pilates inspired practice
  • Home
  • Free Videos
  • Live Classes
  • Blog
  • Contact

pilates inspired practice.

news & extras

Roasted Cinnamon and Coconut Seeds

3/6/2018

0 Comments

 
My new version of granola without the carbs and sugar!  Simple & delicious. Gluten-free. Sugar free. Yes! 
Picture
Though I do sometimes simply eat a spoonful out of the jar, I'm loving adding a heaping tablespoon to celery sticks with almond butter or to a little yogurt with a few slices of apple or banana. 

The mix in this recipe is with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, flaxseed and sesame.

Why seeds you may ask?  From what I've read about seeds they are extremely nutritional because they contain all the starting materials necessary to develop into complex plants.  Some of this goodness includes: essential fatty acids, digestible protein, vitamins A, B, C and E, minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, and antioxidents.  What's not to love?

They're great to have around for healthy snacking.  And it's super easy to make!  You can play with the amounts of cinnamon and salt to your taste as well as different combinations of seeds.  
Ingredients:
  • 250 grams (scant 2 cups) seeds
  • 50 grams (1/2 cup) unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil (room temperature)
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
  3. Using your hands, mix in the coconut oil.
  4. ​Spread the mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. 
  5. Cook for 5-7 minutes.  Allow to cool before storing. Will store for a month in an airtight container.​
Picture
0 Comments

On my process for creating videos

2/25/2018

0 Comments

 
I have found that I really enjoy creating new videos!  It's a a very satisfying process.  There is a portion of my brain always actively looking for material for videos.  And this means that I am even more committed to developing my style of movement to be able to offer strong, intelligent, mobile and blissful bodies.  

So, if I’m practicing on my own and find a nice flow I immediately write it down so I can share it with you.  I test it on myself and my clients in Berlin to make sure the magic has been preserved.  And then eventually it will make its way into a video.  The Accumulation Flow videos one and two are a great example of this.  

Sometimes, I have a conversation with a client about something that I know others are also curious about, like the pelvic floor. If I feel like there is an opportunity to create a video like in the Pelvic Floor Exploration - a short yet deep dive into a topic that can dramatically improve our home practice - just this extra awareness to have and integrate into our movement.  

Or, if I’m teaching a class and something interesting and spontaneous happens that creates a significant change, I also write it down so I can figure out what happened and then ask myself if it would translate to a video.  This was my process in the No Nonsense Flow.

But I find this question of 'Will it translate'? fascinating.  Because obviously there is a difference between doing a video online and attending a class.  So far my findings are that we are all a little bit less focused or perhaps less patient with ourselves when practicing at home than in a live class.   This means the videos need to have super clear directions and keep your attention!  I find it’s important to build up a little bit faster than in a group class because we are all anxious to start feeling something. So the videos need to pack more of a punch in a shorter amount of time.  And they still need to be mindful, effective, safe, challenging and inspiring!  And they need to be broad enough that one can imagine repeating the video without wanting to throw their tennis ball at the screen.  What a wonderful challenge!

So this renewed commitment to learn and question myself about what I think is important to me about movement and what I hope to offer is incredibly inspiring.  I’m always looking for ways to understand the body more fully and to organize it in a effective and simple way.  I feel so grateful to be able to share what I’ve discovered and I’m confident that the delivery will only continue to improve!

It’s important to me that this website continues to be a tool to help us move more.  I want this to be a place where you can say - 'I want to move and I have 20 minutes of time', or 'I want to move and I need to calm down', or 'I want to move and….' no matter how much time you have or what you feel like you need, I want there to be options for you.  To make it that much easier to get moving.  I encourage you to look at any resistance you find to doing any particular video.  Sometimes it is the kind of video we don’t want to do that we actually need.

And finally, I have yet to unpack the data I have on the videos.  It’s coming up on the to-do list and I’m looking forward to learning more what you the user want and need.  Then I can align my ideas and plans even more with your wishes to deliver videos that fit your needs to inspire, strengthen, mobilize and ground.
​
Let’s keep moving together!
0 Comments

Shoulder Reset Exploration

1/28/2018

0 Comments

 
I hope you enjoy these ideas to help release and strengthen the shoulders.  Take your time and let me know how it goes!  

1. Shoulder Blade Release

We'll begin with a release so you can get deeper in the following exercises as well as bring awareness to this area.  We're trying to soften the fascia and muscles around the back of the shoulder - specifically  the serratus anterior, rotator cuff muscles, latissimus dorsi and teres major.  So, find your tennis ball (or other preferred self-massage tool) and make space at a wall!  
tennis ball placement
Place the ball as pictured so it is at the back of the armpit - where the arm and the torso meet. Keeping the ball in place, lean against the wall and let enough weight relax into the ball so you have a nice sense of pressure. breathe easily and deeply throughout. This area can be very sensational so go slowly and be prepared to give less or more pressure as needed.
Tennis Ball Massage
Move upwards/downwards, side to side, make small circles, or simply stay in one spot. Take care that the shoulders and arms remain relaxed. Stay for 2 minutes on each side. If you notice that one side is considerably tighter than the other, spend more time this side and less on the other. having trouble finding the ‘good’ spots? Search around first with the other hand and then return to the wall with the tennis ball.

2. Arm Half Circle at the Wall

1. Begin standing sideways at the wall.  Lift the arm closest to the wall out in front of you - touching or almost touching the wall. 

2. Lift the arm up towards the ceiling with the hand skimming the wall.  As you're moving, follow the fingers with the eyes.  
3. Allow the arm to lower behind you.  From this point, reverse direction and go back up to the ceiling. Continue to make big half circles with the arm at least 10 times.
The ribs and hips move as they want.  If it feels like too much of a stretch or too intense in general, simply step further away from the wall.  To make the sensation more, take a step closer to the wall but always  keep at least some space between the inside shoulder and the wall.  

​Repeat on the other side. 

3. Elbow Squeeze #1

Picture
Stand or sit with the upper arm and if possible elbows touching the sides of the body, forearms parallel to the floor out to the side (you can see the finger tips out of the corner of your eyes), palms toward the ceiling, and fingers spread wide. Breath is active throughout and the neck relaxed. 
​
  1. Check that the shoulder blades are pinned on the back, shoulders are away from the ears and the ribs are relaxed.  Both the upper back and the chest feel wide. 
  2. Begin to squeeze the upper arm bones in towards the side of the body. 
  3. Then imagine that you want the thumbs to meet behind the back (do not let the arms actually drag back behind you).  
  4. Keep this squeeze and pull continuously in the arms for at least 10 breaths.  Notice where you feel effort.  Ideally this would be in the backs of the arms and around the back of the armpit.  

4. Elbow Squeeze #2

Stand with the feet in parallel and place the elbows at the side of the body, forearms out in front with palms facing toward each other. This is your starting shape. 

  1. Feel the collar bones wide - imagine them moving east and west. 
  2. Press the elbows back behind you as far as they will go while the chest remains open with collar bones wide.
  3. Rest the fingers/hands on the front of the rib cage*. Notice that the ribs are not eagerly pressing forward.
  4. Begin to squeeze the elbows towards each other while keeping the chest open. 
  5. Stay and breath for about 5 deep breaths.  Rest and repeat at least one more time.  ​
Picture
​*When this starts to feel clear, slide the hands further back along the ribs so they rest more towards the side of the ribs than front.

5. Wall lean

Stand sideways to a sturdy wall. Find a distance where the inside hand can be on the wall, with the elbow bent, and you are leaning in a straight line in to the wall.  The hand is a little bit below shoulder height, and the elbow points down to the floor.  The feet are close together.  This is your starting shape.  You can always adjust the distance from the wall to make the exercise easier or more difficult.  
Picture
Picture
1. Feel the hand actively pressing into the wall and energetically dragging down the wall.  The chest is open, shoulder away from the ear, shoulder blade on the back and neck relaxed. 

2. Push the hand into the wall and bring yourself to vertical. Let yourself fall back towards the wall and catch yourself again in the starting position.  Continue to push into the wall to come to standing and then fall 10 times on each side. 
The goal is to feel a sense of effort in the upper arm muscles and possibly also underneath the armpit on the back.  Abdominals are also supporting.  Ideally the shoulders feel more relaxed afterwards.

Congratulations, you made it all the way through!  I hope you're feeling stronger and more relaxed around the neck and shoulders.  
0 Comments

Cabbage noodles!

1/11/2018

0 Comments

 
Happy New Year!

I hope 2018 is full of many moments of joy and gratitude for all of us!  

I’ve recently been experimenting with my diet and noticed that I feel better when I eat less carbohydrate.  At first I was pretty sad about this but now I love all my extra energy!  So I’ve been playing with different substitutions and in an effort to find a replacement for noodles, I discovered cabbage!   Now, I happen to love cabbage so this is a natural progression for me but even if you’re on the fence about it, I would encourage you to give this a try.  You can use this preparation for any sauce base that would usually have a pasta or grain with it. 


Two generous servings.
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cabbage
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Coconut Oil (or your oil of choice)
1. Prepare the cabbage by removing the wilted, discolored, and thicker outer leaves. Rinse under cold running water.  Cut the cabbage in half and remove the coarse stem. Save one half for another use.  
​
2. Cut the cabbage into slices. I prefer fine wide bite-size slices. 
​
3. Melt the oil in a pan. 
cabbage noodles
4. Add the cabbage with a pinch of salt and pepper.

5. Cover and stir occasionally for 15-20 minutes until the cabbage is tender to your liking. 

​6. Add your desired sauce!

If you have extra cabbage - it will save better if you keep the sauce and cabbage noodles separate. 

Hope you enjoy!
0 Comments

What is awareness?

11/29/2017

0 Comments

 
I believe awareness is feeling.  It is questioning.  It is the opposite of being on automatic pilot.

Awareness is what pulls me out of my spiraling monkey mind.  I use Pilates exercises and other different movement methods as meditations to get free from my thoughts, worries and preoccupations of the moment.  It also gives valuable attention to the body, the blessed vessel which carries me through life.  I breath deeply.  I stretch.  I strengthen.  My intention is to listen to what I need.  Not what I think I need.  But what I feel I need. 
Picture
E.E. Cummings wrote: “A lot of people think or believe or know they feel — but that’s thinking or believing or knowing; not feeling."

He goes on to say “And poetry is feeling — not knowing or believing or thinking”.  

I love this quote.  

For me, movement, like poetry, is also feeling.  It’s not knowing or believing or thinking that we are feeling something.  It is a direct experience.  When we get lost in only repeating movements with out sensing the movement, the overall experience of moving is severely limited and less effective. Repetition without awareness is a waste.  If I move the pelvis repeatedly in the same way, like in pelvic tilts, what is the experience in the feet, the legs, the pelvis, the spine, the ribs, the neck, the head?  How is the breath?  I’m curious!  Can it ever feel exactly the same?  I don’t know.  

The powerful and opinionated mind is well intentioned.  But when it comes to movement, I encourage you to let the mind drop into the body, to be less goal-oriented.  And since we could even say that each cell in the body - all 37 trillion - has its own kind of command center, the mind then is in fact spread out throughout our entire body and not only encased by the skull.  Wonderful!  

Feel the movement.  Experience it.  Is it boring?  Fine!  Pleasant? Great!  Painful?  What can you do to make it more pleasurable?  Is it luxurious? A moment for gratitude!  And this again does not mean that we avoid discomfort.  But we don’t search for red hot pain or stay in the shape if we experience it.  

If we are committed to being aware of how our movements make us feel, we are awake, we are present.  We are making choices.  We are patient.  But if we move without feeling, how can we know when our form disintegrates or when our muscles are over-tired, or if the breath is stuck or the jaw locked?  I can only know how it feels for me right now.  And suddenly the experience becomes a conversation and not a task.  It is alive.  
​
This is how I hope we can continue moving together!  With awareness.  With feeling. 
0 Comments

New videos out shortly!

11/13/2017

0 Comments

 
I'm so happy to announce that I finished filming a new batch of videos and am really excited about the content!  They'll be gradually added and available for members to stream once some small edits have been made. Woohoo!
Picture
Last minute review of the moves planned for the upcoming stress-buster video!
0 Comments

Home Practice Challenge - Side leg!

11/5/2017

0 Comments

 
This series is designed to bring some awareness to the buttock/side leg area.  Specifically the deep rotators and gluteus medius.  Please, be patient! I often find that when we practice on our own we don't give ourselves enough time - the first few runs through the series will take a bit of time but eventually it can become a nice flow. Maybe you start with one or two of the exercises and gradually add more.  Or perhaps one of them resonates with you more than another?  Enjoy the process of learning what your body needs today! 

standing breath with active feet

Begin standing with the feet in parallel.  You could have a block or book between the feet as long as it puts the feet hip-width apart or just a bit less.   
  • Begin by activating the feet and legs.  To do this, press the big toe mound down into the floor.  Pull the inner ankles apart from each other and imagine lifting the pinky toe mound.  The toes stay flat on the floor. The knees have a a very soft bend. Maintain this effort throughout while noticing any effort building in the legs without exaggerating it.  
  • Bring the attention to the breath.  Feel the deep inhale through the nose - imaging how the air travels from the nose, down the throat, into the chest and expands the belly.  On the exhalation, use the abdominals to press the air out through the mouth, feeling the area around the belly button flattening and the pelvic floor gently lifting. 
  • ​Remain here with the feet and breath active for at least 10 deep breaths. ​
standing breath with active feet
It can be very difficult at first to get the actions in the feet, but the more you try, the more you will be able to drop into this activation!
picture of foot with landmarks
What do you want me to do?!?! Here are the landmarks I'm talking about.

knee circles on all fours

Begin on All Fours.  Breath is flowing throughout.
All Fours: left leg long
Stretch the left leg back behind you with the ball of the foot on the floor. Feel the hips in line, the natural curves in the spine, and the chest open. Finally, lift the left leg a little bit off the floor - this is your starting position.
All Four's: left knee in to chest
Pull the left knee in towards the chest and allow the spine to round.
All Four's: left knee up and out to side
Then lift the knee out to the side as high as possible - think ‘dog at the fire hydrant’. Finish by stretching the left leg back behind you into the starting shape.
​​Repeat 5 times with the left knee circling.  Then repeat on the right side. 

You may feel some effort building in the buttocks as the knee circles.  Move slowly and feel how the femur bone is rolling in the hip joint.  If you aren’t able to come onto All Fours, play with a version of this action standing with the hands resting on the wall.  

side-lying leg press

Lie down on the right side with the head resting in the bottom arm, knees bent, heels in line with the sitz bones.  To find the starting position, stretch the top leg long and move it behind you on the floor.  As the leg moves backwards, allow the top hip and upper body to roll forward so that the top hip points downwards and the top leg is internally rotated (toes point downwards). Feel both space and length between the top ribs and the top hip. Keep this space throughout. 
side-lying leg press

  • Inhale to prepare, as you exhale, the top leg presses up and back (pictured).  Inhale to lower forward and down. Repeat 10 times. 
  • Repeat lying down on the left side.  

Notice the upper leg bone rolling in the hip joint and keep the low back long.  The focus is on the glute medius which will contract in the middle of the top butt cheek and is closer to the sacrum than outer hip.  TIP: If you're not sure what's working to lift the leg, use the top hand on the buttocks to feel what area is contracting. 

standing flamingo

​Stand on the right leg and use both hands to hold the left knee so the left leg is mostly relaxed into the hands and the arms are working to support the weight of the leg. The focus is on the right leg. Breath is flowing throughout. 
standing with left leg lifted
Feel a very slight bend in the right knee and activate the leg by pressing the big toe mound down into the floor, lifting the pinky toe mound up and pulling the inner ankle outwards, toes flat.
tipping pelvis backwards
Begin to tip the pelvis backwards and then return to standing.
Repeat at least three times and then change to the other side. 
​

This is of course a balance challenge! Stay playful and notice the effort building in the standing leg - in the buttocks, perhaps also in the leg and/or calf. 

​
To increase the difficulty, tip the pelvis further so that eventually you could look between the legs to the wall behind you! 
looking at wall behind me
weeee!

tennis ball release

tennis ball release 1
Begin lying on your back (or standing at the wall) with the tennis ball underneath one side of the buttocks. The arms can be anywhere they feel comfortable. There is no danger spot to avoid - feel free to roll around as you like. Alternatively, you can move the ball slightly up, down, inwards or outwards.
tennis ball release 2
For a more intense release: If the ball is on the right side, allow the right knee to open out to the side (externally rotate). This will give more weight into the ball. For less pressure: Use the opposite foot to push down to take weight out of the ball. Continue to move the hips from side to side or simply lay with constant pressure.
Try to stay on each side for at least 2 minutes.  The breath should be full on the inhalation and soft on the exhalation.

time to stretch!

Take one of the two stretches below and repeat on both sides.  Stay at least 10 deep breathes in each position.Try to feel even on the back of the pelvis and gently press the sacrum down towards the mat for a more intense stretch. Finally, check that the neck feels comfortable.  Ideally the eyes are pointing towards the ceiling - it could be helpful and nice to rest the head on a cushion.  
Figure four stretch
Begin with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Take the left ankle and place it on the right knee. The left arm moves between the two legs and the right arm to the outside of the right leg to hug the right knee in towards the chest. If the left knee is feeling sensitive, keep the left ankle flexed. The right shin can hang (pictured), or lift to 90 degrees, or stretch to the ceiling.
reclined open faced cow pose
Bend both knees and bring them close into your chest. Cross one leg over the other so that the knees stack - one knee over the other. Your hands will find the ankles, calves, or whatever is available to you, to pull the lower leg away from each other.

optional: repeat knee circles on all fours

Repeating the knee circles on all fours can give you feedback about how the exercises influenced your mobility.  Perhaps it feels more fluid now, or the range has changed, or.....

Congratulations!  You made it all the way through!  
​How did it go?

0 Comments

Immune-boosting, cold-curing, magic & simple Garlic Soup!

10/26/2017

0 Comments

 
I love to make this soup when I get the first hints of a cold and also find it useful as a preventative measure to boost my immune system.  And actually, I use the abdominal massage the same way - members can watch the upper body release for space and ease video for a guide.  But back to the topic at hand: garlic is said to have wonderful antiviral and antimicrobial properties.  This soup won’t leave you with crazy garlic breath and it just feels so good and healing!  I usually serve it as a starter because I feel like I need something more filling for a main dish.  But you an also spice it up by adding some fresh greens or some steamed vegetables.  Get creative!  
Picture
Ingredients:

- Coconut oil (or other oil for sautéing the garlic)
- 2-3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled and roughly chopped or smashed
- Salt & Pepper
- OPTIONAL: Fresh herbs like cilantro, chives or parsley 
​

Serves 2 as a starter


  1. Sauté the garlic in a saucepan with a little bit of coconut oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until slightly browned. 
  2. Add broth and bring to a boil.
  3. Simmer partially covered for 15 minutes or until the garlic has softened. 
  4. Use an immersion or regular blender to puree the soup.
  5. Season with salt and pepper and add some fresh herbs if you like!

Storage: Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Soup may separate and settle at the bottom of the dish. 
​
What are your favorite combinations?
0 Comments

welcome!

10/13/2017

0 Comments

 
I've been thinking about what kind of things I’d like to share in the blog and as I was reading the weekly dose of wisdom from Brain Pickings, I thought, yes, this is the beginning.  On the topic of aging and what beauty really means Maria Popova writes about Ursula K. Le Guin:

Le Guin considers the dancers she knows and their extraordinary lack of “illusions or confusions about what space they occupy.”[…]What dance does, above all, is offer the promise of precisely such bodily happiness — not of perfection, but of satisfaction. Dancers, Le Guin argues, are “so much happier than dieters and exercisers.” She considers the impossible ideals of the latter, which cripple them in the same way that perfectionism cripples creativity in writing and art: Perfection is “lean” and “taut” and “hard” — like a boy athlete of twenty, a girl gymnast of twelve[… ] “Perfect”? What’s perfect?There are a whole lot of ways to be perfect, and not one of them is attained through punishment. 

As some of you know, I was fortunate to live for a brief while as a dancer.  And when I read this quote, I felt so validated for my experience of living with my body as an instrument and discovering this hard earned truth that meaningful improvement cannot be attained through a sense of punishment. This does not mean that one avoids discomfort, but more on this topic later.  

I also felt validated for my intentions in sharing my movement practices and beliefs - it has never been an interest of mine to create perfect bodies but rather smart, energized, and inspired bodies that are ripe for movement and expression. 

I hope this can be a space where we do no seek the kind of perfectionism that is “lean” and “taut”.  But rather we create a space together where impossible ideals are checked at the door and we seek to experience comfort and joy in the space that we occupy. 

​
With gratitude,
Rebecca
0 Comments
Forward>>

    Archives

    December 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    August 2019
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017

    Categories

    All
    Home Practice
    Musings
    Recipes

 Impressum
Imprint
 Datenschutzerklärung
Privacy Policy
 AGBs  ​
Terms & Conditions
           ​​© 2021 Rainey, Rebecca und Schiek, Martin GbR. All rights reserved
  • Home
  • Free Videos
  • Live Classes
  • Blog
  • Contact