This is a full month and here are a couple of events that are coming up:
February is American Heart Month and this Friday, February 3 is National Wear Red Day®! For more information on heart health, please check out the NIH. Most importantly, take care of yourself and the ones you love by practicing self-care for your heart.
In addition, February 22 is World Encephalitis Day. If you would like to get involved, here are some ways you can show your support.
Happy Valentine’s to you and yours! Wishing you much love and joy!
Now onto today’s featured article…
For the Love of Pilates
It’s been said that Joe was a genius. The equipment especially highlighted his brilliance. He was known to invent equipment for clients with specific needs.
Pilates’ creativity and spirit of invention lives on today. His innovative ideas sparked other thinkers and inventors who created their own pieces of equipment. Joe’s work carries on in new and exciting ways.
Whether to help a specific student with a need or to adapt to the environment when traditional equipment wasn’t available, here are three newer pieces of equipment that have been developed for the love of Pilates!
1.SmartSpine (SS)
If you’ve ever rested your spine on the warmed columns of the SS, then you know the bliss. Created by Marie-Jose Blom, the SS is the main star in the full system which includes the arch tubbies, globe, cervical head disc, sacral wedges, and posture pillow.
Developed by longtime student of Pilates, Ron Fletcher came up with the towel. It was created out of necessity, working with what he had at his disposal.
When Mr. Fletcher would teach classes at his California studio, he noticed students were having trouble moving their arms evenly. One arm would be higher and the other arm would be lower etc.
So he grabbed a towel to give the students a visual aid to help them see their arms were uneven as they moved. That’s how the Fletcher Towel was born. I think Mr. Pilates would appreciate the ingenuity of making use of what was on hand.
Similar to Joe’s equipment that can look like a rack out of the middle ages, the CoreAlign® is a large, interesting, even intimidating looking piece of equipment! I suspect it would meet with Joe’s approval;) And this equipment delivers on its name – to get the core aligned!
Developed by physical therapist Jonathan Hoffman and produced by Balanced Body equipment manufacturer, the CoreAlign® is two moveable platforms (like the carriage on the reformer but smaller) with elastic resistance tubes that act like springs and a tall ladder to hold. As you might imagine there are a multitude of exercises that can be performed in different positions on the CoreAlign®.
So there you have it – just a few of the many inventions that have been created for the love of Pilates!
Now I’m curious – if you could invent a piece of equipment, what would that be?
Just respond in the comments if you have an idea you would like to share.
Peace, Love and Pilates❤️
Shannon