There was a discussion the other day with a client about elite athletes needing to take care of themselves. The thought was that because they use their bodies for their job, if they get injured their career is at risk; at best interrupted and and at worst over before it starts. True, but..... Which of us "regular folk" can get to work with a broken foot? It's pretty hard to dress yourself if you have a frozen shoulder or a torn rotator cuff. One has to slow down quite a lot in life to make it through the day with crutches.
Professional athlete or not, a body in proper working order is necessary to be the most successful and productive. If your body is not working efficiently it's very likely you won't either. Pilates is a foundational movement practice that thrives on efficiency.
Why is efficiency important? Well, let's do a quick check-in. How often do you think about your butt? Not just how it looks in those jeans, but more specifically the muscles working to keep your knees, hips, and back strong and supported. How often do you think about where your head is on your spine? It's typically not top of mind (pun intended) when scrolling through emails or Instagram (though it probably is now, right?). If we are more aware we could have more control over nagging neck pain and headaches, for instance.
Athletes need efficiency down to the nano-second to excel in their sport. The practice of Pilates is a practice in efficiency by way of awareness. Making a mindful workout a priority reduces stress, reorganizes the body for better function, and focuses the mind to allow you to excel in your life.
New Year, New Location
Happy New Year!
It seems each year goes a little faster and feels a little more full of hard work, lots of fun, big events, and inevitably, change. We are so pleased to announce a big change for 2016 that took so much hard work. We have our very own studio!
The Co Pilates has gone into partnership with Rebecca Lubart of Dynamic Body Pilates to bring you a beautiful practice space in the heart of Union Square at 853 Broadway (on the corner of 14th and Broadway). Our Purpose in this move and new collaboration between The Co Pilates and Dynamic Body Pilates is to create a space for mindful movement whether it's rehabilitation, injury prevention, or functional fitness. Most importantly, we are truly looking forward to creating a space in which we can provide the best care and one-on-one service to our clients.
Read the full newsletter and subscribe to see more here!
What does being healthy mean to you?
What does being healthy mean to you?
Recently, I was asked this question by friend and colleague Andrea Moss, of Moss Wellness, as part of the content for her 8 week online program "Feel Good Everyday". She polled some of her favorite practitioners as part of the content for her program, and we are always so honored when we can partner with the Moss Wellness team. Here's the answer that was sparked by her question.
"For me, I have to move everyday, in some way, to feel good. A big surprise, I know. I don't always have time for the class or the workout I wanted to do. I don't always have the funds to get some passive body work done where someone else is in charge of moving my body. My small specific answers to those obstacles of time and money are a foot roller and moving my ribcage in the morning.
1. Foot roller: Foot health is often overlooked unless we have a broken toe or a sprained ankle. I love rolling my feet out every morning in the bathroom as I get ready, because opening up the tissue on the bottom of your feet is like a nice little foot massage, a calf stretch, and sometimes a bold 'waker upper'. Living in NYC, even if you are at a desk all day you are still mostly navigating the city on your feet. That feeling of 'untangling' your feet before you leave home is a great way to, literally, help you move through your day in a smooth easeful way.
2. Ribcage: We can get stiff in our middle back or feel heart burn in our upper chest, but how often do we think about the top 3/4 of our torso all the way around as our ribcage, not just the front side of our body or the back side? Thinking about my ribcage all the way around helps me to take larger, deeper, more focused breaths. It also reminds me to take a minute and stretch the sides of my torso and rotate my spine. I feel the best days are the days that I take a mere 5 mins and breath quietly, do a couple of my favorite stretches that involve my ribcage and spine to release physical or mental tensions I may have taken with me to bed. I'm sure to do this before I look at my email or turn on the news as preparation for the day and things that might stress me out. The other really nice thing to remember from a pure anatomical perspective is your heart and your lungs are in there. We need those guys to move too. The tissue that holds them in place inside our chest cavity is intricately connected to the ribcage and the muscles running around it. Put very simply, if we move and stretch our ribcage we are creating more space for movement of our heart and breath. Quite literally and figuratively.
When you focus on your movement your brain is forced out of autopilot and into a more fully present awareness of what you are doing and the space around you. Most of our daily lives don't naturally incorporate that aspect. For all the reasons above and many more, carving out time to move is a big part of what 'being healthy' means to me."
August Healer of the Month at Sonic Yoga
Thank you so much to Sonic Yoga for featuring The Co as their "August Healer of the Month"! If you haven't checked out Sonic Yoga please take some time to experience this calming space. Their instructors are intelligent movers and guide you safely into a connected and mindful movement practice. Though Pilates and Yoga are quite different they definitely support each other. Many of the clients at The Co channel what they learn in a Pilates practice to move past the plateau in their yoga practice improving their balance poses, planks, deeper hip openers, and safer spinal extensions.
A Pilates Instructor and an Orthopedist Have a Chat
I see so many people seeking out Pilates because of back pain. When I sat down with an orthopedist about to begin fellowship in spine surgery, Ashley Rogerson, she informed me that low back pain is the second most common reason people visit their doctor, next to upper respiratory infection. I wanted to share with you some insights from our conversation that highlighted issues I've seen in my 10 years of instructing.
Read the entire conversation and learn more here.
Guest Appearance on The Healthy Photographer
We are so pleased to share our feature on The Healthy Photographer with Sofia Negron. In this video we address some standard issues all photographers and videographers encounter carrying heavy gear during shoots. We give some ideas to enhance awareness, and exercises to increase mobility and strength of the shoulder complex in order to prevent injury. Check out the video and all that The Healthy Photographer as to offer here.
Feature on Finish Line PT!
We are truly excited and honored to be a guest blogger for Finish Line PT. The Co has been referring clients to them with great success for several years. In addition, Brittany has been a patient herself.
We had a chance to collaborate with Sarah and Caroline at Finish Line for this blog and hope it sparks some thought for your next run. Read the full post on how to increase your awareness to improve your run here.
Teacher Feature at Form Pilates!
We are honored to be highlighted by Lindsay Lopez of Form Pilates. Check out the feature and what's going on at Form.
"It’s no surprise that Brittany Crosby, a red haired Pilates maven, is as fiery as her locks. Don’t get her wrong though — she’s as precise in her teaching as a scalpel and will get you sweating even in her hushed tones. Her visible tattoos and a wicked sense of humor is what got my attention at first glance, but her teaching passion and ability to help others heal is what had me welcoming her with open arms to the FORM family. Here’s her story:" read the whole feature here.