Because I love yoga, and Pilates, but am by no means a guru of either practice, I felt compelled to pass along some helpful resources so that you can learn more. Yoga is one of those activities that evolves as you evolve. The yoga you do today will not be the same yoga you do a year from now, and your body won’t likely be the same body either (note: this is a good thing – Yoga evens ‘things’ out, balances muscles, massages the joints, just all-around good stuff ;0). I’ve learned through my own yoga/Pilates journey that there is always something new to learn.  That said, here are some fabulous resources you can tap for “current” information.

Enjoy!

MAGAZINES

Yoga Journal

Learn the poses and live the lifestyle, online or subscribe to the print version.

www.yogajournal.com

Pilates Style

So far, the only magazine dedicated to the practice of Pilates: workouts, tips, nutrition and products. www.pilatesstyle.com

Whole Living – Your connection to body & soul

A Martha Stewart publication that focuses on green living, organic food and mind-body fitness. www.wholeliving.com

WEBSITES

Inner Idea
Explore all facets of mind-body practices: physical movement, nutrition, mediation, stress management and spiritual renewal. The Inner IDEA website is a great place to find mind-body research, books, DVDs and fitness conferences listings.

Pilates Insight
An all-encompassing online resource for Pilates information, products, and training.

Pilates Digest
Want to further your knowledge of Pilates and expand your repertoire of exercises? On this user-friendly site you can easily find product reviews, training articles, video exercises. You can even purchase mind-body apparel and gear

Pilates Method Alliance
An international, non-profit organization that establishes certification and continuing education standards for Pilates professionals. Use this valuable resource to locate a qualified instructor, or to learn how you can become one yourself.

The Pilates Method
The Physicalmind Institute has been developing teacher-training programs and continuing education resources for instructors since 1991. You can also locate PMI-certified instructors near you using their search tools.

Stott Pilates
Stott Pilates rovides cutting-edge Pilates education, equipment, DVDs, and articles. This site is a reliable resource for both instructors and students.

Yoga Alliance
Individual yoga teachers and training programs that comply with the minimum educational standards established by Yoga Alliance can register with this prestigious organization. Use their registry to locate YA instructors and training programs near you.

Yoga Download
“Take Yoga Anywhere!” is their motto. Use this site to download yoga and Pilates videos right to your computer and work out whenever and wherever it is convenient for you.

Yoga Movement
Find out about yoga events, improve your personal practice, or find a yoga studio when you’re on the road – they list studios in every state and over sixty countries.

Yoga Research and Education Foundation
The Yoga Research and Education Foundation is a non-profit organization whose primary objective it so conduct and promote research on anything related to Yoga.

Yoga Skills
Stress management products and expertise for yoga students and teachers.

You have probably heard about Pilates, or possibly know someone who talks of “reformers, chairs, straps, pulleys” (and other contraptions), and silently wonder, “what the heck is Pilates anyway?”

The Pilates Method (or simply Pilates) was developed in Germany in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. The core-strengthening and posture-improving benefits of regular practice have helped the Pilates Method develop a loyal following of faithful participants in recent years. The aesthetic benefits of regular practice can be seen on the physiques of famous devotees, such as Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. As of 2005, there were 11 million people who practiced Pilates regularly and more than 14,000 instructors in the United States.

Like many fitness disciplines, certification is not required to teach (although, any reputable gym or studio will only hire certified teachers). If you can fog a mirror, you can label yourself a “Pilates instructor.” For your safety, and also to maximize your learning experience, it is important to know the differences between a reputable instructor and a kook before you make a long-term commitment to this popular mind-body discipline.

Before you sign up for just any ole Pilates class, follow these tips:

• Check the instructor’s credentials. Most websites post each instructor’s bio, so you can easily look up their teaching credentials and experience.
• Look for PMA-certified instructors. The Pilates Method Alliance is a not-for-profit organization devoted to upholding the highest standards in the Pilates method. PMA initiated the very first, industry-wide certification exam in the United States. Their performance parameters guide the practice of all PMA-certified instructors.
• A good instructor will have experience using all pieces of exercise apparatus used to teach Pilates.
• Top instructors typically have a minimum of 300 hours in a PMA-approved program, sound knowledge of anatomy, injury prevention, and sound teaching techniques.

…before you take the class.

The Pilates Method (or simply Pilates) was developed in Germany in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. The core-strengthening and posture-improving benefits of regular practice have helped the Pilates Method develop a following of faithful participants in recent years. The aesthetic benefits of regular practice can be seen on the physiques of famous devotees, such as Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. As of 2005, there were 11 million people who practiced Pilates regularly and more than 14,000 instructors in the United States.

Like many fitness disciplines, certification is not required to teach (although, any reputable gym or studio will only hire certified teachers). If you can fog a mirror, you can label yourself a “Pilates instructor.” For your safety, and also to maximize your learning experience, it is important to know the differences between a reputable instructor and a kook before you make a long-term commitment to this popular mind-body discipline.

The 411 on choosing a great guru:

1. Check the instructor’s credentials. Most websites post each instructor’s bio, so you can easily look up their teaching credentials and experience.
2. Look for PMA-certified instructors. The Pilates Method Alliance is a not-for-profit organization devoted to upholding the highest standards in the Pilates method. PMA initiated the very first, industry-wide certification exam in the United States. Their performance parameters guide the practice of all PMA-certified instructors.
3. A good instructor will have experience using all pieces of exercise apparatus used to teach Pilates.
4. Top instructors typically have a minimum of 300 hours in a PMA-approved program, sound knowledge of anatomy, injury prevention, and sound teaching techniques.

Finally, instructors should correct students’ form when necessary, properly demonstrate new exercises before asking students to try them, and offer modifications when needed for participants who have limitations.

We stump, stoop, slouch…so much so that the quality of our everyday lives can be directly affected from these posture problems.  I thought of this while sitting at the computer working, and had to stretch to relieve that nagging tightness between my shoulder blades. At the same time, I noticed a whole slew of other bad habits I was committing, and quickly set about practicing what I preach.

Why good posture is important:

Practicing good posture can improve your breathing, decrease your risk of injury, help you move more easily through the tasks of daily living, and also improve your sports performance.

Some signs you might need to improve your posture?

-      Do you have one hip higher than another?

-      Do you have one shoulder higher than another?

-      Does one side of your body rotate slightly more to one side?

-       Does your pelvis tip forward, back, or to one side when you stand?

-       Does your head juts forward beyond neutral alignment?

-       Do your chest and shoulders roll inward, as if your slouching, even when you’re trying not to?

-       Are the arches of feet are collapsed?

9  Pointers for Improving Posture

1. Check your posture throughout the day, and note some of your back habits.
2. If you spend a lot of time hunched over your computer keyboard, take time to stretch your chest muscles, lower your shoulders, stretch your neck, and roll  your shoulders down and back into proper position.
3. If you have a habit of crossing your arms in front of you, try clasping them behind you.
4. If your pelvis tips forward, try engaging your glutes. Standing in line at the grocery or a check out line is a good time to practice this, or even while driving in your car.
5. Take time every day to stretch muscles that tend to be tighter for most people: chest, hip flexors, hamstrings: too much tightness in these areas can cause posture problems
6. If you always sit or stand in the same position, vary your position from time to time.
7. Shoulders have a tendency to creep up toward our ears…try to keep them rolled back, and down, as if your placing your shoulder blades into the back pockets of your pants.
8. Consider yoga or Pilates – both help realign the body and strengthen the muscles that improve posture.
9. If you continue to have problems, see a physical therapist, chiropractor, or orthopedic specialist.

Why yes, you certainly can. The potential for injury in mind-body classes is lower than with high impact or contact sports, but that doesn’t mean you can’t injure yourself. While the potential for serious injury is low, it isn’t impossible, and the types of injuries that do occur can be quite debilitating.

Common injuries caused by mind-body activities:

• Osteoarthritis
• Carpel tunnel syndrome and wrist strain
• Muscle strain. Common strains include the hamstring, hip flexors, neck and lower back
• Tendonitis
• Herniated disks
• Repetitive stress on the joints can inflame the bursae (a sac that acts as a cushion for joints).

To get the most out of your mind-body practice and remain injury-free, follow these tips:
1.    Always warm up. Warm muscles and joints will cooperate more than cold ones, especially when performing deeper poses.
2.    Follow a logical progression of movements by performing less strenuous poses for each body part before continuing into deeper poses.
3.    Ask the instructor to check your alignment to relieve unnecessary tension in the muscles that aren’t doing the work.
4.    Avoid hyperextension. Keep a slight bend in the knee during standing poses and try to keep your weight distributed evenly over the “four corners” of your feet.
5.    Be mindful of each move you do, listening to and watching for subtle cues from your body that might indicate you are pushing too hard.
6.    Use props, such as yoga blocks, bolsters, straps and balls to correct alignment and take undue stress off joints.
7.    Keep in mind that every body is unique. If the student next to you can easily maneuver into difficult poses while you struggle to touch your toes, don’t push yourself to match her pose-for-pose.
8.    Listen carefully to the instructor’s cues. Sometimes the smallest details regarding proper positioning can mean the difference between getting the maximum benefit from a pose and a serious injury.

Best practice: If a pose doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.