Pilates – Page 2 – Irene Pastore Fitness.com

4 Step Back Solution

February 14, 2016

Got an achy back? You’re not alone. Back pain is the number 2 reason for doctor visits, and one of the most common reasons for missed work.

What should you do if your back hurts all the time? First, check with your doctor to find out whether your back ache is caused by daily habits, muscular weakness, or an accident.

If your doctor tells you there is structural damage to bone, ligament, tendon or muscle, he/she may prescribe medication, and/or a treatment plan.

If your doctor discovers that the reason for your back pain is muscular weakness, or daily habits, and that participating in regular exercise will help, then you can begin doing exercise.

FOUR STEP BACK SOLUTION

1) Stretch your back with Yoga poses, or Pilates exercises.

2) Strengthen your core muscles, especially the abdominal, and back muscles. Muscles work in pairs. That’s why they should be strengthened, and stretched in equal measure.

3) Avoid sleeping on your stomach. When you sleep on your stomach, your pelvis tips forward, tightening the low back muscles. In the morning you’ll wake up with a backache. Instead, sleep on your side, or on your back.

While you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees to help stretch your back muscles. While sleeping on your side, place a pillow between your knees to ease your low back.

4) Practice the pelvic tilting exercise. This exercise stretches your low back muscles. Pelvic tilting can be done while standing against a wall, lying on your back, or seated on a chair, or on an exercise ball.

Irene Pastore is a native New Yorker, health and fitness blogger, and personal trainer. Irene owns this website, and writes all the blog posts. For her complete bio, visit the About Page.

The Pilates Magic Ring

February 12, 2016

The Magic Ring is a portable piece of core exercise equipment invented by Joseph PILATES RING HORZ Pilates, the creator of the Pilates method of exercise. Here are 10 important reasons that the Magic Ring used by Pilates practitioners, and anyone who wants a quick and easy way to get strong.

Take it with you on vacation.
Take it to a friend’s house, and practice together.
The ring is very light, and will fit in a suitcase, or carry bag.
The ring is easy to use. Just squeeze and release while holding the handles.
The ring builds arm, hip, thigh, abs, and back muscles.
The results are powerful.
The ring is affordable. Prices range from $15.00 and up to around $49.00.
Rings come in 3 resistance levels: light for beginners, medium for intermediate workouts, and strong for an advanced workout.
The ring can be combined with both large and small Pilates equipment, to create more challenging workouts.
The ring is versatile. Use it in standing, seated, side lying, prone, and supine exercises.

Irene Pastore is a native New Yorker, health and fitness blogger, and personal trainer. Irene owns this website, and writes all the blog posts. For her complete bio, visit the About Page.

A Pilates Primer

April 2, 2015

A PILATES PRIMER A must-have for Pilates teachers, and practitioners. The Millennium Edition, is the complete works of Joseph H. Pilates.

This edition includes two books: Return To Life Through Contrology, originally published in 1945, and Your Health, first published in 1934.

Return To Life includes black and white photographs of Joseph Pilates at sixty years old, performing his entire original set of 34 mat exercises.

This book makes available in one volume all of his early 20th Century philosophies, principles, and theories about health and fitness. Each exercise is fully described, with Pilates original instructions.

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1883, and died in New York City in 1967. He invented, and promoted his method of physical fitness, which he called Contrology.

Essentially teaching the Contrology method to dancers in his studio in New York, his method is now taught and practised worldwide, and is known as Pilates. The Millennium Edition is available in Kindle at Amazon, and in paperback at Barnes & Noble.

Core Exercise For Equestrians

February 11, 2015

With the exception of a few urban areas, we live in a country that encourages sitting, because our towns and cities are planned around the automobile.

We sit at the computer, in front of the TV, on the job, at the movies, dining out, and commuting to work. .

In many cities and towns, sidewalks are inadequate for pedestrians, making the car an absolute necessity, even for short, walkable errands.

Prolonged sitting weakens our muscles, makes us lethargic, creates a weak core, which in turn, develops poor posture. Medical doctors consider sitting to be the new smoking.

Do you have a job where you’re sitting most of the day? Do you have chronic low back pain? Does your neck feel stiff? Are your muscles so sore you can’t sit down? Is the time spent riding your horse not as enjoyable as you’d like it to be?

Targeted exercise provides solutions to remedy these problems.

EQUESTRIAN FITNESS AND CORE MUSCLES

The muscles of the abs, back, pelvis and hips, make up the core. Strengthening these muscles is important, because the core stabilizes the spine, and protects it from injury,

While you’re moving, the core controls the position and motion of the torso over the pelvis. A strong core improves sports performance, and maintains healthy posture.

SOLUTIONS

Targeted exercise provides solutions to help you get rid of muscular tension, and weakness, develop better posture on and off the horse, and makes riding more effective.

PILATES EXERCISE

Pilates Mat and Reformer exercises are designed to make your core muscles strong.

If you’re not inclined towards Pilates, no worries, you can opt in to a fitness-based core exercise routine, using specialized core equipment to get the job done. Core exercises can also be performed without any equipment.

YOGA CORE EXERCISE

If you’re a Yoga fan, there are many poses that will strengthen your core muscles, stretch your Psoas, Back, and Hamstrings.

As you can see, there are many ways to stretch and strengthen your muscles. Here are a few suggestions.

Stretch the Psoas Muscle because this inner hip muscle tightens up when you do alot of sitting. Stretch your Back to release tension in tight muscles.

The Hamstrings are the muscles of the posterior thigh. Theses muscles tighten up from excessive sitting. If you frequently do stair climbing, or cycling ,you should be stretching your Hamstrings on a regular basis.

Strengthen ;your Back and Abdominal Muscles, because these muscles work as a team to keep your posture healthy, and your spine well-supported.

RELATED POSTS

The Lunge Stretch For Tight Hips

Stretching 101

Basic Hamstring Stretches

Kayak Fatalities

April 1, 2014

Killing Yourself In a Kayak Isn’t Difficult

I had planned to write a post on the subject of kayak sporting accidents. In researching the net for information, I found a thorough, well written article on Squidoo, titled, “How To Kill Yourself In A Kayak.” Just click on the link to get there. I couldn’t have done a better job. Based on recent news stories, the author chronicles deadly kayaking mistakes, due to poor judgement.

Nature Doesn’t Forgive

I’ve written posts on the increase in hiking fatalities, and sports injuries. The wilderness doesn’t forgive ignorance. Before setting out, you must know about weather conditions, what to bring with you, what to wear, local wildlife, and what to do during emergencies. You have to be fit enough to handle your kayak, or whatever your chosen sport might be.

Shannon Christy, 23 Dies In Overturned Kayak

This is a sad story of a kayaker who died on the Potomac River in July 2013, when her kayak overturned, as she went down the rapids. She became entrapped, and subsequently drowned. ABC 7 covered the incident.

A Strong Core Means Better Paddling, Less Fatigue, Fewer Accidents

To take on sports, or recreational activities, you have to be fit. In kayaking, you need a resilient core for effective paddling, as well as strong shoulders, and arms. Your core stabilizes your spine and gives you the upper edge in your chosen sport, or recreational activity, because you’re able to produce more efficient force without hurting yourself.

When your core is weak, it makes other parts of your body take on roles they weren’t meant for. For example, you might wind up with fatigue in your shoulders, or arms. Worse yet, core weakness may result in overuse shoulder, and arm injuries associated with paddling.

An Excellent Core Exercise

Planks are one of the best, and least complicated exercises to strengthen your core. Planks are performed on an exercise mat from several positions.

Click the links for instructions on how to do each exercise.

Downward Plank Abs On The Ball

Pilates Upward Plank

Advanced Side Plank

Pilates For Kayakers

Click the link to read my post on specific Pilates exercises for kayakers.

Back Care for Equestrians

December 27, 2013

THE EQUESTRIAN AND BACK PAIN

Riding is a strenuous sport that requires the equestrian to maintain a neutral spine, while sitting in the English or Western saddle.

The saddle, is literally a backless chair, offering no support for the spine. The rider must generate support using strong core muscles.

Little needs to be said about the debilitating effects of back pain for equestrians. No one wants to, or should ride, when in pain. The more uncomfortable you are, the less you’ll be able to enjoy being with your horse. He’ll miss you too.

Learning what causes back pain, and taking preventive measures, will bring many happy riding years. The easiest, and most cost-effective solution, is exercise.

PREVENTION THROUGH CORE TRAINING EXERCISE

Regular exercise is highly recommended for prevention of back pain, and maintaining a healthy back.

Pilates and Yoga keeps riders both strong and flexible. Pilates strengthens your back and abs, Yoga stretches critical areas important for riding, as well as developing tranquility.

Fitness-derived core exercises are an excellent method to strengthen and stretch muscles that are vital for riders.

COMMON CAUSES OF BACK PAIN

Muscle spasm
Awkward twisting, or bending motions
Incorrect lifting a heavy object
Spinal trauma
Bending down and abrupt turning around
Muscle imbalance
Coughing or sneezing
Prolonged sitting
Sports injuries
Aging
Overweight and obesity
Poor sitting or standing posture
Arthritis

FACTS ABOUT BACK PAIN

Back Pain is one of the most common causes of doctor’s visits in the United States
Back Pain affects most people at least once during their lifetime.
Untreated back pain can make daily activities difficult or impossible.
Back pain affects about 60 to 80 percent of American adults,
More than 26 million Americans between the ages of 20-64 experience frequent back pain.
Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work.
Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide.
Americans spend at least $50 billion yearly on back pain.

From the American Chiropractic Association and The American Academy of Pain Medicine

STANDARD MEDICAL SOLUTIONS

Over-the counter pain relievers
Hot or cold packs
Exercise
Medication
Physical therapy
Complementary or alternative treatments
Injections
Surgery

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