Midterm yesterday....and a snap shot of my "classroom"

Well missing four questions out of 75 or so ain't so bad for my written Pilates midterm. I get my results of my Practical today. I was asked to perform three exercises - one on the Wunda Chair, the other on the Cadillac, and the third on the mat. I was bummed I didn't get asked to work on the Reformer - the machine that I feel the most comfortable working on. But all in all, the midterm showed me where I need to focus my study.

Here is a picture of the ORS Pilates Studio which is hosting our Comprehensive Training. Located just minutes away from USC in downtown LA it is a new studio in an old, but freshly renovated building. It has been a pleasure to train here. I love the high ceilings, wood floors, new equipment, and simple decor.



More soon, I am off to my second day of training for the weekend. I am half way through the course!

Pilates Training

This weekend I start my first Module of the BASI Comprehensive Pilates Training. I am so excited!

BASI stands for Body Arts and Science International. Here is a link to their beautiful website for details on their history and affiliations. I'll be posting throughout the four month training about my experience.

Testimonials

I have had the fortune to teach a wide audience of students. Here are some kind words and insights from past and present practitioners.

Francine’s yoga sessions were so calming. I enjoyed her calm voice and her peaceful spirit. I love how she so cheerfully adapted to the wide variety of students, with our differing backgrounds, abilities, and goals, and also to the limitations of the space we were in. She was always clear in her communications, and prompt and professional at the sessions.
-Shirley, Montevideo, Uruguay

Francine Hernandez was our yoga teacher for three months during 2007. We were extremely pleased with her teaching - she has an excellent way of conveying information in a friendly yet precise manner. We found her classes challenging, while also being accessible, and made significant progress during that period. We were very sad when Francine left Montevideo, as we would have liked to carry on with our schedule of two lessons per week. We would thoroughly recommend her as a yoga teacher
-British Diplomat, Montevideo, Uruguay

Francine has incredible knowledge about the spiritual world of yoga and its essential elements. She has the power to successfully translate this wisdom into practical applications for the "real world". Francine recently provided instruction to me and fashioned a 20 minute routine specifically for my needs. After addressing all of my questions, she displayed modifications for each pose as well. It was a privilege to work with Francine and I highly recommend her style of teaching, manner, and overall philosophy!
-Kristen, Camarillo, California

Pilates in Uruguay, YouTube Clip

Today I received an email from a dear friend from Uruguay, the tiny South American country of 3 million people and my home nearly all of last year. While living in the capital of Montevideo, this friend introduced me to the Monica Passaro Pilates Studio. Looking for a way to spend my free time, the Pilates studio started out as a bi-weekly exercise routine and then turned into my "second home away from home".

It was here that I was Pilates Mat certified, and also taken under the wing of the owner, Monica, who is a Polestar trained instructor. From Decemeber to June I was able to intern with her by attending her mat and machine classes almost daily for 2-4 hours. My participation was a mixture of taking the classes, observing, and assisting with her clients. Monica also trained me privately, and taught Pilates through her experience with the Polestar training, the classic Pilates Method of Joseph Pilates, and her extensive anatomy background through her studies as a bioligist and a dancer.

Above is a clip of Monica being interviewed by a local daily news show, and yours truly as the demo student.

Calabacitas (little squash)

I grew up on this dish. First I loathed it, and now I love it. Turns out my inlaws love it, too, so it is pleasure to cook it for them. With the delicous summer squash and vine ripe tomatoes, es una receta perfecta!

Ingredients
6 medium zuchinni
1 white or red onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1 tsp of salt plus more to taste
1/2 tsp pepper plus more to taste
1/2 cup grated colby jack cheese

Directions
Dice the onion and chop the garlic. Cut zuchinni in about 1/2 inch thick pieces. Do the same to the tomatoes.
In a large sauce pan heat one tablespoon of olive oil (remember to heat your pan before adding the oil). Toss in the onion and garlic and saute for 5 mins or until the onion is translucent. Add the zuchinni and saute for another 5 mins.* Add the tomato, salt, and pepper and cook until the zuchinni is tender, stirring frequently. Turn off your heat and add the cheese. Stir and taste for salt and pepper.
Serve along side roasted chicken and rice.
Enjoy!

* cooking times are approximations. Cooking minutes will vary depending on the cut of your veggies, the size of your pan, and the strength of your stove stop. Trust your gut, and modify accordingly!

Updog vs. Cobra

**pictures from Yoga Journal.com
I often get questions on the difference between updog and cobra. They are very similar and it can be easy to confuse them. In fact, in some ways they are interchangeable.
But in the above pictures you can observe the difference.
Up dog, (top photo) is most often practiced during the classic sun salutation. From the picture, you can see the alignment of the pose, with wrists under elbows, and elbows under shoulders. The hips are lifted, and the legs pull strongly back with the tops of the feet resting on the floor.
The main difference with cobra is that the tops of the thighs and pubis are firmly pressed in the ground along with the feet. In the picture ( bottom photo) the practitioner's arms are straight. But remember, this is a strong extension of the back. While keeping your elbows in, bend them for less of arch in the lumbar spine.
As previously mentioned, the two poses are somewhat interchangeable. Though updog is traditionally used for sun salutations, cobra can be used to modify for a less challenging variation. When doing your practice, be sure to choose poses that are appropriate for your body's limitations.

Good Morning, Muesli!

This recipe was brought back from my good friends who were traveling in Australia this past summer. I had the pleasure of house sitting for them while they were gone, and now I reap in the benefits of this yummy breakfast concoction they experienced in the hotels of the Land Down Under.
Experiment with the "add ins" and toppings and make any combination of ingredients that sound good to you. I love the cold, soft texture and the simple mixture of flavors.

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats (not the quick cook kind)
1 and 1/4 cup of plain low fat yogurt (or your favourite type)
1 and 1/4 cup apple juice ( you can also use orange or cranberry, but I have not tried these flavors) *
1/2 to 1 cup of "add ins" ( sweetened or unsweetened coconut shreds, dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, dates)
1 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
pinch of nutmeg (optional)
pinch of salt (to bring out the flavors)

optional topping: grated apple, fresh fruit, nuts, ground flax seed

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and cover with plastic. Place in the fridge over night.
In the morning you can add a few of the optional toppings if you like.

ENJOY!


* use 100% juice with no added sugars

Chicken Salad with Apple and Basil

It has been so hot in southern California, and so a cool entrée sounds most appealing for dinner. I am always on the search for good “non-lettuce” salads. I love leafy greens, but my husband is not quite as impressed. This recipe is delicious and can be served along side an Asian noodle salad or a bowl of white or brown rice for a more filling meal. Or enjoy it by itself for lunch or a light dinner. Take advantage of the abundant and affordable basil this time of year and try this flavorful recipe.

Chicken Salad with Apple and Basil

-from Real Simple, August 2006

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
1 tablespoon white wine or rice vinegar
2 tablespoon light brown sugar
4 scallions (white and green parts) thinly sliced
2 granny smith apples, diced
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Bake at 350F until no trace of pink remains, depending on your size of chicken pieces, 8 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the lime juice, vinegar, and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the scallions and apples and toss. Drain the chicken, pat it dry. Dice the chicken and add it the apple mixture along with the peanuts, mint, basil and remaining salt and pepper. Toss and divide among individual plates.

Tips for vegetarians: Try this recipe with firm baked tofu or edamame instead of the chicken

Just Breathe

Food for thought:
Yoga tradition teaches that we have a certain limited number of breaths in each lifetime. As we lengthen each breath, that is each inhale and exhale, we also lengthen our life span.

Yoga and Pilates Curriculum Vitae

Education:

2007 Certified Pilates Instructor, Body Arts and Science International, 400 hour comprehensive training on equipment and mat, under the direction of Jennifer Raliegh, BASI Instructor

2006 Certified Mat Pilates Method Instructor, MPassaro Pilates, 60 hour class instruction plus three month internship, under the direction of Monica Passaro, a Polestar Pilates Instructor

2005 Certified Yoga Therapist, Therapeutic Yoga, under the direction of Cheri Clampett

2005 Certified Yoga Teacher, Integrative Yoga Therapy, Yoga Alliance Approved 200 hour certification, under the direction of Scott Blossom

Experience:

La Verne, California

• Private and Semiprivate Pilates sessions on classical Pilates equipment including the Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, and Barrel.
  

Montevideo, Uruguay, South America

• Biweekly Private In-Home Yoga for British diplomat
• Intro to Hatha yoga, group class, six week series

Santa Barbara and Pismo Beach, California

• Daily Beginning and Intermediate Group Yoga, Santa Barbara Yoga Center
• Biweekly Restorative Yoga Classes for Staff, Rehabilitation Institute of Santa Barbara
• Weekly Private In-Home Yoga for a Registered Nurse, Pismo Beach, California
• Restorative and Lunch-Time Yoga, Golden Tree Yoga, Santa Barbara
• Various temporary positions as a substitute teacher, including UCSB Family Camp, Yoga Soup of Santa Barbara, Fitness Gallery Health Club for Women, and the former Blue Star Rising Studio

Ventura, California

• Women's group weekend yoga class, private home, Ventura, California

Benefits of Yoga #139

Today I had a good friend going through a bad time. In an email she wrote today about her horrific week she finished with the following:
"I did go to yoga last night and it helped me so much! It's amazing what power it has to calm the mind."

I love hearing about people's experiences with yoga. The practice has been shown not only to "calm the mind" but also calm our stress levels as well. When we are under a lot of pressure from work, school, family, or other personal issues, our body constantly stays in "Fight or Flight." (Remember that phrase from high school or college biology?) In more scientific terms it refers to the response of the body's sympathetic nervous system. When a stressful situation is present, the body releases hormones, namely adrenaline and cortisol, which signal us to be on emergency mode. Our heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolic rate all increase. Our muscles contract, blood flow decreases to the abdomen, and the immune system response is decreased. Can you imagine feeling like that all the time? Perhaps you already do.

Yoga does just the opposite. Instead of exciting the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic system is sparked. Instead of stress, relaxation. Energy is conserved, rather than expended.

The asanas, or postures provide us with repetitive moment. This allows us to focus on our body rather than our head.
The pranayama, or breathing patterns, emphasize and encourage deep and full breath. This counteracts short, upper chest breathing that can be harmful for the heart and lungs.
Meditating, or JUST BEING SILENT A FEW MINUTES, as a profound effect on your mood, thought pattern, and energy level. If you don't believe me try leaving shutting off your TV, phone, IPOD, and radio for a few minutes. Try it. Don’t be scared that Silence is too loud for you.

Most of us stay busy constantly. I would not say that is a bad thing. To be busy can be very fulfilling. But depending on your needs, your body may be asking for a daily or weekly dose of rejuvenation. Yoga is the perfect prescription.

Not to say that a fast paced vinyasa yoga flow class can’t be good medicine for stress….
but that is for another post.

About Me

I am a Certified Yoga Instructor, Certified BASI Pilates Instructor, and graduate from UCSB with a Bachelors of Science in Biopsychology. For the past three years I have taught group and private yoga classes both in California and abroad. In 2007 I started studying Pilates, and recently I have dedicated my career to helping individuals reach their fitness goals through private and semiprivate Pilates sessions. It is gratifying to teach and to be taught by all my clients.

Enjoy the blog, and feel free to drop me a line.