HIGHS & LOWS..

That's what Day 2 of the Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference was like for me.

I started on a very HIGH note with a Kangoo class courtesy of Wendy at Body Dynamics in Boulder. Never heard of Kangoo?? I hadn’t either. Then I watched this video… and I thought, “What the h%*l is that?” followed closely by, “It could be fun…” and since the Conference was offering the class for free I then thought, “Why not?”

Here I am in my Kangoo Jumps (The pic is a little blurry, because it is almost impossible to stand still on those things):

Pretty H-O-T right?

I can honestly say that it was the most fun I have ever had in an exercise class! I am seriously considering buying a pair, although I am not sure if it would have the same affect if it were just me in my living room & would probably freak out my cat...

In a group we all looked crazy together, so in turn no one looked crazy. Plus you can’t help but feed off the smiles of the other jumpers around you. I dare you to try this without smiling the whole time… and if you can do it, you better send me a video, because I don’t believe you! Check the video Anne of fANNEtastic food made here. I am in the back corner and mostly hidden, but I assure you I am there...

In addition to the joy and fun factor, there’s the health and fitness factor (oh yeah, I forgot… we were exercising too). Since the shoes are on springs, there is no impact or stress on the joints, so people with injuries or a few extra pounds to carry can get an amazing cardiovascular workout without the stress on the body. It allows for more dynamic movement than may not otherwise be possible and burns more calories- 25% more to be exact! Kangoo also helps to improve balance and coordination. I’m definitely going to get to some Kangoo in NYC! Apparently this is the guy to see.

So riding my Kangoo High I got showered and changed at Body Dynamics before the first seminar, which I was really looking forward to. Since I was staying with my family who lives nearby, I had taken the car to the conference (Kangoo was at 7am and no one seemed to keen on dropping me off at that hour & I don’t blame them). I went to drop some stuff in the trunk that I didn’t want to lug around all day before I headed out in search of coffee in breakfast. I had budgeted my time perfectly and had 30 min to find them. That’s when it happened… One simple thought changed my state from highest high to lowest low. It went something like this:

“I don’t need to take my whole bad and computer to go find coffee. I’ll just leave it in the car.” With the keys in it… Yup.

In the slam of a Honda trunk I was suddenly plunged into the depths of helplessness, AKA locking the keys in the car. So, naturally, the first thing I did was call my dad to come to my rescue… and naturally he said he'd be right there. He’s good like that. I would like to point out that I did NOT cry… which if you know me well is pretty huge. I tend to freak out over things like this that throw a wrench in my life. I calmly asked the front desk at the hotel for the number of a locksmith, called and explained my troubles. Then, I went to the Hotel Starbucks and got some Coffee and Granola (remember I had Kangoo’d earlier and still hadn’t eaten) and had breakfast with myself on the trunk of the car and waited for Isaac the locksmith.

Breakfast of people who lock themselves out of their car.

Long story only slightly shorter, he came and saved the day!

He was pretty easy on the eyes too, which didn’t hurt. He was also very understanding when I told him that it was necessary for me to document this as I was attending a bloggers conference. (wink)

Even better, I was only about 15 minutes late for the session and still got to hear Toni speak... plus I had a good story!

The “low” was very temporary, which is a good thing to keep in mind, I suppose.

*In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that my dad did pay for my blunder, so here is my very public THANK YOU, DADDY!

**In other news, I have decided to become a locksmith, because that is apparently where the money is.

Have you ever had a roller coaster day like this??

NEW CLASS ALERT...

This is a super quickie post just to let those of you in NYC know that I am now teaching Wednesday 7pm Mat Pilates Plus at Pilates on 5th...


As you may remember I have been spending time at this studio as a student and now I am super excited to be teaching there! Come take class!!

FREE FITNESS...

is always appealing to me, so I am super excited about the launch of BeFitNYC and a week of FREE fitness events from June 6-12!

I received an email about the launch on Friday from Phil Kiczula at Big Method, a company working with the NYC Department of Health to get the word out to fitness pros like me, so I can get the word out to all of you. To quote the email:

"BeFitNYC aims to connect New Yorkers and encourage a healthy, active lifestyle using our fair city as one big gym. To kick things off, the Department of Health has put together an infographic depicting stats about the average New Yorker’s health, activity level and some great ways to get healthier in and around the city."

As you can imagine, after reading that I couldn't wait to find out more and share the details with you all.

Here is the NYC Department of Health infographic, which I must say, shocked me a little:



And here is the schedule of events for the week:



I am beyond bummed out that I can not shake my groove thang at the Zumba Flash Mob tomorrow at 11:30am, which means you all have to go so I can live vicariously through you...
I will however be at the Fitness Festival on Sunday June 12th, so hope to see you there!

Oh, and I almost forgot the best part... even though the launch is just one week, BeFitNYC has ongoing events all summer! Be sure to check out the website and/or their Facebook App to see all the amazing FREE fitness opportunities in all 5 boroughs. There's fitness to be found all over this great city of ours, and it doesn't have to cost a fortune. No excuses NYC... GET MOVING!

F IS FOR...

-Fun-

Jay and I had an amazing memorial day weekend! We originally planned to go to the jersey shore for the weekend, buy plans changed and we ended up staying here & taking advantage of the Big Apple & it's surroundings.

-Food-

Anyone who knows me knows that I love food. And I love food centered experiences. So you can imagine how excited I was to head to Smorgasburg on Saturday!
It's an all food version of the Brooklyn Flea. I must say it was slightly over whelming, only because I wanted to try everything! After a couple laps, we finally settled on Asia Dog. Jay & I each had 2 (for the record they are small).

We both ordered the Wangding with a chicken dog: Then I had a Sidney with chicken too: And he had the Mash with beef: I liked the dogs. The Sidney was my favorite. I liked the thai flavors. For dessert we had Peoples Pops homemade popsicles. We both got Rhubarb Ginger. Yum! We almost went for the giant doughnuts from DOUGH, but we both decided that popsicles were the better choice on the 80 degree afternoon.
I'm glad we went to check out Smorgasburg, but I think going to the actual Brooklyn Flea is a better pay off. I mean the only thing ether than good food is shopping & good food together!

On Sunday evening we took advantage of our amazing backyard & grill and had some friends over. On the menu: Chicken Drumsticks Lamb Lollipops Corn on the cob Asparagus Potato salad Chips w/ roasted tomatillo salsa I only managed to snap one pic because I was too busy eating...


I assure it was all fabulous. Jay is a great grill master!

-Flowers-

Speaking of our amazing back yard... Check out these babies:



Our flowers have literally exploded with beauty this year. Maybe all that rain we've been having was good for something after all!

-Fitness-

Monday Jay & I took a motorcycle trip up to Bear Mountain where we did a 4 mile hike. It's only 50 miles away from our house! The hike we chose was labeled "challenging" & they weren't kidding... This is my OMG I can barely breathe face:

And another priceless expression... check out the nostril flare:


I love hiking because after all your hard work, you are rewarded with a view like this!


And lastly F is for...

-Freedom-

I don't just mean the freedom we enjoyed from a few days off work. I mean the freedom we enjoy every day because of the brave men & woman who fought & continue to fight for it. After all that's what memorial day is really about, right?

Hope you had a Fantastic holiday weekend too!

PILATES MYTHS...

debunked! On my journey I have realized that there are a lot of ideas floating around about Pilates, that just aren't true, so I thought I would address a few.

MYTH #1: PILATES IS FOR GIRLS

I find this myth particularly ironic seeing as Pilates was invented by a MAN.


I'm not sure how or why this stigma was created, but I must say that it troubles me. Men especially can benefit so much from Pilates. For instance, I find that a lot of the men I train (and I pride myself on training quite a few) are strong but not free, ie. locked in the shoulders and hips with tight hamstrings. Pilates addresses all of these issues and helps to achieve more overall fitness, not just brute strength. Muscles are nice, but tightness is not.

MYTH #2: PILATES IS NOT A WORKOUT

I think this generally depends on the instructor. Unfortunately, there are some instructors floating around out there, who guide people through an hour of sleepy time stretching and breathing and call it Pilates. Believe me, I have taken their classes... During my training, an amazing teacher, Ron Speiss, said to me : "Pilates is exercise. It's not physical therapy or rehab. It's not stretching or relaxation. It's exercise, so get your students moving!"
I haven't forgotten this, and keep it in my brain every time I teach. I am not a doctor, I am an exercise instructor. My job is to work people out. Pilates is exercise! For fun, I put together a little list of my favorite First Class Quotes:

"That is the hardest thing I have done in a very long time." -after finishing the Hundred.

"When you see a class from the outside it doesn't really look like anyone is doing anything... And then you take the class and realize that's not true at all!"

"I was expecting something much more... Feminine." -a personal favorite which came from a competitive boxer.

"I'm going to be sore in muscles that I didn't even know I had!"

MYTH #3: YOU HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE TO DO PILATES

Pilates is designed to help you gain more flexibility and range of motion, while strengthening your core so you can support that flexibility. If anything LACK of flexibilty is a reason to get into a Pilates class. I'm just sayin...

** Note, I planned to include a pic of a VERY flexible human here, but they all really creeped me out, so I decided against it. Google "flexible" to see for yourself.

MYTH #4: YOUR ABS ALREADY HAVE TO BE STRONG TO DO PILATES.

I hear this a lot, "My abs aren't strong enough to do Pilates," and it confuses me so much.
Now, obviously you need a certain amount of strength to do the advanced work, but no one is expecting that you will come into your first class and do a perfect straight leg teaser right out of the gate.


Just like you wouldn't run a marathon the first time you laced up a pair of running shoes... It's a process. Most people have to learn how to engage- and in some cases even find- their abdominals before they can start strengthening and sculpting them. But if you still insist on getting strong abs before you take Pilates... I suggest you take Pilates.

MYTH #5: PILATES ONLY WORKS YOUR ABS

It's true that the core of Pilates is the "core" but the idea that it is only good for the abdominal muscles is crazy. I dare anyone to get on a mat or any of the equipment and not get a total body workout. The beauty of Pilates is that the abs are ALWAYS working, and supporting the spine during every exercise, which not only leads to a rockin' bod but a healthier and injury free bod as well. What good is lifting heavy weights if you aren't engaging your core and protecting your lower back?


Sure, you may be "working" your arms, but what are you "harming" in the process?

MYTH #6: PILATES IS THE SAME AS YOGA

This is another one I hear a lot. I like to begin my classes by asking if anyone is brand new to Pilates, and inevitably I will get someone who raises their hand and says "I've done Yoga." That's great. Yoga is great! But Yoga is not Pilates. Do they have similarities, yes, but they also have some major differences. This chart from Pilates Supply does an amazing job of breaking it down:


**I realize the chart may be a tad hard to read, so a larger more legible version can be found here.

So next time you feel like using one of these excuses as to why you aren't doing Pilates, you are going to have to think of something else... And then I will debunk that.

FACELIFT...

Not for me, for leanbodypilates.com!


Some things will be familiar, but there's lots of new features, including a calendar with all of my group classes. Check it out and tell me what you think...

**Of course, BIG thanks to Jay for the design!**

I'VE STARTED DATING...

Fitness Dating that is!
It's is a great way to try new things and also cultivate amazing friendships. I have found a lovely fitness date in fellow Pilates instructor, and all around awesome and inspiring chica, Lindsay Lopez (who's also blogging about our experiences). We are traveling around NYC together to find affordable and fun fitness!
As Pilates instructors we run the risk of falling into a couple of traps:

Trap #1. We do too much of one thing. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE Pilates, but I think is beneficial to try all types of fitness methods, if for no other reason than to compare and contrast. How does this relate to my field? What is different/the same? What do I agree/disagree with? Answering these questions makes me a better, educated and more well-rounded instructor. And, like I said before, it doesn't have to be one thing or the other.

Trap #2. We are so busy whipping other people into shape that we forget about ourselves. It's hard to schedule in your own training time when you are training other people all day long. However, as instructors we have a responsibility to practice what we preach and set a good example for our students. Scheduling a Fitness Date is a good way to keep up on our own bodies. I am much less likely to break a date with Lindsay than with myself.

After a successful first date, Lindsay and I had our 2nd date (which, if my single lady memory serves, makes us officially dating) last week at Blink Fitness, Equinox's new affordable gym. We had a free trial- my kind of price- but membership is only $20 a month!


This is most certainly a bare bones work out facility, and for those of you who love to hit the cardio & weight machines and do your own thing, probably heaven.


For a class lover like me, not quite. I have never been a fan of mindless indoor cardio (though having a date on the elliptical next to me seemed to make the time breeze by) and like I said, since I train other people for a living, I kind of want someone else to tell me what to do for a change. That's why I love classes so much.
I will say this: Blink is beautiful, new, and SUPER clean! I was especially impressed with the built in iPod/iPhone chargers on the machines! You don't have to worry about using up the juice on your phone while you work out or it crashing to the ground. Very nice touch!
One last piece of advice: If you plan on showering, BRING YOUR OWN TOWEL!


There are showers, but no towels (or toiletries), so you will be forced to drip dry or take a good old fashioned hooker shower- like I did. TMI?
Needless to say, I won't be joining Blink, but I can totally see why other people are. If you live in NY, go to their website for your own FREE pass and see for yourself...

I will keep you updated on our upcoming Fitness Dates, and if you have any suggestions for where we should go/classes we should try, please comment and let me know.
Also, don't be afraid to explore the world of Fitness Dating for yourself... Grab a friend and get moving!

IT'S OFFICIAL...

Tomorrow February 16th is the first day of group classes at Gotham Gym!

Classes are FREE February 16-23! Click here to register for a FREE class with me:
Thursday 2/17 @ 7am

Tuesday 2/22 @ 7am AND 7pm.
See you all there!

LIVING OUTSIDE THE ZONE...

The comfort zone that is.
I've been wanting to write a 2011 goals post since January 1st, but wasn't quite sure how I wanted to do it- or what I even wanted to say.
A lot happened in this Lean Body Life between the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011. I quit a job that wasn't making me happy (but afforded me many of life's pleasures), embarked on a new full time career, & decided to go "back to school" and get my apparatus training. All of these things scare the s#@* out of me, but I am doing them... and they are BIG, so why on earth shouldn't I do the SMALL things that scare the s#@* out of me too? This year I am going to do things that make me uncomfortable. Nothing crazy or dangerous (like skydiving: still not happening), but stuff I would ordinarily shy away from.
For instance, I don't ride bikes.


I am terrified of them. I even had to ride a child's bike in a show once, and it was a full day event to get me even semi-comfortable on it. I did it, but I was a mess, and had a minor panic attack every show. You see, when I was a kid, I was always in
dance or theater classes. I hardly had time to ride bikes around the neighborhood like normal children. Then, the older I got, the farther I had to fall, which didn't appeal to me in the slightest.
So here I am, almost 30 and afraid to ride a bike... not good. Thus, I have decided that this year I, Jenn Seracuse, will ride a bike- more than once- fearlessly! Obviously I have to wait until this frozen tundra I am living in warms up.

**Shameless inclusion of cute husband and cat in snow**

So for now... I took a spin class. Those of you who know me well, know that this is CRAZY! The last (and only) time I took a spin class was in high school- when I was most certainly NOT focused on physical fitness- and I vowed NEVER AGAIN!
Clearly, even stationary bikes are out of my comfort zone, so when my new friend Lindsay (who you will be hearing much more about soon) extended the invitation to take the class at Flywheel Sports, my first instinct was to politely decline. Then it hit me... I am not at all who I was when I first tried spinning. It would be silly of me to have the same feeling about it without seeing what THIS Jenn thought, so I accepted.
Was it scary? YES. Was it hard? YOU BET. Did I die? NO!
In fact, I surprised myself. I was working, sweating, jamming to the music and loving it! I pushed to keep up with the RPM guidelines, and most importantly, DIDN'T QUIT. I felt strong and powerful, not to mention euphoric- endorphins are powerful things. I even took away some valuable life lessons from the instructor, Holly (who was great!):


"Figure out where you want to be, and then do what you need to do to get there."

She was talking about RPMS, but it also applies to life. It's important to have a goal and then you can move forward and do what it takes to achieve that goal. It may be hard and you may want to quit, but if there is one thing I have learned in life- and in spin class- once you lose momentum or even stop, it's a lot harder to get going again.

"Leave whatever you don't need- whatever is weighing you down- behind, and just GO."

Again, a great life lesson. The past is the past. Hanging on to past failures, or even past successes, too tightly takes a lot of energy. Energy which could be put toward moving forward.
A great workout and some inspiration? Yes please!

So... I have conquered my fear of indoor cycling, bringing me one step closer to riding an actual moving bicycle. I heard that Punxsutawney Phil Says Spring Will Come Early this year. I better get back to spin class- not for a few days though, as my butt is very sore- and get ready! Rest assured I will keep you posted on my progress.

How about you? How will you live "Outside the Zone" this year??

PILATES @ YOUR DESK...

with me! I created a Pilates core workout that can be done right where you are sitting reading this...
Curious?? Tell your boss you want me to come and show you how it's done.
I will be at Deutsch Inc today... I could be in your office tomorrow!!

DECEMBER DOESN'T COUNT...

Clearly, based on the date of my last Blog post, I have subscribed to this silly notion that often gets the better of people this time of year.
Somehow, it is so easy to write off December. "It's the Holidays" becomes the excuse that works for everything. For example...
I can eat/drink whatever I want... It's the Holidays.
I can't start any new projects/business ventures... It's the Holidays.
I don't have time to work out... It's the Holidays.
I don't have time to clean... It's the Holidays.
The list goes on and on and believe me, I have used them all. I woke up the other morning feeling in a total haze and I found myself thinking "I can't wait for January when I can get focused again." and then I mentally slapped myself in the face and said "HELLO?!? What in the world does January have to do with anything??" Seriously, what is so magical about January?
NOTHING!
We we use the "It's the Holidays" excuse to let everything go in December, so we have to work twice as hard in January to just get back to where we started.
So how to we fight the haze? How do we make December count?
*I know it is already December 22nd, but trust me the majority of the damage happens from now until Jan 1st, so here are a few tips for keeping your waistline and your sanity in tact during "The Holidays".

1. Move your body! Schedule your workouts like you do your Holiday Parties. Make them a priority. It's the best gift you could possibly give yourself.
2. Reserve the "whatever I want" days for the big ones- Christmas, New Years Eve- and don't feel bad about it. There are some days when it's impossible to be good...
3. Think before you eat!

It's so easy to munch on goodies and party snacks, but do you really even WANT them? Are they even GOOD? If the answer is Yes, then by all means... but if you even have to think about it, put the cookie down!
4. Find other "Holiday" activities besides eating and drinking- ice skating, shopping, sledding, or simply taking a winter walk with friends are all good options.
These will be my sledding buddies... my awesome nephews Cade and Nash:


5. Don't stress out. Stressing out often leads to mindless eating of things like Christmas cookies and Fudge. When you feel yourself starting to go there, just tell yourself "It's not that serious," because it probably isn't.
6. Try to accomplish ONE thing on your To Do List every day- whether that means laundry, shopping, wrapping, errands, cleaning up opened presents, or returning that sweater that "just isn't you". I know the list is long, but if you can just focus on one thing at a time it won't seem so overwhelming.
7. Allow yourself to take a break from the action and SLEEP. My Bengal, Charlie is an expert at this one!

(Yes, this would be me trying to find an excuse to show a cute picture of my cat)
and most importantly...
8. Enjoy it! MAKING IT COUNT also means, being present and cherishing time with family and friends, so don't get crazy trying to be good either. Cut yourself some slack.
So, this is my first step in making the rest of my December count- picking up my laptop and blogging.
What are you going to do?

MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE...

Ok, now that I have that, may I have your UNDIVIDED attention please?
I don't know about you, but the latter is a difficult thing for me... For most of my life I have been a chronic multitasker. It's not uncommon for me to be on my laptop, with the TV on, taking on the phone and playing fetch with my cat, Charlie (yes, I have a cat who plays fetch, he rocks). Often times, I feel a little something like this...


Now, I know it is much more effective to do one thing at a time and do it 100%, believe me I do. After all, if I am doing 3 things at once and giving each thing about 30% of my attention, I can't expect to get much more than 30% out of them. I think this mug (which I need to have) says it perfectly:
So what is a girl, who has to do 10 things at a time, to do???
PILATES! That's what.
I know you're probably thinking, "Wait, what? How did we get here?" but just hear me out...
The whole philosophy behind Pilates, is bringing the Mind and Body together, thus the only thing the mind can be focused on during a successful Pilates session is the body.
One thing at 100%- Are you with me now? Good.

There are Six Principles of the Pilates Method:

1) Breath- Properly connecting breath to the movement, which enhances circulation and helps remove toxins from the body
2) Centering- Initiating movements from the core or "powerhouse," and using these muscles to control the rest of the body
3) Control- controling of every aspect of every movement, so you are "in control of the body, rather than at the mercy of it." (I absolutely LOVE this quote by JP)
4) Fluidity- Flowing seamlessly from one exercise to the next, creating a dynamic series of movements and building strength and stamina
5) Concentration- Connecting the mind to the body, and knowing exactly where it is in space and what it is doing.
6) Precision- Proper form is essential to ensure you gain the most benefit.

As you can see, there's really no room to think about anything else, for it to be effective... And I don't know about you, but when I step into a session (or workout of any kind) I want nothing less than 100% of the benefits. Now, I am using what I know about Pilates and working to bring that kind of attention and focus into my everyday life tasks... I can honestly say I have gotten better! So, if you are like me, do yourself a favor, and try engaging in something that it is impossible to turn into a multitask. You will start to find it easier to give your UNDIVIDED attention, and also very rewarding.

image 1: mindcafe.org
image 2: buzzaboutscience.com

BOOTCAMP IS IN & PILATES IS OUT...

HOT

NOT?

This issue has been floating around the internet a lot this week, do to a study put out by the American College of Sports Medicine, on projected fitness trends for 2011.

I say, "Why not both?" This in or out/hot or not thing is silly. It's likening these exercise systems to over-the-knee boots, or jeggings. I love how people like to call Pilates "trendy" or a "fad". Guess what... it's been around since the early 20th Century, and in my humble opinion it's not going anywhere. If you love Pilates, you love Pilates... period. I realize I may be sounding a little snarky, but clearly I am sensitive to this issue, because Pilates is not only something I believe in, it's also how I earn a living. The biggest argument posed by the article was that Pilates is too expensive. I think people are forgetting that Pilates was originally developed on a mat. A mat is what, $40 at most? And, furthermore, most reformer exercises can be mimicked with smaller hand-held equipment (stretch bands, magic circles, mini-balls, foam rollers).


I love the mat workout and find it very effective. Give me an hour and I'll give you a total body workout. Now, I'm not saying that the reformer, chair, or cadillac aren't effective, rather that the "too expensive" argument doesn't really hold any water.
The truth is, there really is room for it all. I know that Pilates is not for everyone, and neither is Boot Camp. The same could be said about Yoga, or Spinning or long distance running, or kickboxing...the list goes on and on. I think we have to realize that it's amazing that there are a plethora of exercise options open to us, and then try to see the ways in which these systems can work together, as opposed to against one another (I, myself, have been known to take a Pilates class on Tuesday, a Boot Camp class on Wednesday and Yoga on Thursday). In fact, this article in the NY Times from just a few months ago talks about how the Army has revamped its own training and fitness regime to combat (pun intended) less physically fit troops, who were getting injured more often. You should definitely read the whole article, but here is a little snippet I found quite interesting:

The new fitness regime tries to deal with all these problems by incorporating more stretching, more exercises for the abdomen and lower back, instead of the traditional situps, and more agility and balance training. It increases in difficulty more gradually. And it sets up a multiweek course of linked exercises, rather than offering discrete drills...

Some of the new routines would look familiar to a devotee of pilates, yoga or even the latest home workout regimens on DVD...“It’s more whole body,” said First Lt. Tameeka Hayes, a platoon leader for a class of new privates at Fort Jackson. “No one who has done this routine says we’ve made it easier.”

So, you see, even the ARMY (who invented Boot Camp) thinks there is room for both. What more proof do you need? I mean, I certainly would want this guy in my Army...

I don't know what is going to happen in 2011, but I do know this: I teach a Pilates mat class at the same time there is a Boot Camp class in the studio next door, and BOTH classes are always full. I'm just sayin'...

photo 1: mscareergirl
photo 2: Jay Sullivan
photo 3: Yogamad
Joseph Pilates Photo: I.C. Rapoport

PROMISES, PROMISES...

Yes, a musical currently running on Broadway, but also... something you shouldn't make unless you intend to keep.


With that being said, I apologize for (unintentionally) not keeping mine. As you have probably noticed there haven't been any new videos this month, which I promised there would be. I should have known better. The truth is, that whole "overwhelmed state of being" hasn't really let up, and something had to give. Thus, the videos have just been put on hold for a little while. I am also taking the Weekly out of the titles. I hope to have Lean Body Workouts back online soon. In the meantime, please continue to watch the videos that are up, and if you are in the NYC area, come take a real-live Lean Body mat class (see schedule to your right), or private session from me.
I am working on some really cool upcoming posts-including my first ever apple pie and an awesome goal setting and achieving method- so I hope you will stay tuned even though my appearances have been rather sporadic lately. I don't promise to do better, but I do intend to. I pinky swear...


Just kidding.

GIVE ME THE MUSIC...

I have been playing around with incorporating music into my Mat Classes, lately, and I must say, it is quite enjoyable! It's been pretty gloomy here in NYC and my students and I needed a little pick-me-up. Music always puts some pep in my step, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
Until now, I never used music, mostly because that is how I was trained, and quite frankly it's a lot of pressure to choose the right soundtrack... I have taken classes with and without music, some successful, some not. The best playlist is one that you notice but aren't tuned into, so that the mind can still focus on the body. The music should enhance the movements, not distract from them.
So without further adu, I give you a Lean Body Pilates Mix for your listening and Pilates-ing (not a word) pleasure. Enjoy!


1. Dog Days Are Over- Florence and the Machine
2. Black and Gold- Sam Sparro
3. Sweet Disposition- The Temper Trap
4. Giving Up the Ghost- Dj Shadow
5. Drum Song- The Temper Trap
6. Tight Rope- Janelle Monae
7. Terrapin (Mr. Scruff Mix)- Bonobo
8. Forever- Chris Brown
9. Chaimbermaid Swing- Parov Stelar
10. The Last Dance- Parov Stelar
11. Wanna get- Parov Stelar
12. Spy Game- Parov Stelar
13. Let the Drummer Kick- Citizen Cope
14. Shine- Black Gold
15. Shot in the Back of the Head- Moby