Align Pilates® Minneapolis

This week’s forecast calls for 85 degrees and sun. Yes folks, it’s gettin’ hot in here. But instead of taking off all your clothes, how about jumping in some cool, refreshing water? And while you are there, do some yoga. That’s right. Yoga is effective both on land and at sea, so chill out and give some water yoga moves a whirl. You’ll not only find that aqua yoga relaxes your weary muscles, but the water will support your weight, allowing you to mover deeper into your poses and hold them for longer periods of time. Kind of like those handstand contests you used to do with your gal pals back in the day.

Where to dip? If you are fortunate enough to own your own personal swimmin’ hole during Minnesota’s hot and sticky months, more power to you. And if you are one of the pool-less, lucky for you, we live in the land-o-lakes. So hop on in one. Or adopt the tradition that city-dwelling Minnesotans have been practicing for many, many moons—befriend someone with pool access. Either way, you dip, I dip we dip.

This May, Bicycling magazine named Minneapolis America’s best bike city. How did our fine city nab such a title? Well, for starters, we have 127 miles of street and off-street bikeways throughout the city. That probably had something to do with it. Plus, our large, supportive biking community, extensive cycling infrastructure, beautiful greenways and NEW bike-share program could not have gone unnoticed. Yeah, we rock. Or roll, as the case may be.

All that Minneapolis biking means hard working Minneapolis bikers. And hard working bikers means hard working muscles. And hard working muscles means occasional aches and pains. So what do occasional aches and pains mean? Yoga for Cyclists. Calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, hips, shoulders, and the neck are often tight muscle groups for the regular recreational biker. If that’s you, this short series of yoga poses is specially designed to stretch your tight spots. It’s best to perform these poses before your muscles have had a chance to cool down or, in other words, before you peel off that spandex. So what does all that stretching mean?  Babelicious biking.

While no one can deny the exceptional powers and strength of instructor-led fitness classes, sometimes you need a little home practice to really get the full effect. DVDs, books and internet how-to’s are great when you want to brush up on your fitness skills from the comfort of your own living room. But after a while, they tend to lose their zing. When you start reciting the video host’s repetitive script and the pages start falling out of your favorite book, you know it’s time for a change. So why not enhance your practice from the very thing you are practicing on—your mat?

Dig this Self-Guided Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat. Here you have 28 popular, physician-certified yoga poses right at the tips of your fingers and toes. No need to pause and peer up at the TV screen or flip a page. With the self-instructional mat, you can “tune in, chill out and shape up all at the same time.” So why stop at Yoga? Self-Guided Eco-Friendly Mats are also available for your Pilates and Ab workouts. No wonder we haven’t seen hide nor hair of Mr. Billy Blanks in a long while.

Think about what yoga does for you. Wouldn’t it be great if you could pass it on to your kids? It’s certain—yoga is not just for adults. In fact, many schools and teachers incorporate yoga poses and instruction into their every-day curriculum. The positive effects are plentiful. It not only helps with children’s concentration, but it promotes wellness, spurs creativity, instills the importance of de-stressing and self-reflection, and much more. (Check out the Yoga in Schools organization for a whole slew of information.) Of course, the bet instruction starts at home. If you want to encourage your little one’s interest in yoga, here are some creative takes on the traditional yoga moves you know and love (‘crab walk table top’ for plank pose, ‘super hero’ for locust pose, ‘pencil stretch’ for savasana…you get the idea). Play around—it’s a great way to get started.

Okey-dokey boot campers, tomorrow is Friday. This means we have almost reached the end of the very first week of our challenging 3-week endeavor. First of all, congratulations to all! I bet it feels pretty good (if not a little sore) to have the first couple days under your belt! Yes, boot camp is a challenge. (That’s why we signed up, right? Um, this is the part where you nod and say ‘yes.’) But by now, we know what we are in for, and we are a little more familiar with the goals we’d like to accomplish during the next two weeks of camp. So in honor of the almost-completion of our first week, we’ve found a few tips and tricks to compliment what we have accomplished thus far. (And might I add, I think we have come a long way). Consider these little healthy nudges to help you keep up the strong work:

It’s all in the hips. Kettlebells is all about form. At least, that’s what my screaming muscles are telling me. If your body is urging to you get your form in order too, check out Live Strong’s KETTLEBELL WORKOUT TIPS.

Self medicated. Whether you love it or hate it, the medicine ball is now a part of your life, so you might as well get to know it. And what better way to get cozy than to MAKE YOUR OWN BALL (as seen in Tuesday’s cardio class).

To wear or not to wear? That’s a good question. Especially when you’re off to Pilates at 7:00 in the morning. Perhaps this QUICK STYLE GUIDE to comfortable and sensible Pilates attire will help. (Even though I’m pretty sure it’s so early, no one would even know if you showed up in your PJ’s.)

Captain Curry. In this week’s nutrition workshop, we discussed the amazing and super-hero like health benefits of curry (among other things). So if you’re curious about curry, give this MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY recipe a whirl. It looks might tasty.

Do you find yourself on edge and wanting to avoid certain situations like they are dentist appointments, or do you have so much self-confidence that you fantasize about being the leader of the free world? Do you know what you want when you want it and aren’t afraid to say it, or do you prefer to keep your emotions tactfully bottled up inside? Are you an ‘Ernie’ or a ‘Bert’? Besides giving insight into your, eh-hem, ‘special’ personality, your answers to these questions could say a lot about your chakras. Yes, your chakras. Everybody has them, seven of them, to be exact.

Chakras are otherwise known as centers of energy that run along the midline of your body. Each one of them corresponds to an emotional or mental characteristic. Some of them are open and active like a seven-eleven, and some are shut up tight like…well, use your imagination. The key is to find out which ones are working overtime for you so that you can strive toward emotional and mental balance. Now wouldn’t that be nice.

Per usual, we are here to help. Here’s an excellent chakra test that will help you see which of your energy centers are wide open (or active), which ones are closed (under active) and how to kick those under-achieving buggers into high gear. And, as luck would have it, Align has introduced a new Yoga Chakra Series so you can put it all into practice. It starts June 17th so you have plenty of time to figure out what these chakra thing-a-ma-jigs are really all about.

We are pleased to announce that Align’s Summer Boot Camp Series is back…and it’s bigger and badder than ever! This year’s new and improved series offers Kettlebells, Pilates Mat classes AND outdoor cardio classes at Lake Calhoun. And just to make sure you get the most out of your experience, we’ve also added a camp kick-off Yoga class, a nutrition workshop, a special closing Prana Stretch class plus UNLIMITED floor classes throughout the entire series. All this means you’ll get toned for your summer tan, and there’s no tent, flash light or fear of chiggers required. Now that’s my kind of camp.

What: Align Pilates Summer Boot Camp Series

When: June 7th through June 25th
Visit the AlignPilates for class times and rates.

Where: Align Pilates Studio / Lake Calhoun

Boot Camp is limited to 20 people. Sign up today!

It’s spring here in Minneapolis, sort of. Due to unseasonably warm temperatures lately, I have been taking full advantage of the outdoors. As I thoroughly enjoy strolling down snow-less sidewalks, sans jacket, I am tempted to look up toward the sky. And when I do, I am reminded of Costa Rica. Where’s the connection? The trees, my friends.

As I ponder our still bud-less maples—and whatever else we have in these parts—I can’t help but think of one of the more invigorating portions of Align Pilates’ recent Costa Rican adventure: zip lining with Miss Sky Canopy Tours. Don’t get me wrong, the yoga and Pilates during last January’s Wellness Retreat certainly got our hearts a-pumpin’. However, our ga-gongs beat to a different and more exotic brand of exhilaration when we went flying over the Costa Rican jungle.

The friendly crew at Miss Sky hooked us up, clipped us on and gave us all we needed to know to glide over the tropical greenery, including a trustworthy helmet. Swinging over and through the lush trees, like the monkeys we heard guffawing in the distance, I finally found out what it is like to “fly like a bird”…or a monkey, as the case may be.

Do you love Pilates? Do you have a flexible body, mind AND schedule? Do you want to make extra money doing something you LOVE? If you answered Yes, Yes and Heck yeah! to these three questions, Pilates Teacher Training may be a perfect fit for you.

“The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book.”
Simply put, we love Pilates. And we want to spread the love. Beyond the studio, Align Pilates is a Licensed Private Career School. Together, our program leaders have over 20 years of experience in creating innovative and intelligent instructors. Through private lessons, workshops and group classes, Align’s unique program guides you from the fundamentals to the advanced principles of Pilates, allowing you to take your own practice to the next level…and show others how to do the same.

Interested but not sure where to start? Start at the beginning! Stop by our Teacher Training Open House on March 26th to meet the Align staff, tour the studio and learn first-hand what our program is all about. Also, take a peek at our Teacher Training page where you can find FAQ’s, download a training syllabus and view an application questionnaire. The next Teacher Training Program starts April 30th, 2010.

Reform you body. Reform your life. See you at the studio!

What’s that sound you hear? Why it’s the kettlebell classes at Align calling your name! Yes, kettlebells. It’s becoming all the rage in the fitness world, and it’s no surprise why. Kettlebell training originated in Russia, so right away you know there’s no messing around! It’s a full-body workout that’s ideal for men and women of all fitness levels who looking to introduce strength training into their regular regime.

Align’s specially designed 6-week Pilates/Kettlebell Fusion Series combines the precision and flexibility of Pilates with the strength and cardiovascular endurance of kettlebell training. You’ll get your heart pumping while strengthening your muscles. With just a few classes, you’ll see improvements in your strength and stamina.

If the only kind of kettle you know is the one that holds soup, and bells are just noisemakers, no worries. Check out our level 1 class. If you have done kettlebell training before and want more of it, we’ve got a level 2 class for you. The next series starts February 25th. Check out our Events page for class times and pricing details!