1. What is Pilates?
2. What makes Pilates different from traditional gym exercises?
3. What are the types of Pilates classes?
4. What are the benefits of Personal Training?
5. Why Pilates?
6. What is the Powerhouse?
7. The breathing..Say "Hah!"

What are the benefits of Personal Training?
Maybe a group class is not for you. There are unique benefits to experiencing pilates with a personal trainer. Since pilates is a discipline that can take years to perfect, a trainer helps reduce the learning curve. The emphasis of this private session is on the specific needs of the client, tailored to improve his weaknesses and increase body awareness. Several one-on-one sessions will create a quicker appreciation and mastery of the method and reduce the risk of injury. The client's total health is addressed from good nutrition to creating healthy habits such as planning other forms of exercise on days the client is not with the trainer. They are all part of the equation to stick with a program and achieve results quick. To fully benefit, workouts should occur a minimum of twice per week. Back

Why Pilates?
Pilates increases strength, flexibility and endurance. The result is a strong flexible body, with muscles that are lengthened and toned, rather than bulky. It also improves posture, alignment, co-ordination and balance. Whether you take a mat class or a sport specific class, all Pilates moves are designed to work your powerhouse muscles - abs, lower back, thighs, and buttocks - and to gently lengthen them. Improved posture, flatter abdominals and increased flexibility are a few of the benefits of the exercise. Joseph Pilates claimed that these exercises could change a person's body in 30 sessions if done only 10 minutes per day. Many people come to Pilates to help heal an injury, and they end up getting hooked on its rejuvenating benefits. They are amazed at the feeling of accomplishment they get as they master each exercise. Back

What is the Powerhouse?
The powerhouse or core is generally the band of muscles that circles your body just above the belt line. It represents the abdominals, low back, hips and buttocks. All movement is initiated from this area. We sink most of our weight into these areas when we sit and stand. This can cause stress on the lower back muscles, creating poor posture and back pain. For some of us this is where we develop a gut or love handles. During pilates exercise we focus on drawing everything in and up to the center, similar to cinching in a corset. We stabilize the core during all movement. The results are efficient, injury free movement and a flatter tummy. Back

The breathing..Say "Hah!"
Take a breath by inhaling softly through the nose. Imagine expanding the ribcage to the sides and filling the bottom lobes of the lungs with air. Make sure the shoulders do not rise with the inhalation. Exhale by drawing the navel in and up as you slide your ribs down towards your hips, making the "hah" sound. It is not a blowing breath, but a hollowing one.. thus the "H" sound. As you inhale your pumping up your lungs, as you exhale your releasing every little bit of air from your lungs. During the exhalation start by squeezing the muscles as if you were trying to stop the flow of urine. Think of experiencing a lifting or drawing up of your internal organs and deep abdominal muscles. Imagine the ribs sliding down to meet the hips as you draw everything to the center or core. Think of pumping up and deflating a tire, or blowing up and deflating a balloon with a pinhole in it. This breathing is often practiced by inhaling 5 times and exhaling 5 times for as many as 10 pumps or sets. Back