ThePilatesClub.Net

It has been said that the health of the body is reflected in the health of the spine.  Yes, and it is also true that the support of the spine and the body comes from the abdominal core.   To move in and with the body, we need the integration of both.   This is why I love functional training and pilates so much.  These two basic principles are the key to both fitness disciplines and  I've been teaching and preaching them to my students and clients in every aspect of their training. 

I met Tina Jacobowitz, Ph.D, Professor of Education at Montclair State University, about six years ago as one of my first personal training clients.   She had been working out in the gym for about nine years,  and states "about eight of them with personal trainers."  Tina began training privately with me in my Pilates Studio in the Spring of 2006.

 She was led to the discipline of fitness and personal training as a result of her spinal injuries.  She

suffered with scoliosis and has had three back surgical procedures.

She knows that to stay flexible in her body, she needs to move, and do so regularly.  Tina is no slouch either.  "I bike ride and swim in the spring and summer.   I also do Yamuna Body Rolling  using  balls about once a week and I get a full body massage once a week."  

Tina says she noticed some remarkable changes with both Pilates and Body Rolling, which we do together once a week. 

"I definitely have

less back pain since I started doing pilates.

less back pain since I started doing pilates. In fact, it has had the greatest impact on reducing my pain of all the fitness activities I've done. I noticed a difference after the first session. I continue to see a difference in how I walk and hold myself. I'm more conscious of holding in my abdominal muscles and this helps reduce pain and makes me walk taller."

"I can now climb steps standing much taller when I remember to tighten my core.  If I don't remember, I tend to walk bent over.   People have been telling me that I'm walking straighter.  I can walk longer distances on the treadmill and I also feel more flexible and find it easier to bend down.  Getting out of a chair is also a lot easier." 

When asked what continues to challenge her?  Tina replied, "Well, I still have back pain when I walk without any support, like a shopping cart or someone's arm. ( I can walk on the treadmill because I can hold on and that takes the pressure off my back.) I've started doing mat pilates on my own and I find it harder than using the reformer but I also find that it works my stomach muscles more.  I felt some contraction in my abdominal muscles for about two days after doing some of the mat exercises."  
  

"My goal was to strengthen my core muscles in order to reduce back pain. I still have a long way to go, but I'm more motivated to do pilates because I see and feel results."

She hopes to begin walking more without support and without pain and will continue building strength through pilates as well as working out in the gym. 

"For someone like me, it's important that I work with a trainer like Gina, who is able to modify my gym work and pilates work to suit my body and capabilities. Had I just gone to a pilates class on my own, I think I would have given up as it is a difficult skill to learn and do.  I feel much more confident now, having worked with Gina on an individual basis and as a result I'm going to try to do mat pilates on my own in addition to the individual work with her. Maybe I'll even take one of her classes!"

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