Priorities

Hello All! I'd like to use this opportunity to link my love of Pilates and creativity into the real world in which I live. I think it's important to respect yourself enough to be honest about what you need.

I have long since felt a conflict between how society encourages me to prioritize, versus my own personal needs, aspirations and desires. I became obsessed with the structured education system I was clay-formed around as a kid, achieving high academic success each year in hopes that I would excel through middle, high school and college, set to achieve my goals with relative ease. How hard could it be to become a professional after spending thousands of dollars and hours learning my ABC's over and over again?

It wasn't until the beginning of college studying to be a playwright that I realized I was subjugating my mental health, joy and even creativity, forcing myself to garner exclusively A's, sitting through four hour classes I struggled to complete without experiencing one or two panic attacks. My freshman year, I arrived to finish my Bachelor's degree with a backpack stuffed with depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsion--I made friends, got great recommendations, had a series or two of underwhelming relationships. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere around them--carefree, a little bit of class work and a lot of their version of "fun."

I was spending my afternoons in therapy and my nights drinking, when I longed to be outside, to be active and adventurous. I developed a habit of ignoring my gut reactions, which are always truer representations of my feelings than my muddled mind could ever be. It wasn't until this year, when I realized I had love for so many things: Pilates, climbing, writing and more, that I decided I couldn't continue to punish myself within a system that made me feel bad about myself, in an atmosphere that was so opposite from anything I desired. I've always found I write so much more and produce more inspired work when I'm not confined to write in a certain way about certain things. I've valued aspects of my education certainly, and I have the debt to show for it--but, if I want to continue living with more joy and less depression each day, it is necessary to forge ahead in a direction my gut is most willing to go; I don't want to feel guilty for it, nor do I think anyone should for taking a leap of faith.

I encourage anyone to forge their own path, despite its unconventional groundwork or direction--being true to on own nature and needs only helps to bring you closer to yourself and treat others with the same compassion, time and respect you treat yourself with. I want to keep learning, writing, climbing, nature-ing and of course, Pilates-ing! 

Tease On and Follow Your GUT,

Ian 

"Side-to-Side" Re-Discovered!

Well Folks, I'M SNOWED IN!

I wanted to take a minute to share my excitement in FINALLY figuring out the correct physical engagement to complete the "side-to-side" with the pole on the short box. It's not that the exercise itself has a huge range of motion--and it isn't exactly popular for being everyone's favorite exercise; however, I a constantly reminded by other practitioners of its positive properties, especially when it comes to pelvis stabilization and achieving a stretch of the obliques on each side of the body.

Rather than moving my box forward and twisting it diagonally as I had been doing consistently, my mentor re-described the motion as being more of a "windshield wiper" movement where the box does indeed come forward, but the shoulders and hips remain down and there is no rotation--that comes later in the "twist" with the pole on the short box! Instead, the wiper movement involves a reaching up and over, essentially coming out of the pelvis as though stretching up and over a barrel running horizontal to your side and elongating while stretching!

I'll try to post more pictures as I figure more out along the way! My group is now tackling the intermediate Apparatus module and will be continuing to practice and teach with each coming day!

Stay safe if you're in the blizzard and keep being open to learning things you thought you knew already :)

Tease On and Warm Up,

Ian

Balance In Pilates--Balance Within

As my body begins to further accept Pilates as a daily occurrence, I am encouraged by the consistent physical progress I've made. With each improvement, in hindsight it seems impossible that I haven't been able to do such things my whole life.

Surpassing each wall has largely presented itself to me as a series of challenges derived from self-imposed mental barriers, the complexities of physical precision and the necessity of observation (we'll talk about this another day).

The results of my practice range daily and offer a cocktail of encouragement or confusion. I stress the idea to my clients of leaving worries outside the studio, yet I feel such stressors penetrating my focus as I begin workouts. When thrown off focus, there is little chance I will juice the most from my practice, rather, I often hold myself back and exist in an uncomfortable state of pseudo-concentration that leaves me with a sour taste post-workout. Because of this frustration and because of the incessant and inevitable cares I experience everyday, I have begun to prepare myself before I even enter the studio to clear my head and exist in a space where my mind is calm and ready to respond in conjunction with my physical movements.

From here, my ability to execute the minutiae of the classical Pilates method becomes greater and my body feels more attuned to the exercises that come next, while still staying present and balanced in my current position. Certainly, when I'm stressed (as horribly cliche as it sounds) not only is my emotional balance thrown off, I actually have trouble with physical balance demanded by Pilates such as the Standing Series in the Advanced Mat. If I'm in a composed state of mind, I am so connected with my body that such exercises are not nearly as difficult! Further, as a climber, I visit a gym where there is a slack line (like a tightrope) and the equation correlates here too. If I'm not shaking from anxiety and unnecessary worry, I can walk the line over and over again!

Bringing this all together, I do my best to spend free moments existing in a loving, pleasant, kind space that dials in my focus. I'm not usually a fan of collecting objects or gifts and don't like having a lot of "stuff," but my dear friend gave me these hand carved Chakra stones (look up if you're not sure! :) ) that correspond to seven areas of the body. They are small stones and are very difficult to stack in a straight line, but I spent some time focusing on this project and was able to achieve a nice little tower. The small achievement made me feel a sense of personal accomplishment. It seems trivial, and in a way, it is, but I think allowing time to feel a sense of balance and body-mind connection allows for so many more opportunities to show kindness to others and act out of compassion and empathy.

(The camera quality isn't great--let's not forget I don't own any state of the art tech ;) )

I encourage you to do whatever you can to stay balanced and love the space surrounding you and your practice.

Tease On and Om,

Ian

Why Study Classical Pilates?

Living in NYC, I cannot feasibly recount the number of Pilates and yoga studios I pass everyday. Even if I'm on the train to school, all the smaller Westchester County towns are bursting to the brim with "alternative" ways to exercise.

When a new student wants to begin exercising, how do they decide on Pilates? And further, how do they decide to study Authentic/Classical Pilates, and why should they?

Where many new students decide to practice is highly dependent on the "sexiness" of the studio and the way the business and exercise techniques are marketed. It doesn't surprise anyone to hear that "yoga" (including all popular forms) is en vogue and represents a certain lifestyle that perhaps also includes health food stores, fancy water bottles and meditation. Let me say this, I go to health food stores weekly and meditate numerous times daily; both are integral parts of my lifestyle! That being said, it's important when deciding to begin exercising to be discerning. If you're going to spend money, why not get the biggest bang for your buck!?

Pilates may seem intimidating to those who haven't exercised much before. The word itself is synonymous with dedication, professional dancers, the "abdominal series" and in some cases, being a "medieval" form of exercise; and ya know what, it's kinda true! Joseph Pilates used springs and metal to completely astound the medical community at the time and demonstrate his incredible ability to condition and rehabilitate bodies.

Classical Pilates as opposed to quick-fix, divergent forms, focuses on the original principles Joseph Pilates and his successors envisioned upon creating the techniques.

I harp on repeating the Six Principles of Pilates, but in an Authentic Pilates method, Concentration, Control, Centering, Precision, Flow and Breath, offer the necessary components to achieve the same high level of fitness, meditation and health that is synonymous with the yogi lifestyle. Pilates IS "yoga" in a denotative sense; "yoga" itself is a Sanskrit word for discipline and Pilates IS discipline. Mainstream Yoga and Pilates each have strengths and some similarities, but they are exceedingly different.

When practicing the Classical method of Pilates, you can be almost certain that your instructors have received intense time and experience based substantive training. Instructors in Classical methods don't simply get their certification in a couple of weeks or a month, they receive something exceeding 700 hours of experience before working as professionals in the industry! When taking a non Authentic class, there is no way to know if your instructor has the necessary background in anatomy and physiology and in observing other instructors to offer helpful "expertise," rather than destructive and under-tested forms of stretching and strengthening. What's the point in doing Pilates and becoming in worse shape? Pilates is a great element in the process of rehabilitating a body and helping to deal with injuries, but not all studios are created equally.

I think of myself as a discerning individual, partly because I want to help my body become stronger, and also because I simply don't have the time and money to spend on something that's not going to help me in the long run. I would never attend a college or university for a program that I didn't first heavily research. Pilates is an investment, and it might just be the investment that changes the way you live the rest of your life.

Tease On and Know the Difference!!


Ian

Keeping Motivated Through Self Encouragement

Hey All! It's been a while.

Tonight, I wanted to chat with you all about keeping motivated amid missteps and self-doubt. I have a habit of being extremely passionate about something for a short period of time, before fizzling out completely, and not finishing the project I worked so diligently to begin in the first place. With Pilates and with the structure of the apprenticeship program I'm in, I've had the opportunity to pursue an ambition that I have no plans of giving up as a result of the mental and physical gains I've made.

With practicing, observation, teaching, learning anatomy and doing side projects associated with the method, Pilates has become something more than a hobby, or even a career, but a way of life that has encouraged me to seek happiness and health for myself and others, above everything else. There are aspects of my Pilates education that I struggle with, but I take each challenge and eventual overcoming of said challenge as a deep and important accomplishment that propels me to continue to be a better student and teacher. It's hard not to be bogged down by what seem like cataclysmic failure, be it a bad day, a negative comment from a peer, etc. Because of this seemingly ever present anxiety, I've initiated a regimen of consistent self-encouragement, sometimes verbal, often mental, where I reinforce myself by remembering my strengths and talents and accepting my weaknesses and focusing on improvement. It's a sort of mantra I've taken on--part of a ritual that I hope will propel me to achieve my ultimate spiritual and physical objectives.

Whereas I've often looked at my artistic career and education with a competitive nature that is fueled by compliments and hindered by critiques, I refuse to let commentary or criticism keep me from reaching my ultimate short and long term goals in the realm of Pilates. Because of this, my attitude as a writer and artist has been more positive and less self-critical as of late.

At the end of the day, the end of my life, even, I know I will not regret or reflect heavily upon exact career moves I made, but rather on overall experiences I've had and the positive people and events that inspired me to become the person I am. This is the focus I will try to go into each day with. And I encourage you to do so as well.

Tease On, (for as long as you can :))

P.S. It makes me sad when I make a blog post with no pictures or visual stimulation, so here's a picture my friend took of me after I got my hands on some wild grapes. Soon I won't be able to visit my beautiful Central Park in all its green glory. I better enjoy it while it lasts!







Ian