This September is the three year anniversary since starting the blog. There are now nearly 50 articles on 20 different Pilates related themes and growing…! You can find topics on:
It’s almost like having a little Pilates library you can access 24/7!
In addition, there is also a newsletter where more information is shared. While the blog retains the essence, sometimes a more edited version is used for the general public and safety. If you are a Pilates enthusiast and would like to learn more, you might consider signing up for the newsletter where even more insights are shared.
The topics have been chosen from things that have come up in classes and sessions over the years. The blog is meant to be a resource for you and your loved ones. If you have interest in a particular area (perhaps a muscle or condition), you have something to reference. The articles are meant to supplement and help deepen your understanding and practice. If you have a family member or friend and know some particular information would be beneficial to them, please share the relevant blog article with them.
Thank you for sharing your time, your trust and yourself! I appreciate you reading this blog. This is a Pilates library at your fingertips!
It is coming up on the one year marker since the in person studio sessions came to a halt on March 11 and online sessions began on March 12, 2020. I remember March 11 clearly and being in the studio. Three things in particular happened that day: the World Health Organization officially declared the pandemic, the first case of local spread and the rodeo was cancelled. (You know it’s serious when that happens in Texas!)
Obviously, a lot has changed in the world over the past year. While change is often challenging, there is good that can come from it as well. In particular, a positive trend has been the move online and being able to more easily learn from Master teachers and experts across the country and the globe.
You may not be aware but Yamuna is alive and active. She generally taught workshops in exotic locations like India, but since the pandemic she too has gone online.
If you need to de-stress due to the pandemic or due to the recent weather event here in Texas or perhaps you’ve always wondered what a class with Yamuna herself would be like…well, now you can do that! For the class schedule, check out Yamuna Live.
In addition to Yamuna, there is Yamuna Anytime or YBR® Anytime, started by Dianne Glass several years ago. You may not have heard of Dianne, but she is one of Yamuna’s trusted teacher trainers and has been with Yamuna since the beginning. I’ve had the pleasure of learning from Dianne on a number of occasions, and I’m grateful for her expertise and guidance in the Yamuna method.
Dianne had the innovative idea to hire a videographer and create classes online years before the pandemic. YBR® Anytime has professional quality filming, lighting etc, classes added regularly and a video library. It’s something worth checking out!
As times change, I hope you prioritize what is important, continue to practice good self-care, including Pilates and perhaps de-stressing with Yamuna too!
The Holidays are fast approaching and as there is much hustle, bustle and shopping for the perfect gift, it seemed timely to talk about the gifts of December. Before purchasing, receiving or exchanging a single gift, it is nice to contemplate the gifts that already exist in this month. Without having to do a single thing, there is already much to be grateful for.
For starters in the Pilates world, December 9 marks Joseph H. Pilates Birthday. Born in 1880 in Monchengladbach Germany, Joseph Pilates was a visionary and inventor. He created a philosophy, a system and invented equipment that future generations will enjoy.
It so happens that Yamuna Zake’s Birthday is in December as well. She is alive and well. As vibrant and inventive as ever and still teaching nationally and internationally. Her body of work continues to grow and evolve to the benefit of us all.
Besides the visionaries born this month, December is a time celebrated by different religions as a season of giving. Even for the secular minded, December offers an opportunity to pause. The government, most institutions and businesses temporarily shut down.
Though it is the season of giving, the habit of giving is a good one year around. Gifts don’t have to be financial. The simple gift of a smile, a hug or a text with an encouraging or even funny word can make a world of difference in brightening someone’s day.
As the season begins, hope you carve out some time to pause, breath and enjoy all the gifts you already have – health, life, family, friends and perhaps pets! May you continue to give to yourself through self-care in all its forms from proper nutrition and rest to exercise and quality time for activities you enjoy. And as the season turns into new beginnings for a New Year, may you continue to find ways to give to yourself, to loved ones and to your community throughout the year.
The studio Birthday is coming up soon. I can hardly believe it has been three years! The time has certainly flown by. It has been a delight and a privilege to watch and to facilitate each of you on your Pilates and health journey.
In addition to offering private sessions, the studio started a free educational bimonthly newsletter this last year. If that is something you would like to receive, you can sign-up here as well as catch up on past issues posted here on the blog.
Thank you for your dedication not only to the studio but also in your commitment to self-care through a regular Pilates practice. As you care for yourself, you are better able to serve the ones you love and the greater community. I appreciate you and I’m grateful to be a part of your life and wellness team.
The last newsletter left off with the question, “What is the difference between Foam Rolling and Yamuna® Body Rolling (YBR)?” In case you missed the last edition, you can catch up on some fun and fundamental facts about YBR here. To answer the question more fully, this article is dedicated to comparing and contrasting the difference between these two ways to roll.
To start, the foam roller and the Yamuna® ball were invented by two different people and represent two separate modalities. The foam roller originates from a movement system called Feldenkrais and is named after the inventor of that method, Moshe Feldenkrais. He started with wood rollers in the the 1950’s and then in the 1970’s started using foam instead.* Sean Gallagher is credited with introducing the foam roller to the Pilates world in the 1980’s. The foam roller has also made it’s way into lots of other settings from the gym to Physical Therapy.
The Yamuna ball was developed by Yamuna Zake and based on her hands-on Body Logic method. YBR is Body Logic applied on the ball where the ball acts as a practitioner’s hands. Body Logic works with the natural order of the body and goes from the bone, to the tendon and then through the muscle.
Besides being invented by different people, the foam roller and the ball have some other differences. There are a variety of foam rollers, ranging in different lengths and textures. Some foam rollers have spikes and there are some made of softer foam. There are even some rollers with a flatter surface on one side. The surface of a foam roller is harder/denser than the ball.
Yamuna balls are obviously fully round and not long like the roller. YBR balls run 6-10 inches in size and are smooth (except for the half sphere footwakers)! They are filled with air and inflatable rather than solid all the way through. This makes the balls easier to transport and travel with as they can be deflated and packed more readily. Within the family of YBR balls, the silver is the harder and the pearl and gold balls a little softer density for more sensitive areas, for beginners and for petite sizes. Even though the Yamuna balls are a little “softer” than foam rollers that doesn’t make them easier. As they are smaller, the balls can be more specific and go even deeper.
While having some obvious structural differences between the foam roller and the ball, there are also different approaches to rolling. With foam rolling as it is used to release muscles, generally there are multiple passes/repetitions rolling along a muscle. With YBR, one pass through a muscle is sufficient and the focus is going slow to get deeper. It’s Yamuna’s belief that rolling too quickly can confuse the body’s nervous system.
Mr. Feldenkrais passed away in the 1980’s while Yamuna is still alive, vibrant and teaching today. As foam rolling has branched out into other modalities, so has the uses of the foam roller. Yamuna continues to add to her work and guides its’ development. As a creative force, she is still on a roll…
Foam rolling and YBR differ in their origin and structure. There are different ways to roll with varying effect. Both methods share common ground as positive ways to promote health and improve well-being.
As the newsletter is usually focused on Pilates and health & wellness topics, it only seemed right to share a little about Yamuna® Body Rolling. Here are some fun and interesting facts you may not know about Yamuna. Hope the following article is illuminating and inspires you to get rolling or stay on the ball with your fitness routine!
How do you pronounce Yamuna?
It is pronounced ya-mu-na like the river in India of the same name.
Why the unusual name?
Like Pilates, Yamuna is named after the person who developed the method, Yamuna Zake.
What is Yamuna® exactly?
“Yamuna® Body Rolling (YBR) is a completely orignal fitness and therapy practice that combines healing, wellness and injury prevention in a single, simple workout.”* YBR uses balls to release muscles from beginning to end. It also releases restrictions and fascia and is mild weight bearing exercise.
The Yamuna® work has grown and evolved. Originally, it began as hands-on work that was called Yamuna® Body Logic (YBL). Eventually, the principles from YBL were adapted to the ball and that become Yamuna® Body Rolling (YBR).
In addition to YBL and YBR, the method has expanded to the extremities of the body. There is Yamuna® Foot Fitness (YFF) that uses half spheres underneath the feet (and even the hands) and there are smaller balls specifically designed for the muscles of the face!
Is Yamuna® safe for everyone? What if you have a particular condition? Can you get hurt doing Yamuna?
Yamuna® is safe for most people to practice as long as you have the right ball, follow the routines as recommended, observe any cautions given and listen to your body. Similar to Pilates, there are routines that are appropriate for those rehabilitating and other routines that challenge the most advanced athlete. There are routines that can be done seated in a chair and Yamuna has even developed an “In Bed” series.
Is there an App for that?
Yes, actually, there is a Yamuna® app, called AnatomyU! Yamuna came out with the app a few years ago and it shows exactly where the ball goes to release different muscles throughout the body. It’s perfect if you would like to learn more about anatomy (and do something beneficial for your body at the same time)!
Is there anything the App can’t do?
As the app is focused on anatomy, if you have a special condition, Yamuna has other programs that may be more appropriate. For example, for low back issues, the app would only show muscles of the spine. However, the “Save Your Lower Back” download is a more holistic program that would address back concerns specifically.
What is the difference between Foam Rolling and Yamuna Body Rolling?
This is a good question. As both foam rolling and YBR release muscles, on the surface, they seem pretty similar. Besides the obvious difference (size and length of the equipment etc.), the answer to this question is a bit more complex and maybe even surprising. To appropriately address this topic, the next edition is going to be devoted to exploring this topic more in depth.
