Hi guys,

Welcome to our great Newsletter containing lot's of tips and interesting news to help and guide you. We can't believe we are approaching our six year aniversary at ATP, time flies when you're having fun!

As a gesture to everyone who has supported us over the years is a 10% off any packages or DVDs through the month of April, no excuse to start getting back in shape!

Also, check out my brand new website www.traceymallett.com, any suggestions and feedback would be greatly appreciated and taken note of.

Until the next time,

Here are some answers to questions which were E-mailed to me

I regularly take Pilates classes, what tips would you offer to someone who wants to benefit more from Pilates?

Allow your body to move in a whole new way, this will release stress and built up tension.
Be patient, give it time and be prepared to put time in to your practice; this exercise should be performed at least two times a week for results.
Relax and focus on the moves, slow the reps down, take full control of every working muscle. Pilates is not only a physical form of exercise but a mental one too you are learning to take control of your body through concentration and total focus. You'll be amazed how you can isolate muscles you didn't even know you had, Pilates will make you aware of your body and how it moves.
Breath is also important thing to remember whilst performing Pilates. Without exhaling and drawing in the abdominal wall simultaneously your deepest abdominal muscle the Transverse abdominus will not activate. This muscle is essential for stabilizing the spine/pelvis and in most cases is the missing link to a true strong core.
No talking with your favorite trainer, if your talking your not concentrating and certainly not focusing on the work.
It's about quality of the move not the quantity or how much weight you can push none of this matters in Pilates.

What is the difference between Pilates on the mat and Pilates using equipment? What type of equipment is involved/required?

Pilates 25 percent of Pilates is on the mat and the rest is on the specially designed apparatus such as the reformer, wunda chair, trapeze table, large barrel, small barrel, arm chair and small equipment the magic circle, ball and foam roller.

Mat work can be more challenging utilizing your own body weight for resistance, it's also usually done in a large group of people without much one-on-one attention.

The equipment allows you to increase your strength gradually against springs as resistance and the machines will gently aide you in to a stretch with support. Equipment sessions are always done either privately or in a very small controlled group after at least some private sessions first. This allows the client to really understand where the movement is coming from, which decrease injuries and improves results.

A typical workout is a mixture of mat and equipment; we always start clients with mat work to warm and mobilize the spine, and most importantly stretch the legs. We then move to the equipment which may consist of leg, arms and abdominal work. The resistance of springs can make the exercise harder or you can reduce the spring load to make it easier.

What muscles are targeted during a typical Pilates workout?

It's a total body conditioning workout, ALL movements do start with the ABS and this is you main focus for balance, strength and a better posture.

I believe ALL muscles are targeted in a Pilates session otherwise it wouldn't be a balanced workout.

Abs, legs, arms, glutes and back.

Each session we work everybody part; this keeps balance in the body. We're not trying to break down the muscles fibers as you would in weight training, consequently this enables you do Pilates everyday if you so desire.

What should I look for when trying Pilates for the first time? I have back pain and don't want it to get worse.

Most importantly make sure your instructor is certified and has gone through a certification that is recognized through the Pilates Method Alliance, there are so many courses that only require a weekend of study, so beware!

If your back starts to hurt through a Pilates class the chances are is that you are not engaging the abdominals correctly and letting the hip flexors/back do the work.

Tip: inhale through the nose and forcefully exhale pulling the abdominals in without squeezing the butt or moving the hips... nothing should move except for the belly pulling in and up towards the spine. You should feel the abdominals tighten. Now try this with a basic chest lift or it can be referred to as a crunch with the legs on the floor. As you bring you head neck and shoulders off the floor exhale keeping the hips still, most people contract the glutes and use the hip flexors.

The other common complaint is that they feel the work in the neck not the abs.

We have to build up strength in the Abs first before we can lift the head off the floor, a tip would be to use two pillows supporting the head, so your head is 30 degrees above the heart now we can focus on just getting the Abs strong without straining the neck.

Do you need to be in good condition to benefit from Pilates or is it for any level of fitness? What about ages?

Pilates is for ALL ages from the young gymnast to the geriatric grandmother, the beauty of Pilates it can be modified for all different populations this is why it's perfect for rehabilitation (Physical Therapy) with it's gentle low impact, non-ballistic nature of the exercise makes it an excellent choice.

The youngest child we have had at our studio is 7 and the eldest is 91!

Sports Enhancement & Physical Therapy

By Shawna Yee DPT

Physical Therapy Whether you're a highly competitive athlete or perhaps a weekend warrior, if you have noticed a decline in your sports performance or exercise intensity, a physical therapist may be able to help.

For instance, do you have enough trunk rotation to maximize your golf swing, the proper set-up on your bike to pedal efficiently, or even enough core stability and balance for those weekend runs in the mountains. A physical therapist can provide valuable insight to some of the issues.

Physical therapists poses the knowledge and background to analyze the demands of a particular sport taking a systematic approach to reveal an athlete's movement faults that are impacting sports performance. By looking at an individual's movement components, sports technique can be broken down and refined. Therapists can determine areas that need to be addressed such as flexibility, strength, power, speed, agility, or core stability and then develop a program to improve these areas.

By collaborating to set goals and explaining the benefit of each aspect of the program, the athlete will acquire a clear understanding of why these areas need to be addressed and how this should be done. An athlete with a solid foundation of skills is able to maximize their preparation for competition and also decrease susceptibility to injury. If you are an athlete looking to improve your performance, schedule an appointment for an evaluation with one of our physical therapists. www.atptraining,com

What's new at the studio

Check out the benefits of Aquatic Therapy with Dr. Chris Mallett at the Rose Bowl. Now available Tuesday and Thursdays by appointment. Most Insurance accepted Call 626-403 6545 for more information.