ATHLEISURE LIST | NEW YORK PILATES

New York Pilates opened in 2013, at a time when Pilates was basically locked behind private sessions. With locations in various neighborhoods in NYC as well as in a number locations in the Hamptons, it is a destination that many people talk about when they are hitting the studio!

Former ballerina and Celebrity Pilates Instructor Heather Andersen created a class-based format that made it easier to book, easier to show up, and easier to stick with, while still staying completely true to the method. It made Pilates feel more athletic, more part of your lifestyle, without losing what makes it work.

Her husband Brion Isaacs comes from the nightlife scene and designed the studios to be spaces people want to be! They are open, airy, clean, and honest, each one reflecting the raw, individual nature of their history and neighborhood. Always timeless and never trendy - like New York. Each location has its own personality. You might find yourself in Bob Dylan’s old rehearsal studio at their West Village location or in a loftlike apartment setting at their Bowery location. Montauk is so beachy and relaxed with it’s water views, while Bridgehampton is elevated and chic. What ties them all together is their signature pink lighting.

When attending a session, NYP uses traditional Pilates reformers. They give you range, control, and so much room to actually move with intention. It’s giving you resistance and support at the same time, so you can make something feel insanely hard without ever losing precision. And that precision is where the results actually come from.

For those taking their first class, start with your breath. That’s the foundation of Pilates and what keeps you connected to everything you’re doing. Stay with the baseline version of each exercise. Don’t rush to level up. It’s not about doing the hardest option, it’s about doing it right. Understanding the movement and dialing in your alignment is what actually changes your body.

And don’t worry about being perfect. No one is. The goal is to feel the work, not just get through it. It clicks over time, and when it does, it’s kind of addictive.

We offer one signature total body class, Abs Arms Ass, and it’s very intentional. Pilates was always meant to be a full-body system, not split up like a gym workout. It’s one body, one flow.

They have some big Hamptons events planned that feel more like full experiences than just classes. They’re fun, social, and a little elevated.

In the city, they keep things smaller, more spontaneous pop-ups, little moments, things you have to be in the mix to know about.

NEW YORK PILATES

17 W 17 th St Ground Floor

NY, NY 10011

Check the website for additional locations in NYC and the Hamptons.

newyorkpilates.com

IG @newyorkpilates

PHOTO CREDITS | New York Pilates

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | New York Pilates in mag.

ACHIEVING BODY REFORMATION WITH REFORMER PILATES

Hey! Want to do some exercises that will keep your muscles toned, keep you strong, fit and brimming with stamina? It’s time then to get your “gyming” gear and get set to engage in a sequence of routines that will strengthen as well as stabilize your core. It is Pilates’ time!

Pilates, a fitness procedure created at the start of the 20th century, was the invention of Joseph Pilates. Though he named his technique Contrology, these fitness exercises have come to be known with his name. It is now practiced globally with the U.S.A., Australia, the U. K. and Canada taking the lead. 11 million persons, as at 2005, used this system regularly; about 14,000 of which were in the U.S.A.

The culture, at the close of the 19th century, of alleviating ill health through physical exercises, was a factor in the development of this fitness routine. It has been shown from studies that Pilates boosts balance and that regular sessions are able to help healthy adults condition their muscles; especially in comparison with staying without exercises.

Low-Impact Exercise, High-Impact Results

Pilates sessions are built around these principles: control, centering, flow, breathing, concentration, postural, relaxation, stamina, alignment, precision etc. These are enumerated in greater detail here. These exercises are low-impact routines that are aimed at strengthening muscles and at the same time improving posture, alignment as well as flexibility. The moves mainly aim for the core though it also works other parts of the body.

They can be done with equipment or without one. In any case, the routines tend to revolve around precise but slow movements as well as breath control. This exercise requires intense focus as the format that the exercises take, is more important than the exercises themselves.

Precision is key to the proper execution of these routines. The idea being that it is better to do one precise and perfect movement than many lackadaisical ones. With better precision, motion becomes more efficient and less stress is therefore required to perform the exercises. With relaxation, you can achieve correct muscle firing patterns and improved mental concentration is also enhanced.

A standard Pilates routine will last for about 45 minutes to about an hour. This leaves your body’s core strengthened and stabilized; thus, enabling you to move efficiently while at the same time improving posture, litheness, and agility. Therefore, if you long for a full-body exercise method that will help you do everything better, consider this exercise system.

You can design your routines to suit your individual needs; such that it becomes an immense complement to the aerobic sessions you already engage in. For instance, if you suffer from arthritis, a strength-enhancing schedule such as this will be a very significant element of your fitness program. Research has shown that combining aerobic exercises and strength-enhancing exercises does a lot to curb certain symptoms, sustain balance, retain flexible joints, and also helps in the achievement and maintenance of an enviable body weight.

Machine Aided Pilates

There are basically two different approaches to Pilates classes. These include the mat approach and the reformer approach. Your sessions could either use a mat (not your usual yoga mat but a slightly thicker variation) designed to provide some comfort to the points where pressure is exerted, or you could make use of a machine referred to as a Reformer. This machine is built like platform that slides along two fixed bars for the foot, some springs, and the pulleys that account for the resistance. There are a few other pieces of equipment to know, but we will not be looking at those at the moment.

Whether the mat or the Reformer machine, the goal is to achieve control and not just a brutish exertion of the muscles. When making use of the mat, your muscles work by lifting against the force of gravity. If however you make use of the Reformer, you will be working to overcome the band or spring’s resistance. All of these will be done to strengthen specific muscles in the body.

What is Reformer Pilates?

The Reformer Pilates is a creation of the original founder of the exercise system. A rectangular frame having a plane platform –known as the carriage– positioned to roll on wheels inside the frame in a forward and backward movement. By a set of springs, the carriage attaches to an end of it. When the carriage on the frame gets a push or pull, these springs provide choices of differing levels of resistance. The carriage comes with shoulder blocks that keep users from sliding off with each push or pull of the carriage. Reformers parts are adjustable for differing body sizes and different levels of skill.

With almost all certainty, there is no piece of Pilates equipment more popular than the Reformer, and for good reasons. The machine makes a dramatic impression the first time you see one; and even a more dramatic change in your body when you use one. Reformers are usually lined up in Pilates studios, being that Reformer classes are usually one of the main choices offered. There are portable Reformers, which are equally popular as home exercise equipment.

What Makes the Reformer so Special?

The Reformer provides all the advantages of Pilates comprising of all-round strength, spontaneous flexibility, excellent coordination, and steady equilibrium. Exercises done with the device, for most people, is a fun-filled experience; an experience that often feels like flying or gliding.

Embarking on Body Reformation

For beginners, the Reformer Pilates may look more like a foe than a friend. With lengthy, ingenious straps, a prominent framework and movable platform, it is simply understandable why someone said this particular contraption resembles a torture equipment of the Dark Age. However, this equipment should be no cause for apprehension. You, can master the Reformer with practice – even with minimal assistance. You can find you can find a simple guide here: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/guide-to-pilates/.

If it is your first workout with Reformer Pilates, here is what to expect: the carriage will move so flow with it. The more you make use of the equipment – having caution and safety in mind always – the more comfortable you will be in all your movements. One major thing about Reformer Pilates, something that also makes it special, is that feeling of moving in the absence of gravity. However, lying facing up on a platform that is moving can be kind of disorienting, if not weird.

Since the objective here is for one to experience the carriage’s motion, you should be ready to take charge and master it. As you continue, you will develop connections as you discover proper form, understand what is right for your body and finally attain balance. The Reformer Pilates is a work of wonder! Exercising with this equipment is possible for anyone, at any level of fitness. It isn’t any wonder that it is often popularly called the Universal Reformer.

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | KAREN LORD PILATES MOVEMENT

If you're out in Venice, California we highly suggest checking out Karen Lord Pilates Movement. Its founder, Karen Lord comes from a fashion and art background and created this studio and method to connect the endless benefits of classical Pilates while delivering it in a contemporary and mindful package that offers a true connection to each person that walks through the door.

After her successes in New York, Karen wanted to expand to Los Angeles. This version of her studio started as a pop-up this past July, and they quickly saw a nice client base expanding quickly. Between people from New York who were excited to come in, or people who heard about Karen and her online videos, it started growing quickly.

When working out at their Abbot Kinney location, you will find a contemporary studio rooted in classical Pilates. In the studio, guests can enjoy 10 reformers in the space. Each trainer has their own style and many of the classes are designed to highlight that trainer's special approach to Pilates, but with the commonality that they are all guided by the unique approach of Karen Lord Pilates Movement. You'll experience the individualized attention from highly knowledgeable and truly loving trainers, but will be kept safe and guided throughout the entire experience. This studio is known for their individualized attention and focus in a well designed, clean and fashionable studio. In addition, this studio trains to the client's body and not the other way around.

In addition to group classes, private ones are also available each day. Clients can be matched with their ideal trainer depending upon their desires and needs.

Guests can enjoy changing rooms and bathrooms; however, showers are not available. Merchandise and apparel are for sale in the Love Shop- a well-curated collection of KLPM's favorite products and accessories.

In addition to this studio, Karen will be the headline Pilates instructor for Wanderlust this year in Squaw Valley as well as Seattle. There are a number of collaborations with local and national brands that will be coming up. Whether you can attend the studio or not, Karen Lord Pilates Movement will be releasing videos online in the next month so anyone worldwide can train with Karen.

KAREN LORD PILATES MOVEMENT

1729 Abbot Kinney Blvd

Venice, CA 90291

karenlordpilatesmovement.com

IG @KarenLordPilates

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | Karen Lord Pilates Movement in mag.