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Firehaus Pilates Studio

Pilates Fitness Studio in the Denver Highlands Neighboorhood

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MindBody

PILATES GETS A GOLD MEDAL AT THE OLYMPICS

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Ok, so we’re all completely glued to our televisions these days watching the Olympics, right?  Who’s going gold?  Who’s breaking world records, and how much do we love Colorado’s own Missy Franklin?  You may not know this, but Pilates is a common thread for team USA, getting worldwide recognition last week during the women’s diving competition.  So which Olympic athletes give Pilates a gold medal?  Olympic swimmers and gold medalists Missy Franklin and Dana Vollmer, divers and bronze medalists David Boudia and Nick McCrory, Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones, sprinter and gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross, and the undefeated women’s beach volleyball team Kerri Walsh & Misty May-Treanor.

Why is Pilates so beneficial to these Olympians?  Diver Nick McCrory stated, “I really enjoy Pilates because aside from just the strength that you build, it really teaches body awareness and coordination, which is essential to diving.”  Body awareness is one of the main goals of Pilates training at Firehaus Pilates.  Many of our clients come to see us very aware of how tight their neck and shoulders are, or how much their low back hurts.  But what do they do about it?  Education is the starting point.  We always teach our clients not only the exercise, but the anatomy involved in the movement.  How can you get results if you don’t know why you’re doing an exercise?  When we talk about “body awareness,” we want you to not only recognize the symptom, but what possible muscle imbalances are contributing and what needs to be done to balance it out or decrease your symptom or pain.  Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh (Women’s Beach Volleyball) says, “Pilates gives you such great body awareness. When I got pregnant, I really got into Pilates because I wanted to fix all my asymmetries and deficiencies and go from there.  I have a new body because of it.”

So what if you’re not a gold medalist?  Can you do Pilates?  Absolutely!  Whether you’re an Olympic athlete, a casual skier, a mom on the go, or dealing with chronic pain.  We all have issues with our bodies and most of them stem from muscle imbalance from an injury or simply the daily stresses of life.  Pilates allows you to become more aware of your body and teaches you to learn balance both mentally and physically!  Start training for your own personal gold medal today!

-Written by Rachel Algra, Certified Pilates Instructor/Owner Firehaus Pilates

*For more information about Pilates and how it can help you, contact Firehaus Pilates located in Denver’s Highland LoHi neighborhood at 303-945-6951 or check us out on the web: www.FirehausPilates.com

MindBody

Pilates for the Guys

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Pilates for Men

Pilates has been a training tool for men and women, for over 50 years. From elite athletes to post-op rehab, both men and women have been discovering the benefits of Pilates for their particular needs.  Pilates was created by a cigar smoking, whiskey drinking boxer who was an acrobat and gymnast named Joseph Pilates.  Joe created his exercise programs first and foremost for men, originally training athletes such as boxers, wrestlers, skiers, and circus performers. The Pilates method has taken on different variations over years, but at its core was designed with men in mind. It’s not just for the unusually flexible, dancers, or women. Joe, with his wife, Clara created an effective way to strengthen the body as a whole while increasing flexibility for a wide range of women and men.

More and more men are starting to discover the advantages of Pilates. Men come into Pilates studios, looking to increase their core strength, address low back pain and muscular imbalances, as well to cross train to find their edge.  Pilates compliments every activity that a man does, whether it’s sitting behind a desk, hiking 14 ’ers, or swinging a golf club. The components of Pilates can be especially effective for men, whose workouts typically emphasize a part-by-part approach to muscular development. Pilates, by contrast, emphasizes moving from the center of the body, often referred to in Pilates, as the powerhouse. The powerhouse is developed from strength in the deep muscles of the core to stabilize the trunk and protect the back. This kind of core training makes Pilates an excellent technique for whole-body fitness, as well as a foundation for cross training for other types of sports and exercise.

Pilates teaches males how to use the transverses adominis. For guys out there wondering what that is – it is the horizontal layer of muscle beneath your six pack (think low stomach area). By strengthening this very important muscle you will increase endurance, tighten your waist and reduce back pain. “The core workouts of Pilates are much more effective than what a typical guy like myself would do in a gym” quotes a Firehaus Pilates male client.

Pilates Tips for the Guys

Pilates is a practice where part of the exercise is to bring your full attention to every movement, focusing on alignment and core strengthening. The movements go beyond the superficial muscles and require more subtle attention and micro-adjustments than some men are used to finding in the gym.  You don’t “just power through” in Pilates. This often becomes most apparent while working with Pilates equipment, such as the reformer. Although Pilates equipment is resistance based, it’s not intended to be overpowered. In fact, the lightest setting on the equipment usually is the most challenging for the core muscles. In Pilates, controlled, well-aligned movement is the secret to a deeper level of fitness.

At Firehaus Pilates, we keep our men in mind. We offer a Men’s Pilates Class as well as specialized private training for males.  Give it a try guys, all you have to lose is the middle!

-Clare Harriman, Certified Pilates Instructor/Owner of Firehaus Pilates.

*Find more information on Pilates for Men at Firehaus Pilates, located in Denver’s Highland / LoHi neighborhood.  www.firehauspilates.com

 

MindBody

Pilates for a Computer-Based Society

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Written by Rachel Algra, Certified Pilates Instructor/Owner of Firehaus Pilates

The number of workers suffering from a repetitive stress injury or disorder (RSD) is on the rise — mostly because of the increased use of computers in the workplace. You may or may not be surprised to find that Wikipedia now has an entry entitled “Computer-induced medical problems,” described as “various problems a computer user can develop from prolonged and incorrect computer use.”  If this doesn’t seem too hard to believe, there was an article written in the U.K. recently entitled “I-pad Hand.”  The article looks at the rising number of complaints that doctors are receiving regarding pain in the arms and hands associated with increased usage of I-pods, I-pads and I-phones!  A sure sign that we are a computer based society.

Though there are many advantages to computer technology, there is a growing concern for the increase in work-related musculoskeletal disorders (or muscle pain and tightness) associated with prolonged computer use.  Nearly half of the U.S. currently uses a computer at work.  The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries published an article stating the top “work-related musculoskeletal disorders” consist of:

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome (the compression of the median nerve in the wrist).
  • Epicondylitis (swelling of the tendon at the elbow).
  • Rotator cuff syndrome (swelling and tearing of the tendons around the shoulder).
  • Sciatic pain (pain radiating from the lower back to below the knee).

So how can Pilates help you avoid the aches and pains associated with our computer-based world?  The focus of a Pilates workout is posture and efficient movement.  Texting, typing and surfing the web, are activities that can result in postural “meltdown” (for lack of a better word)!  A forward head position, shoulders rounded, and a “slouched” or rounded back.  Each one of the above creates unnecessary stress on the muscles and underlying structure, causing overstretching to some muscles and tension in others!  Put all of them together and you are greatly increasing your risk for pain.

At Firehaus Pilates, we try to incorporate postural exercises into every workout, targeting the areas prone to stress from computer work.  Strengthening the upper back, stretching the pectoralis muscles and proper shoulder stability are a few areas we address first.  Most importantly, we educate our clients so they are more aware of their posture and give them tools to correct it on a daily basis.  Computers are definitely not going away, so learning to stay pain free while using them is incredibly important!  Add Pilates to your routine, your body will thank you!

Get started on correcting your posture NOW by following these 5 simple steps while sitting at your computer!

  1. Sit close to the edge of your seat with your feet flat on the floor
  2. Lift the chest as if to be lifted up towards the ceiling by your sternum, opening the shoulders, widening the collar bones
  3. GENTLY slide the shoulders down away from your ears (imagine you are sliding your shoulder blades down your back into your back pants pockets)
  4. Grow taller, lifting out of the top of your head – imagine the ceiling is slowly sinking and you have to press it back up with the top of your head
  5. Lastly, gently draw your belly button in towards your spine

*Test yourself throughout the day to see how long you can maintain this posture!

Pilates for a Computer-Based Society

*Get more answers to your questions about posture and pain associated with prolonged computer use at Firehaus Pilates located in Denver’s Highland / LoHi neighborhood www.firehauspilates.com