Pilates Isn't a New Years Resolution, it's a way of life →

New Years is here; this is the time when we all reflect on the year that has passed and make a resolution for the future year to become our best selves, many times we get overzealous, looking for the quick fix, whether it is a fad diet or fitness routine, the only problem is we don’t end up sticking with the good intentions we had for the new year.
 
Pilates is not a resolution; it’s not a quick fix; we will not make promises of you losing “x” amount of weight in a month. We promise that if you give Pilates a try and make a commitment (your commitment and results will depend on what you have to offer once, twice, or three times a week can all give you results, but those results will take time and dedication), I like to call Pilates the long game.

Read more

Why Movement Is Key In Stressful Seasons

As we all collectively as a world face these unprecedented times, self care has become essential. Whether it be allowing yourself that extra hour in bed, making your own colorful food, drinking more water or just moving your body… self care should be top of mind for everyone. It’s true that everyone's experience will be different, however one truth that never seems to fail is that movement heals. Boy, we could all use some healing right now couldn’t we?

The birth of Pilates began on a mat, it was most accessible and to this day is one of the most popular forms of Pilates you can find. The apparatus, also known as machines were developed later to help aid in the mat movements by making the movements more supportive or by challenging them. Although here at Dover Pilates we LOVE the apparatus and the way it helps/challenges our clients, we also have a deep appreciation for the mat work.

This is why every small group class starts with fundamental mat movements. It helps awaken the body and begin that beautiful mind/body connection. The coordination of breath and movement is crucial to help relax the nervous system and train those muscles appropriately. A well trained body helps ease the mind.

In lieu of the current events we will continue to offer FREE facebook live workouts. Each workout will be different, taught by the owners Nadine and Jennifer every week. We understand this is a stressful time for everyone, regardless if you are able to be working or not. If you would like to help your local studio, we encourage you to purchase a package (is good for 1 year) or a gift certificate for later use.

Stay healthy,

Cheers!

-Jennifer


We All Start Somewhere, So Just Start!

When it comes to starting a new habit, the hardest thing is well the most obvious thing, isn't it… starting! Whether your new habit is physical fitness, nutrition, or wellness related, the first hurdle always seems the most daunting. So let's make it less scary, shall we?


Pilates can seem intimidating at first, medieval-looking machines, authoritative instructors, and contortion like movements? Yikes! However, when we break it down into bite-sized pieces, it is an alignment-based workout system that focuses on controlling your body movements. Now that's not so bad, is it?


Whatever self-doubts you are wrestling with, being a beginner, overweight, too stiff, too weak. Take a deep breath, shoot us an email, and start. Here at Dover Pilates, we meet you where you're at and help customize your sessions to reach your goals. We've got you, now let's begin.

Cheers!

-Jennifer


How Often Should I do Pilates?

When starting any exercise routine we always want to know how often should I be doing this to feel the benefits. Pilates like many other exercise routines, the more you do it the more you will reap the benefits of it.  I could tell you that you should go to the Pilates studio every day, but is that realistic? For most people it isn’t we all have personal lives, other types of exercise we may want to do or sports to play, so it may not fit into your life as something you go to everyday to do.

Read more

Private Sessions or Small Group Classes, Which is Right For Me?

Private instruction versus group reformer classes, which one should I start with?

Private sessions are a great option for someone who is new to Pilates, recovering from an injury or working towards specific goals. Private sessions allow for our certified Pilates trainers to work one on one with you, these 50 minute sessions are focused entirely on you. If you are brand new to Pilates, these private sessions will help get you comfortable with the apparatus as well as basic Pilates movements and method. If you are injured or coming back from an injury, these one on one sessions are great for determining what building blocks you may need in classes and for working on recovery of movement. If you are working towards specific goals, these one on one sessions will be able to support and tailor movements to help you reach your ideal.

Read more

My Ride or Die

We all have that handful of exercises that either always has our back, or has transformed our bodies. I like to refer to these as my “ride or die” exercises, the ones I practice regularly, and honestly could not live without. Now before we get into these exercises, let’s just note that I still practice all of the Pilates exercises and sequences. Often times the exercises we dislike most, or the ones we need the most; however, this is another topic for another day. Without further adieu, here are my top, could not live without, must do regularly exercises.

Read more

Why I practice Pilates everyday...and you should too!

You read the title right, I practice Pilates every single day. As an instructor, we tend to be pretty over the moon with Pilates, and why shouldn’t we? We get to see first hand what this intelligent movement system does for the injured, the athlete and the novice. From strengthening our breathing, being able to reach our toes and getting back our height, Pilates is pretty powerful.


Now when I say I practice Pilates everyday, I don’t mean hour long sessions; granted some days are full sessions, others might just as well be 5 minutes long. These daily sessions over time, help build up your stamina, reinforce the movements from your studio sessions, and help you in general feel better.


Doing just 5 minutes of Pilates everyday doesn’t sound so bad now, doesn't it? Break out your mat or towel, and get started today with the hundred. Make sure to keep your arms pumping vigorously above your stomach, about a ruler length distance. You can keep your head on the mat, have it lifted, legs bent, or out long, just make sure to breathe and pump!

To find out what my ride or die Pilates exercises are… stay tuned for our next blog!

Cheers

-Jennifer


Source: http://www.doverpilates.com/blog

Why every runner should be doing Pilates →

We all know that Pilates strengthens your core, but did you know that its other benefits could improve your run? Pilates offers more than meets the eye, from better posture to more supple muscles, it is a full body conditioning system.

 Posture is crucial for runners, good posture can lead you to increase your distance as well as alleviate back pain post running. One of our favorite posture series is rowing; each exercise builds on the other to provide strength in our postural muscles. In turn, this makes good posture effortless, even when performing exercises that require maximum effort.

Read more