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Why Pilates is Amazing - Part 4: Control and Centring
Pilates Amy Goeldner Pilates Amy Goeldner

Why Pilates is Amazing - Part 4: Control and Centring

Our bodies are highly adaptable. There is a principle in kinesiology (the study of human movement) called the SAID principle which states that the human body adapts specifically to imposed demands. Specific stressors on the human system, whether biomechanical or neurological, will produce Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID). This means the more we practice controlling our muscles during Pilates the better we get at it.

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Why Pilates is Amazing - Part 3: Breath and Concentration
Pilates Amy Goeldner Pilates Amy Goeldner

Why Pilates is Amazing - Part 3: Breath and Concentration

In Pilates, we use lateral (side) breathing, also called intercostal breathing. When laterally breathing an effort is made to emphasize the expansion of the sides and back of the rib cage when we inhale. This promotes a consistent inward pull of the abdominal wall. On the exhale, our abdominal muscles assist our bodies which in turn helps to stabilize the trunk.

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Why Pilates is Amazing - Part 2: Awareness & Balance
Pilates Amy Goeldner Pilates Amy Goeldner

Why Pilates is Amazing - Part 2: Awareness & Balance

Each person has a unique set of imbalances, and these are almost always related to their previous injuries and/or dysfunctional movement patterns. A properly designed Pilates exercise program brings balance in our muscles safely and gradually as using the Pilates equipment helps support the body in the correct alignment. Because the loads of resistance are light to medium in Pilates compared to other modes of strength training the risk of injury is quite low. So the exercises in Pilates can help bring balance, coordination, healthy joint mobility, muscular strength and endurance, and core stability. I truly believe Pilates is the BEST way to train the body.

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Pilates Principles Overview
Pilates Amy Goeldner Pilates Amy Goeldner

Pilates Principles Overview

And his Contrology method had a philosophy that he believed would bring whole body health, which gave context to the exercises he designed. Joseph intended his method to be a mental and physical discipline, a work ethic, and an attitude toward one’s self that would eventually become a habit and a lifestyle.

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The Importance of Exercise Recovery: Step 1 Strength Training
Exercise, Health Amy Goeldner Exercise, Health Amy Goeldner

The Importance of Exercise Recovery: Step 1 Strength Training

The first practice I list is strength training, which at first may seem like a funny activity to put in a list about ways to recover from exercise. And while strength training doesn’t directly help our bodies recover from bouts of exercise, what it does do is far more important. Strength training lays the foundation to building a highly functional body. In the end this helps your body perform optimally so that it eases the demands on the body when you exercise, so less recovery is needed.

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The Importance of Exercise Recovery
Health, Exercise Amy Goeldner Health, Exercise Amy Goeldner

The Importance of Exercise Recovery

Exercise recovery is more than just resting after a workout. In this article I go over a few important practices that can help increase your body’s ability to recover from exercise.
Within the body there is a constant play of stability and mobility. Certain areas in our body function best when strong and stable and other parts of the body function best with more range of motion.

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What’s the best diet? Paleo? Vegan? Keto? Atkins? Zone? The list goes on...
Nutrition Amy Goeldner Nutrition Amy Goeldner

What’s the best diet? Paleo? Vegan? Keto? Atkins? Zone? The list goes on...

I often answer “the best diet is the one that you can maintain long term.” This is such a complex discussion. And really there is no right answer as to whether there is one diet that works for all people. Well….maybe one right answer: whole foods. Selecting most of the food you eat from whole sources, meaning minimally processed, feeds your body the nutrients it needs and keeps it healthy.

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Registry Tracks Successful Losers of Weight
Nutrition, Health Amy Goeldner Nutrition, Health Amy Goeldner

Registry Tracks Successful Losers of Weight


The National Weight Control Registry is a database that tracks successful "losers" of 30lbs or more and who have maintained that loss for over one year. ACE's book writes that this registry "has uncovered an abundance of tried and true tips to help people lose weight and keep it off".

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