Align Pilates® Minneapolis

This new year, make a resolution to check out Align’s brand-new reformers! Designed by Amy Taylor Alpers and Rachel Taylor Segel (founders of the Pilates Center in Boulder and Adrienne’s teachers) and manufactured by Balanced Body, the new CenterLine equipment replicates the original reformer designed by Joe Pilates himself. These reformers have been specifically designed for the classical style of Pilates that Align teaches–you’ll love the how the clean and simple design feels in action. From the alignment of the headrest to the slight drag of the carriage wheels (the better to engage your core!), these reformers have been designed to facilitate ease of movement and encourage fluidity in your Pilates practice.

Reserve your spot in class so you can experience the new equipment for yourself! Coming to Align in January. Visit Balanced Body for a video tour of the new CenterLine reformers.

Fun fact: Align co-owner Adrienne Fitzmaurice is responsible for naming the CenterLine suite of equipment!

The new CenterLine reformer is specifically designed for the classic Pilates repertoire.

What have fine actresses such as Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep, Cybill Shepherd and Susan Sarandon given us, besides, of course, the excellence that is The Queen, The Bridges of Madison County, Moonlighting and The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Well, for starters, they are four fantastic females of the silver screen who are excellent role models for woman of a certain age, proving that 60-somethings can still work it…and work it well. These ladies exude strength, style and sex appeal, shunning the age-old stereotypes of granny shawls and slippers for more and more show-stopping performances and glamour.

Following in their footsteps is Strictly Come Dancing contestant Felicity Kendal. (We believe this is a British version of Dancing with the Stars…so don’t be surprised if you haven’t seen it on the American telly.) Kendall is a British actress who has been gracing the screen with her acting prowess since the 1970’s. Now, at the ripe age of 64, this las left “judges ‘agog by performing a raunchy rhumba with her dance partner.” (See kind write up on Independent Woman.)

When asked how she performed such graceful, fluid and, eh-hem, flexible moves, the glamorous Kendall said simply, “Pilates and yoga.” So there you have it, ladies—further proof that the secret to timeless beauty al la Mirren, Streep, Shepherd, Sarandon and Kendall (read: sans bingo arm) is in strengthening and stretching.

Whoa. What a busy couple of weeks! There have been out-of-town training sessions, babies born, husbands to be had and old man birthdays to honor, just to name a few. Seems we’ve been carried away from the blog for a spell. We do apologize and don’t want you to think we’ve gone for good. They do say a sleeping baby is a happy baby. And the blog is our baby. You see where I’m going with this?

Stay tuned because we’re back.

When is the last time you got a parking ticket? How did the violation make you feel…angry or annoyed? Did it spur you to hit the pavement with your best down dog and pranayama breath? Well, that’s one way to go about it.

As part of a public art project, the city of Cambridge, MA, has printed 40,000 parking tickets with a series of “calming” yoga poses. The idea is to, “debunk the idea that all parking tickets are a hostile action.” The yoga illustrations may urge parking offenders to take a nice bend at the waist, or a relaxing roll of the neck…or perhaps a gruff pounding of the fist—whether the public truly finds that these off-beat tickets promote a more tranquil receiving experience is really a matter of opinion, and they could even stir up maddening, un-Zen like emotions.

What do you think? Could it be true that it’s not the ticket, but how you receive it that really matters?

bostonherald.com found via socialworkout.com

According to a couple of recent studies, from people who apparently have A LOT of spare time on their hands, folks who wear red appear more attractive to others. And it’s true for both men and women, and across all nationalities. Apparently, red knows no boundaries.

One study took two photos of one man. In the first shot, the man wore a blue shirt. In the second shot, he wore a red shirt. When the two pictures were shown to a group of select ladies, they consistently found the test lad more hunky in red. Another study conducted a similar test, but reversed the sexes. And yep, you guessed it. The ladies were right on target with the males. So next time you hit the treadmill or elliptical to impress your local gym hottie, you might just want to think sparking his and/or her interest with a fiery-colored ensemble. Because red is the best looking color around.

Maybe this explains why I’ve been so attracted to the Align Pilates sign lately?