discipline developed by Joseph Pilates (pi-LAH-teez). A German boxer and fitness trainer, Pilates came to the United States
in the 1920s and set up the first studio in New York. His exercise method incorporates into its 500 well-defined, controlled
movements a philosophy of focus and concentration derived from his background in yoga and Zen meditation. The Pilates method
of conditioning also utilizes special equipment and mats. In recent years, chain fitness centers have begun to include Pilates-inspired
exercises in their programs. The exact Pilates method, however, is a registered trademark. If you want genuine Pilates training,
look for an instructor with Pilates Studio certification. Certification requires 600 hours of training, which covers anatomy
instruction, how to use the equipment, and how to do the exercises properly. Compared with step aerobics, cardio-kickboxing,
or indoor cycling, Pilates relies less on "going for the bum" and more on gradual, methodical placement and movement.
Instruction is provided by a trained teacher on a one-to-one basis or in very small groups. Because of the small student-teacher
ratio, you can begin Pilates exercises at your own fitness level and not worry as much as you might in a larger class that
you will be left behind. The Pilates style of teaching also allows instructors to tailor the exercises to age, ability, and
any presence of prior injury. PRECISE EXERCISES
Pilates exercises are designed to uniformly
develop muscles through the use of five special pieces of equipment and a padded mat. The equipment at the heart of the Pilates
method was inspired by Joseph Pilates' work during World War I. He designed exercise machinery for immobilized patients using
spring tension as resistance. Along that line, the classic piece of studio equipment, the Reformer, has pulleys and cables
that exercisers push or pull with their hands or feet. The equipment has hand- holds, supports, and positioning bars that
exercisers use to stretch further and into positions unreachable on the mat alone. Gravity allows the body to supply its own
resistance while on the mat. Comparatively few repetitions—10 at most—are needed for each exercise. Pilates movements
focus on core muscle groups known as "the powerhouse" -the abdomen, lower back, and buttocks -and emphasize deep,
coordinated breathing. Pilates exercises aren't jarring to joints, so if you have a history of joint problems you may be able
to do them under the supervision of a trained instructor without fear of injury or joint or muscle stress. Well-done Pilates
exercises strengthen the trunk and pelvis so lower-back strain is rare, even among beginners.
FROM ARTHRITIS
RELIEF TO BODY ENHANCEMENT
Physical therapists, sports injury experts, and chiropractors
have discovered Pilates training as a way for their clients to prevent or recover from soft-tissue injuries. Enthusiasts report
relief from back, neck, and arthritis pain. It has even been introduced as a part of muscular therapy for multiple sclerosis
sufferers. Additionally, some of the exercises are particularly beneficial to women because they strengthen the muscles of
the abdomen and pelvic floor, important for maintaining continence. They also help condition abdominal muscles before and
after childbirth. The Pilates method may be difficult at first, but after a few sessions, participants may feel enough difference
in posture and muscle tone, as well as reduced stress, to want to stick with it. And as we all know, sticking to a program
is one of the greatest challenges of exercising.
Health
Brief - Forbes.com
One-Step
Stress Reliever
Allison Van Dusen, 03.16.07, 6:00 PM ET
It makes sense that optimists tend to be better off psychologically.
But the connection between positive thinking and our physical health has always been more complicated.
While research has shown that optimistic patients who've had heart surgery are more likely to have better recoveries, other research on cancer patients has been mixed. One study
showed optimism increased survival, while another showed survival increased only for those under 60. Another showed no increase
at all. So is it really worth it for our health to see
the glass as half full?
Suzanne C. Segerstrom, psychologist and author of Breaking
Murphy's Law: How Optimists Get What They Want from Life--and Pessimists Can Too, thinks so. She says that, overall,
the benefits of thinking positive add up. Good Thoughts, Good Things When faced with social conflicts, stressful jobs
or illnesses, for example, optimists are more likely to face and fix the problem or figure out a way to live with it, Segerstrom
says. Pessimists, on the other hand, tend to distract themselves and pretend nothing is happening, causing more stress and
harming the body. "Optimism has never been shown to accelerate disease progression, and none of
these studies show a detriment to being optimistic," says Segerstrom, who is also an associate professor of psychology
at the University of Kentucky in Lexington and has been researching the subject for the past 15 years. "But,"
she points out, "for some studies the cost-benefit analysis is zero." Research on the body's
immune system is one area that has produced such mixed results. It's
true that optimism can help people avoid psychological stress, potentially benefiting the body's heart rate and blood pressure,
among other things. But because optimists cope with stress by taking action, they put more demands on themselves, particularly
under difficult circumstances. As a result, in the short term, optimists may have lower immunity levels than pessimists, Segerstrom
says. The older and less healthy you are, the harder it will be to handle that cost. Win-Win Situation
Over time, however,
optimists still come out on top. "In the long term," she says, "having more active
ways of coping is actually healthier." Besides improving the recovery of heart surgery patients,
some research has shown that optimism may help moms-to-be have healthier babies. Two such studies
of over 300 women found that optimistic mothers had longer pregnancies and produced bigger babies, who are at lower risk for
health problems than smaller babies, Segerstrom says. Thinking positive also reduced the amount of stress women felt during
the late stages of pregnancy, possibly cutting the amount of stress hormones they produced, a factor that can contribute to
early labor and inhibit fetal growth. Barbara Bruce, a clinical psychologist on staff with the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, Minn., says Mayo Clinic researchers also have found a strong connection between optimism and health.
They looked at the records of people who'd completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, one of the most widely
used personality tests in the world, in the 1960s. Thirty years later the data showed that pessimists, compared to optimists,
had a greater risk of dying, and the more pessimistic the person, the greater the risk. A follow-up study showed that optimists
had better health in all areas. One explanation might be that optimists are more likely to take better
care of themselves and follow a doctor's advice than someone who feels defeated or overwhelmed, Bruce says. If you're a pessimist currently having a change of heart, you're probably going to find
changing your attitude and personality hard work. Instead, Segerstrom recommends focusing on your behavior. Be more active,
more persistent and more engaged, and don't worry about being 100% optimistic all the time. "It's an incremental thing," she says. "The more optimistic you are, the more likely you are to have
these outcomes."
Return To The Top
Excerpt from the Inner IDEA Newsletter March 2007
Body Knowledge: Pilates-Based
Exercises for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
by Catherine Fiscella, MSPT
Are
your clients complaining of back pain, or do they describe themselves as having a “bad back?” If so, their complaints
are not uncommon. The Mayo Clinic recently reported that 4 out of 5 adults experience at least one bout of back pain at some
point during their lifetime. Considering these statistics, the likelihood of your encountering clients with back problems
is quite high. This article will take you through one lumbar spine diagnosis, lumbar spinal stenosis, its common causes, suggested
comfortable positions and postures, and recommended Pilates-influenced lumbar stabilization exercises.
With
any client who is in postrehabilitation or has a history of a spine ailment, it is important to align yourself with the referring
healthcare provider to optimize individual recommendations. The information here is generalized to the majority of individuals
in each diagnostic population, but keep in mind that there are always outliers.
The
spinal cord begins as an extension of the brain and is surrounded by the bony vertebral column, which acts as a protective
mechanism. Any sensory or motor information the brain needs to relay to the body travels via the spinal cord. An injury to
the spinal cord will interrupt this important communication, resulting in impairments of movement, sensation and/or organ
function.
The lumbar spine contains five articulating segments that move to flex, extend, side-bend and rotate
the torso. Individual nerve roots exit on each side of the vertebrae to become nerves that enable sensation and movement in
the lower body (Kibler et al. 1998).
Pilates-Based Exercise as a Treatment Option
People with back pain and poor posture
can benefit from Pilates exercise, but proper technique is key. You may have to modify exercises to adapt to an individual
client’s abilities and needs.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing of
spaces in the spine, can result in pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerves. Most cases of spinal stenosis occur in the low
back (lumbar stenosis), affecting the nerves that run down the legs. Spinal stenosis may result from a variety of causes,
including normal aging, heredity, tumors, a traumatic event and bone disease, to name a few.
Individuals with lumbar
stenosis may have pain or discomfort in the legs, as well as weakness or “heaviness” in the lower extremities.
Other symptoms may include numbness, tingling or hot and cold feelings in the legs. Spinal stenosis is diagnosed by a physician.
A magnetic resonance image (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan or a myelogram (an x-ray taken after a special fluid is
injected into the spine) may be performed. These and other imaging studies can offer details about the bones and tissues and
help the physician pinpoint a diagnosis (Cleveland Clinic 2005).
Surgery may be indicated as a treatment option, but
it is usually viewed as a last resort. Lumbar stabilization exercises may also be a viable treatment option, depending on
the severity of the stenosis.
Postrehab
Exercises
As a general rule of thumb, individuals with lumbar stenosis
are more comfortable in positions of spinal flexion, as opposed to extension. Exercises performed in a prone or standing position
may be uncomfortable. If the client would like to lie prone, you might try placing a pillow under the stomach to create a
small amount of flexion in the spine.
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