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Do I wear shoes or socks? Please remove your shoes upon entering the studio, to provide a clean environment in which to exercise. All equipment is cleaned after each and every use. Is there parking? Street parking is available and there are 2 spaces (loading zone) in front of the studio. You are also welcome to park from 5:00-9:00pm Mon-Fri at "The Burger Baron" on the corner of Grand and Noble. Please pop your head into the restaurant to let them know that you are parked in their lot. Parking at other times or days will result in your car being towed. What is
Pilates? The Pilates fitness method was founded in 1925 and was defined by the original Joseph Pilates as “the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure”. Joseph Pilates was regarded in Europe and the United States as a fitness expert well before he was 20 years old. He studied both Eastern and Western forms of exercise including Yoga, Zen, and ancient Greek and Roman regimens. By the time he was fourteen, he had developed his body to the point that he was modeling for anatomy charts. The original Pilate’s class in New York City was considered a requirement for training and body sculpting for dancers appearing in Broadway shows. Joseph Pilates was highly regarded for his rehabilitation work through Pilates fitness. Many dancers, acrobats and circus performers were sent to him for conditioning through Pilates instruction. The Pilates body in motion, they quickly learned, was the body that would best move them through life and work. Pilates is a full-body exercise system that uses a series of machines and exercises. It works the entire body, both the right and left sides, in unison. It focuses primarily on what Joseph Pilates called the "powerhouse". This is a group of muscles that begins two inches below your navel, goes two inches above your navel and then wraps completely around your front and your back-kind of like a corset. It also includes your buttocks. With Pilates, no matter what exercise you're doing, you are focusing on this powerhouse area. What is a
typical beginning Pilates exercise like? One of the first exercises you do is "the hundreds" which
consists of 10 breaths of 10 counts to equal 100. You lie on the
floor, lift your legs up to about a 45 degree angle, or wherever you
can hold them, and keep your back imprinted on the mat. While holding your legs in
the air, you engage the abdominals and lift your head and shoulders
off the mat so you are in a scoop. Then you pump your arms by your
side, almost as if you were slapping on water, pumping them up and
down. Improperly done, it can cause neck and back strain. Our experienced instructors will modify the exercises to accommodate your limitations, continually challenge you within your range. How is Pilates
different from other forms of exercise? Pilates is different from most exercises because it's non-impact and safe, and it really works on using the body as a whole (uniformly developed). You may lie on your back, on your side or kneel on the floor. When you move the body, you're trying to move it from the "powerhouse", using your abdominal wall to protect your back. You're also working the body very evenly and symmetrically, making sure one side is not working harder than the other. Pilates vs Yoga: The difference lies basically in the approach behind the exercise. Pilates encourages body awareness and conscious movement, aiming at grace in every step. Pilates is very popular with dancers as a form of exercise. Yoga lays greater emphasis on the mind and body connection and the development of a spiritual attitude. Yoga exercises lengthen the spine to release spiritual energy and pilates concentrates on spine lengthening, body balance and fluid movement. What would you say is the key
difference between Yoga and Pilates? There's definitely a mind-body connection and a very similar fluidity in both. Pilates offers a line of equipment that doesn't exist in yoga, so it provides a different angle: You're doing exercises with the assistance and resistance of springs and pulleys. The springs may assist you or they may make an exercise more difficult, depending on the exercise. Anusara inspired classes are lighthearted, positive and fun. They are not easy, however, as they include vinyasa flow and a lot of alignment work. The emphasis on props, however, makes them accessible to students of differing abilities. Anusara appeals to those who want to work both their physical and spiritual well-being. How do I know
if Pilates will benefit me? Although you should always consult your physician before starting any fitness routine, a Pilates workout is gentle (but still challenging) and controlled with no sudden jarring actions. It is very important that you work with one of our qualified instructors to ensure that you are doing the movements correctly. Our experienced instructors will modify the exercises to accommodate your limitations, challenge you within your range and monitor your improvements. If you commit yourself to a consistent workout schedule you will certainly get results. Is Pilates a
cardiovascular workout? Initially the workout is slow moving because everything is being explained to you. Eventually, once you learn the workout and you're going through the motions, it becomes aerobic. You can get a cardiovascular workout when you're on the equipment and working at an advanced level, because it's more physical. And some classes like The Boot Camp Class combines cardio moves with sequences of heart-rate boosting exercises for a double-duty effect. You have to work towards it, but Pilates can be cardiovascular. Many claim that Pilates
reshapes the body. How does it do this? Pilates has completely transformed the bodies of most
of our clients. It comes from using the "powerhouse" and really
focusing on and strengthening the abdominal wall, teaching it to lay
flat with strength. If the stomach is sticking out, you're going to
train it to stick out. In Pilates you're always thinking of this
inward pull as if the navel is going in towards the spine and then
lifting up slightly, pulling your abdominal wall very flat. In
addition, there are long, fluid, larger motions that lengthen and
stretch the muscles. What is the difference between
mat work and equipment? Both provide a complete workout to strengthen and stretch the
entire body. When can I
expect results? Results will vary depending on your commitment to
Pilates. Generally, clients begin to feel these benefits within one
session and start to see them in ten to fifteen sessions. It's never too late to get in shape for life. Just give us 60 minutes 2 x per week and we'll give you the body you have always wanted. What are the six "principles" of Pilates?
Will my body be sore after a
Pilates class? Feeling sore is a very individual thing. Some people don't feel sore. Pilates is what you put into it. If you're really conscious of making every movement count, you'll most likely feel something the following day. It also has to do with your athleticism. If you've been sedentary, you're probably going to feel it more than someone who's very active. It's all relative. How can beginners get the most
benefit from Pilates? Be consistent, especially in the beginning. Don't just try it
once. Give it a few shots and do it in succession. Make it your
reward, your break from a hectic day. Also, listen to your body and
really concentrate — it makes for a better workout. Can Pilates Improve your golf swing? A golfer's healthy posture begins with full-body strength, flexibility and the maintenance of muscle balance. You need strength in the upper- and lower-body musculature and the postural and rotational muscles. You also need to be mindful of muscular symmetry (balanced musculature). Asymmetry is pervasive among golfers; the shoulder, biceps, forearm and upper back tend to develop more on a golfer's dominant side. The stronger muscles are tighter, while the weaker muscles are more flexible. Many golfers desire a better bilateral balance in their musculature, as do most one-sided athletes (for example, baseball pitchers and tennis players). Think of the Golf swing as an efficient machine. Each part of it depends upon the other parts; if one part is functioning incorrectly the other part will be affected. But working together they deliver the same effective results time after time. The spine is the axis of rotation. If it is held in good dynamic alignment by well-balanced muscles, the rotation is optimal. If the postural alignment is poor, the rotational energy is expended in all directions which results in dissipation of energy through a constantly changing axis of rotation. When the axis of rotation changes during a golf swing, the arc of the club head is compromised and your lose control of your stabilizers. Then the big muscles start to fire out of sequence and the kinetic chain begins to break. At Sana Vita Studio, we evaluate the golfer’s posture and functional movement patterns to determine where the muscle imbalances exist. The instructor then customizes a golf specific Pilates workout session to restore length, strength, and endurance to the postural musculature. What is Anusara Yoga? Anusara Yoga offers far more than a technique for doing poses.
Our key emphasis is upon having the highest attitude and best
understanding of the fullness of yoga as a discipline. It opens you
to the fullness of life and teaches you how to flow with life in
body, mind and spirit. I'm not
flexible - can I do Yoga? Absolutely! Through steady, intelligent practice, stiffer
students will gain flexibility just as flexible students will gain
more strength. Many people think that they need to be flexible to
begin yoga, but that's a little bit like thinking that you need to play tennis in order to take tennis lessons. Come as you
are and you will find that yoga practice will help you become more
flexible. Is Yoga safe for people with chronic or recent injuries?  Yoga is safe for people with chronic pain and/or injuries. But it must be taught according to principles of proper alignment. Instructors
must have experience and a good understanding of these principles and
their application. Everyone at Sana Vita Studio begins with the
Anusara Yoga Basics. This will teach you the Anusara Yoga Universal Principles
of Alignment and how to apply the Anusara Method to the poses, as
well as to pain relief from chronic or recent injuries. What does
Namasté mean? The Divine in me salutes the Divine in you. I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the place in you of Love, of Light, of Truth, of Peace. I honor the place in you where if you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me we are One. We end class with this mantra which signifies union with all life. What is Yamuna Body Rolling (YBR)? It's Health, Fitness & Massage rolled into one! How does it work? Yamuna Body Rolling works the way a hands-on practitioner works-only using a ball. The ball replaces hands as it moves on muscles
to stretch them, dislodge tension and discomfort, increase blood
flow, and promote healing. "The beauty of Yamuna Body Rolling is that it takes you from
the origin of the muscle at the tendon, elongating the muscle while
stimulating the bone and soft tissue. Working with the body's own
gravity, the exercises ease movement in the muscles to the point of
relaxation, offering one of the finest weight-bearing exercises,
with the benefits of a deep self-massage." |
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Sana Vita Studio, Inc. | 1357 W. Grand Ave. | Chicago, IL 60642 | 312-829-VITA (8482)
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