The best gift is the actual gift of Pilates…a Gift Certificate or package of sessions. Find your local Pilates Studio and give what everyone would enjoy and definitely benefit from!

At Home DVDs a great way to get someone started with Pilates!

Pilates iPhone Case $25.00. This is a trendy, fun cover for your iPhone!

Pilates Warrior Coffee Mug $15.00. A unique Pilates mug for those coffee junkies!

Personalized Water Bottle for Ladies $16.95. A fun and personal way to carry your water wherever you go!

Strong & Healthy Back DVD 2 Pack $14.96. Most all of us could use this!

Joe’s Toe Gizmo® $80. Now here is a unique and different gift for those that need help with bunions, it corrects toe misalignments, strengthens feet, and improves balance and gait. Check it out!

Pilates Pro at Home DVD Series $19.95 each. Master trainer Elizabeth Larkam’s expertise guides viewers with calm, detailed and carefully paced instruction for the intermediate to advanced, and all are suitable for healthy individuals with previous Pilates experience not required.

We wish you and yours a safe and healthy holiday! Please send us any ideas you have for fun, healthy fitness gifts this year!

By isolating different muscle groups, Pilates exercises develop strength in the body’s “core” muscles in the abdomen and back, and increase overall flexibility and coordination. Pilates exercises can be done with no equipment but a mat, moving just the body in a series of movements with focused attention on breathing and muscle control. Pilates exercises also emphasize concentration and breathing, making it very relaxing, with benefits similar to other low-impact exercises like yoga.

The National Cancer Institute explains that exercise in general has been shown to be beneficial to cancer patients undergoing treatment and in recovery. However, many forms of exercise may be too high-impact for those suffering from fatigue and muscle weakness as a side effect. Pilates is a viable option for cancer patients because it is low-impact and features exercises that can be easily modified to suit a patient’s needs and abilities.

Pilates can be a powerful aid to cancer patients during any stage of treatment. Pilates expert Mari Winsor, interviewed for Gaiam.com, explains that patients currently undergoing chemotherapy may experience an energy boost from Pilates. Winsor also explains that Pilates can help patients feel stronger, have better circulation, and at the very least can help relieve the stress of treatment and recovery.

The Stanford Cancer Center offers a Pilates class as part of their Cancer Supportive Care Program because of their understanding that Pilates can be highly beneficial for the healing process. Their class covers modifications to Pilates exercises designed for cancer patients or survivors. Similar classes are available at other cancer treatment centers, gyms, and specialized studios throughout the country.

For patients with mesothelioma or other cancers, Pilates offers the benefits of stress reduction as well as gentle strengthening and flexibility training. Engaging in Pilates following a mesothelioma prognosis or similar cancer diagnosis can help create an increased quality of life and promote faster recovery for current patients and survivors.

Pilates Instructors across the country are taking Pilates to the water in their nearest ocean, lake, or river on Stand Up Paddleboards. These boards (also called SUPs) are the latest fitness sensation and fastest growing water-sport across the globe. SUPs appear to be large surfboards, and are propelled by a standing paddler who uses an extra-long canoe paddle. Stand Up Paddling originated in Hawaii, which mixes the traditional Polynesian outrigger canoe paddling with surfing. The result of this wonderful combination is a new sport that is easy for anyone to do. Fitness professionals have flocked to Stand Up Paddling not only because it’s fun and the cardiovascular benefits of the workout are superb, but also for the core-based balance challenge that the board provides to their clients.

As the board is floating on water, the paddler must constantly recruit deep stabilizing muscles of the pelvis and spine just to stand on the board and paddle it. Taking it further, adding core-based exercises to the board will enhance the recruitment of such muscles. Hence, adding Pilates exercises to the board will enhance the challenge and benefits of Pilates. For example, when performing what seems to be a simple exercise like Leg Circles, the participant is reminded to stabilize their pelvis, and ensure that their weight is not shifting from hip to hip. On the paddleboard, the board will not only provide feedback about the unstable pelvis by rocking, it will also provide more of a challenge because the wobbly hips and uncontrolled leg movements will cause the board to flip over. The same proves true with performing exercises that address spinal stability and abdominal strength. Not only will the participant be working the abdominals in flexion, they will be firing more stabilizers to maintain the stability on the unstable board, thus making the exercise more challenging. More complicated exercises, like Kneeling Side Leg Series, for example, are particularly challenging because of the requirement of scapular AND pelvic stability necessary to perform this series properly. All-in-all, Pilates routines on the Stand Up Paddleboard are very effective, very challenging, and very fun!

Now to the next step: How does one offer these classes? First of all, you will need to contact a local outdoor shop or a retailer that rents Stand Up Paddleboards. Work with them and set a pricing structure that is reasonable both for your benefit and for your participants to pay. Most retailers/renters also provide a location (or means to get the boards to a location), paddles, and possibly guide to help on the water. Finding a location may be challenging, but safety is the most important things to consider. Safety issues in the water include safe access to the water, tides/currents, wide/stable and durable boards, signed liability waivers, and a sufficient emergency plan. Practicing your routine prior to the class is also important. You may find that some of the exercises may need to be modified to provide a more effective flow or appropriate challenge for the level of your participants.

Are you looking for more information on SUPilates classes? Karen Mirlenbrink of Dunedin Pilates Studio and the crew at SUP Paddleboard bring SUP Pilates classes to the waters of the Tampa Bay area weekly. In addition, Karen has created a SUPilates Instructor Workshop, hitting the waters in the Spring of 2011. Feel free to contact Karen at karen@dunedinpilates.com or visit her website at www.dunedinpilates.com for more information!

The best gift is the actual gift of Pilates…a Gift Certificate or package of sessions. Find your local Pilates Studio and give what everyone would enjoy and definitely benefit from!

Water Bottles from Gaiam $3.99 and up Gaiam carries a wide selection of stainless steel and aluminum water bottles to help you hydrate responsibly. Each aluminum or steel water bottle can keep thousands of plastic water bottles out of landfills over the course of its lifetime.

STOTT PILATES® Pilates for Athletic Conditioning Kit $36.99 Excellent for cross-training and injury prevention, this kit has everything needed to challenge strength and boost stamina. Includes: one pair of 2lb Toning Balls, one Extra-Strength Flex-Band® Exerciser and three DVDs.

STOTT PILATES® Power Pilates Three-DVD Set $29.99 These fast-paced, full body workouts are sure to elevate the heart rate, and challenge strength and endurance. Includes three DVDs: The Secret to Flat Abs, Core Challenge and Power Paced Pilates.

Sports Top Black Tankini from Breeze Comfort $39.99 A versatile style that you can wear inside and outside of the gym! It is designed for low to medium impact sporting activities. This stylish sports top has ultimate breathability that will keep you cool and well-ventilated during your workout.

Wine Glass Charms with Pilates Poses $35-45.00 Choose your Pilates pose for your set of 4 or 6 wine glass charms.

Organic Supima Wrap from We Pilates on sale for $20.00 Description: 100% Organic Supima® Wrap – Made in the USA finally the wrap we have all been waiting for is here! If you love our shirts you will love our wraps. You can wear them more than 5 different ways- side slit to wear ballet style… Black, white majolica blue and Stucco

BowWow! Notecards $17.95 These “Awesome Aussies” demonstrate perfect Pilates form on these whimsical note cards. (These dogs actually posed on miniature Pilates equipment built by Balanced Body’s production team!) Oversized folding note cards (5-3/8″ x 7-7/8″) are blank on the inside. Set of 15 cards with envelopes.

Pilates (Lite) iPhone and iPad App Free! This is Vook’s Lite version of Alycea Ungaro’s 15-Minute Everyday Pilates series gives you all the tools you need to squeeze regular exercise into your life. In the Everyday Pilates: Day by Day Vook, Ungaro shows you how to get a toned, strong body, and graceful posture in just 15-minutes a day. This fantastic new format offers easy, step-by-step instruction, full color images and 11 videos to take you through this classic Pilates routine. Strengthen, stretch, and build your way to a more toned, more healthy you

Now it is your turn to let us know what great gifts you have found this year! Enjoy giving the gift of Pilates and good health! We wish you all a peaceful, joyful and healthy holiday!

What is Bootcamp Pilates?

The word Bootcamp gives the impression of military style fitness training with a drill sergeant type instructor barking orders while participants sweat out 1 or 2 more repetitions before collapsing on the floor. Bootcamp Pilates is similar. However, instead of wearing big black boots and running through tires, you are barefoot performing a range of Pilates and fitness exercises.

Bootcamp Pilates is typically performed in a group setting on the reformer. The exercises include traditional reformer exercises as well as popular fitness moves such as lunges, squats, dips and push ups. The reformer revitalizes such fitness-based exercises as it demands an extra dimension of balance and core control.

Bootcamp Pilates is far removed from the classical method taught by Joseph Pilates. It opposes one of his key principles which advises against pushing the body to exhaustion. Instead, Bootcamp Pilates incorporates the weight training principle of muscle failure which helps boost muscle tone and development. Bootcamp Pilates follows some Pilates principles such as spinal and joint alignment, core activation (centering) and deep concentration. Nevertheless, this interesting modification should be considered a fitness-based exercise method rather than a mind-body exercise system.

Despite its difference from traditional Pilates, this system of exercise is gaining huge popularity, mostly due to the impressive results that participants are seeing within a very short period of time. Furthermore, many benefits associated with traditional Pilates such as improved posture, alignment correction, body awareness and reduced back and joint pain are also generated through the Bootcamp Pilates method. One significant benefit which amplifies the popularity of Bootcamp Pilates is effective weight and fat loss. Thanks to the intensity of the class, one can burn up to 700 calories per hour, regardless of fitness level.

The Pros of offering Bootcamp Pilates at your Studio

Bootcamp Pilates is hugely popular and many people who typically would not find traditional Pilates interesting are giving this new dynamic upbeat version a go. Traditional Pilates can be quite a hard sell at times. Not everyone may appreciate its subtle controlled elements, slow movement and the long term benefits it brings. Offering Bootcamp Pilates may bring a whole host of new clients through your door who eventually, may convert into traditional Pilates enthusiasts. In addition, many people are looking for a weight loss solution and while traditional Pilates assists in weight loss, the results can be slow. Bootcamp Pilates gives your center the opportunity to assist your clients in their weight loss goals while still introducing them to Pilates.
Offering Bootcamp Pilates also opens up an interesting marketing opportunity in garnering press coverage. The press is consistently interested in new fitness concepts and with the right approach, you may be able to receive new referrals from magazines and newspapers articles.

The Cons of offering Bootcamp Pilates

Bootcamp Pilates may not fit in with many studios’ ‘Mind-Body’ design. Most Pilates studios are very tranquil, quiet spaces with calming design features to help clients focus on the mind body connection. Bootcamp Pilates is hot, sweaty and loud, typically performed to pumping house music and therefore may not complement the existing set up of many studios. Due to the heat and moisture generated during a class, a ventilation and air-cooling system are desirable to maintain comfort. The Pilates reformers also take a greater amount of wear compared to traditional Pilates and extra maintenance costs need to be factored in. Other Pilates professionals and studios in the area may not agree with this type of class being offered and a previously amicable relationship with fellow competitors may turn sour.

Are you with it or against it?

Most Pilates professionals with an absolute passion for the work of Joseph Pilates may find their skin crawling at the very term ‘Bootcamp Pilates’. Many may believe it opposes all of Joseph Pilates’ teachings and see this method as a way of cashing in on the Pilates name. For those studios already offering other styles of fitness classes within their Pilates programming, Bootcamp Pilates may be an appealing opportunity. As long as this class is sold accurately as a fitness and resistance-training class that includes Pilates elements, rather than advertised as a genuine Pilates class, and as long as it does not impact negatively on your existing client base, Bootcamp Pilates may be a great addition to your Pilates program.

I arrived 4 days early prior to my “lessons” starting as a way to scope out the scene. That’s when I took a day trip to the nearby beach of Playa Hermosa just 5K away. I had heard about its beauty and uniqueness. I had no idea where to tell the cab driver to drop me off—so he picked a spot on the beach right near a smoothie bar that looked more like a Balinese hippie shack. Perfect! I took in a delicious “Energizer” smoothie full of ginger, orange, limes, carrot juice and apples.

As I lay on the beach, not having a clue of where I was, it felt surreal. There was something magical about this place. The waves looked intense and a little intimidating I must say and the black volcanic sand was super hot. There weren’t many people around, just a lot of beauty. Taking in the geography of the place, I noticed that there is beach on one side of the only road that goes through town populated with little beach cabin hotels and restaurants (no taller than 3 stories) and tropical rainforest met with a tall mountain on the other side of the road. When the intense sun got to be too much, I searched for some “shelter” and of course another smoothie. I found an internet cafe at the top of one of the tallest buildings in the 350 person population town, and decided to check out the view and cool off a bit. It was there that I spent another 3 hours, just mesmerized by the beauty of the beach, the power of the crashing waves and the tranquil vibe that can send anyone into an immediate “Pura Vida” attitude. It was here that I knew I found something special…

Well you know how the rest goes, once you stick around long enough, skip your return flight home and decide to make the big move and sell all your belongings from abroad on Craigslist (Yes, I will miss my beloved high ladder barrel, but I think I made some people really happy in Minnesota), the stars have to align just right and provide you with something that makes it all worthwhile.

I found that opportunity at Las Olas Hotel in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica. They were not using the 2nd floor deck of their restaurant which overlooked the beach. It’s an open air rancho that receives terrific breeze and shade built out of the most beautiful wood in the world, Almond. The deck is large enough to host an 8 person class with room for the Cadillac I had hand built here. We host 3 classes everyday, offer chair massage and are really striving to educate the local and visiting surfers on how to better warm up their bodies and develop in-home Pilates routines for their own self study.

As soon as I approached the owners about the opportunity to rent their space, they had a group of 3 visiting Wave Hunter girls from California ready to take classes that next day. I had a deck, the beautiful environment, but no mats, no props- nothing. I ran all over the nearby towns in search of some mats and ended up finding bath mats! Yes, we did our first week of classes on small clips of “magic carpet”. We’ve since then imported (via two or more visiting trips back to the US through checked luggage) foam rollers, exercise balls, nice thick workout mats, springs, my Pilates Stick and a massage chair. We’re all suited up and professional now.

The target market, as I mentioned are surfers from all over the world. Their bodies are almost the exact opposite of a typical client accustomed to a desk, driving a car and many other positions that put your body in a slouched forward flexion. So it’s been interesting and positively challenging to create routines for these bodies used to so much extension in their lumbar and cervical spines.

Surfers, and especially our local population, often times think they can receive all the training they need from just being in the water. Because their lifestyle totally depends on the timing of the tides, to even begin to accommodate their schedules and convince them that they need additional training to be stronger in the water is a challenge. Our marketing and promotion in this case really needs to be focused on the tourists. The studio offers 3 ($80) and 5 ($130) day packages consisting of a combination of classes, massage and private training. But the question becomes how do you teach to a new body and give them an energizing workout in just one session?

We have found that quickly being able to assess the client’s coordination skills and what their body may need based on their previous activity can determine how to run the session. With each session, I want my clients to feel like they’ve been able to move their spine in all planes of motion, like they’ve been able to “turn off” their larger muscles and be challenged by smaller more deeply seeded movements and experience the spirit of the work by achieving a rhythm. We always start with asking how their bodies are feeling that day. We give the client an explanation of what Pilates means to us and what we want to accomplish in the session and then go into a few fundamentals from there. If they can take one or two things away from each session as a learning tool to better improve their quality of life (i.e. how they breathe, how they move their neck) then I know I’ve completed my responsibilities as an educator.

A private and a class are almost the same thing when you have spur of the moment scheduling, so we charge the tourists $15 per class or $30 per week/unlimited to encourage repeat business. The locals pay $50/month unlimited and their package also includes a postural assessment. This allows us to have one on one time with them to speak to their bodies strengths and weaknesses before entering a group class. If a local wants to try a class, the second one is free, the first and a la carte from there is $8 each. These prices, as you are probably thinking, are below market price, but with the achievement of getting them up on the deck to experience the work, we are able to cross sell our massages easily and those are $1/minute, much like a typical Pilates market price.

Word of mouth is and continues to be the greatest marketing asset. I try to walk around and visit with the hotel and restaurant owners and set up a time for them to individually experience our services. Another referral partner is our local surf camps. Often times, they are looking to add an extra activity onto their client’s camp schedule and also partner up with services that would complement their surfing.

I try to keep the studio bustling as often during the day as possible, offering surfers who are hanging out near the studio to try this or that stretch or allow them some time to play with the “toys” . . . foam roll those IT bands!!! This makes it attractive and less intimidating for those wanting to express their curiosity.

Many have been exposed to the idea that Yoga is the complementary workout to surfing, but Pilates also does a fantastic job of dynamically preparing the motor neuron connection and coordination for the speed in which they have to react when in the water. Many of our Pro surfing clients prefer to do the Pilates workout prior to surfing session.

If you are considering the idea of starting your own studio or program inside an existing space, I’d love to hear from you. I’ve done it several times in many different scenarios. The opportunities are abundant; all you have to do is access the will and desire to begin to launch your “dream.” I’m so glad I took the risk and I go home so satisfied knowing that every day’s small accomplishments are a big step in the direction for living my life in the way I want. With a small business, you have more of the control, less management obstacles and the ability to keep things simple. I stick to what I know and I sure have found that it’s lead me to amazing places and spaces. You can do the same!

I’m hosting a How to Start up Your Own Pilates Program Workshop in Playa Hermosa at the studio to train other instructors on how to strategize for their own implementations March 5th-10th 2010. Email me at bodyworkswell@yahoo.com if you are interested and I’d be happy to send you details about the all inclusive packages, starting at just $70/day. If March 5-10th doesn’t work for you, then we will arrange a few days that better suit your schedule. Pura Vida!

Toe Sox has fun Holiday Yoga/Pilates Sox with Grips that come in Red and White stripes. These would bring holiday cheer to your Studio! $15

STOTT PILATES® DVD Two-Packs Exclusive to STOTT PILATES, these DVD Two-Packs make the perfect gift for any Pilates enthusiast – whether beginner, advanced or somewhere in between. Titles include Pilates for Golf, Walking for Your Heart, Strong & Healthy Back, Pilates-Infused™ Yoga, Prenatal Pilates and Pilates on the Stability Ball™. $19.99

STOTT PILATES® Pilates & Yoga Graphic Mats Perfect for Pilates, Yoga and other Matwork exercises, these durable Pilates mats are 4mm thick and come with a carry strap. These have a unique and inspiring design featuring a helpful alignment line to ensure the spine is perfectly positioned on the Mat. The designs include – Inspiration, Breathe, Refresh, Balance, Regenerate and Recharge. $14.95

STOTT PILATES® Aluminum Water Bottles These 750mL aluminum water bottles match the graphic mats and are lined to prevent taste transfer and feature a flip-top for easy access. Great gift for your clients! $12.95

Holiday Cards from we pilates that say “Hundreds of Thanks”. These are super cute! $17

The Tory Scarf from we pilates This scarf is great for going to Pilates or out on the town. It is one size and super long. A great gift for the season! Majolica Blue, American Beauty (red) Stucco (perfect neutral) and Black. $24

BASI Pilates ™ now offers a Unique Online Tool for Instructors and Studios that has over 300 interactive Pilates exercises called Pilates Interactive Pro or Pilates Interactive Studio. $9.99-$19.99/month or $99-$199/year

Joseph Pilates Posters from Balanced Body that have photos of Joseph Pilates on the Cadillac, Barrel and in his Studio. $39.95 – $44.95

Peak Pilates® now has an exclusive partnership with Pilatesstick® for worldwide distribution. For a larger gift, the Pilatesstick Basic Kit Package is a professional grade portable body sculpting system that allows you to do much of the work usually reserved for the tower, and is ideal for studio or home use. Be sure to check out Peak Pilates website for Holiday Deals from December 7-11. $149.99

One of the best gifts you can give someone special in your life is a Gift Certificate to a local Studio to experience Pilates. Everyone needs a little bit of Pilates in their life!

These are just a few of the ideas we found. Please send us your comments for more Pilates gifts for this holiday season!

Kahn has seen the evolution of the fitness industry from the inside. As a Master Trainer for Reebok University, June saw the changes occur from floor aerobics to Step aerobics (with hand weights no less—anyone remember Heavy Hands?), to Spinning, to Kickboxing to Functional training and then the shift to Core training. Quite a metamorphosis the industry has undergone! It wasn’t until Functional and Core training came into focus that there was much recognition for Pilates and Yoga.

Specifically, June points to work done by Deborah Ellison, a physiotherapist who was also a Master Trainer for Reebok University. As part of Reebok University, master trainers were charged with development of new programming. Ellison developed a system called Reebok Flexible Strength which was based in the fundamentals of yoga and Pilates. This system was received well by trainers and instructors but club owners were reluctant to add this type of training to their schedules. However the Reebok University master trainers continued to utilize the program without saying that the roots of it were Yoga and Pilates.

June was already presenting for SCW Fitness when she was contacted by Sara Kooperman, founder and president, who asked June to develop a certification program in Pilates for SCW Education. Kooperman was aware of June’s background in dance and in Pilates and wanted to have a program that helped fitness instructors gain knowledge in Pilates. The course, called Matwork Fundamentals, was co-developed by Laurie Tuchman, a Pilates instructor and educator for Polestar Pilates. During the development of the program the lawsuit about the use of the word “Pilates” was still in progress therefore an alternative name was chosen.

Received well by the fitness world, Matwork Fundamentals was, and is, a highly successful program offered through SCW Fitness. In the beginning there were upwards of 200 participants in the day-long classes. However, Kahn was denigrated by the Pilates community for “certifying” instructors. Purists believed that a one day class would not suffice as training. Kahn says that in the beginning she got plenty of hate mail. Fundamentally Kahn agrees that a one day course would be insufficient to train a Pilates instructor however, the goal of the education program is to expose fitness professionals to Pilates. It was never intended to be a substitute for intensive types of Pilates education.

Health and Fitness Club owners are quick to add classes that are perceived as “hot” even if that means having an untrained instructor lead the class. It’s better for clients to have an instructor familiar with concepts and some exercises rather than have a person teaching who could potentially injure a client.

SCW Fitness offers many one day certifications which are springboards for fitness instructors to further their education and Kahn certainly encourages her attendees to further their Pilates education. Exposing fundamentals of any system of exercise is a great way for instructors to get their feet wet rather than spend the time, effort and expense of full-fledged certifications. They’re able to see if that is a path that they would want to pursue.

Further evidence of the bridge between Pilates and fitness is the introduction of Peak Pilates’ MVe (multiple versatility exercise) Chair and Reformer classes now being offered at gyms and big box fitness centers. Kahn does work for Peak in this capacity, helping train fitness professionals in the fundamentals of Chair and Reformer work. She debuted the program for Peak in Boulder, Colorado and continues to do education for Peak.

In addition to her education work with Peak Pilates and SCW Fitness, Kahn is the Education Manager for Stamina Products, a manufacturer and distributor of home and commercial Pilates equipment. Stamina offers a Pilates Reformer that has a patented rebounder/trampoline used for jumping rather than a traditional solid jump board. Stamina Reformers were used for several years in conjunction with the SCW Fitness conferences.

Kahn is also involved with a program called the Beamfit™ (Balance, Engage, Align, Move). “Beaming” is an exercise program developed by David Mesirow in which participants work on a balance beam made from high density foam and is 5’long x 6” wide x 2” high. Kahn serves on the executive team for Beamfit in addition to providing education for Beamfit™ . She has also developed “Beam-lates,” Beamfit’s Pilates based program. Beamfit™ was highlighted recently on the Martha Stewart show.

If all those things aren’t enough to keep her busy, June also works for Lifetime Fitness in Boulder, Colorado. She is the Life Studio Coordinator and is responsible for Lifetime’s private Pilates program. The studio in Boulder is the 4th highest producing in the chain of 84 units.

Most of us can only dream of having the energy that June Kahn seems to possess. She is on the road most of the time, but when at home, she enjoys all that a Colorado lifestyle has to offer—in the wintertime she skis and when there’s no snow she enjoys hiking. A native of New York, Kahn settled in Colorado by way of St. Louis, MO. She is full of energy and has great passion for all that she does. It’s no wonder that she has helped build the bridge between the fitness and Pilates worlds—she lives in and loves them both. Click here for more information about June and how to find her.

Editor’s note: On August 13, 2009 June Kahn received an award for IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year 2009. Congratulations June! Well done.

The Pre-Convention Workshops kicked off the conference on Thursday night.  Rachel Lowe and I from Pilates Business Resource (PBR) hosted “Confidential Trade Secrets of a Studio Owner Exposed.” This purpose of this workshop was to provide a platform to discuss ways in which studios can bring in more money. Everything from package prices, customer service, service offerings and unique selling strategies were discussed.  For more information about this subject, check out the website for Pilates Business Resource (PBR).

The conference structure was unique in that each presenter presented one to two early morning workouts and one specific two hour lecture that would repeat throughout the conference. This would allow for “no guilt” decision making for the attendees.  You always knew you could catch your instructor’s workshop later on that day or the next. The reviews from each session were extremely favorable. I can best speak to the sessions that I attended.  For example, some attending Rebecca Leone’s “Flexion of the Hip” workshop attended up to four times to be able to take away something different each session because the information was so eye-opening.  All attendees of Lolita San Miguel’s course had the opportunity to get up-close and personal with her as well as demonstrate for her on the Cadillac.

Participants of Michael Collins’s workshop were able to experience pure Pilates Zen as he reviewed the principles of breathing and concentration and how those intertwine to create his personal one rep drill daily to reconnect the muscles and get your body ready for the day.  His daily repertoire consisted of 20 different exercises with focus on the breath.  Each movement linked to an inhalation or exhalation.  He asked that we try to experiment with the flow depending on the day and how your body feels but noted the importance of maintaining our practice as teachers.  We have to take care of ourselves first to feel satisfied and complete.

Attendees almost drew emotional tears of enlightenment from Brent Anderson’s intimate Chronic Pain revelations. I received a royal booty kicking workout from Julian Littleford on “Shoulder Stabilization” when he brought the arm chair out from the living dead!

What I enjoyed the most about the lectures was the ever-present reminder of our rich Pilates heritage and our responsibility to keep the integrity of the work within our means.  This reinforced that we are all working together on this mission to REFORM bodies, minds and spirits.

The most brilliant part of the conference that has remained behind the scenes is the perseverance and willingness of our conference host: Bernie Nelson. Bernie put all of this together from start to finish over a year’s time. In May 2009 he went on a personal campaign through parts of the Midwest (Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska) to spread the word about this conference opportunity. This is a part of the country that normally becomes forgotten when drawing conference awareness.  His passion for continuing the work that Joe began with a personalized touch is very admirable.  He and I traveled around Iowa to personally invite studios and ask them “What do you need?”  This type of personal outreach is definitely needed to keep our community close and assure the standards of our teachings are at the highest level we can offer.

Below is a snapshot and review of this opportunity.  I was pleased to be an attendee, Pre-Con Presenter, Peak Pilates MVe Chair class Instructor, Business/Vendor Sponsor and fan of this “open-minded” quality conference.

Pilates Round Table Report Card

• Atmosphere    B
• Learning Opp A-
• Food B+
• Setting B-
• Personalized Attention A+
• Cost for Attending A

A running registration for next year’s conference is open now.  Sign up today.  There is a limit on the number of participants. E-mail Bernie with your questions, comments and thank you’s: bernie@pilatesroundtable.com

There don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish all that the Corp sisters manage. Not only do they own their studio, a nearly 6,000 square foot facility, they also train clients, are educators of Pilates instructors and they also own an internet driven company called Ultimate Pilates Workouts, a membership site where one can gain access to a multitude of Pilates workouts. And there is so much more!

Highly educated and very passionate about their work, Katherine and Kimberly each holds degrees from both Duke and Columbia Universities. They are both fluent in Japanese and have spent time in Japan working for multinational companies. Introduced to Pilates as dancers (New York City Rockettes!), Katherine and Kimberly certified as instructors with STOTT PILATES® in 2000. In 2001, they became Instructor Trainers with STOTT PILATES® and continued as a New York License Center until January 2006 when they launched their own training program, The Pilates Academy International. They describe their program as contemporary, similar to STOTT PILATES® but with the added benefit of creating Instructors who leave their program being confident as well as competent. Those of us who are certified instructors understand the difficulty in transitioning from being an “instructor trainee” to being a fully-fledged and confident trainer. The Corps feel that this was a missing component and therefore one of the reasons they began their own certification program.

Several of the nearly 40 trainers employed at Pilates on Fifth are also instructor trainers for The Pilates Academy International. This allows Katherine and Kimberly to teach their program to trainers from Japan; a market otherwise untapped and untouched. It is this unique entrepreneurial spirit that has helped the Corp twins break into other areas that at one time were on the fringe of the Pilates world and are now more mainstream. Their use of video marketing, being viewed frequently on YouTube has enabled them to build Ultimate Pilates Workouts. This membership based website, where many videos are available to download or view free of charge, offers a wide array of options for many different exercisers. For example, if one is unfamiliar with Pilates there are video clips in which the viewer can learn the basic movements and principles of Pilates. For the more experienced Pilates practitioner, there are more challenging workout options. It is the perfect companion for people who travel or who prefer to work out in the privacy of their own homes. Additionally, experienced Pilates instructors can use Ultimate Pilates Workouts for ideas on which to build classes or private sessions—it’s a great resource.

Another example of Katherine and Kimberly’s entrepreneurial ways is their creation of Cardiolates®, a workout system based in Pilates movement with the addition of rebounding for cardiovascular benefits. Cardiolates® was highlighted in a segment of the Martha Stewart show with Katherine and Kimberly demonstrating.

Cardiolates® and the Gyrotonic® Expansion System are unique offerings at Pilates on Fifth as well as ActivCore FEX (also known as Redcord,) a method of movement utilizing a suspension training system (ropes and slings.) It allows instructors to help clients activate muscles they have difficulty accessing. Katherine and Kimberly have found it to be an excellent addition to their repertoire of offerings. The Corp sisters also hold certifications in Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® as well as ACE and NASM. They have also developed programs for cancer patients and those who suffer from cardiovascular disease.

It’s hard to believe that Katherine and Kimberly have accomplished so much personal and professional growth and success in such a relatively short period of time. Maybe their next offering will be a business school to teach the rest of us the secrets of their success! If you have the opportunity to visit New York City, make sure you save time to go to Pilates on Fifth for a class or private session—you’ll be glad you did and it’s likely that you’ll learn something too from the Dynamic Duo!

Presenters include Lolita San Miguel, Julian Littleford, Rebecca Leone, Michele Larsson, Michael Collins, Kevin Bowen, Brent Anderson, Kristi Cooper White, and Matthew Comer.   Topics include:

• Lolita shares her Cadillac
• Working with the Shoulder Girdle
• Basics of proper hip flexion
• Pilates and Scoliosis
• Concentration and Breath: The framework of the Pilates System
• Group Reformer Class for All
• Pilates for Chronic Pain
• The BASI Flow Sequence™: Power Mat Work
• STOTT PILATES® Ultimate Body Sculpting

There are already numerous Sponsors that will be represented at the Conference.  For more information visit the Pilates Round Table website.  It looks to be a great event!

April Conferences

If you are looking for something sooner, the Body-Mind-Spirit Conference in Santa Clara, California is starting in a few days.  If it is too late for you, join their webinars, which are available from April 20- May 20, 2009.  You can still save $50 through April 20th.

The Live Healthy Expo is an event for the entire family also in Santa Clara, California beginning April 17.   This sounds like a fun, healthy and educational event for everyone in the family as you learn alternative approaches to health and wellness.

The IDEA Fitness Fusion Conference begins April 23 in Rosemont, Illinois.

Internationally, FIBO takes place April 23-26 in Germany.  This is a trade show for fitness, wellness and health.

May Conferences

Florida MANIA , presented by SCW Fitness, begins May 15 in Orlando combining personal training, Pilates, yoga, aquatics, spinning, nutrition and more. Read more on our interview with Sara Kooperman and MANIA Conventions.

Pilates of Boulder announces Pilates Masters “Rock the Rockies” May 15-17 in Boulder, Colorado.  Jay Grimes, Siri Galliano and Kathryn Ross-Nash are coming together to take you closer to the original work of Joseph and Clara Pilates.

June Conferences

As we described above, the 1st Annual Pilates Round Table Conference will be held in West Palm Beach, Florida, June 5-7, 2009.

Atlanta Mania, presented by SCW Fitness, begins June 12 in Atlanta, Georgia combining personal training, Pilates, yoga, aquatics, spinning, nutrition and more.

Start planning your continuing education for 2009.  Opportunities are endless.  Once you commit, tell them you found their conference at Pilates Digest.  Let us know of other conferences coming over the next few months.  Happy Learning!

Although business requires that he still travel, Isacowitz prefers to stay close to home. He resides in Oregon with his wife and 8-year-old son. He is a passionate windsurfer, which is what brought him to Oregon. Isacowitz also enjoys hiking, walking with his wife, skiing and snowboarding, long distance swimming, yoga and dance. He practices Pilates at least 3 times per week in his fully equipped home Studio. Obviously he is a hard worker and very disciplined… a great example to his students.

“My infinite thirst for exploration of different forms of training” is what Isacowitz says brought him to Pilates in the late 70s. His background at the time included dance, yoga, exercise physiology and biomechanics. He found the merging of arts and sciences in Pilates. “I felt that Pilates had the inner sense of yoga and dance, but it also had the physicality of a conventional workout. Pilates develops the musculature; coordination, flexibility and strength, and uses resistance in creative ways.” Over time, he began to focus more and more on dance and Pilates.

Rael danced professionally for many years and became the head of the dance department at a performing arts college in Australia. It was there he opened a Pilates studio and taught mat classes as part of the college’s curriculum. He began working with athletes, dancers and physical therapists, and was instrumental in helping Pilates be integrated into one of the largest and most prominent physical therapy schools in Australia.

Isacowitz came to the U.S. at the invite of an orthopedic surgeon who asked him to create a rehabilitation program based on Pilates. It was at that time that Isacowitz began to shift his main focus to Pilates rather than dance.

Recognized as an industry leader in Pilates, Isacowitz was the first Pilates professional to be invited to main land China. “For me this was an amazing experience and honor. This is a country so big with an enormous population, and I was the first Pilates person to be officially invited there by a government authority,” he says recalling the memory.

He does see a difference in Pilates across the countries, he says, “The American style of practicing Pilates has led the way. It is typically a more dynamic style, more active and athletic. To this day in England it is much softer, slower, lighter, less dynamic and athletic, even though there are always exceptions. There is a mixture of influences in other countries.”

Even within the U.S. he sees a difference between East Coast and West Coast. Whereas California is often regarded as alternative, esoteric and mind/body oriented, New York is very dynamic and physical. Some schools, particularly in New York, are staunchly focused on doing the repertoire and working on the apparatus exactly as Joseph Pilates originally did.

Rael feels strongly about his focus at BASI Pilates™, as he explains,

“BASI Pilates™ is focused on maintaining, honoring and respecting the source, but justifying and understanding the work from a scientific perspective and giving the work an inner sense, soul and spirit. I refuse to look at Pilates as just a series of exercises. It has to be more than that to be a way of life and for me it is a way of life. I know Joseph Pilates definitely wanted it to be a way of life.”

When Rael talks of teaching, he says “The hardest part to teach is the intangible part, things that you can’t put your finger on. Life experience will get you there, not doing an exercise 10 times. You have to practice and it is about what you feel and being in touch with those sensations in your body. I try to guide people more to experience something rather than just going through a series of exercises.”

Rael stays busy at BASI Pilates™ with many new developments to check out, including several specialized and post graduate programs for Pilates professionals. These are intense, in-depth programs and participants must have prior knowledge and Pilates experience. Here are some highlights of what is happening at BASI Pilates™:

• The Dance Specialization is taught by Karen Clippinger, who has a book called Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology. She is a professor at California State University in Long Beach and is one of the BASI Pilates™ faculty. Rael says, “She is a treasure of knowledge.” Dancers benefit so much from Pilates. Even though the benefits vary depending on the dancer’s background, Rael says, “Pilates brings dancers a great deal of functional strength and functional flexibility. Often they are enormously flexible and don’t have the strength to support their range-of-motion. Pilates gives them strength to use this large range-of-motion safely.”
• BASI Pilates™ brought Pilates into the university system in California and the BASI Pilates™ curriculum with Dance Specialization is offered through the university. Isacowitz started the program with Clippinger who now teaches it on her own.
• Rael also initiated a Pilates program for children at his son’s school. There was a class for kindergarten through second grade, and one for third through fifth grade. Initially the classes had 50-60 kids with 40-50 sticking to it, with parents participating as well. Everyone reported a tremendously positive experience from the class.
• Other BASI Pilates™ post graduate courses specialize in working with the elderly, athletes, pregnancy and rehabilitation.
• The Mentor Program, one of the few programs Rael teaches personally, focuses on the advanced repertoire. This takes participants to the highest level of work.
• The Avalon system developed by Rael together with Balanced Body, Inc. evolved from years and years of working on the apparatus and seeing where it could be improved. It is a system, not just pieces of apparatus. There are added dimensions of functionality to the apparatus, including the multi-adjustable resistance and handle system on the AVALON Armchair™ and AVALON step barrel™. This helps with the different exercises and diversity of client proportions. Both are sold by Balanced Body.
• BASI Pilates™ offers a line of Pilates apparel for men and women that can be found on their website.
• BASI Pilates™ has also launched an exciting and revolutionary Online Pilates Training software program for students and teachers. It is a resource with infinite possibilities for creating exercise programs.

You can find more information on all of these programs on the BASI Pilates website.

Rael tries to remain open minded about the industry expansion, he says, “Growth is a wonderful thing as long as we are trying our utmost to bring respect to this profession by setting high standards, and by earning the respect of other professionals. We need to offer good training, good education and not give in to the quick fix mentality. He remains adamant that people learn Pilates as part of an inner journey. “If we sell out too easily to the temptation of exponential growth and earning money in the short-term, we risk sacrificing our profession in the long-term.”

Rael says to new instructors, “You MUST seek a good education. Research and find an approach that works for you, one that you can believe in, and become strongly grounded and familiar with that approach. Never stop practicing. Never stop learning. Always be a student as much as you are a teacher. Find something to believe in.” He is content with the fact that new instructors may not choose BASI Pilates™, as long as they do their research and find a place and approach that they can dedicate themselves to.

Isacowitz believes that Pilates professionals need to work together and he reminds us, “Don’t become too immersed in ego. This is the one thing in the past that has held our community back. Nothing gives me more joy than collaborating with other professionals and getting their points of view, disagreeing and still sharing a deep respect for one another.” He says to always open your mind and heart when entering another instructor’s class.

Rael does have a positive, but realistic outlook for the future of the Pilates industry. He says, “I think our future will be good, but it doesn’t mean there is not a lot of hard work to be done.”

As much as I enjoyed speaking with Rael, reading his book Pilates and watching his new DVD on the Wunda Chair, I look forward to participating in one of his workshops. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him yet, but I am planning to in the future and you definitely should as well.

And my response is:
“If you’re doing it correctly and there’s no medical reason why you shouldn’t be exercising, then Pilates is probably one of the safest and most effective forms of exercise you could possibly do while you’re pregnant.”

Here are just a few of the benefits of Pilates during pregnancy. Pilates exercises are purposefully designed, to:

• re-align your posture
• tighten your tummy muscles
• strengthen your pelvic floor
• diminish back ache
• challenge your balance
• tone your arms, legs and bum
• keep your cortisol (stress hormones) levels in check
• eliminate sciatica
• help reduce water retention
• produce results
• ease the labour
• contribute to a faster recovery after your baby is born
• give you the confidence to enjoy your body.

To me, it makes perfect sense when all the changing areas of your body – breasts are getting bigger, posture changing, tummy growing, lower back starting to curve, pelvic floor taking a hammering to name but a few, for women to do Pilates.

The midwife at the birth of my first child put down the fact that I managed to give birth to my daughter who was posterior (facing the wrong way) naturally, without intervention to Pilates.  The muscles required to ‘push’ the baby out are the transversus abdominis which is the main muscle trained in Pilates, and if those aren’t strong then you may not last the distance. She was also astounded at how tight my tummy muscles were pretty much immediately after the birth – again, a result of a three times a week Pilates regime. I worked my pelvic floor morning, noon and night and was very aware of my postural changes at every step.

It’s not about slipping back into a size zero 10 minutes after the birth, Pilates just keeps you toned, focused and gives you the tools to birth confidently. It is also very handy to use the shoulder scapula stability exercises when you’re breastfeeding as the majority of women will find they automatically start to roll their shoulders forward, creating a ‘hunch’ in their back.

It is very important that you find an instructor who is trained specifically in pregnancy. Your body changes throughout each trimester, so it makes perfect sense for your workouts to do so too.

Tasha is a highly qualified Pilates instructor and TV presenter specializing in pregnancy. She is also an established writer in the field of pregnancy and exercise, and during her pregnancy with her second child, she decided to create (what has now become) a world first set of trimester specific Pilates workouts which are available from www.pregalates.com

Spanning from solar plexus to inner thigh your psoas is deep within the belly core; behind the abdominal muscles, it provides a muscular shelf that supports all the organs. With every walking step, the healthy psoas provides an on-going internal massage. Attaching to each of the lumbar vertebrae and crossing over each hip socket this dynamic bio-intelligent tissue is the only muscle to link spine to legs. Like a pendulum it frees the leg for walking.

A healthy psoas is always released and responsive for movement. As part of your survival reflex it’s your psoas muscle that prepares you to flee or flight. How safe you feel at any given moment is reflected in the suppleness of your psoas.

Because the psoas responds to every spinal movement it will attempt to protect disc and nerve injuries. When misused the psoas becomes constricted, eventually leading to increased muscular tension and reduced flexibility.

Taking time to release stress each day can go a long way in keeping your psoas supple, your spine flexible and your low back healthy. Take a leisurely walk, enjoy a soothing bath and put your feet up. Check out your chair and car plus the shoes you wear. Eliminate bucket seats by filling them with a firm wedge. Sitting without psoas tension demands finding and maintaining skeletal support. Make sure your shoes are bendable (preferably in half), resilient to protect your feet from the stress of cement and preferably neutral, providing room for toes and weight throughout the whole foot.

Constructive Rest Position

A great psoas release position is the constructive rest position. A safe, comfortable position it relieves low back, pelvic and hip tension by letting gravity release the psoas muscle. Simply rest on your back. Knees bent and the feet placed parallel to each other, the width apart of the front of your hip sockets. Place your heels approximately 12-16 inches away from your buttocks. Do not push your low back to the floor or tuck your pelvis just rest in the position for 10 –20 minutes. The psoas will begin to release, the pelvis will spontaneously extend and the spine will lengthen. Keep your arms below shoulder height resting them over your ribcage, to your sides or on your pelvis. As gravity releases the psoas, you’ll feel calm (nourishing an over active sympathetic nervous system) and refreshed. It’s from this neutral centered place within your core that you’ll fully receive the benefits of your Pilates practice.

STOTT PILATES®

Toning Ball The Toning Ball can be easily adapted into anyone’s mat routine for added resistance, proprioceptive feedback and awareness of shoulder girdle stability. They range in weight from 1lb-3lb. Great for anyone on your list.  $10.95-$12.95 each

Stability Ball Challenge DVD This is an advanced DVD challenging upper body strength, core stability, balance and control. This is a great gift for employees and advanced clients!  $14.95

Mini Flex-Ball Power Pack This kit includes the 7-inch Mini Flex-ball, Mini Flex-Ball Workout DVD, and bonus Easy Start Poster. Another great gift for clients and friends!  $19.99

Flex-Band® Handles Power Pack This is suitable for everyone for a variety of fitness exercises. The kit includes 1 pair of black Flex-Band handles, 1 regular strength flex-band (green), and Easy Start poster and the new Intense Sculpting Challenge DVD. Great for clients and friends!  $29.99

Eco-Friendly Mat 100% recyclable and biodegradable, this mat comes in two/color combinations for Pilates and yoga enthusiasts. The mango/watermelon is a fun and refreshing colored mat!  $43.95

Pilates for Golf Power Pack This kit for golf enthusiasts includes a Pilates Express™ Mat, Pilates on the Green DVD, Level 1 and 2, and a water resistant carry-along exercise guide. Great for the golfer!  $59.99

Peak Pilates Power Circles The spring-steel resistance of the Power Circle quickly reforms rebellious zones — inner/outer thighs, buttocks, arms, the core and more. Peak offers three band or four band, spring-steel, rustproof-coated with contoured latex-free grips. 14” diameter  $29.95-$34.95

Sandbag Set Designed to improve wrist and hand articulation, while strengthening the core. Good for carpal tunnel and other wrist problems. Adjustable weight, individual 1lb. sandbags allow you to add or subtract weight as necessary. Includes: Nylon bag, lacquered wood handle, satin cord and three 1lb. sandbags.  $79.00

Peak Pilates Dynamic Mat Workout DVD This is cross-conditioning at its best. Rhythmic, flowing and focused, it connects one movement to the next, building greater endurance, flexibility, strength and performance. Initially designed for those in the Peak Pilates education programs, this DVD is now available to everyone in order to experience the flow, energy, and rhythm that distinguishes Classical Pilates from other approaches.  $20.95

MVe Energize Reformer DVD Kick up your energy level with this hot new MVe Fitness Reformer workout! Feel the beat and move rhythmically through a workout designed to improve not only your flexibility, core strength and body awareness but will also tone up your entire body.  $19.95

Peak Pilates Apparel From pants to jackets to tanks, this stylish apparel makes great gifts for your fitness friends! Balanced Body also has great gift options! Check these out.  $35.00-$50.00

Balanced Body Pilates T-Shirt The Pilates three-quarter length t-shirt is a stretchy, feminine top made of 100 percent sheer jersey cotton. The fabric is combed for softness and comfort and perfect for layering. The navy shirt has rough-edged boat necking, a non-binding Merrow-T stitching and white “pi-lä-tez” lettering across the front. Available in sizes small through extra large.  $24.50

The Ultra-Fit Circle The Ultra-Fit Circle is a circular body-toning device designed for total-body conditioning that enables users to gain the benefits of Pilates without using traditional equipment.  The 14″ Ultra-Fit Circle weighs just 10 oz. and is small enough to slip under the couch for storage or into a carry-on bag when traveling.  The Ultra-Fit Circle is a thoughtful gift for Pilates experts and novices alike. Those who have never tried Pilates will learn to use the Ultra-Fit with the included 15-minute training video from Pilates expert Shelly Power.  $34.00

PhysicalMind Institute Tye4 and Standing Pilates DVD The Tye4 harness will help anyone find connection when doing mat or Standing exercises. Great for golfers, dancers, or anyone!  $49.95

Anatomy of Pilates Manual Finally, an anatomy textbook that is just for Pilates practitioners! Now you can easily learn what you need to be able to teach this great Method. Clear anatomical drawings that relate to our specific exercises, with definitions of muscles and how they work and where they attach. Muscle recruitment is explained for each exercise.  $40.00

Pilates Protocols Manual This is the manual for our Concentration 301 course. The book is organzed into three major sections: 1.Musculoskeletal Issues, which describe the major conditions, their problems and treatment. 2.Pilates Protocols,which is written from a Pilates teacher’s experiential point of view. 3. And finally, Movements and Exercises that illustrate what movements can help with the conditions.  $35.00

Historical Photos of Joe and Clara Choose from two original photographs in Joseph H. Pilates studio.  $14.00

Body Arts and Science International Pilates Wunda Chair DVD A double feature DVD with the Intermediate BASI Flow Series and the Advanced BASI Flow Series featuring Rael Isacowitz, live and uncut performing the advanced series.  $29.95

Pilates by Rael Isacowitz Starting with the foundation for all the exercises, Pilates presents an in-depth treatment of mat work, including photo illustrations and detailed breathing instruction to help you perform the movements correctly. A unique set of challenging exercise sequences allows the movements to flow in one continuous motion. Following mat work, where most books stop entirely, Pilates just gets going. The same depth of instruction and photo illustrations are applied to the full range of Pilates apparatus  $19.95

Other Ideas PilatesStyle Magazine Subscription is great for anyone that loves Pilates! Every issue brings you balanced, accurate coverage of all things Pilates, from exclusive workouts from the world’s best instructors to tips for performing and teaching them to the latest innovations in apparatus and products.  $19.95-29.95

We Pilates New Luxe Organic  Supima® Cotton  & Supima® cotton from we pilates clothing.  Brighten up the holidays with colors like Coco, Blue Iris and Raspberry Wine, perfect for gifts for the Pilates lover in your life or maybe just for you!  Best of all the Luxe collection is made with USA grown cotton and manufactured in the USA! There are some new designs like the inspire spiral, Pilates principles (the six principles of Pilates) and find your inner passion. This cozy collection will make you feel at home for the holidays.  $38.00-$44.00

Don’t forget to search for a local Pilates Studio to purchase private sessions or classes or a gift certificate to get someone you know moving with Pilates! There are so many options to help you give the healthy gift of Pilates. If you have more ideas that weren’t mentioned here, please let us know. Give the gift of health this holiday season!

For those of you who don’t know Sara Kooperman, she is the “Sara” of Sara’s City Workout now known as SCW Fitness Education. She founded the organization nearly 30 years ago in a small studio in Chicago. Today, SCW Fitness Education provides education and training to fitness instructors nationwide and online. Sara has appeared regularly on QVC and CNN as a health and fitness expert and she produces e-newsletters and an e-zine called FitnessEDGE. Sara and her passion for fitness have had a remarkable impact on the fitness industry.

Sara still lives in the Chicago area with her husband and four boys who range in age from 11 to 17. She attended college in Minnesota and Cambridge University in England majoring in Political Philosophy with minors in English Literature and Dance. Sara then graduated from Washington University Law School in St. Louis, Missouri and subsequently passed the bar exam.

While trying to earn extra money for college, Sara began her journey into fitness as do most- on the side. She found a place to teach aerobics classes, charging $5 per person and was soon getting about 60 attendees for each class. Teaching three classes a week, she earned a pretty respectable income for a financially struggling college student! A natural entrepreneur, Sara knew she could turn her fitness hobby into much more. She began teaching others to teach in areas where she was competent and bringing presenters with different expertise to expand her own knowledge base and train others as well. The workshops proved so successful and demand grew so rapidly that Sara hosted the very first MANIA Fitness Instructor Convention in 1988.

MANIA Conventions

MANIA Conventions has since expanded beyond Chicago to include 6 additional cities: Orlando, Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Dallas. The events offer training and education in many areas of fitness including indoor cycling, group fitness, nutrition, aquatics, personal training, yoga and Plates. Sara invites international fitness personalities such as Keli Roberts, Gay Gasper, Rob Glick, Lawrence Biscontini, Jay Blahnik, Mindy Mylrea and June Kahn to present at each and every MANIA. Thousands of faithful professionals who rely on these events to continue their education and fitness training are happy to call themselves MANIAcs!

Mind/body training is the newest fitness genre to be added to the SCW Fitness MANIA conventions. Since debuting around the year 2000, these offerings have become some of the most popular. Sara says there were approximately 80 to 100 people in each of the Plates mat certifications the first few years. Even now, MANIA serves between 20 and 50 people in those primary classes and has added trainings in Reformer and small apparatus Pilates to upskill instructors. Additionally, SCW Fitness has partnered with Les Mills International to distribute Les Mills’ programming and education in the Midwest region. This relationship has expanded the international appeal of SCW Fitness Education and also broadened MANIA offerings to include an array of pre-choreographed formats.

SCW Fitness Online

Beyond the convention hall, SCW Fitness Education offers Home Study courses in virtually every imaginable fitness format. The Mom’s in Motion and Kids in Motion series is specific to pre and post natal training while Yoga fundamentals teaches instructors about the basic design of a mind/body class. Sara’s company also offers a large array of DVD’s from many well-known presenters, including herself! SCW Fitness Education boasts that MANIA is where fitness professionals go to learn. With such expansive and diverse options for education, I would have to agree.

I had a great run with a great lady. Sara is extraordinarily intelligent, highly energetic and she sees fitness as a means to an end—the ability to live a quality life on a day-to-day basis. I am sure there is much more to come from Sara Kooperman and SCW Fitness Education. I’ll be sure to have my running shoes ready!