Being relatively new to the world of Pilates, I became a super fan pretty fast. The mat work made me realize I'd been doing a LOT of things incorrectly in my aerial work -- how I was engaging (and not engaging) my abdominals; what "crunch" means (it's not good), and how lengthening and strengthening in a workout makes you feel like your body is capable of so much more.

With Yamuna Body Rolling, I'd been trying to address those issues for years. And without question, I did feel better. But we continually rotate through our patterns as we walk, drive, do dishes, exercise, whatever. Yamuna's work gives us a deeper awareness of that. 

What we all really need is to use this awareness and then unravel our own issues. Because we as individuals live...

I've been hitting the mat and finding my abs (and spine, glutes and hamstrings) with our dynamo Pilates teacher at Studio, Kim Whatley, for more than a year now. It's been a wonderful experience, so much so I opted to further my education and begin training to teach this modality as well (with some gentle prodding from Kim, who's pregnant and due this summer, and therefore in need of some coverage for classes and clients).

I have to say I was fully intimidated when she first asked me about doing the training; Kim is the kind of teacher who can see when you're not engaging your deepest abdominals, and then you change less than an eighth of an inch in your intention, and BAM, she sees it. Hers are big shoes to fill, but she also found a g...

Since September, our focus has moved up from the feet to the knees.

I meet so many people who talk about issues with their knees, and really, it's no wonder. The knee is an amazing and complex structure that maneuvers us through space, with nearly as much agility and ability to move in all kinds of different positions as our feet. 

Last month we considered how the multiple bones and joints in the feet are able to keep us stable even as we navigate uneven terrain, and how they are constantly in a little dance to keep us from falling down.

When it comes to  the knees, we tend to think of them as just bending in one direction. But if you've ever injured your knee and then tried getting into and out of your car, for instance, you know that th...

For the month of September, we'll be focusing on the feet, looking at and feeling what it is that literally moves us through our lives.

If you have any problems with your feet -- plantar fasciitis, neuropathy, bunions, fallen arches, or have to wear orthotics for any reason, please join us to learn more about the structure of the foot, and to begin learning a simple routine you can do at home to relieve your pain, and simply feel better with every step.

I've been doing this work for a few years now and find it truly amazing how much tension I hold in my feet that until I started this, was totally unaware of -- it's the kind of thing where you don't know how bad you were feeling until you suddenly begin to feel the alternative.

Some foot nuggets to...