Pilates Day USA!
Saturday May 5
is deemed Pilates Day USA by the PMA (Pilates Method Alliance), a day to celebrate the work of Joseph Hubertus Pilates, and to make it available to those who may not have had the opportunity to experience it’s life-changing potential. Joseph Pilates died in 1967, leaving behind a brilliant repertoire of exercises that make up the mind/body discipline he referred to as “Contrology”. We now, of course, refer to it simply as “Pilates” to honor the father of this amazing body of work on the mat and apparatus. Joe not only believed fully that he was 50 years ahead of his time (and we now know he was 100 years ahead!) but also that everyone in America would eventually be doing his exercises on a daily basis! Used by celebrities, athletes and dancers, Pilates has gained much popularity in the last decade as system for developing balance, centering and control in the body & mind. It is also considered by many to be the holistic predecessor to modern-day Physical Therapy. Pilates’ theory was that all body movements, no matter how peripheral they may seem, originate in the core of the body, and flow out from the center. The work focuses on control from the “Powerhouse,” (a term used to refer to the muscles that surround the trunk and abdomen), spinal alignment and joint stability, and is a powerful, safe way to develop both strength and flexibility.
FREE Pilates Day Class
9:00 a.m. Saturday May 5
Join PMA Certified Pilates Teacher, Petti Groth for a FREE Pilates class. Begin with proper breathing and expansion of the lungs, followed by body awareness exercises or Pre-Pilates. Flow through sequences of classical mat Pilates, and finish with a time of relaxation. Session followed by Q&A for those interested. No experience necessary. All levels welcome. Space is limited; please call the studio at 931-520-8980 and leave a message to reserve your spot. Also, if you reserve, and find you cannot attend, please call us to release the spot for others who may want to attend.
NEW Pilates Classes on the regular schedule!
Foam Roller Fusion, Wednesdays @ 9:30 a.m.
Starting, May 9. This class format will incorporate therapeutic foam rollers for core strength, spine stability, and muscle release. Begin with body awareness fundamentals on the roller. Continue with Pilates exercises for centering and core strengthening. Finish with a myofascial roller "massage" that helps release tension and loosen tight muscles. Leave feeling strengthened yet relaxed.
Mid-Day Pilates, Fridays @ noon
Starting May 11. Join us for this energizing mid-day dose of Pilates! Begin with fundamentals, then work through classical sequences of exercises, done lying face up, face down, side lying or standing. Class may incorporate various fitness props for challenge and variety. Finish class revived, renewed, and ready for the rest of your day!
Adjusted Class Schedule for week of May 14-18
Pilates classes will not meet on May 14, 16, and 18. All other regularly scheduled classes will meet as usual. Guy will return to teach yoga on Wednesday May 16 @ noon, and Thursday, May 17 @ 5:30 p.m. You can view the adjusted class schedule for that week, by clicking HERE (which will open a new browser window).
Yoga @ Hippie Jack’s
Saturday, May 26 @ 9:00 a.m.
Join us at Hippie Jack’s 7th Annual Americana Music Festival for a fun & lighthearted Saturday morning practice session with Petti at the Riverside Stage. Then hang out with us and listen to some amazing music! For the festival lineup, visit www.myhippiejack.com.
Summer Incentive Program Starts June 1
Just attend any 4 sessions of any kind at Synergy in one calendar week, and you will receive a FREE mat class on your account, to be used for any class on the regular schedule.
Now Enrolling for Yoga 101:
The Foundations of Practice - Beginner course starts June 14
Please visit our web site, for details. Click on the HERE (which will open a new browser window) then select the “Workshops” tab.
Coming in July
Guest Teacher Ruth Alpert –
Ruth Alpert is a seasoned professional in movement re-education and body alignment for individuals. Ruth was trained in the lineage of Pilates elder Eve Gentry. She apprenticed with the well-known Michele Larsson in 1992 and worked with her for 17 years in Santa Fe, NM. During this time, Ruth also served 11 years as faculty in Core Dynamics Pilates. She is also a certified practitioner of TheTrager® Approach, and GYROTONIC®, as well as teacher of The Alexander Technique. Ruth has recently introduced her own blend of mind/body/spirit alignment through her Bod·ease℠ program. Ruth will be teaching a workshop, a master class and a limited number of private sessions at Synergy the week of July 9-13. It is an honor for us to have the privilege of hosting such a gifted teacher at Synergy. Stay tuned for more details! For more about Ruth, visit her web site at www.ruthalpert.com.
Spring Cleaning
This month, let’s focus on the first of the niyama, Saucha. The yama and niyama are the social and personal ethics observed by those on the yogic path. Saucha, which is often translated as cleanliness, refers to cleansing of the inner and outer self. Have you ever noticed that when you have been toiling away with manual labor, and your body is grungy this actually influences how you feel? We simply cannot wait to get cleaned up. Just say the word “grungy” and notice the expression you may make on your face. We feel so much better after a much-needed bath! By the same token, when our outer circumstances are cluttered, this leads to a buildup of what Patanjali refers to as Chtta vrtti, or “mindstuff” - mental clutter/fluctuations of the mind. This “mindstuff” prevents us from being able to focus properly. When our physical surroundings get cluttered, we have a sense of uneasiness. Many women, and men alike, describe not being able to relax when their house or office is not tidy. But not only do we need to clean our home, we also need to mentally clean house on a regular basis, to allow for clarity of thought. Another example is when we fill up every spare second of our day with “important” activities, and leave no time for stillness, rest, or self care—this inevitably takes a toll on our mental and emotional health. We feel a mounting impatience or irritability as we rush through life without being present to observe simple pleasures or blessings. Unfortunately this culturally encouraged in our country, and we are conditioned to believe that this is healthy, normal behavior. Try the exercise below to sweep your mind clean.
Mind Screen Exercise
Sometime when you observe your mind racing, or a general sense of uneasiness try this simple variation of a Mind Screen Concentration exercise, or what is sometimes called Chtta Kash Dharana. Sit in a comfortable place, close your eyes and begin to concentrate on your breathing. Once you are settled, leave your eyelids closed, but look into the space behind your eyelids and observe what you see. Imagine that it is a movie screen, and you are watching pictures appear on this screen. Pretend that you are simply at a slide show, watching the slides as an impartial observer. Attempt to refrain from any judgments or involvement with the pictures you see flashing across the screen. Try not to control them; simply see them for what they are, various pictures, shapes or colors. Resist following or creating a storyline for any of the pictures. Observe a picture, then let it go. And continue that process. Watch them appear & disappear; watch how fast they may change. You may or may not see some surprising “slides” appear in your slideshow! Perhaps set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes, so you will not be distracted during this time. Once your timer goes off, slowly open your eyes, take a few deep breaths and notice how you feel. There is no need to analyze what you have seen. The purpose of This exercise is to literally “clear the cache” of your mind. If you have time, try this before AND after your home practice—do the Mind Screen exercise, then take a walk, or do a few yoga poses, Pilates exercises, or Tai Chi forms, moving slowly and connecting your breath to your movements. Then repeat the Mind Screen exercise at the end of your practice and notice if there is a change.
Referral Program
Introduce your friends to Synergy, and receive free classes! If you refer a friend to the studio and they purchase a package of any kind, you receive a free mat class on your account (good for any class on the regular schedule)!
See you on the Mat!