Two Rivers Yoga/ Pilates Students

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Saturday Mornings at HCV

This group is my favorite Spectrum group to teach, their studentship and dedication to the practice is phenomenal. They have been patient with me as I have traveled through September for various trainings and subbed the class out 1-2 times a month. We have made huge progress over the last four years and even though it's still called beginners pilates on the schedule. These are not beginners, they are dedicated and have been practicing both on and off the mat and are always looking for ways to deepen their own practice.

This Saturday I was as horse as one can be, as something in the air is trying to take me out, I really had to soften my breath, in order to push my voice out. I had the honor yet again of teaching more teachers...Joyce and now Robyn too. I had another class at Evans rd. right after that, that is always a small class and I won't be teaching it come November, but it was just too much by the time I made it home with the kids in tow...I popped some benadryl and was out until it was time to teach yoga this afternoon. Thank God that my husband was home and took the kids for me. I'm back in bed can't afford to pop the bendadryl, because school and work come early in the morning, so it's all natural and lots of rest for me tonight.

Why do we breath the way we do...how do we do it?

By Kyria Sabin
While there are many valid forms of conscious breathing that support different forms of movement and relaxation, Pilates teachers emphasize posterior-lateral breathing over other techniques. Cues like “breathe laterally” and “breathe into the back” are common. Uncommon are the WHY and HOW.

The Whys of Posterior-Lateral Breathing
The four basic “whys” are fairly straightforward:

• Increase breathing capacity and lung function
• Maintain abdominal support of the lumbar spine
• Improve thoracic spinal mobilization and function
• Restore optimal posture

How to Teach Posterior-Lateral Breathing
When teaching posterior-lateral breathing, tactile feedback often works best. The following are a few teaching tips:

• Begin with gentle spinal flexion, lateral flexion and rotation, allowing breath to initiate and facilitate the movement.
• Lie lengthwise on a foam roller with knees bent. Focus on feeling the ribs open laterally away from the spine/roller on inhalation, exhaling fully.
• Lie supine on a flat surface with knees bent. Inhale to feel the full rib cage spread or fan laterally from the back, maintaining a lengthened spine.
• Seated tall, wrap a wide band or folded towel around the lower 6 to 7 ribs, crossing the ends in front, gently pulling to emphasize closing of the ribs. Use the band to experience the opening and closing of the ribs from the spine with each breath.

Kyria Sabin is Director of Fletcher Pilates, Inc. and Body Works Studio.

The Breath Why and How....Read this article

http://www.pilates-pro.com/pilates-pro/2009/4/27/pilates-breathing-why-and-how.html

Heart Based Yoga in a Studio Setting...FINALLY!

This post belonged on the yoga blog...I'm catching up with technology, it's about 5-7 years ahead of me. See yoga and pilates with Mickie to view this post :)_

A Honor to Teach

It is a honor to teach each and every one of my students, but to me their is special honor when you are given the opportunity to teach other teachers.

In Thursday morning's mat class at two river yoga I had the honor of teaching all of my regular students, you are all a blessing to teach every week. I also had the privilege of meeting Kacki (love her name) who was sent to me by Kelly a PT in town who had come over to class some months ago to check out our pilates program and make sure we were a safe place to send her patients once they were finished with P.T. Kacki did great and I look forward to helping her continue her practice and her healing.

Thursday morning Mimi a pilates teacher for 25 years joined the class told me what a wonderful experience she had and how different she found Fletcher Pilates to be, whenever this happens in my classes especially with teachers from other lineages I am always so impressed by their open hearts, and open minds and how they can simply allow a new process to take resonance with them. Old habits are hard to break but the open hearted and open minded student/teacher is a privilege to teach.

Thanks to all of you who breathe with me every week, it is no less of an honor to teach you and I love seeing the progress you all make week to week.