Neurocognitive Updates

I am really very irritated by some inconsiderate idiots who keep advertising their viagra on P-Latte. These people are dumb as Pilates lovers probably don't need viagra!!!! Does anyone know how to stop them from doing it?

I recently attended a neurocognitive conference, the speakers were excellent and shared lots of updates in many area in neurocognitive development. I especially enjoyed the sessions on children's language development, and how nutrition in pre/ post-natal mothers influence baby's brain development.

I am sure most health-conscious people would already have known about the goodness of omega-3 fatty acid (especially in the form of docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA). It is essential in brain development, cognitive functions, and in immune system. There is also evidence that shows DHA dietary supplementation might even protect the brain from trauma and aid in its recovery.

What caught my attention in the conference was, research now proves that exercise can boost the action of DHA supplementation. This is because DHA activates syntaxin 3 and neutrite outgrowth (Dario al, 2006). Gomez (2008) also demostrated how DHA and exercise interact to affect neuronal function in membrane fluidity & gene regulation).

So besides making you feel good, managing your body weight and improving your appearance, exercise can boost your brain power (thus make you smarter) too!

Complimentary Trial Class - The Moving Body

Me and hubby have started furniture hunting as we are hopeful to get our flat at Pinnacles@Duxton by end of the year.

After visiting a few furniture warehouses at Balestier, we went to River Vallery area to get some "up-market" furnishing ideas. While we were there, we thought might as well visit the new Pilates studio nearby.

The Moving Body is opened by my two Polestars mentors, Audrey and Diego. It offers Pilates, Gyrotonics and rehab. I think the flash intro page on their website is pretty cool.

The studio is located at Robinson Walk, free parking on Sunday! The studio isn't very big but very cosy. I really should get the contact of their renovation contractor!

Anyway here is some "lobang" for my dear P-Latte readers. From now till end of September, you can get a complimentary trial class if you quote my blog at registration (of course subject to class availability)! Grab the chance if you always wonder if Pilates is for you.

My Come Back to P-Latte and the Active World

Okay, i know I have been away for the longest time.

A lot of my friends asked if pregnancy was stressful and if child birth was painful, well they were, just a little. But seriously they were really just appetizers when compared to what I went through (like any other parents) AFTER the baby is born. I barely survived juggling among work, house chores and baby sitting, especially in the first 6 months.

I am still struggling but things are getting better, everyday, one bit at a time.

Now that baby Charles is 8-month old, I think I should do something for myself, like start taking care of my own personal hygiene - I have not trim my eyebrows (eyebush?) for 8 months and sometimes not brushing my teeth until end of the day; AND taking care of my health.

First thing I did to resume my healthy and active lifestyle was to invest in a Baby Jogger, so that I can get some workout while spending quality time with Baby Charles!

This fierce looking stroller is monstrous especially when it passes by other 'normal' strollers in the mall. Its 16" back wheels (which are as big as the rim on my Honda Jazz) need to be inflated just like bicycle wheels, and it comes with heavy duty suspension springs too. We went for "test drive" over the National Day weekend in Botanic Gardens and Charles felt so comfy in his private vehicle, he felt asleep shortly after we started jogging. It's such an irony that I drive such a small car, but the stroller we use are so huge!

Look out for me and Charles-in-BabyJogger at parks from now on! YAY!!!!

My Pilates Journey, By Karen Hew

I have made many friends who love Pilates thru this blog, but no one is as "obsessed" with Pilates than Karen. Recently she wrote to me about her journey in learning Pilates, and it was too good not to be shared! I seeked her permission to post it up here (at the same time extorted her to write few good words about me, hahhaa kidding!), so here it goes:

My journey as a Pilates student started exactly a year ago from this week’s Tuesday, 21 April 2009, with my first introductory trial class.

12 months ago, I was pale, flabby, unfit and had a miserable nagging lower-back ache. The lower-back ache was not nerve related and I was hoping that either Yoga or Pilates would help to strengthen my pathetically weak lower-back. Fate would have it that I could not find a suitable Yoga studio at my preferred locations, and my teacher, Song, had just joined the Pilates studio that was situated at my preferred location and could give classes after office hours!

What started as an evening of nervous apprehension for this Pilates-virgin (largely stemming from being ignorant as to what Pilates is all about), Song helped ease the anxiety by first explaining the fundamentals of Pilates – the zip, scoop and breathing. Next was the introduction to the intimidating looking “torture” equipment – Reformer, Cadillac (er, as in the car?), Wunda Chair, Electric Chair (the what?!) and Ladder Barrel. Song then put me on the Reformer and exercising supine was a whole new thing for me (hey, this I can do!). By the end of the hour, I felt invigorated, and in awe of the founder-creator of this wonderful method of exercise, Mr Joseph Pilates. Mr Pilates is a genius, a fantastic engineer and master of human bio-mechanics. I was stumped by Mr Pilates’ profound understanding of the musculoskeletal system. Everything that I learnt in that hour just clicked.

I immediately signed up for 10 private classes and I have never looked back since. What has Pilates done for me? It has awoken my sense of body awareness – I feel connected to my body, and conscious about alignment and posture. It has given me confidence – I am more comfortable with myself than ever. It has strengthened me physically – my body shape has changed drastically to become leaner and stronger (yay!).

What do I love most about Pilates? The mind-body connection. Yes, as cliché as it sounds, it is true. I have played competitive badminton and basketball, I have jogged, canoed, hiked, trekked, squashed, but they are all intuitive exercises. To execute Pilates exercises correctly, I have to really concentrate and focus being at every moment.

Where will my journey next bring me to? I want to learn more, much more about this wonderful method of exercise. Perhaps the path may lead me to a certification course… and what an adventure that would be!

Last but not least, I have made several new friends from the world of Pilates. Good Pilates teachers are special because they not only teach well but also bring sunshine to the studio and touch lives. Their passion is highly infectious and wonderfully inspiring. The teachers who have infected me with their passion and inspired me to go further in my learning journey are Song, June, Annie, Zein, and Cynthia Lochard. There are those who helped open my world to other methods of teaching Pilates – Jacek (Stott) and Daniel (Polestar) – and made me realise that, while the paths to the goal may be different, the goal of teaching Pilates is always for the good of the client. And many thanks to Tery for her blog; her relentless energy; her perseverance; her focus; and her dedication to promote Pilates. She is a gem!

Gosh, i never knew Karen has only been doing Pilates for merely 12 months!!! She is so damn fit, especially when compared to other desk bound people in her trade! Her tummy is FLAT. I am sure there are many others who are hooked to Pilates like the way Karen did and their bodies, their minds, and even their lives are transformed by Pilates.

Where to learn Pilates, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Here are the studios offering Pilates & Gyrontonic classes (Polestar method) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:

Essential Dance Academy 

72-2 (1st Floor)

Jalan PJU 8/5B, 

Damansara Perdana, 47820, 

P.J, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

bAlign Pilates Studio 

A2-3-3, Solaris Dutamas 1,

Jalan Dutamas1,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.

(Updated 3rd April 2012)

Song from The Pilates Flow shared his horror story when his studio was newly opened.

He received phone calls from esteemed instructors who wanted to work for him in his studio. So Song asked which method were they certified.

Jobseeker: "Huh? Method? What method?"

Song: "Hm...as in, which Pilates certification do you have?"

Jobseeker: "Oh, u mean certs! I am certified by Pilates Online!"

Song almost flipped off his chair.

Karen managed to dig out one of such online certification: http://www.expertrating.com/pilates/index.asp#frequentques

HOLY COW!!!!! You can actually BUY a Pilates certification for USD 49.99. Wow, indeed it is much faster, cheaper and less painful way to get certified. Why did I bothered to spend hundreds of hours and nearly S$15k to get my certs...

Like what Karen suggests, if one day I ever have my own studio, I will make sure I proudly get my toilet cleaners to get "certified" too. 

Polestar Pilates Conference

Focus Pilates is hosting the first Polestar Pilates Conference in Singapore on 18-19 July 2009. (Some must be surprised, what? Pilates also has conference?!!) 

I am rather excited because for once people like me with tight budget and time constraint can attend the conference without having to travel out of Singapore!! I really look forward to learning from world class experts like Deborah Lessen (who was founding member of the Pilates Method Alliance and currently serves on the Board of Directors!!)  

This conference is not for Polestar practicioners only, but for people from all Pilates methods too. Karen, wanna join me?

Upcoming Pilates Certification Course

An upcoming mat certification course for you by Polestar Asia:

Principles of Fitness: May 8-9, 2009
Mat Level 1: May 23-24, 2009
Mat Level 2: June 20-21, 2009

Call Sky Pilates at 62350097 or email Audrey at adcotta@yahoo.com

You might want to read my posts on what it takes to be a Pilates instructor and Differentiating various Pilates Styles

Video on Pelvic Floor

I guess my Pilates mentor was getting frustrated with her trainee teachers for being so confused with the pelvic floor. They just don't seem to understand where exactly this group of muscles is located and how it works.

I don't blame them, it is really hard to imagine the location of the pelvic floor from 2D diagrams. You just can't show your students with tactile cues like touching and stroking this group of muscles and say, "Hey, here is your pelvic floor and now contract it!". Imagery cues like "squeezing your sitting bones together" or " bringing your pubic bone and tail bone closer" sometimes make it even more confusing on how to activate the pelvic floor.

But pelvic floor is just too important in our daily function and it is almost a sin if one do not know how to use it properly. My mentor found this wonderful video by Samsara which explains why you need to work the pelvic floor. The video actually answers the question why men need to work their pelvic floors too!

Picture says a thousand words, and moving pictures definitely say more! So go take a look at the video :-)

Different kind of 5Cs

I love Facebook, to the extent of addiction. I can't resist checking it at least every 10 minutes whenever I am online. I just find it real good to stay in touch with all my good friends all over the world.

So today Facebook help me linked up with 2 friends whom I have not talked for past 2 years.

First, Jason, a fellow classmate from my Master degree, shared with me how he could afford to study PhD in Australia. Great inspiration and I wanna do the same too! I am sure I can teach Pilates to supplement my living while I study there. So I shall start thinking of a research topic...hmmm.... 

Then I catched up with Sandy, an "angmoh" male inline skating athlete cum trainer, whom i knew since my days with the Singapore Sports Council. Here is our very interesting conversation:

5:09pmSandy

what you doing these days.

I'm good. Keeping fit and healthy.

5:10pmTeresa

it has been really long time since we met! i've changed job, married, learnt driving & now has a newborn 

quite the oppo, im now not fit & down w/ flu...

5:11pmSandy

wow. that is some big changes.

I want to settle down someday.

I'm getting old.

    5:13pmTeresa

actually u shd be able to settle down fast...angmoh in sg has high value...heehhee. so wat's keeping u??

5:18pmSandy

my 5 c's are different.

5:19pmTeresa

so what are your 5C's?

5:20pmSandy

1. careing 2. compassion 3. car-dio (health) 4. cash (can't live without it) 5. communication.

Oh well, i have many male friends like Sandy, spending too much time doing and developing the sport that they love and they deprived themselves the chance to find "the one"... if you are female, single, and presumably love fitness & sports (hence reading my blog?) and happened to look for a different kind of 5C's, why not check out his Facebook profile?

Pilates Attire

Karen noticed some ladies attend Pilates class in shorts! Well, not really the right type of exercise shorts but one in the going-out type of shorts with front zip, waist band and buttons and pockets, the other in those "hot pants" jersy-stretchy type which sits just below the butt-cheeks.

Like what Karen told those ladies, Pilates exercises (whether on the machines or mat) require lots of "opening up the legs" and thus more is exposed than they may be comfortable with. As an instructor, I have been unwillingly exposed to so many parts that were best kept in the dark. Guys' grotches, ladies underwear of all style and colours... The worst I have seen so far was a G-string when this lady did leg circle in loose beach shorts. i could almost see the brand of her G string and frankly she probably should trim the hair (I mean THERE)...

She also pointed me to this very nice article about the right attire for Pilates. Too bad that most brands mentioned in the article aren't available in Singapore. I myself quite like pants from Lora Jane (available in Novena Square) as it fits well and stays at where it should be (without slipping up into the crack). Besides it offers good variety of design and colour and they are usually pretty flattering on the wearer. I wonder if there are other brands here in Singapore which are good for Pilates?

Another article also gives practical advice about proper attire for Pilates too. Anyway these are the few pointers I always tell my new clients before their first class:

1. Shoes are not required. If you insist wearing socks, get those with anti-slip under the sole.
2. Fitting / body hugging (but not super tight-fit) or stretchy material and design for both top AND bottom. Clothing made of Lycra is quite ideal. It allows you to move freely during the exercises and the instructor can check your posture and alignment. For the gentlemen, bicycle shorts can protect your important parts from being exposed.
3. Clothes with simple design is prefered while those with big buttons, excessive folds,or thick waist band are not fun to wear as it's definitely not comfortable to lie or even roll over them.
4. Minimal accessories. Big watches and long earings are "banned" from my class. 

Pilates for Runners

Found this video which recommends and demostrates some basic Pilates exercises which are supposedly good for runners.

Though I didn't quite like the presenter's form in her demostration, she provided good justification on why are the exercises good for runners.

Rectus Diastasis - nightmare for pregnant ladies

Quoting my friend Karen, "Pregnancy really does have a toll on the woman's body!"

Besides putting loads of fat on the body, pregnancy can throw the woman's body out of balance, create tension, weaken muscles and even damage joints. Rectus diastasis (abdominal separation) is just another "job hazard" that pregnant woman may suffer. 

The combination of abdominal weakness, hormonal changes, weight gain, and abdominal wall stretch exerted by your growing baby, can cause muscle separation along the centerline of the abdomen. It is more common in multiple births and repeated pregnancy and it usually persists long after the woman gives birth (Karen said one Pilates instructor recovered only 15month after the delivery!!!). 

Well, rectus diastasis can actually be prevented. Exercise no doubt is beneficial to both mother and fetus, but one must be sensitive and avoid doing certain exercises (see another post for exercise guideline). In Pilates class, strenuous flexion-based exercises plus long lever loading on the abdominals  (e.g. 100s with straight legs at 45 degree, Plank) should be avoided.

Not sure if your abs separated? Do this self-test.

When I was pregnant, I did more exercises on Reformer, while on the mat I only did pelvic tilt, quadruped, mermaid, Chestlift, femur/leg circle, side lying/kicks, small degree of spine stretch, spine twist.  

Karen pointed me to a video on abdominal separation on youtube. It was posted by Samsara, a Pilates and pole dance instructor, who also suffered from abs separation. Like what she said in the video, doing Pilates helps close the separation because it strengthen the transverse abdominals which act as a corset. 

More videos on Rectus diastasis:

How It Affects Exercises for Pregnant Women

How to recover from Diatasis