The Peak Blog

April 2008 - Posts

• The Body Tells the Truth

  One of the most impressionable teachers I ever had was a dance teacher, Thomas Molinaro, who was not only a brilliant dancer but had an extremely keen eye. I was in my early twenties before my introduction to Pilates, and Thomas would incorporate Pilates mat work into our ballet and stretch classes. His disciplined approach to ballet training included the required back or pink attire only and classes were conducted with a high degree of formality. Class was held every weekday from 9 - 11:45 a.m. Each day was the same format with the same students, same music, and same work each day – and yet in some way, everyday something was different; our alertness, energy, strength, balance, emotional state, etc.  I’ll never forget how Thomas would slowly and closely walk by us all lined up, simply observing our individual qualities that day. He would occasionally quietly ask how someone how they were doing and politely we would always respond we were doing “fine.” I was very surprised the first time he poignantly said, and a lesson that remains with me today, that our bodies don’t lie, our mouths do. I found it fascinating how accurately Thomas could see how we really felt on the inside based on how we were expressing on the outside. Even when our mouths said everything was “fine,” it was clear as a bell to Thomas when our inside state and outward report were out of sync. Without judgment or a single word he would raise an eyebrow and in that instant we both knew the truth. But it didn’t stop there. He held out an olive branch to each of us, an invitation that very moment and each moment during class to change our minds choose a different reality. Once class was underway, each of us had a chance to start anew; not only to meet ourselves in the newly created moment, but to learn to trust our ability to use movement as a way to transform our mood or inner state. He always held the door open for possibility. In subtle ways he was teaching us powerful life lessons: we are responsible for our own reality, we alone create our reality, and we have a choice in the matter - and all of this for the price of class admission! Reflecting on the teacher-student relationship and the non-verbal messaging that transpires during a session I am reminded again that we can always re-choose our reality in the moment both as teachers and as students. Today when I teach I will have my olive branch ready.   - Clare Dunphy, Peak Pilates Master Trainer Posted Apr 28 2008, 10:00 AM by Clare with no comments Select Tags... SaveCancel Filed under: participation, teaching, Dance, Clare Dunphy, teacher mindfulness, balance, energy, strength, mat work [Edit Tags]

• Preparing for Discovery

  Sitting here enjoying this beautiful spring day in my garden, I’m soaking up all the positive energy – the birds, the breeze, the daffodils, the river, the sun – and feeling positively peaceful. That sense of ease, or well-being, is so healing it is wise to think about how we cultivate that in our studios with our clients. Many people come to Pilates seeking something. Some know exactly what they are looking for – they come to help their aching backs, to get stronger, to gain flexibility, to breathe movement into their lives. Others want to look better or are just curious to see what the buzz is all about. Regardless of why people start Pilates, it is a joy to share their journey of discovery. New students discover what they can do that they thought they could not. They discover new reserves of energy and reconnect with their bodies. One of the things I love most about the classical work is the quiet environment. By removing the frills of music and external noise, we help students to reach inward in order to rediscover themselves from the inside out. By tying one movement onto the next with the discipline of the order and the transition we bring them out of themselves and into a new tradition. By bringing the Peak Principles to light through teaching, we help them understand not only movement quality, but how to take Pilates out into the world to do anything better. Our Peak Pilates 5-Part Formula for Success lists “teacher mindfulness” among the elements. It is the cultivation of this ability to be totally present that helps to elevate Pilates from mere exercise to a mind-body-spirit experience for both teacher and student alike. Have you worked to bring this element to life in your own teaching? If so, your students are benefiting from your total focus and are able to more fully focus themselves. Your students are benefiting from a holistic approach that is transforming. If you want to improve your “teacher mindfulness,” here are some ideas to help: • Create a quiet time in the morning. Use this space to simply be. Resist the urge to ‘do’ – simply enjoy some quiet. You can meditate or simply enjoy a special time for you and allow thoughts to simply float by. • Consider your clients’ full experience: Mentally are they stimulate and learning about their bodies? About Pilates? Are they progressing physically? Spiritually? Do they the lesson leave feeling uplifted and better about themselves? Are you meeting them energetically? • You want to find the balance in your teaching of providing your students not just cues, but energy. If they are tired are you able to energize them a bit? When they come in overly stimulated and scattered can you bring them some calm? Teaching is like a dance; it takes at least two. • Is the studio environment conducive to a mindful experience? Is it clean and uncluttered, quiet? Is it a peaceful place that provides a bit of respite from the hectic pace of life? • Finally, if you have been teaching a while, respect your intuition. Learn to listen through other avenues than your ears to gain a sense of where to go and when. I frequently share with people that I feel so lucky. I appreciate that everyday I get to contribute in some way to others health and happiness! At my studio in Avon, the InnerSpace, we say “may the inward and outward be one.” When this happens we move towards health and harmony!  Wishing you a springtime filled with growth, - Zoey Trap, Peak Pilates Master Trainer Posted Apr 22 2008, 11:15 AM by Zoey with 1 comment(s) Filed under: participation, teaching, students, classes, growth, 5-Part Formula, spirituality, studio, movement, success, teacher mindfulness, spirit, body, mind, inspiration, balance, Peak Principles [Edit Tags]

• The Dangers of Fashion

  Is fashion dangerous? Well, with platform shoes once again in vogue one might think so! Certainly they can make legs look long and sexy however equally awkward they can make the walk look. Let’s consider other fashion trends and possible hidden or unknown dangers there. What about body piercing? It seems these days I see body piercing elegantly implanted on everyone from young teenagers to middle-aged individuals. For example teeny, tiny elegant diamonds nestled in the nose to more elaborate schemes boarding on outrageous but supposedly cool. But are they an innocuously cool thing? After you hear the story I’m about to tell, you might be more cautious with your cool.   A student taking the Living Anatomy Series class in Boulder would take private lessons with me a day or two before each course. She had challenges in thoracic articulation and the upper thoracic curl with corresponding tight erector spinae and protruding ribs. A fairly common duo, however, this student was very strong and fluid in her movements. Like most accomplished students, she was both aware of and a little frustrated with her situation. During one of the LAS courses Lori Hayne, PT spoke about the dangers of body piercing, their disturbance to the meridians and the consequences. It was fascinating. Originally when Lori and I spoke about what to deliver in this particular course, she wasn’t sure if her research on body piercing would be important. But because so many of us (teachers) work with a variety of clients – many of whom have body piercings, I thought it pertinent.  During the course Lori asked if anyone had body piercing and a student raised her hand affirming she did. She had a navel ring. Lori worked with this student through several movement patterns with the navel ring in and with it out.  Resulting patterns without the ring was markedly different and the student was brought to tears. She felt energetically different and her movements were greatly altered. We could all see it too; it was quite an instantaneous and obvious change. The ring had been in for 18 years! Lori spoke about other problems navel ring wearers’ exhibit and privately this student confirmed that she too had many of them. She never in her wildest dreams contributed it to her navel ring.  Since that time I have worked with this student once again and the lesson was quite different than previous ones. She was working to her ability and potential fully. A week ago I had the opportunity to see this student at a conference. I couldn’t help but notice the difference in the shape of her body from just six weeks prior. She’s not a big person, but rather lean. I used her as a demonstrator for advanced exercises and it felt like I was working with a completely different person both physically and energetically. She confided afterwards that everything has changed for her and that her body is continuing to process, that taking out the navel ring was life-altering. If I hadn’t been a witness to this transformation I’m not sure I would have believed it could be so great. Lori Hayne reportedly works with athletes and sees improved performance, such as was experienced from this student, from taking out body piercings including those found up the outside of the ear, on the tip of the tongue, nipples and other areas.   If you or a client is having specific challenges and you have body piercing, consider taking them out and getting some real body work done. You might be surprised and pleased at the results. Yet fashion does call, so keep your earrings on, at least the ones on the lowest part of the earlobe. It appears that is an innocuous spot so fashion can prevail there…thank goodness! - Colleen Glenn, Peak Pilates Master Trainer Posted Apr 09 2008, 03:33 PM by Colleen with no comments Filed under: Pilates, participation, Colleen Glenn, fashion, Living Anatomy Series [Edit Tags]