What is Pilates
February 2nd, 2010Manage Back Problems With Pilates
February 2nd, 201090% of us will suffer with back problems!
60% will be sub-acute or chronic and at least half of these cases will be caused by poor posture. The effects of these alarming statistics are far-reaching as the following facts show:
- 11 million working days are lost each year.
- Bad backs are the main reason for time off work.
- Last year 200,000 women took time off work to recover from a back problem. Read the rest of this entry »
10 Reasons for Practicing Pilates
February 2nd, 2010Pilates is now the exercise of choice with many people on account of the impressive benefits to be gained. Below are the top 10 benefits you can expect from your regular practise, in no particular order!
(1) Re-educate and realign your body to prevent imbalances. This is particularly useful for sportsmen, for example. If you think of a tennis player constantly hitting the ball using the same arm or a golfer always swinging from the same side. Read the rest of this entry »
The 8 Principles of Pilates
February 2nd, 2010Relaxation
I know it sounds odd to start any exercise class with relaxation, but you need to let go of tension in the body. One of the key benefits of Pilates is that it addresses muscle imbalances: you need to relax your shoulders, your neck, your face; you need to release the pelvic floor and abdomen. We don’t want tension and we don’t want some muscles doing more that their fair share of the work. Classes may begin in any position – standing, supine, seated – but you can still relax the muscles that are tense. The mind needs to become still and focused. Read the rest of this entry »
Core Stability
February 2nd, 2010Ask most people what Pilates is all about and the answer is invariably “your core” or “core stability”. Before you begin the Pilates you learn how to find neutral position and the key core muscles involved in maintaining stability. But what exactly happens?
Throughout history, the importance of contracting the lower abdomen has been noted: this is nothing new – older than Joseph Pilates! In yoga it is referred to as applying the bandha, unifying the combined energy of the inhalation and exhalation. In martial arts and particularly in Tai Chi, drawing the belly back to the spine precedes each movement. Modern research has shown that drawing the navel back to the spine causes a co-contraction of the Transversus Abdominis (TA) and the Multifidus Spinae (MF) Read the rest of this entry »
The Grandaddy of the Modern Ghillie Suit- The GhillieFlage
February 1st, 2010This is the fourth in a series of 6
episodes in which I describe and
discuss the virtues of the more
popular ghillie suits. In this episode
we’ll talk about the grandaddy of
modern ghillie suits; The Ghillie
The Top Mistakes People Make When Choosing Cycling Shoes…And How To Avoid Them
February 1st, 2010The Top 5 Mistakes People Make When Choosing Cycling Shoes…And How To Avoid Them.
1. Buying from the internet without trying them on first…remember the secret of great fitting cycling shoes is to try on before you buy, this eliminatesmistakes such as… Read the rest of this entry »
Fishing Along the Thirteen Mile Woods – Errol to Milan, NH
February 1st, 2010
The Great North Woods area of New Hampshire features some of the best fishing and canoeing in the state, including the Thirteen Mile Woods area along the Androscoggin River. Read the rest of this entry »
17 Super Hot Hiking Tips Are Here!
February 1st, 2010Because hiking is a fun and enjoyable sport I have included 17 super hot hiking tips to get you started. Being outdoors gives you a sense of freedom from your everyday life. Anything that helps you de-stress and rejuvenate is to be applauded. Be aware, though, that you cannot go straight from the home or office environment and hit the trail without any preparations.
The best 17 super hot hiking tips are here for you in no particular order:
1. Get in shape. Every hiker’s pace will vary but the average estimated pace is 1.5 miles per hour. Start walking outdoors to get in shape so you won’t injure yourself on the hike. Muscle strains and cramps are the results of untrained bodies and you don’t want it to be you. Read the rest of this entry »
Where to Sit in an Inflatable Tandem Kayak
February 1st, 2010Many people when they start out kayaking have wondered at some point who should sit where in an inflatable tandem kayak. It’s a valid question as we all want our kayak to perform at its best while still having a great time with the person we are paddling with. While in a tandem kayak, whether paddling double or solo, the seating arrangements can make a big difference.
Here are the basic guidelines to follow while tandem kayaking:
- The heavier person should sit at the back for the kayak to perform best.
- If you are kayaking in heavy cross-winds then the heavier person should sit up front.
- The back seat is considered the ‘Captain’s Seat’ because this is where most of the steering and directing is done from. For this reason it is best to have the most experienced kayaker in the back seat so because they will have more experience on directing the boat.
- However if you are kayaking in calm weather then it might be a good idea to allow the less experienced kayaker to gain confidence and experience in steering the kayak. Read the rest of this entry »