Rule #1: Eat Food
In his new book "Food Rules," Michael Pollen introduces many ideas about food and eating that should help us simplify what it means to eat healthfully and happily. I love this book (and all others he has written) and each week will be featuring a new rule here on our blog. This first one is the simplest and also the most important because, according to Pollen, most supermarket items don't deserve to be called food. He calls them "edible food-like substances: Highly processed concoctions designed by food scientists, consisting mostly of ingredients derived from corn and soy that no normal person keeps in the pantry." They contain chemical additives that are foreign to our bodies and have no place in a healthy diet. If your great-grandmother would not recognize something as food, then you should pass it by.
"Convenience" foods meant to save you time in the kitchen are not saving
you any time on this planet, believe me. Loaded with preservatives,
chemicals and artificial flavors and sweeteners, these are the worst foods
out there. People often say they don't have enough time to cook, but I
bet if you measured the time spent on the internet, watching TV and other
non-essential tasks you would find the time it takes to cook a healthy meal.
I often make a big pot of soup from scratch on Sunday so that when we come
home tired in
the evenings all we have to do is reheat it and dinner is
served. I make lentil soups, miso, southwestern black bean, minestrone,
turkey chili-- the combinations are endless and we never tire of it. In the
summer I buy big fat
Brandywine tomatoes from my local farmer's market and
make a ton on gazpacho to graze on all week. Salads are also really easy to
put together quickly, and I marinate white beans in fresh herbs from my
garden to sprinkle on top for protein, and I roll goat cheese in bread
crumbs and bake it like the French do. I make my dressing from scratch and
keep it in the fridge, and it is a million times better than anything bought
from a store.
If you are stumped for recipes, a great resource for making easy but yummy soups, salads and even dressings from scratch is "Moosewood Restaurant: Daily Specials." The recipes are easy to follow and there are a ton of them, so you can make a new soup each week. Nothing from a can, nothing processed or fake in these recipes.
Client of the Month :: March :: Lisa D.
We always look forward to working with Lisa. She is hilarious and fun and motivated, and it has been great to see her confidence in herself improve as she masters each new Pilates challenge. We love her positive attitude and her willingness to try new things, as well as her wicked sense of humor. You can read more about her below:
Q: Why did you decide to begin Pilates?
A: A good friend of mine in Washington, DC swore by her
Pilates classes. She claimed her weekly sessions made her leaner and happier
than any other
exercise routine. So, I searched through the Seattle area studios and
found Young Pilates listed in King 5 - Evening Magazine's The Best of
Western Washington 2009. I'm one of those people who needs instant
gratification and Brooke was able to get me in for a session almost
immediately. After one session I was hooked!
Q: Is Pilates just like how you imagined or different somehow?
A: I didn't really know what to expect from Pilates, so the short answer to
the question is: neither. I had seen the different machines in other studios
and thought they looked pretty complicated. After looking at some of the
exercises (they look so easy on a poster!) I thought "this looks fairly
simple." After one session I knew that it wasn't as easy as it looked - and
I am not as flexible as I thought. Pilates is not like I imagined, nor is it
different than I imagined - it's just GOOD for me.
Q: Why do you like coming to our studio?
A: I continue to patronize Young Pilates for many reasons. (1) Brooke and
Dave have infinite patience with me. I am the least coordinated person I
know. I've been a slow learner when it comes to engaging certain muscles and
remembering poses. I like to think that I am a constant source of comic
relief as well as a challenge to Brooke and Dave. (2) Every once in a while
I surprise myself by being able to do something that I never thought I could
do - and that feeling of "I DID IT?! Let's do it again!!" keeps me coming
back over and over again. (3) The private sessions work with my schedule and
the happy hour price works with my budget. (4) I see results - and that's
what it's all about. My midsection is leaner, my arms look better and better
every single day, and I feel myself getting stronger from the inside out.
(5) Your studio is more than just a place where I can
do good things for my body. I can donate toys/equipment for animals. I can
help those less fortunate by contributing to your efforts to make
Seattle a better place
for everyone.
Q: How would you (or do you) describe Pilates to your friends?
A: Pilates is a 50 minute core strengthening exercise that incorporates
every single muscle you never knew you had.
Thanks Lisa! -- Brooke and David
"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."-- Michael Pollan
Clients often ask us what they should be eating to lose weight, and the answer we give is pretty simple. We have always believed that real food is good food, and that anything that comes packaged or processed is not good for us. We do not believe in healthier eating through chemistry; rather, we think that if it comes out of the ground and doesn't include an ingredients list you are probably making a good decision. Recently Michael Pollan has come out with several books on the subject, and his most recent "Food Rules" is our new recommendation for anyone interested in making real changes to their health. We firmly believe that you don't lose weight through fat-free and sugar-free substitutes, but from eating real food created by nature (and not by a lab tech).
"Eat food" means to eat real food -- vegetables,
fruits, whole grains, and, yes, fish and meat -- and to avoid what
Pollan calls "edible food-like substances." Here's how:
1. Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't
recognize as food. "When you pick up that box of portable yogurt tubes,
or eat something with 15 ingredients you can't pronounce, ask yourself,
"What are those things doing there?" Pollan says.
2. Don’t eat anything with more than five ingredients, or
ingredients you can't pronounce.
3. Stay out of the middle of the supermarket; shop on the
perimeter of the store. Real food tends to be on the outer edge of the
store near the loading docks, where it can be replaced with fresh foods
when it goes bad.
4. Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot. "There are
exceptions -- honey -- but as a rule, things like Twinkies that never go
bad aren't food," Pollan says.
5. It is not just what you eat but how you eat. "Always leave
the table a little hungry," Pollan says. "Many cultures have rules that
you stop eating before you are full. In Japan, they say eat until you
are four-fifths full. Islamic culture has a similar rule, and in German
culture they say, 'Tie off the sack before it's full.'"
6. Families traditionally ate together, around a table and
not a TV, at regular meal times. It's a good tradition. Enjoy meals with
the people you love. "Remember when eating between meals felt wrong?"
Pollan asks.
7. Don't buy food where you buy your gasoline. In the U.S.,
20% of food is eaten in the car.
Whenever we visit Europe we pay close attention to the social norms surrounding food. In France we never see people walking and eating at the same time. People don't even take beverages to go. They don't eat on the subway or in their cars. They sit down to eat every meal, even at fast food locations. When you enter a drugstore, all they sell is drug items (lotions and potions); gone are the bags of potato chips, candy, soda and gum that every American store carries. Grocery stores carry a small selection of "junk" food items, but nothing comes in a large or "family" size. Their idea of food value is different and they look less for bulk than for quality. Everyone walks to get where they are going, and many errands, such as food shopping, are done on foot. If you have ever had to lug groceries home, you quickly understand the benefit of purchasing less. Things like soda and gum are expensive, and this discourages their purchase.
Americans are constantly being told to fear certain foods or to esteem others. All marketing companies have to do is put "whole grain" on Cheerios and we think it is a health food, or "fat-free" and think it is good for us. Next week I will post more from Pollan on food and nutrients and how to make healthier decisions right now. Stay tuned!
Client of the Month :: February :: Jessica W.
Jessica is a serious runner and soccer player who is a great example of how Pilates can complement and enhance sports performance. She came to us with a lot of muscle tightness and some muscular imbalances that we have worked on fixing with Pilates, and what we love about her is that she always shows up ready to work hard. She is always up for trying anything and we appreciate her commitment to learning the Pilates method with us.
Q:
Why did you decide to begin Pilates?
A: I had heard great things about it and I wasn't getting the results
from traditional physical therapy that I desired.
Q: Is Pilates just like how you imagined or different somehow?
A: I had a sample introduction to it years ago, but didn't have a lot of
background knowledge. It is more difficult at times than I imagined it,
as I'm used to more physically active workouts.
Q: Why do you like coming to our studio?
A: There are several reasons! It was originated by the convenience in
location, but I continued to come because Brooke and Dave make it feel
more like friends than a structured gym environment.
Q: How would you (or do you) describe Pilates to your friends?
A: It is the perfect supplement for those active people (I'm a big
runner and soccer player) and helps me concentrate on the
smaller muscles and my abs, which I sometimes neglect with my
traditional workouts. It reshapes my body more than anything else I have
tried.
Q: What do you love about Pilates?
A: It is a workout where you walk away feeling tired and refreshed at
the same time. I'm used to getting muscle "fatigue" only from workouts
that make you sweat. With Pilates, I can go do my session, walk out the
door and actually go do errands or go back to work without feeling like
I have to shower and am completely a mess for the rest of the evening!
Thanks Jessica! --Brooke and David
FREE Wunda Chair class for you and a friend!
The
wonderful "Wunda" Chair takes your Pilates routine to a whole new level.
There truly is nothing else like it out there.
Hollywood celebs swear that the chair is what keeps them fit and toned, and if you have seen the infomercials for the Malibu Pilates Chair then you have a little idea of what the chair can do.
We are the only studio in Seattle to have the latest version of the Wunda chair on the market, and we are excited to share it with you.
We know that once you try a workout on this amazing piece of equipment you will never want to go back to boring old mat Pilates again! So we are offering you and a friend ONE FREE class to try it out and see what you think.
Available class times for your free session are:
Wednesdays at 7am
Thursdays at 6:30pm
Saturdays at 10am
Simply email or call the studio to reserve your space in class. No drop-ins please.
Not sure what the Wunda Chair is? This little piece of equipment is a big workout! It takes Pilates work to the next level in a fun, challenging workout. Suitable for all levels, and great for intermediate to advanced clients.
Become a fan on Facebook :: enter to win a private lesson!
We are building up our Facebook site in order to bring special offers and interesting information to our fans there. To do this, we need your help! For every friend from your Facebook list that joins our page, you will be entered to win a free private Pilates lesson. Simply send us a list every Thursday of your friends who have joined our page and we will enter you that many times into the drawing that will take place every Friday in February. You can friend us on Facebook here. Thanks so much for helping us build a better online community, dedicated to the health and wellness of our friends, family and neighbors!
1/20/10: Today's winner is Melissa S! Call or email the studio in February to set up your private lesson!
The Big Climb to Fight Leukemia :: Join Our Team!
On March 21st David will climb 69 flights of stairs, 1311 steps, and 788ft of vertical elevation to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This will be his 4th year doing the climb, and every year he has managed to beat his previous best time. We are rooting for him again!
But you don't need to race to be involved. Anyone and everyone is free to join our team, which you can do by using this link: http://www.llswa.org/site/TR/Events/BigClimb?px=1064782&pg=personal&fr_id=1110 Everyone who joins the team will receive free training sessions with Dave (and the team) to get in shape for the climb. If you prefer to donate instead of climb, you can use the link above to do so.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. The mission of LLS is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, LLS has invested more than $600 million for research specifically targeting blood cancers.
Once our team is established, Dave will contact you about training times. We look forward to having you on our team and thank you in advance for your donations!
Paws Gift Drive
In the spirit of the holiday season we have begun a gift drive for PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society) that will continue through January 10th, 2010. To make it easy for our clients to donate to PAWS this year, we have started a collection bin at the studio and have already received items including pet toys, food and bedding. For a complete list of items you can donate to PAWS, please take a look at the 2009 Winter Wish List for the Animals. Any and all items donated will be greatly appreciated!
Client of the Month :: December :: Roberta D.
Roberta has been coming to see us since we first opened our doors in 2004. She started with private lessons and then moved into the group classes where she has been a regular participant every week for the last 5 years! We love her enthusiasm and good spirit and always look forward to having her in class. You can read more of her story here:
Q:
Why did you decide to begin a Pilates program?
R: When I first started Pilates several years ago, I was in my early 40s and
experiencing some new aches in my back. Luckily it wasn't due to an injury
but "just getting older" and I realized that I'd better do something to
strengthen up the core area to keep it strong. I was hearing quite a bit
about the benefits of Pilates so I decided to check it out.
Q: How long have you been coming to our studio?
R: For the most part, I've been coming weekly since about 2004. To keep
myself motivated, I need to have a variety of different ways to keep
myself moving during the week.
Q: Why have you stayed with Pilates for so many years?
R: For many reasons – the whole package fits me well! 1) I live a block
away. It’s so convenient that I have no excuses! 2) I don’t do well as a
“gym robot.” The studio has a very friendly atmosphere and I get to know
many of the folks who are regulars like me. 3) Finally, Pilates is an
exercise that works well for me. Over the years, I notice the results in
how strong my back has become as well as noticing huge improvement in my
posture and how I carry myself.
Q: What is your favorite thing about doing Pilates at our studio?
R: I couldn’t go anywhere for this long if I didn’t like the “feel” of
the place. Brooke and David are both very patient teachers, take a
personal interest in helping me achieve my own fitness goals and are
both fun to be around. The sessions seem to just fly by!
Q: If you were going to describe Pilates to your friends, what would you
say?
R: I’d say that in one Pilates session, I can get an overall workout,
strengthening my core as well as targeting all other areas. Over time,
it all adds up and I see myself getting stronger all over!
Is Pilates Good For Men?
We get asked this question a lot, and the answer is YES! Pilates is great for men. This is because it addresses common issues that most men have: tightness in the hamstrings and low back, poor deep core strength, and imbalanced chest-to-back musculature that can cause that familiar hunched shoulder look. Because of its focus on bringing balance to the body, there is no better exercise prescription for the male body than Pilates!
In
fact, Pilates seems to be the secret of most professional athletes, who have
found out just how much benefit can be derived from it. Everyone from
David Beckham to Tiger Woods to Lance Armstrong uses Pilates to help with
flexibility, deep core strength, endurance, injury prevention/recovery and
more. And each of them has said that they credit Pilates with changing
their game.
“I do an hour of Pilates a day. The medical set-up at Milan is fantastic and fitness-wise I am the best I have been for a long time.” -- David Beckham, 2009
What many men don't know is that Pilates was created by a man (Joseph Pilates) and originally used to rehabilitate wounded soldiers. Joe Pilates then went on to train elite police forces and professional boxers, and it is only when he came to this country that the women of the dance world became fascinated with the system and thus passed it along to other women who fell in love with it too.
We often get male clients who are sent to us by their wives. In many cases the husband has been complaining about back pain, or knee pain, and hasn't been able to find relief. We work on addressing these kinds of issues by bringing the body into better balance, which helps take the load off of stressed muscles, ligaments and joints. And something not talked about very much is how Pilates can improve one's sex life! Because it strengthens the pelvic floor musculature, the deep abdominals, inner thighs and buttocks, Pilates is wonderful for that other kind of exercise.
Here is a great USA Today article that you can forward to any men in your life who are thinking about doing Pilates!
Who was Joseph Pilates?
Often when I am working with clients on the Reformer, the Wunda Chair, and the Trapeze Table, I am struck by the fact that one single man developed ALL of this equipment and all of the exercises: Joe Pilates. No other person can claim to have developed such a diversity of unique equipment nor a total system of exercise unlike anything else out there. Joe was quite an amazing character, and his story is a great one. Marguerite Ogle, who writes many great articles about Pilates at about.com, has written a great piece about Joe that I am reproducing here:
German born Joseph Pilates was living in England, working as a circus
performer and boxer, when he was placed in forced internment in England at
the outbreak of WWI. While in the internment camp, he began to develop the
floor exercises that evolved into what we now know as the Pilates mat work.
As time went by, Joseph Pilates began to work with rehabilitating other
detainees who were suffering from diseases and injuries. It was invention
born of necessity that inspired him to utilize items that were available to
him, like bedsprings and beer keg rings, to create resistance exercise
equipment for his patients. This was unlikely beginnings of the equipment we
use today, like the Reformer and the Magic Circle.
Joseph
Pilates developed his work from a strong personal experience in fitness.
Unhealthy as a child, Joseph Pilates studied many kinds of self-improvement
systems. He drew from Eastern practices such as yoga and Zen Buddhism, and
was inspired by the ancient Greek ideal of man perfected in development of
body, mind and spirit. On his way to developing the Pilates Method, Joseph
Pilates studied anatomy and developed himself as a body builder, a wrestler,
gymnast, boxer, skier and diver.
After WWI, Joseph Pilates briefly returned to Germany where his reputation
as a physical trainer/healer preceded him. In Germany, he worked briefly for
the Hamburg Military Police in self-defense and physical training. In 1925,
he was asked to train the German army. Instead, he packed his bags and took
a boat to New York City. On the boat to America, Joseph met Clara, a nurse,
who would become his wife. He went on to establish his studio in New York
and Clara worked with him as he evolved the Pilates method of exercise,
invented the Pilates exercise equipment, and of course, trained students.
Joseph Pilates taught in New York from 1926 to 1966. During that time, he
trained a number of students who not only applied his work to their own
lives but became teachers of the Pilates method themselves. This first
generation of teachers who trained directly with Joseph Pilates is often
referred to as the Pilates Elders. Some committed themselves to passing
along Joseph Pilates work exactly as he taught it. This approach is referred
to as “classical style” Pilates. Other students went on to integrate what
they learned with their own research in anatomy and exercise sciences.
Joseph Pilates' New York studio put him in close proximity to a number of
dance studios, which led to his “discovery” by the dance community. Many
dancers and well-known persons of New York depended on Pilates method
training for the strength and grace it developed in the practitioner, as
well as for its rehabilitative effects. Until exercise science caught up
with the Pilates exercise principles in the 1980s, and the surge of interest
in Pilates that we have today got underway, it was chiefly dancers and elite
athletes who kept Joseph Pilates' work alive.
Joseph Pilates passed away in 1967 at age 87. He had maintained a fit
physique throughout his life, and many photos show that he was in remarkable
physical condition in his older years. He is also said to have had a
flamboyant personality. He smoked cigars, liked to party, and wore his
exercise briefs wherever he wanted (even on the streets of New York). It is
said that he was an intimidating, though deeply committed, instructor. Clara
Pilates continued to teach and run the studio for another 10 years after
Joseph Pilates death. Today, Joseph Pilates teachings are carried on by the
Pilates Elders, and by a large group of contemporary teachers.
Joseph Pilates called his work, contrology. He defined Contrology as “the
comprehensive integration of body mind and spirit.” This philosophy is
beautifully elucidated in his book,
Return to Life Through Contrology.
You can find more articles by Marguerite at about.com!
Needle + Thread features Brooke!
The Seattle PI fashion blog "Needle + Thread" photographed and interviewed me about fashion. You can read the full text at http://www.needleplusthread.com. Fun!
Client of the Month :: November :: Lee R.
Lee and his wife Jodie have been working with us since August 2004 when we first opened our doors here on Queen Anne. He and Jodie came for Pilates duets and personal training, and Lee struggled in those early days with implementing some of the concepts of Pilates. But he has stuck with it for 5 years and the progress has been incredible. Lee does Pilates with Brooke and Sue, and personal training with Dave, and all of us agree that he has made great gains in coordination, strength, flexibility and his confidence in the work has grown exponentially since his first months and even years here. We are proud of him for his dedication to fitness over the years and for never missing an appointment. You can read more about Lee's story here:
Q:
What do you like about Pilates?
L: I like that it is something that I can do together with my wife Jodie so
that we can help to motivate each other. I also like that it can be a very
intense work-out.
Q: What do you feel the benefits have been in combining Pilates and personal
training?
L: By combining both Pilates and personal training with weights I've been
able to improve my flexibility while simultaneously dramatically increasing
my strength and muscle tone.
Q: Can you describe all of your instructors in one word?
L: Dave: versatile
Sue: conscientious
Brooke: traditional
Q: What do you like about our studio in particular?
L: I like the personal attention and the no-pressure atmosphere.
Q: how would you recommend Pilates and personal training to your friends?
L: I would tell them that incorporating Pilates into a workout regime has
great benefits. And I would encourage them to be open minded about Pilates:
Tiger Woods, Kurt Schilling and the Seattle Seahawks all do Pilates, so it
is definitely is not just for the Oprah-watching contingent.
Thanks Lee! -- Brooke and Dave
Pilates Scholarships for Breast Cancer Survivors
We have been looking for a meaningful way to give back to our community and help make a difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors. We know firsthand how the Pilates system of exercise can benefit everyone from elite athletes to seniors, but cost can be a deterrent for some folks. We have always felt it important to keep our prices among the lowest in the city, but how to introduce the benefits of Pilates to folks who really, really need it?
October gave us just the inspiration we have been looking for. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and here at Young Pilates we happen to have a stellar instructor who is Pink Ribbon certified: Sue Bream. We are working with Sue to create 6 scholarships to study Pilates at our studio. The benefits of exercise, and Pilates specifically, are great for survivors. Pilates training can be an excellent way to address the postural issues and muscle-balancing necessary to recover from the side effects of breast cancer treatment. Pilates can help alleviate pain from breast cancer operative procedures, restore joint mobility and tissue integrity, and help regain lost strength. But most importantly, Pilates is a mind-body discipline that brings the two into harmony and can help remind us of the joy of movement.
Here are the details of our Pilates Scholarship program:
- This program is open to all Breast Cancer Survivors
- After folks fill out a short form, we will select 6 participants for the program
- Cost is FREE to all participants chosen
- Program runs Saturday 11/7 through Saturday 12/19 (excluding 11/28) for a total of 6 weeks
- Class will be held at Young Pilates each Saturday from 12pm-1pm
- Forms must be received by 5pm on 10/28. Winners will be announced Friday, 10/30
If you would like to apply for a scholarship, please click here to fill our our short questionnaire.
Thank you so much and we look forward to working with you!
Pilates for Breast Cancer :: by Sue Bream
Statistics show that there are over 2 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. According to the Center for Disease Control, breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women (non-melanoma skin cancer is the first). The American Cancer Society estimates that in the U.S. in 2009, about 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women and about 40,170 women will die from breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer.
This being said, there are a lot of breast cancer patients and survivors out there, many of whom are seeking ways to stay active during various phases of treatment, or get active following treatment. Participating in Pilates is an excellent form of exercise that helps in the recovery process from breast cancer treatments. Exercise in general has been shown to be effective in reducing the side effects of cancer treatments as well as the possibility of recurrences.
The
many side-effects of breast cancer treatment include pain, limited shoulder
joint mobility, and consequently, a loss of strength and endurance,
lymphedema, as well as some self-esteem issues.
If you had a mastectomy or lumpectomy, your posture may have changed
due to your surgery. This
change could create discomforts both physically and emotionally.
Pilates
focuses on stabilizing the central core and working from there to
effectively execute other movements.
Pilates can be a very gentle way to get moving after breast cancer
treatment, especially if done initially in a private session with an
instructor who is trained to work with breast cancer patients.
The many physical challenges that these women face can be dealt with
very successfully through Pilates, including lymphedema.
Lymphedema is a possibility for any woman who has had lymph nodes
removed. The deep breathing and
strong abdominal contractions in Pilates can help move lymph fluid out of
the trouble areas. Another
benefit of Pilates is that it is very mind-body oriented.
This connection of the mind and body can help greatly in the recovery
process.
It is
recommended that breast cancer patients start slowly with their exercise
programs. The varied equipment
in a Pilates studio provides ample choices of exercises to improve range of
motion, strength, endurance, and to feel better.
There are a few specialty training programs available for Pilates instructors to gain further knowledge about working with breast cancer patients. One such program is called the “Pink Ribbon Program” where an instructor becomes trained as a “certified post-rehabilitative breast cancer exercise specialist”. The goal os to design a post-operative workout which will enhance recovery through Pilates-based exercise.
Sue
Bream is certified through this program and also teaches weekly exercise
classes for Team Survivor Northwest at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Client of the Month :: October :: Jessica V.
Jessica
has been coming to our studio for almost 4 years, which is a pretty
incredible milestone. She started with us before her wedding, loved the
workouts and has graced us with her presence ever since. Jessica also
convinced her husband to give us a try a year or so ago and we have enjoyed
working with them both at the studio.
Q: Why did you decide to begin Pilates?
J: Shortly after I got engaged in 2006 I was reading
Seattle Bride Magazine and came across the "Best of Seattle Bride"
section. I noticed the award Young Pilates won for Bridal Bootcamp. I looked
up their website and emailed to find out more information. I was getting
married the following summer and decided to give Bootcamp a try!
Q: Why have you stayed with it as long as you have?
J: I attended Young Pilates the entire year before I was married. When I
started Bridal Bootcamp, I had only thought as far as my wedding. However, I
enjoyed my time there so much, that I continued even after I returned from
my honeymoon. I love the easy-going atmosphere of the studio and have gotten
to know Brooke and Dave as friends. I look forward to my weekly sessions.
Also, the studio is very affordable, and they have not raised the prices
once since I have been attending.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Pilates?
J: There are so many things I love about Pilates! I have never been a gym
person so finding Pilates was the best thing for me. Pilates truly gives you
a full-body workout while strengthening your core and increasing your
flexibility.
Q: If you were going to recommend Pilates to your friends, what would you say?
J: I would highly recommend pilates to any of my friends, especially pilates at Young Pilates and Fitness. I would tell them about the results I have seen and the fun I have. I never dread a pilates workout which is more than I can say about going to the gym. I would also tell them about the affordable prices and knowledgeable trainers.
Thanks Jess! We love having you and Colin as clients and friends! -- Brooke and David
Pilates and Pregnancy :: Safe, supportive and effective
Pilates is one of the best ways to get your body ready for pregnancy, to keep it fit during pregnancy and to get it back afterward. In fact, we believe it is the BEST choice for women simply because of the focus on strengthening the core musculature. Like any exercise regimen, it is recommended to begin Pilates before pregnancy. This allows you to develop a relationship with an instructor who knows your body and can make informed adjustments to your sessions as your pregnancy progresses, and it also begins to strengthen the stomach, back and pelvic floor muscles that are crucial to supporting your expanding belly.
It cannot be overstated how beneficial Pilates is for strengthening the deep core muscles which include your postural stabilizers and pelvic floor muscles. Pregnancy can put a lot of strain on the back and we work to strengthen the deep stabilizing muscles that counteract that strain. We also work on strengthening the upper-back muscles to get them ready for breast-feeding posture and picking up baby from the crib and car-seat and all the bending over required from new moms.
Pilates is also great for improving balance, and as your body changes your center of gravity shifts making balance more of a challenge. At our studio we often use physio-balls or BOSUs with pregnant clients to challenge their seated and standing balance to great effect.
But most important of all, Pilates does a great job of strengthening the pelvic floor muscles which contribute to a supported, comfortable pregnancy, and better labor. It is also makes all the difference in recovering post-pregnancy. There is a great article written about the pelvic floor muscles that you can find here.
If you are planning your pregnancy and would like to talk to us about the benefits of starting a Pilates exercise regimen in preparation please do give us a call! We love working with moms pre- and post-baby and we really believe that Pilates is one of the best thing a woman can do to prepare for pregnancy and birth!
Best of Western Washington 09 :: Vote Now!
We are in the running again for the best Pilates studio on Western Washington. We placed 2nd last year and we know with your vote we can win it this time! If you would like to vote for us you can do so here.
Many thanks to our fabulous, supportive clients who have helped us do so well!
Pilates Happy Hour Extended thru September/October!
Enjoy 1/2-priced Pilates and personal training from 3-5pm daily!
Eating local :: Good for you, good for the economy
Last summer we read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver and it absolutely changed the way we look at food, farming and the importance of nourishing ourselves and the planet in a thoughtful manner. We tried our own little experiment and decided to eat only what came from Washington State for the entire summer and fall. I must tell you, we ate very well! From incredible wine grown in the Columbia Valley to the heritage Wooly Pigs raised right here in the Northwest, we dined like royalty on the fruits of local labor. I even found out that the Palouse is one of the largest lentil-growing regions in the world and so we were able to source my favorite little legume from right here in our own state. It's amazing what can be found locally and I delight in this discovery at our local farmers' markets every week.
As
it turns out, eating locally is good for you, good for the small farmers
who grow our food and good for the planet. It is also good for the local
economy, which makes sense. The Washington Post has a good article today
which states that if the population "in and around Seattle bought 20
percent of their food dollars at local businesses, it would inject an
extra billion dollars each year into the local economy." That
would be a huge stimulus for our area and one not dependent on
technology or software but from the bounty of the land. Pretty
incredible stuff.
If you are interested in reading the full article in the Post please go
here.
To find a farmer's market near you look here:
http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/
Clients of the Month :: September :: Liz and Megan
Good friends Liz and Megan joined our studio in anticipation of Liz's wedding two years ago, stayed with us through Megan's wedding last year and are still regular clients in our group classes. Dave and I love their fun sense of humor and how they brighten every class they attend. You can read more of their stories below:
Liz and Megan relaxing on the EXO Chairs
Q: What made you decide to try Pilates?
Liz: I first decided to try Pilates about three years ago before my wedding. I not only wanted to get in great shape for that all-important wedding dress, but was also training for a half-marathon. Beyond running, I wanted to find something that would compliment this training and improve flexibility and strength. Pilates turned out to be just the thing I needed!
Q: How do you describe Pilates to your friends?
Megan: I describe it by saying how every muscle is worked and it is concentrated on the appropriate movement and usage of the muscles. As opposed to cardio work, or weight lifting, I am getting a total body workout, especially on muscles that don't get a lot of attention. It is also focused as a small class to get complete training. I recommend it for everyone!
Q: Why have you stuck with Pilates?
Megan: I love the way I feel after a Pilates class and the day after, my body has gotten a great workout and it shows! Brooke and Dave are very personable and it is always a joy to come to their classes as they are always upbeat and ready to help with any techniques.
Liz: For a number of reasons. One, I've stuck with Pilates because I know it works. I've never felt better. If I happen to miss a class, my body is not happy with me, so I stick with it! Two, Brooke and Dave are innovative and continue to challenge me, so I never get bored with a class, there is always something new. Three, last summer, my good friend Megan wanted to try Pilates to get in shape for her wedding, so we started attending classes together, and a year later after her wedding, we're still attending classes together. We keep each other accountable!
Thanks you guys! Keep up the great work! -- Brooke and David
Funny! From
someecards.com
Our new video is up and running!
We have been fortunate enough to work with the incredibly talented video producer, Matthew Billings, on our latest project: a short video introducing us and our business to the world. Why a video? Well, how does one choose a Pilates studio among the many offerings around the city? We thought this short video would be a great way to distinguish ourselves from the pack and let people know who we are and what we are about. You can find a link to our video on every page of this site above the navigation bar and we hope you enjoy it. We definitely had a great time making it! A big thank you to our clients who participated in the shoot: Zoe J., Celeste H., Jessica V., Katrina H., Renee Y., and a huge thank you to Matthew Billings who did an outstanding job for us. You can find more of his work here: www.matthewbillings.com.
Seattle Weekly Best of 2009 :: We won!
Here is the text from the Seattle Weekly article, which debuted 7/29/09:
Regardless of the economic climate, new pilates studios seem to spring up around this city every month. While almost anyone who's been to a few classes will tell you it's a wildly effective and enjoyable way to get svelte, limber, and strong, it's also prohibitively expensive for many—particularly if it involves the use of pricey reformer equipment. Not so at Young Pilates on Queen Anne, where small-group reformer classes are just $25 per one-hour session, and even private lessons can be had for a paltry $35 if you make your appointment during their happy hour (Mon.–Fri., 3–5 p.m.). Luckily, all these bargain-basement rates are not reflected in the warm, light-filled studio and approachable, responsive teaching philosophy of husband-and-wife team Brooke and David Young. "I think it's pretty obvious we love working together," says Brooke, "and I feel like that gets translated to our clients by way of a fun, collegial atmosphere." (Indeed, David is a dry-humored indie-rock fan as likely to talk to you about the last episode of True Blood as he is to gently correct your form.) And those low prices? "We have more group reformers [eight total] than just about any other studio in the city," Brooke claims, "which allows us to fit more folks in and charge a little less than those studios that have only three or four. In fact, we haven't raised the prices on the group classes ever in five years."—Hannah Levin
Client of the Month :: August :: Katrina H.
Katrina has been working with us for 10 months and her progress has been
amazing! When she first began Pilates she didn't have a lot of confidence
in her fitness level, coordination or strength. But seeing her improve on
each exercise and each piece of equipment has made her more confident in her
abilities and has made Dave and I very proud of all the hard work she has done.
Read more of her story below./p>
Q: What made you decide to try Pilates in the first
place?
A: I had read a lot about Pilates and about how it had changed people’s
bodies dramatically. I was headed on a bikini-laden vacation over the winter
holiday and thought it would be the perfect way to tone my body and
give me something new to complement my gym time. It’s been
almost seven months since I’ve returned from my vacation, and I’ve lost an
additional twelve pounds!
Q: What is your favorite thing about Pilates?
A: I love the way I feel after Pilates. I never feel that I’ve hurt myself,
but rather I feel truly energized for the day. I always look forward to it! I
will say that I love Brooke’s advice on wine and cooking. Dave is great
for comic relief (great stories!), just don’t fool yourself into thinking
you’re going to get away with an easy fifty minutes! He’s also a great
source of human kinetic knowledge.
Q: How do you describe Pilates to your friends who
haven’t tried it?
A: My friends have noted how my body has toned up in the past seven or eight months. I credit this to Young Pilates. I tell them that Pilates uses your own body weight as resistance, using stretching and breathing as core elements.
Q: What are some of the advantages to Pilates over traditional strength training classes offered at the bigger gyms?
A: There are numerous advantages to exercising at Young Pilates versus traditional training gyms. I still do cardio and some weight lifting at my gym, but that is about the limit to its fascination. First, with Pilates I never have to wait for a machine to open up! It’s amazing to think about how much time you actually waste going from machine to machine (sometimes using machines that the trainer never intended due to the fact that the machine s/he would like to use for you is already in use!). Second, I know my trainers at Young Pilates. They know my abilities or lack thereof. With the bigger gyms, your trainer is constantly changing or really has no qualified credentials to be training you (have you ever heard something that battled with your common sense from these guys?). Brooke and Dave know my abilities and push me constantly without the possibility of me getting hurt. I truly trust that they know what they are doing, plus their credentials are more than ones that they earned from working at the gym (dime a dozen I have found). Third, Brooke and Dave are always responsive. I am able to reach them via email or phone. Most trainers will not even get back to you in a forty-eight hour period at larger gyms. Brooke and Dave treat me as they would like to be treated, duly noted and appreciated! There are at least another handful of positives that I could provide, but I think my recommendation speaks rather loudly.
Thanks Katrina! -- Brooke and David
Summer Special:: Pilates Happy Hour
Enjoy 1/2-priced private Pilates and personal training lessons from 3-5pm
daily!
Good through July and August 2009
The Secret of Pilates? The Eccentric Contraction...
In Pilates there is more emphasis on the eccentric contraction than one finds in most exercise systems. It is the eccentric contraction that accounts for the long, strong muscles Pilates is known for. When people ask us how working on the Pilates machines is different from work on traditional fitness equipment, we let them know it is all about the springs. The springs provide more eccentric contraction in every exercise than one can get on gym equipment. The same idea is carried over into mat work where every move is focused on control and precision in both concentric and eccentric contraction.
Read more about this phenomenon here: hhttp://pilates.about.com/od/technique/a/eccentric-contraction.htm