Spring is here and you have managed to stay motivated over the worst winter months ( with our help of course ) and all that work will pay off when the inevitable warm weather arrives and you are fit, toned and ready for all your summer activities. Personally, I can't wait for summer to come.

In a survey of the latest fitness trends, mind body classes such as Pilates remain as popular as ever and it is envisioned that all types of fitness classes and personal training will have a more mindful element in the future. The name for this type of work is integrative training . The focus is on the process rather than being goal orientated. Remember that during your Pilates practice .

I believe that Pilates is truly a form of integrative training with all the required elements of fitness such as strength, flexibility and endurance but exercising the whole body in a totally mindful way.

Mindfulness enhances any exercise experience and its benefits flow over into daily life too.

There was some research done in 2008 that suggests mindfulness training can positively affect the genes that help fight cancer . Follow up research by the same team in 2013 found that this type of training also seemed to decrease cellular aging which should result in fewer illnesses and a longer life. Yet another great reason to keep up with your Pilates.

There are many integrative training techniques that we use in Pilates such as breath focus, movement awareness, controlled movement and touch . Myofascial release is also used in this type of training and is something I have written about before and that we recommend in the studio. It is like a form of self massage that you can perform on your own using foam rollers, hard and soft massage balls, tennis balls and even golf balls for the very dedicated. It allows you to deal with life's muscular aches and pains simply and easily. Done just before bed time, it can improve sleep quality too.

In terms of Pilates, rolling like a ball or seal is a myofascial release for the spine but do it on a nice soft mat and stay very relaxed while you do it, perhaps widen your knees and hold your knees rather than ankles and focus on really massaging your back. Remember to breathe throughout. 8 times is enough.

If you would like to know more about this, please ask one of us.

This year is Northland Pilates' tenth in operation and I am thrilled we have achieved this. I certainly would never have had such successful years without the wonderful instructors we have working at the studio. This year sees Val with us for five years and Carla for three . How time flies.

We also are lucky enough to have Ying Jie starting . She has completed all her training and has moved up from Auckland to join our growing team. Like me, she is certified to teach mat classes and Pilates on our apparatus too.

This means we have more times available to do private sessions. If you are interested in adding another dimension to your Pilates with some personal work, please let me know and we'll organise a time. I guarantee you will enjoy it and it will refine and enhance your mat work as well.

The shortest day is past , the nights are getting longer but the next couple of months are not the nicest of the year. To stay motivated at this time isn't easy but we will work hard to keep you enthusiastic with variety and challenge in your class in our warm, dry studios until spring arrives.

We all know we have to watch our cholesterol, keeping the good cholesterol high and lowering the bad stuff. As part of a programme to improve our good cholesterol, moderate to vigorous exercise is recommended. Researchers in Korea have found out that Pilates is vigorous enough to have a beneficial effect on cholesterol. In the trial, the participants did their Pilates three times a week for eight weeks and all improved their good cholesterol. The researchers surmised these results would have improved further if they had continued. So keep coming, as consistency is key to getting the health benefits of Pilates.

The latest buzz word for fitness and health is myofascial release, everyone seems to be offering some form of it and we highly recommend it as a do it yourself option. What is it you ask ? Basically it is a form of firm pressure or massage applied to a painful or injured part until there is some reduction in pain or muscle tension in that part.

There is no class on our extensive timetable in which everyone is injury free, quite the opposite, in some classes no one is injury free. Hardly surprising as we specialise in rehabilitation. This means we are always offering ways to deal with injury and myo fascial release is very helpful. Foam rollers and small massage balls are a great way of giving your self a mini massage whenever and wherever you need it. If you feel it might help you, talk to us and we will advise you whether it is suitable for you and how to do it.

Cramp is very common during class, often in the feet and worse at this time of year when your feet get cold.

If you do get cold feet , we have non slip socks for sale. They are specially designed for Pilates and yoga and are very nice to work in. Let us know if you would like a pair.

School holidays have started and we hope everyone enjoys them especially if you are going away. As soon as school goes back, on July 20th, I will be away for two weeks and none of my classes will run.

This year seems to be taking time to settle into a rhythm, probably due to the many long weekends in April and the school holidays. It also seems that summer isn't ready to leave us just yet which is lovely.  

As the nights get darker and the inevitable winter weather approaches, it can be hard to get motivated to exercise outdoors especially if it's dark when you finish work. Pilates is easy to continue as we are inside and well lit and still just as enthusiastic, whatever the season !

If you find your feet stay cold now while the rest of you gets hotter and hotter, we have specially designed socks for Pilates with non slip soles to keep your toes toasty warm.

With the ever growing emphasis on mindful and moderate health practice, Pilates continues to become more and more popular. Its focus on stretching, strengthening and balancing the body and mind is effective as a stand alone form of exercise or as part of a training or rehabilitation programme.

There are many health benefits to Pilates. In every newsletter, I share some of the latest research into it and most seems to come from Brazil where Pilates is very widely practiced.

Researchers at the University of Sao Paulo discovered that a group of women with high blood pressure who practiced regular, twice weekly Pilates over a period of four months managed to reduce their blood pressure significantly. They recommended that regular Pilates practice be incorporated into programmes for the control of blood pressure. 

As always, the take home message is regular, consistent and persistent Pilates to reap the many benefits.

Many fun sports and activities are really enjoyable at the time but can result in a very sore body for a few days afterwards. There is a wide body of evidence showing that massaging the affected tissues both before and after activities reduces this soreness. We recommend a selection of self massage tools to use yourself at home whenever you need it, using foam rollers or balls of various sizes and firmness. Please discuss these with us if you think they might help you.

Here is a fantastic photo of our youngest Pilates participant doing his weights series. Given that Carla was doing Pilates till only a few days before Oliver was born, it's hardly any wonder he is a devotee.   How great that Pilates is a form of exercise you can safely do right throughout your pregnancy with benefits both for you and your baby.  On this note, we congratulate Meg who has just had a beautiful baby girl and who was also doing Pilates up till the last minute.

We are having some major building work done to the windows at the front of the house from 1 pm on Wednesday May 13th till the morning of Monday May 18th. The car parking along the front of the house will be affected. I think there will be a fair amount of noise and some mess and I apologise for any inconvenience it causes. After this date, we will have a new entry door to the house.

Monday June 1st is a public holiday and the studio will be closed that day, the last time for a number of months we hope.

We all know Val is away for a long time and the only classes adversely affected are Wednesday evenings but she will be back on June 8th

Then we hope that life returns to normal with no more changes to anything at all whatsoever !!


We strongly urge you not to wear clothes with any zips on them to class as it really damages the mats and walls.   Check before you come ( or before you buy ) and change them if necessary.

The wonderful summer continues thanks goodness. This is always a very hot and sticky time of the year but we have the air conditioning on and plenty of cold water to keep you comfortable while you exercise.

We have been very relaxed about enforcing our 24 hour cancellation policy over the school holiday period but things are back to normal with some very busy classes so we respectfully remind you to give us twenty four hours' notice if you can't make your session.

Core strength is still a huge focus for wellness and fitness. The stronger your core, the more stable your spine and this reduces load on the joints of the upper and lower body, the hips, knees and ankles. Your power house is your core and you exercise it throughout your Pilates class making it work through all directions and in all positions. Pilates mimics life in this aspect. We need to hold our centre strong whatever we are doing while our arms and legs do what they need to. It is truly a total body workout.

Pilates is also a powerful workout for the mind. It requires a huge amount of concentration and control. Your mind has to make your body do what your instructor tells you, you have to remember the exercises and do them with precision and you have to do that for 50 minutes. And breathe !

If you are coming to class to rehabilitate an injury, listen carefully to your instructor if she tells you to modify or reduce an exercise. Some injuries require you to do the least advanced form of the exercise. Please don't try to keep up with the whole class if you know you are hurt and please make sure we know if you have a new injury so we can look after you.

It seems the Brazilians are still busy with their research into Pilates, this time with regard to chronic back pain. A group of back pain sufferers who performed a 50 minute Pilates session twice a week for 3 months, experienced decreased pain, better function and improved quality of life. I think this is pretty impressive.

All this research indicates that a minimum of twice a week is needed to get the full benefits of your Pilates. If you find it hard to come to class more than once a week, ask us for homework ( and then do it ! ) or get a good DVD or have a look on line, there is a lot out there. We can advise you on which are the best ones to use though of course it doesn't give you the same attention and correction that we do.

We currently run a Monday lunchtime class at 12.30 pm at intermediate level and there has been some interest in us running a second one. This would be on either a Wednesday or Friday at the same time. Please let me know if you would be interested as it would require enough numbers to run.

Happy New Year and welcome to the first newsletter of 2015, our tenth year of newsletters. This will be quite a milestone year for us. We hope you have enjoyed a lovely break but now it's back to work !

I like to start the year with a recap on all the benefits of Pilates in case you need reminding why you come to class.

Pilates is a powerful mind body exercise which aims to lengthen and strengthen your muscles particularly targeting your power house or core while putting all your joints through their full range of movement so you will become stronger and more flexible. It is also a prolonged stamina workout giving you improved endurance.

This gives you many advantages in your life and your work. If you are a keen sportsperson or competitor, you will improve your performance and help avoid injury. This is equally true if you only play a sport for fun. If you are already suffering from an injury or have a condition that needs help, Pilates is an excellent aid in the recovery process . 
 
Perhaps your hobbies aren't so sporty but still require physical ability. If you are a keen gardener, all that bending, digging, pulling and pushing will be made easier by having a strong body and core. There are a number of quilters and sewers in our flock who spend hours in a bent over, seated position and having a strong power house, shoulder and neck muscles help avoid pain and stiffness.

Young children also require a lot of energy and stamina with lots of lifting and twisting and pushing and pulling and getting up and down from the floor. It is much easier to do this if you have Pilates as part of your life. This applies to parents and grandparents alike. Some recent research found that Pilates practice improved sleep quality in mothers of very new babies. Our very newest mum, Charli who practiced Pilates till a week before her little girl was due will be very glad to hear this as she returns to Pilates !

Working is a necessary evil and a lot of our work life involves prolonged sitting which is definitely not good for the body. Regularly getting up to standing and doing a couple of Pilates exercises will help you avoid the problems desk work brings about. Turning on your power house and buttoning up at regular intervals during the day keeps your posture good.

Back pain is significantly helped with Pilates practice, the latest research from Brazil ( they seem to do lots! ) reinforces this. A group of back pain sufferers who practiced Pilates for fifty minutes, twice a week, reported significant improvement in their pain.

Regular and consistent practice is the key to gaining all of the benefits of Pilates so we really encourage you all to come twice a week if you can or make sure you do your homework and home programme to really make the most of what Pilates can offer.

Even though we have returned to work, we know that this is still a holiday period so many of you will not really be back in harness till February. For the next few weeks , we may amalgamate classes or alternate instructors to accommodate all the absences.

There are also two more holidays to come. January 26th and February 6th are both public holidays and the studio will be shut on those days. Then we will finally all be back to normal.

Welcome back to all of you who are returning this week.

If you are still on holiday, we hope you continue to enjoy it but don't completely forget your power house or it will have a dreadful shock on your return to class !!

Welcome to the last newsletter of the year, a year which has just flown by yet again.

I am so sorry to mention the C word eight weeks before it actually happens but it will be affecting us at the studio so here goes.

First and foremost, our Christmas party is on Thursday December 18th at Northland Cricket, as usual. I will be sending out invitations later but I need you all to get that date in your diaries before all the other invitations and parties start flooding in.

We will also break over the Christmas period until Monday January 12th. When we finish is up for some discussion. We are happy to run classes on Monday 22nd December and Tuesday 23rd if there are enough people interested in attending. Please let us know if you would like a class on those days and we will organise it. If no one wants to come, we will finish on Friday December 19th . We will keep you posted on this.

Christmas is a time for giving gifts and we have gift vouchers available for any of the services we offer at Northland Pilates. It could be the perfect gift for someone needing a dose of health and fitness or you could drop hints for some nice person to get you one.

Over the holiday period it can be hard to keep up the good Pilates work without one of us standing over you telling what to do. There are a number of things you can do, it just requires motivation ! We have exercise lists for all levels and can e mail them or give you a hard copy. If you don't think you can manage a full workout, we also have the easier Pilates prep exercises on a sheet.

This time of year always seems much busier and more stressful than any other when the very opposite should be the case. So you can enjoy your Christmas break, give yourself the pleasure of your Pilates class, fifty minutes of pure 'me' time. It can only be good for you, no matter how busy you are.

On a different topic, some of you have been using foam rollers to perform your own self massage for muscular pain. There is a lot of research out there showing that these rollers can be useful in reducing muscle soreness if used both before and after any exercise or activity that causes muscular pain. We stock these at the studio and will show you how they can be used to help you. Please let us know if you want to try one and we can instruct you. They cost $30 each. If you have any muscular pain, they are extremely effective and can be used daily.

The year is flying by and surely the warmer weather isn't too far away. Practising Pilates is a great way of achieving all over toning so when the temperatures rise and the summer clothing eventually comes out, you can be sure of looking good.

Of course, looking good is not the only reason we do Pilates, feeling healthy and well is hugely important too. We know there are significant health benefits from regular exercise and Pilates, as part of a regular exercise programme has many health benefits helping combat many of the common and serious health conditions that are prevalent today.

Diabetes is considered the silent killer and it responds well to exercise that reduces fat and increases strength such as Pilates.  High blood pressure can lead to strokes, heart disease and kidney failure. Exercise can reduce blood pressure.  High cholesterol is associated with a sedentary lifestyle and any exercise that reduces weight can help with this. Pilates is particularly helpful as it is a prolonged stamina workout using more fat for fuel.

There is much evidence that exercise can help prevent certain cancers and aid in the management of symptoms.  The only long term treatment for degenerative arthritis is to maintain good muscular strength and joint flexibility and to establish a strong core. Pilates is ideal for this.

Some of these conditions affect men more than women. Despite all its benefits, unfortunately, Pilates attracts far fewer men than women. At NPF, only about 10% of clients are male which equates with figures from America which show about 16% men in class. The good news is that these percentages are on the rise as more men realise the huge fitness and wellbeing gains that Pilates can offer.  There are many reasons why men are not attracted to Pilates. It is often perceived as a women only discipline. Almost all images of Pilates show women, it is associated with dancers and most studios are owned and operated by women. Hardly surprising that it doesn't appeal to men despite the fact that Joseph Pilates was a man and a boxing trainer.

Pilates is considered a gentle form of exercise and not very sporty with few men aware of how challenging the workout can be and how it can make you stronger in your chosen sport. Perhaps if we renamed it ' the ultimate core workout ' it would appeal more, especially if just looking good is not your goal (despite what I said in the opening lines! ) If international rugby players incorporate Pilates into their training programme, it has to be doing something very worthwhile.

To try and encourage more men to give Pilates a try, we are offering a couple's concession card at the discounted rate of $155 for ten sessions for the month of September. It has to be shared equally so you both get exactly 5 sessions which are not transferrable between you. It really does take at least four classes to establish if Pilates is right for you. So, see if you can persuade a man in your life to give it a go, it can be a male relative or friend if you prefer. Existing couples who attend can also get this rate in September.

Carla, Val and myself all have skills other than being excellent Pilates instructors ! Val is a great massage therapist and is available for massages on Monday and Wednesday afternoons at Hatea Drive. Carla is a very experienced dance teacher with her own business called 'Just Dance'. She runs classes after school on Mondays and Tuesdays for all levels and Baby Ballet on Wednesdays. She will consider an adult class if anyone is interested.

I worked as a physiotherapist for twenty five years before arriving in New Zealand and have also been a personal trainer for fifteen years putting both of those skills together to work in rehabilitation after injury. Pilates is the ideal marriage of physiotherapy and exercise.   Between the three of us, we offer quite a comprehensive array of experience.

There has been a slight change to the timetable as Val and I have swapped Wednesday and Friday mornings. There is now only one class on Friday mornings at 9.30 am and it is intermediate level. Otherwise, the timetable is unchanged and can be seen on the website or in the studios.

We hope you have enjoyed working with the power circles over the last few weeks. We have some for sale at $35 if you want to continue with them at home while the classes move on to other things.

Winter months make motivation quite hard I know especially when you have to leave a warm house on a wet, cold evening. All that work will have paid off though when the weather gets warmer and the nights get lighter and you are ready for spring, fit and well.

Many people practice Pilates for pain conditions as the movement, strengthening and stretching help address the causes of the pain. Not everyone comes with injuries, some of you come to stay well for your sport.

Pilates is recommended for sports conditioning, improving core strength especially sports that are asymmetrical, using one side of the body more, such as golf and tennis. 

With its focus on centre and equal use of both sides , it provides balance in the body. There is indeed a Pilates company called Balanced Body, for that very reason. Many Pilates moves significantly improve strength. The plank or Leg Pull recruit maximum use of the abdominals, even more when done on one of our balls and more than any other gym based abdominal exercise.

It also makes you feel good mentally and improves quality of life. A study from Rio de Janeiro followed a group of Pilates practitioners over a number of years (so they were pretty experienced ). They scored in the highest category for physical function, general health and mental well being. Really happy chappies. Of course, they must be quite a committed bunch but there are many of you who have been coming for years who would, hopefully, fall into that category. I wonder how the World Cup is affecting their mood. As I write, Brazil are still in.*

There are quite a few holiday dates during July. Firstly, school holidays start on Friday 4th and many of you will either be away or needing to change class over that time so please give us plenty of notice if you are. If you are getting away we hope you enjoy your break.

I will be taking a break in July too. Firstly, I am on a first aid course on Wednesday July 9th all day and I will be teaching no classes that day either morning or evening. Val will be teaching her usual evening classes that day. Let me know if you want to change class that week and I'll see if there is space anywhere. The twenty four hour notice period very much applies.

I will then be away for ten days from the afternoon of Thursday July 17th and return to work as normal on Monday July 28th.   Basically, none of my classes will run while I'm away but all of Val and Carlas' will.  If you need to change class that week contact Val or Carla directly.   Their mobiles are, Carla 021 023 57440 and Val 021 230 0293.

It is getting to be the coldest time of year and you may find you need to wear socks during class to keep your toes cosy and avoid cramp. We have specially designed non slip socks for sale at $20 if you need them. We would ask that you wear socks anyway if you know you have a verruca or fungal infection of your foot to avoid any risk of cross infection from the mats.

I think our long, hot summer may finally be coming to an end. It can be hard to exercise in winter if the weather is against you and motivation is lacking. The good news at Northland Pilates is that it is always dry and comfortable and we are your motivators so that you can come out of the other side of winter feeling and looking good.

Not only is Pilates good for the body, it's great for the mind too. A team of researchers in the USA tested the cognitive function of regular Pilates participants and found it to be much better than a control group who did no Pilates. They suspect it has to do with the concentration and precision of the class plus the need to memorise the moves. The suggestion is that Pilates might also help people with degenerative brain conditions.

Some more research from the US found it stimulates the endocrine system and the production of certain feel good hormones. That's got to be good for the mind aswell.

There has also been some research on how practising Pilates throughout pregnancy can positively affect the baby as well as the mum. Babies born to regular Pilates exercisers had a greater brain maturity for their size than babies of those mums who did not do Pilates.

Carla and the few of you who are pregnant or have recently given birth should be pleased with that those findings!!

As I have mentioned in previous newsletters, doing mindful exercise or being mindful about any of your exercise has many benefits. In some successful weight loss programmes now, there is a focus on practising mind/ body awareness alongside physical activity to control weight. Pilates is ideal for this as it combines both, giving you a significant calorie burning workout and also having a mindful element.

All the research and findings I have mentioned above had the participants doing their Pilates work a minimum of twice a week to show these benefits. I know I'm always banging on about this but to get the maximum benefit , you have to be really regular. If you can't make class for any reason, take one of our exercise sheets and have a go at home when it's convenient or try just a few of the exercises really often, four or five times a week.

The only negative effect that some people experience is cramp, especially in the feet and especially as the weather gets colder. We have socks for sale specifically for Pilates and yoga with non slip soles if you feel you need them.

As of the beginning of this year, Northland Pilates is chemical free in all its cleaning, using Enjo products so you don't have to worry if you have any allergies or sensitivities and we are helping protect the environment.

Finally, we are all back to normal, all children back to school and no more holidays for a little while so you can get into a regular Pilates routine.

It is important to have consistency in your Pilates, one class every now and then just won't cut it ! All research suggests you need to attend at least twice a week to get the full benefits of Pilates.
If you are unable to attend regularly, you should try to do a little at home and we have exercise sheets for you to follow. You don't have to do the whole routine with all the repetitions but little and often is ideal.

Pilates is a technique of mindful exercise requiring a great deal of inner focus, concentration and control. All current research points to how much more effective being mindful makes any exercise programme so we are really ahead of the game in our classes. You need to be mindful in all your forms of exercise and make sure you have your powerhouse turned on whatever you do.