Wunda Wednesday – The Core Reformer

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Melissa Burton in Fitness, WundaWednesdays | Leave a comment

WundaBar Pilates, Pilates, injury rehabiliationWelcome to Week 7 of Wunda Wednesdays!  From May 1st through July 1st, I’ll be participating in a 60 Day Challenge with WundaBar Pilates.  I’ll be taking 3-4 classes per week in exchange for documenting my progress weekly here on the blog.

 

 

Last week, we learned the details of 3 of my most challenging exercises done on the WundaChair.  Today, the Reformer takes the spotlight.  The Reformer is not only the core of the WundaFormer, it is the Pilates star uniquely responsible for helping to develop the body’s core muscles by building both strength and length.

Strength is developed by muscles and bones through the resistance of body weight against the weight of the carriage and varying spring tension via straps or pulleys with arms and legs.  

Length in the muscles is developed by the unique ability of the Reformer to provide eccentric contraction – the elongation of a muscle as it is put under tension.    The phenomenon known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) experienced 24-72 hours after intense exercise is also the result of muscles adapting to muscle fiber microtrauma induced by eccentric contraction.

WundaBar Pilates, Reformer, eccentric contraction, DOMS

A mantra for gaining strength and length through Pilates.

WundaBar Pilates classes are challenging and there are days that I almost feel more length (through muscle soreness) than strength but then I realize that I am really building both!

It’s only been 7 weeks and I am training my muscles to work in the way they should rather than make up for the weak core, back and hip muscles I’ve been working around for years.

Like with the WundaChair exercises that we highlighted last week, there are many exercise permutations available for the Reformer but the 4 Reformer exercises below are the ones that I find to be the most challenging (and therefore, likely the most strength and length building) for me.

  • Lunges:  Are you a master of lunges on solid ground? Want to literally shake it up?  A Reformer lunge will engage your core and make your legs and body shake like few other moves will.  Even if you have strong legs (and I do), this move is deeply challenging.  Keeping the core engaged while working to keep the shoulders away from the ears and hips squared and leveled (while remembering to breathe) is a lot of choreography for me.  Because I shake like crazy, I asked Wunda Anna to demonstrate how a Reformer lunge should look.

 

WundaBar Pilates, Reformer, Lunge

WundaBar Instructor Anna Gray performing a Lunge on the WundaFormer.

  • Open/Close and Skater:  These lower body power moves take a lot out of me.  To perform them properly you need one foot on the stationary platform (near the springs) and the other foot on the cushioned carriage of the Reformer.  The closer your foot is to the edge on the carriage, the more resistance you’ll be creating against the springs.  These exercise variations can be made easier or more complicated with a pole or ring (see below).
  • For Open/Close, use straight legs and push away from the stationary platform, keeping weight evenly distributed and resisting the movement; to return, draw the upper inner thighs and pelvic floor up and in, resisting and lengthening all the way home.  
  • For Skater, assume a squat position with core engaged and sitting bones reaching back toward the opposite wall.  I need to put my hands on my hips for greater stability due to my weak core.  Maintaining your form, extend one leg from its bent position to an extended position, maximizing the distance between sit bone and outer foot.  Like Open/Close, moving slowly and creating resistance is key!
WundaFormer, Splits, Poles

Reformer Splits with Poles

Reformer, Pilates, Skaters, WundaBar Pilates

WundaBar Instructor Rendel Leatherman demonstrating Skaters.

 

  • 4 Point Kneel to Plank:  An everyday plank is no picnic but holding one against spring tension can be considered mini-torture.  Add pushing the platform forward an inch and backward an inch numerous times while keeping good form has brought out my inner Monica Seles (I’m sorry fellow classmates but I’m not shy about groaning and sometimes laughing at myself when I’m frustrated).  Difficult but unbelievable for developing (nearly) full body strength and length.
  • In the “all fours” position, place hands (or elbows) onto the carriage with toes on the stationary platform and heels extending back.  Engage the core and on an inhale, straighten the legs and hold.    

 

WundaBar Pilates, Plank, Reformer

WundaBar Client Isabella P. demonstrating Plank on the Reformer.

 

  • Wundabesque:  This move is inspired by the traditional Pilates Arabesque and it not only takes strength but coordination as well.  I did this move on my first class and I’m happy that none of my classes had it again until last week.  This is the exercise that makes me curse Joseph Pilates in my head.  A lot. 
  • Start in a plank position hands on the footbar and feet on the Reformer carriage with heels on a rise against shoulder blocks.  Push against the footbar keeping straight arms to a flat or slightly piked position. 
  • Next, on an exhale engage the core muscles while keeping shoulders down and hips level, bring one bent knee toward the footbar and keep the extended leg (with foot against the shoulder block) straight.
  • To complete the exercise, inhale and extend the bended knee straight backwards while bending the opposite leg toward the footbar while keeping extension in the body.  It’s difficult to explain (and perform) but WundaBar instructor, Leeann Medina, demonstrates it beautifully below.
Pilates, Reformer, Arabesque

WundaBar Instructor Leeann Medina demonstrating the completion of a Reformer Wundabesque

 

These 4 exercises are my biggest Reformer challenges to date.  Even at Day 60 I know they’ll still be difficult but I’m hoping my form, strength and length will all improve.  It seems crazy that there are only a few more weeks to get to Day 60!

If this is your first visit to Wunda Wednesdays (welcome!) or if you just want to catch up, here are links for the preceding weeks: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5 and Week 6.

Want to some more Pilates tips directly from WundaBar pros?  Next week I’m featuring interviews with 3 of WundaBar’s most loved instructors.  You might learn the essential tip to perform your most challenging exercise better!

*This post is part of my series Wunda Wednesdays which I have agreed to write in exchange for classes at WundaBar Pilates for the next 60 days.  All opinions are my own.

Love.Yoga.Give 2013

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Melissa Burton in Fitness | Leave a comment

This past Saturday, June 15th, 2013 Lululemon Athletica Pasadena and Stadium Fitness presented Love.Yoga.Give a yoga benefit event held at the world famous Rose Bowl Stadium to influence positive health in the community through physical activity.

This event was held to benefit the 500 Pre-K to 5th grade students of Madison Elementary School in Pasadena who are at high risk for obesity.  90% of the students at Madison come from families with low socioeconomic status and receive free or reduced lunch.  Madison Elementary has not had a budget for a physical education program or teachers for the past 2 years!   As a dietitian and fitness enthusiast who has a deep commitment to being socially responsible, going to this event was an absolute no brainer in my heart and mind!

This Was Love.Yoga.Give 2013.

Love.Yoga.Give, Lululemon, Stadium Fitness

Love.Yoga.Give 2013 at the Pasadena Rose Bowl

Row 1: Sign in Lululemon Pasadena, Roses at the Rose Bowl, Jodie and David Liston, owners of and coaches for Stadium Fitness, 80′s cover band Past Action Heroes (who put on a super fun performance after the yoga class).

Row 2: Get Shaved, a shave ice food truck (“shave ice” can best be described as a Hawaiian Snow Cone for those not in the know), Rose Bowl entrance, the lovely Katie Brunelle of Stadium Fitness Yoga, (our instructor for the evening) and the JUICEBOX Los Angeles food (or beverage) truck.

Rows 3/4: Downdogs on the Rose Bowl field, DogHaus, hotdog food truck (they have a local running club too!), the gorgeous Rose Bowl field, the Love.Yoga.Give flyer symbol, “Manyum P.I.” from Past Action Heroes in all his glory and last, me with my favorite local yoga instructor, Katie Brunelle.

If you want to support the Love.Yoga.Give movement and help Madison Elementary School in Pasadena, you can still donate to the cause.

*Although I do practice yoga at Stadium Fitness Yoga, I was not compensated to attend this event or encouraged to write about it.  I have no professional relationship or affiliation with any or all of the entities listed above.  I did give a donation to the cause and I’m writing about my event experience because the core values of promoting positive health both individually and in the community via fitness and nutrition lie within the heart (pun intended) of thevalentineRD.com blog.  All opinions, words and photos are my own.

Have you ever participated in a fitness event for charity?  Which one was the most memorable and why?

Sounds Of Saturday – R.E.M./Driver 8

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Melissa Burton in Music | Leave a comment

High school and college was fraught with R.E.M. music everywhere. I never have seen them live but wished I had in their hey-day.

I found this rare acoustic performance of one my favorite R.E.M. songs (whose lyrics I can understand), “Driver 8″. Enjoy and I’ll see you Monday.

Are you a fan of R.E.M.? What is your favorite song by them?

The Days Are Long But The Years Are Short – AKA OMG Kindergarten Is Already OVER?!

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Melissa Burton in NY-LA, Uncategorized | 2 Comments
31 Days Project, NY-LA, Balance, Kindergarten

Sept 2012 – 1st Day of Kindergarten (really Aug)

Help!  I’m freaking out because my only (human) child has finished his Kindergarten year!   The quote “the days are long but the years are short”  definitely sums up how overwhelming it is to watch just how fast milestones fly by as a parent.  I feel like I’m still adjusting to parenthood and I’m incredulous that Wild Boy recently turned 6.

I still can’t believe that the first day of Kindergarten occurred only a few weeks after our family moved from NY to the LA area.  We were all in a new neighborhood, new house and knew no one.  Jay and I wondered how a 5 year old would adjust not only to new surroundings but to so many transitions during the school day.

 

Kindergarten, First Day of School

The new elementary school had only a half-day Kindergarten (after years of full-day daycare and preschool) so there was Kindercare (the 3.5 hours before afternoon Kinder class) and and for our family, Extended Daycare.  Wild Boy surprised us both by settling into the new environments at home and at school with relative ease.

Wild Boy left pals in Brooklyn that he’s known since he was born but he made many new friends at school this year.  It’s been fun to learn how 5 and 6 year olds play  - from the X-Men and Super Hero playground games to discussions about the best minifigures from Lego (Batman and Ninjago) and “Oosem Guys” (aka Bok Choy Boys).  Computer games became important too.  I’m not sure that the Kindergarten teachers appreciated it when Wild Boy shared how to access CoolMathGames.com, on the class computer but his classmates sure did.

Kindergarten helped us all assimilate in the community through many school events – from the evening Outdoor Movie on the school playground, to the Halloween Parade, Jog-A-Thon, Art Fair, and the Fun Fair.  Every human on earth claims to hate the Chicken Dance song but all the parents were smiling when 100 Kindergarteners came out in full regalia and did an organized dance for May Day!  However, I think Wild Boy’s favorite school event might have been Parents Night Out when he got to be with his friends at school for dinner and a movie (his parents enjoyed it as well)!

For a kid who knew no one at the beginning of the school year, there was something special about having a joint 6th birthday celebration with 2 of Wild Boy’s female classmates for a “Shark Boy and Lava Girl” themed party.  Watching Wild Boy happily run around for 2 hours at an indoor playground with over 30 other kids made the cross-country move seem like a big success.

I love you heart

When we moved to LA, I took the year off professionally to ensure an easy transition for Wild Boy. With more time available, I volunteered to be a weekly Parent Helper at school.  I’ll admit that I definitely needed a strong drink every time I left the classroom (how do teachers do it?!) but I’ll never forget seeing how happy it made my child to have me help him and his fellow “Orca Whales” in his class every week.   Not every parent gets the chance to be present in their child’s classroom activities and I’m glad I was able to during the very important school year of Kindergarten.

 

Micah BaseballIt’s incredible how much Wild Boy has grown physically ( over 4 inches and 8 lbs), emotionally and academically (fluently reading and doing math problems for fun)!

For all of the other parents of Kindergarteners that have a graduation or moving up ceremony to commemorate this monumental event, consider yourselves lucky.  Our elementary school didn’t have one and I was devastated – hence, the reason for this lengthy post.

It’s hard to believe that the question, “What grade are you in?” now applies to my baby!  I can’t even contemplate the many changes that the future holds in store but I can guarantee that Wild Boy won’t be begging his teachers for homework or have all of his baby teeth at this time next year.

 

If you have a child, did your child have a graduation ceremony at the end of Kindergarten?  What did your family do when you graduated from Kindergarten?

Wunda Wednesdays – The WundaChair Is Not For Sitting!

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Melissa Burton in Fitness, WundaWednesdays | 3 Comments

WundaBar Pilates, Pilates, injury rehabiliationWelcome to Week 5 of Wunda Wednesdays!  From May 1st through July 1st, I’ll be participating in a 60 Day Challenge with WundaBar Pilates.  I’ll be taking 3-4 classes per week in exchange for documenting my progress weekly here on the blog.

 

 

Last week, I shared the requirements to executing a safe (and fun) Pilates Jump.  When you Jump you almost get to be lazy because you’re lying down.  This week, every kid you know will be jealous.  I’m going to encourage you to stand (and move) on a chair!   I’m going to share 3 of the most challenging WundaChair standing exercises I’ve been learning at WundaBar.

WundaChair, WundaBar Pilates,The WundaChair is a misnomer because there is very little sitting done on this component of the WundaFormer.  The WundaChair cushioned platform, adjustable spring loaded lever and parallel risers (used as hand rests) all are used in various ways to build strength in the arms, core, legs, back and chest.

To begin, the WundaChair must be placed in the up position and the spring tension adjusted.  Instructors cue the general mid-level spring tension instructions but are always open for individual adjustments as needed.

The WundaChair exercise done in nearly every class I’ve attended is called the Upstretch Pike Oblique.  For most people, one yellow (light) and one blue (medium) spring are enough but I often need to use 2 blues for the extra support.

 

To execute the Upstretch Pike Oblique properly requires detailed attention to multiple areas of body alignment.

WundaChair, WundaBar Pilates

That’s me doing the Upstretch Pike Oblique

  1. Turn to one side with one foot on the WundaChair lever in front of the other (back toes touching front heel).
  2. Square hips forward with straight legs and inner thighs touching.
  3. Expand through the collarbones and turn the upper body toward the platform and with straight arms, place hands on the opposite sides of the upper corner of the cushioned platform.  The body is now in an intentional twist.
  4. Tighten the core muscles, position the shoulders over the wrists and away from the ears (I’m not demonstrating the “ears away from the shoulders” well in the picture above).  Focus on the mid-body and distribute weight evenly between the hands and the feet.
  5. Keeping the candy-cane-type curve of the upper body, inhale to bring the lever off the ground with straight legs.  Instructors may encourage the candy-cane shape at the top or want a “flatback or table top”.
  6. To complete the movement, on an exhale allow the hips to make a small decline without allowing the lever to touch the floor.

There are variations of the Upstretch Pike Oblique which include:

- Upstretch Pike (with straight legs put both feet on the lever, bend over and place hands on opposite sides of the cushion platform)

Isabelle Thompson, WundaBar,WundaChair

WundaBar Instructor Isabelle Thompson

- Bend and Stretch (straightening and bending knees using the core muscles which can be done in both the Step Over and Forward Facing Pike)

All variations of these leaning lever moves are extremely effective for the core and oblique muscles of the abdominal area, the back and the arms.  It’s easy to reach the point of seeing (and feeling) rivulets of sweat going down your arms after a minute or two of doing any of these exercises.  Working the muscles and keeping alignment requires hard work!

The second WundaChair exercise is called the Step Up. This exercise releases the hands from the cushion platform and requires the body to be held upright.

WundaBar Pilates, WundaChair Springs

WundaChair Springs

To achieve proper alignment in the Step Up, additional spring tension may be required due to the higher demand for core strength, hip alignment during alternate leg work.

For this exercise, I need one blue and one red spring for greater support not the general one yellow, one blue (or two blues).

WundaBar Pilates, WundaChair, Step Up

Carol W., WundaBar client for over 1.5 years demonstrating a WundaChair Step Up

 

To perform the WundaChair Step Up:

1.  Place one foot in the middle of the raised cushion platform with the knee tracking over the ankle, grab the parallel risers to rise up and place both feet onto the platform.

2.  Look into the mirror to aid in alignment, square and level the hips, hold onto the risers and step back with one foot to reach the lever behind.

3.  While bending the standing knee to 90 degrees, on an exhale slowly lower the straight leg on the lever down a few inches and then rise back up on an inhale keeping tension on the spring.  The Bend and Stretch move is also a variation used here.

*With strong core muscles, this exercise can be done with hands on the hips to ensure they remain level or in prayer position.

If you’re like me and your core muscles are not strong, resting hands lightly on the risers is encouraged until adequate strength is acquired.*

The Side Plie is my third standing WundaChair exercise.  The traditional ballet plie is a well known way to help strengthen the muscles of the core, glutes and legs.  Alignment of the shoulders over the hips and the knees over the ankles while keeping the torso lifted isn’t easy for those of us that aren’t dancers.  You may not want to imagine how difficult a basic plie becomes when you are required to add a lift and lower of the WundaChair lever with one leg.

WundaBar Pilates, Side Plie, WundaChair

Carol W. in side plie on WundaChair.

To perform the WundaChair Side Plie:

1.  Holding the riser in front for support, place the anchor foot on the cushion platform with toes turned outward and place other foot to rest on the WundaChair lever.

2.  With core muscles engaged, shoulders over hips, tailbone facing down and weight as evenly distributed as possible, bend the knee of the anchor foot on an exhale while lowering the lever with the other foot to plie.

3.  Keeping length in the torso and utilizing the muscles of quadricep and the inner thigh of the anchor leg, straighten the knee on an inhale and lift the lever to stand tall to complete one repetition.

While there are many permutations of movement that the WundaChair offers, I have found these 3 exercises (and their variations) to be my biggest challenges.  My instability due to my weak core continues to be tested with each WundaBar class I attend.

 

I thought that classes would become easier after hitting the halfway mark of the Challenge but it hasn’t quite been that way.  I’ve been working hard to refuel with more protein and calories but still there have been tough days.

There have been days that I just couldn’t complete an exercise or needed multiple instructor adjustments.  I don’t expect perfection but it’s frustrating.  The fact that I’m having fun overall is enough to quell the voice in my head saying I’m injured and weak.  Even after I hit the 60 Day mark, I know that I won’t be transformed into Super Woman but I know I’ll be just a tiny bit closer.

If this is your first visit to Wunda Wednesdays (welcome!) or if you just want to catch up, here are links for the preceding weeks: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4 and Week 5.

Next week, I’ll tell you a little more about some Reformer exercises.  Do you have any favorite Reformer exercises?

*This post is part of my series Wunda Wednesdays which I have agreed to write in exchange for classes at WundaBar Pilates for the next 60 days.  All opinions are my own.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 26 27   Next »