Functional Pilates????
September always brings with it a flurry of personnel changes and this September was no exception. Departing staff means only one thing to me: auditions!! And so it was that Jan (she whom I affectionately refer to as the boss of everything) and myself sat down to audition the last applicant on our list on a random Thursday afternoon. The teacher was absolutely lovely. A great eye, a soothing voice, targeted instruction. Still new to the craft, ...
<< MORE >>Fusion Follow Up
Reflections on a City
I always say it takes one to know one – A native New Yorker, that is.
I had a brand new client last week who after 10 minutes of spontaneous mutual banter I assuredly asked, “Where did you Grow Up?”.
Before she’d answered “here.” I knew full well she was made of the same stuff I was.
Born among a resting level of noise that is not found in nature.
Thrust forward at birth into a rapid-fire tempo unmatched in the rest of this great country we ...<< MORE >>
Fusion Schmuzion!!
Criminy!!
I saw a Pilates segment on the news today that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and then fall out!
What in heaven’s name is going on in the Pilates world?
Anyone who can get their hands on a list of Pilates exercises seems compelled to shred it to pieces and then dress it up real “purty-like” with paper and a bow and call it something “new”. Something “better”. More “intense”, they say.
Know what I say?
Crap!
It’s crap.
First of all, if Pilates wasn’t already great, you wouldn’t be ripping it off in the first place.
Second, if you have been doing Pilates, and it wasn't intense or hard enough for you....well then it wasn't real Pilates!
And finally, if you’re going to completely deconstruct the method, bastardize it with accessories, and blast mindless, ear-piercing music while you teach, well don’t you dare call it Pilates! Call it calisthenics and let’s move on with it!
Mind you, I’ve got no problem with mindless exercise done to bad music. It’s fine by me – I even go to classes like that when I feel like tuning out and just swaying to music.
My problem here is with the misrepresentation.
Conning customers in with the promise of Pilates and delivering something completely unrelated is false advertising, an abuse of public trust and an insult to the dedicated professionals who actually do teach Pilates.
Pilates police, where are you? Can't someone regulate the marketing of senseless and anatomically damaging workouts that are posturing as Pilates and ruining the reputation some of us have worked so hard to build....
What do you think? I'd love to hear from you!!
Alycea
Everyday Pilates is Out!!
Check it out here!
Ok - here's the skinny and my completely subjective review!
This is NOT just another Pilates DVD.
It's a full book - 96 full color pages with step by step instructions.
A full DVD - one hour of workouts in four - 15 minute routines!
And....
*Pull out charts
*Checklists
*Tips and Pointers
It's a whole new concept, designed to get you working out harder, better and more thoroughly than you would with just a book OR a DVD. Here, you get both!
I had so much fun making it!
Here's why I love it.
Instead of lying down for an hour - each routine is focused on my new Pilates mantra:
"Get off the floor and out the door".
You will lie, sit, kneel, and stand. And you'll do it all in a quick paced and comprehensive workout.
Here's what else!
It's got music. Or not! You have the option of tuning in or out. You can hear my voiceover instruction only, or just the music, or both! How cool is that?
So, you might ask, what could be bad...........?
Nothing! Thanks to DK ( my fab publishers), this product will be translated and released in 17 languages. How could that be bad? It's fantastic. But.........it meant that there could be no live speaking on the tape. What you'll see is me and another instructor demonstrating the moves in real time. You'll hear me instructing you through each move, but you won't SEE me teaching anyone. Since we couldn't speak on camera (they would have had to dub it), this was the clearest way to convey instruction. For those of you that have seen me live, it means my edgy NY sense of humor is curiously absent!
It's a great product all told. And of course it won't be my last. The wheels are turning, the pitches are out, the meetings are scheduled.
Sit tight and enjoy your workout!!!
~Alycea
Where the Buffalo Roam...
Ah Amangani!
Luxurious accommodations, fine dining and a divine landscape.
My annual retreat was utterly fabulous and made no less so by the presence of some incredible participants. The students readily lent me their bodies and I accepted with open arms opting to change their minds as well as their bodies from the very first inhalation.
I am thrilled to say I will be visiting Amangani again next year. I am already planning my day at Yellowstone National and at least one picnic at Grand Teton National Park. But for the immediate future….it’s Disney! At the end of October, I am packing up the family and jetting down to Orlando where I will present a new workshop for the Pilates Method Alliance. Lucky for us it’s during Halloween so we have reserved our tickets to Mickey’s Halloween Ball! Costumes with no coats..? What could be better?
Happy Fall!
Alycea
Summer Scoop!
For those of you who teachers looking for a quick summer course, I will be sneak previewing my November PMA course on August 22nd at Sag Harbor Pilates! A 2-hour course which explores how to amplify Pilates as resistance training. Workout hard and learn new cues and tricks for your clients.
If you are looking to vacation ...<< MORE >>
April Happenings!
I am fresh off the plane from London after a week of production on my latest product. What a thrilling week it was despite the sad state of the dollar versus the pound! I'm on a gag order for now, but I can tell you that this new project is completely new to the market in concept and format and I am very excited about launching it! The great thing about Pilates is the more intimately you know the method, the more fascinating and complex it becomes! For now I'm headed for a home cooked meal and the comfort of my own pillows. Back to Pilates tomorrow!
Cheerio'
Alycea
Welcome!
Finally, a place where we can chat about the Pilates world from an insider's perspective. This blog is intended for those who have already dedicated themselves to the field and / or practice of Pilates. Not to say we won't at times foray into discussions pertaining to parenting, wellness, and of course, retail therapy. We are after all, just regular folks with a penchant for Pilates!