Posts Tagged ‘pilates-based’

How to Choose a Pilates Trainer

Wednesday, August 20th, 2008

Controversy has surrounded the certification process of Pilates Method instructors ever since Joseph Pilates himself began training students. It wasn’t until the year 2000, when the trademark exclusivity of the Pilates name was lifted, and then Pilates became a term that could be used as loosely or as appropriately as desired.

The good news about the trademark dissipation was that it benefited trainers who had been teaching Pilates for years and were highly qualified in their field. They could finally attach the highly refutable term to their work. Up until that point, qualified trainers have had to use a variation of the word Pilates, such as Pilates-based, or Pilates-inspired to describe what they teach.

Also, in recent years the PMA (Pilates Method Association) has begun development on a standardized test, which has been put in place to protect the public from under qualified Pilates trainers. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies has guidelines, which acted as the blueprint for the newly formed Pilates certification exams.

This was issued from the PMA in their mission statement: “The PMA has established recommended industry performance parameters guiding the practice of all PMA Certified and non-certified Pilates teachers. The PMA has established these standards to further bring professionalism to Pilates.”

However, the downside to the new liberty with which Pilates is used, is that there are Pilates instructors who claim to be teaching the “whole-body connection”, but their methods are fleeced with inaccuracies and lack proper Pilates education. Because the term Pilates is now used so freely, which does unfortunately include Pilates imposters, it makes it that much more important for an individual to do extensive research before choosing which studio and trainer to practice Pilates with.

There are a serious of questions that a new Pilates client should feel at absolute liberty in asking. Questions such as: Where did you study Pilates? How were you certified and by what association? How long have you been certified? How long did you study to become a Pilates trainer? How many hours have you accumulated towards your Pilates in-field knowledge? Do you have liability insurance? What is your teaching philosophy? Is there any type of client, injured or healthy, that you will not train? Can you shadow while the trainer is with another client?

These questions are absolutely necessary in defining the parameters of a Pilates instructor’s abilities and knowledge. In addition it can fast track an honest and open relationship with your trainer.

Since Pilates is such a balance of body awareness and physical empowerment, a trainer will need to have the same mental approach to health that you have or would like to have. Each Pilates instructor may have a different reason as to why they decided to teach holistic healing, and that will be an important conversation to have with your potential instructor.

Once you can better access what you stand to gain from training and what to expect from Pilates itself, the better the results and experience will be. The PMA has a website where you can search for certified personal trainers in your area: www.pmapilatescertified.com

Pilates Based Rehabilitation Part 1

Monday, June 16th, 2008

Injuries within the body not only plague everyday life with constant pain, but injuries also prevent a person from feeling whole, or completely engaged in society. Our physical health is one of the most important things we have, and yet it is so easily taken for granted. Without proper care, our health can easily be compromised and when that can happen our world can be turned upside down. A healthy body is one of the biggest luxuries that a person can come to have, and it should be treated as such.

However when an injury does occur, it is imperative to begin a healing regime for the body as soon as one is physically able. The only bump in the road, when it comes to rehabilitation, is the seemingly wide chasm between the initial stages of an injury to the implementation of everyday activity. Some people’s injuries dictate the rest of their lives, and the frustration from failed attempts at recovery leave them defeated and disillusioned.

In addition to Physician recommended physical therapy, Pilates based therapy can act as that “off ramp” from recovery to daily living. It constructs a bridge to the world of activity that an injured individual was once a part of.  An explanation of Pilates and its methodology can begin to shed some light on a rather gray area of rehabilitation, “What happens after physical therapy?”

Pilates based rehab can be performed on the Pilates Reformer or on a mat. The Pilates Reformer alleviates tension in the joints and muscles, while lengthening and strengthening the areas in and around the injury. The body operates on the Reformer plane through a series of breathing, stretching and full body strengthening patterns. Repetitions are replaced with concentrated movement. The paces of these patterns are deliberate and controlled.

Pilates exercise progressions include not only injury prevention techniques, but also more importantly injury correction exercises. This allows for front-end and back-end rehabilitation during every stage of recovery. Pilate’s most unique component is that is works the entire body in phases of movement, instead of just one muscle or muscle group at a time.Since Pilates is a low-impact, partial weight bearing exercise it is perfect for toning injured areas.

Pilates assigns the “core” a series of stability challenges, which requires the muscles to be in constant static control. This focus creates joint mobility and flexibility within the framework of the body. When performed correctly and under the supervision of a highly trained individual, a “resetting” of irregular spine alignment, disjointed bones, muscular imbalance and strains can occur.

Injuries stem from muscular imbalances or spinal misalignment. In Pilates based rehab the injured area is considered just an “alarm” from the circuit center for which the injury itself may have assimilated. Correcting posture and re-learning every day movement it the solution Pilates based rehab provides. This is the epitome of “killing one bird with two stones”. Each posture is rooted in gentility and encourages the natural flow of the body’s mechanics. This enables an injured person to ease into recuperation without much pain or unneeded physical effort.  rapidrehabla.com/services.html