Felicity and Melissa Jaeger
Manette van Hamel
Rosibel Toro-Landau
Kiran Ramgotra Sancious
Isaac Abrams
Felicity and Melissa Jaeger
“Pilates is fun!” Felicity
“If you’re curious about Pilates, just try it – I always felt better after my workouts.” Melissa
Background: Felicity, age 10, has been studying ballet since before she was three years old, and wanted to take Pointe Class. She takes six dance classes a week and also assists with two Mother Goose classes for three and four year old students. Her mom, Melissa, 35, started taking adult ballet classes in 2006. She had a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery several years ago; osteoporosis runs in her family.
Problem:Felicity wasn’t using her thigh muscles as much as she should to support her turnout and wasn’t strong enough to go up on her toes, en pointe. Her teachers at Saugerties Ballet Center recommended she take Pilates classes at The Moving Body to develop her core strength and prepare her for enrollment in Pointe Class by September 2006.
Moving Body Solution: Felicity took private Pilates lessons twice a week for all of 2006. She learned to activate certain muscles and then to strengthen and coordinate these muscles for dancing.
Anne Marie Zanchetti, her Pilates instructor and a professional dancer herself, says, “Felicity had such enthusiasm and excitement about Pilates. She had this goal in mind – getting into Pointe Class – and she was determined to get herself there. When she first came to The Moving Body, she was, like most dancers, a great mimic. But, more than that, she grasped the core principles and understood them on a very sophisticated level.”
“I liked using the reformer, the big ball, and the barrel for side sit-ups. The hardest thing was the hundreds – but they made me strong. Annie made everything really fun,” says Felicity.
At first, Melissa waited in the car while her daughter worked out but, by springtime, she decided she wanted to try Pilates herself. “My first impression? I had no idea you could isolate so many different parts of the body! I’m not very athletic, and I didn’t realize how weak my body was, but soon I had a much better understanding,” says Melissa. “I just always wished Annie would count faster during the hundreds!”
“It’s a very calming atmosphere, even though everyone’s working so hard. Pilates is definitely worth all the effort you put into it,” she adds. “Pilates is really good for everyone, not just for injuries or for dancers, but to have good core strength. Because of the osteoporosis in my family, I know weight-bearing exercise is good for me, and I love Pilates, it’s better than going to a gym. Until you actually try Pilates, you don’t really know what it is.”
Result: “Yes, I got into Pointe Class!” says Felicity. “It’s fun, but sometimes it hurts your toes a little. From coming to The Moving Body and working with Annie, I got better at balancing, got stronger, and was in more control.”
“Felicity went in and progressed quickly. For me, it was a different thing, but a very good experience – before long, as I got stronger, we were both able to do the same things. I used to hold a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders,” says Melissa. “Now, I carry myself better and I use my stomach muscles to hold myself instead of just hanging out there. I really notice a difference in my abdominals, and my ballet teacher doesn’t have to remind me to keep my shoulders down now.”
Manette van Hamel
“If I didn’t come for my Pilates sessions, I wouldn’t be able to walk anymore.” Manette
Background: Manette van Hamel is a writer, artist, sculptor and jewelry maker, musician, diplomat’s wife and mother of three. She has traveled extensively and lived on several continents; she is 93.
Problem: Nine years ago, Manette had a bunion removed from her foot. When she was able to walk again, she began to have a problem with her knee. “My legs are not good,” she says. “Plus, I have a dog that needs to be walked.”
The Moving Body Solution: Manette came to The Moving Body for the first time many years ago. She had liked it then and found it helpful – “my whole body got better when I worked out here before” – so she came back to the studio to see if private Pilates sessions could help her with her current issue.
For a year, she has worked with Martina Enschede twice each week. In Manette’s 30-minute workout, they focus on her legs and how to use them properly while standing on both legs, moving and walking. “Manette came to me with pain in her right knee and was having trouble walking. When looking at her leg, I realized the whole joint had moved medially, which makes it appear that she is knock kneed,” says Martina. “Her right leg was very underdeveloped, compared to her left leg, so we started working on strengthening her whole right leg, from foot to hip. The muscles in both her legs and feet were very tight, so in addition to strengthening, we are working on releasing muscles that are working overtime. Manette has to learn to walk on both legs again instead of relying solely on her left leg and a cane. That process is slow, but she feels the results of strengthening her core and leg muscles, and it gives her the strength and confidence to walk more upright and balanced.”
Manette adds, “I didn’t know why I was having a problem with my legs, but Martina told me why. When you have a bunion taken off, they have to break your toe to fix it because it goes the wrong way. But, when the doctor put it back, he didn’t put it back the right way. Once I started walking again, my knee was different, my foot was different, but my hip was just fine. After all these years, Martina was the only one who figured out why my knee was giving me trouble. All of the Moving Body teachers I’ve worked with have been very good: they know exactly what the muscles and bones do. It’s an extremely important thing to move the body properly.”
“Manette is great to work with, she’s open to anything and very motivated to work out,” says Martina. “Sometimes she is so enthusiastic that I have slow her down. She is an example to me, I would love to have her agility and drive at the age of 93!”
Result: “In my daily life, I certainly walk better,” says Manette. “And, I keep my tummy in with everything I do, an important thing I’ve learned. If I didn’t come for my Pilates sessions, I wouldn’t be able to walk anymore.”
Rosibel Toro-Landau
“Teaching something you enjoy is one of the best things in life.” Rosibel
Background: Rosibel Landau, 26, an industrial engineer, moved to the United States from her home in Bogotá, Colombia in 2005. She is a rock climber, triathlon and marathon competitor, and volleyball player. Her lower back has sometimes been an issue, especially during long runs. She saw a flier at her gym for the Pilates Teacher Training Program.
Problem: Rosi was very enthusiastic about taking the Pilates Teacher Training Program but, since Spanish is her first language, was a little concerned about grasping all the material in anatomy classes. From her sports background and workouts in the gym, Rosi already knew a great deal about how to activate individual muscles; she wanted a deeper understanding of how and where movement originates.
Moving Body Solution: As an industrial engineer, Rosi knows all about machines and how they work and says, “the body is kind of a machine, too. Some teachers at The Moving Body emphasize the beauty of movement; others focus more on anatomy. Anatomy is what moves the body, and it’s very important to learn how to move the right way. Sometimes a tiny little point in the body is what illuminates everything.”
Despite her initial concerns, Rosi was immediately encouraged, she says, “because Christine Becker was so open and all my teachers were so patient with my questions. At first, it was kind of overwhelming, but everyone was always there for me.”
“One of the first things we did,” says Christine, “was to order a copy of the anatomy text in Spanish. Rosi had the book in English as well, so she could compare the two to help her understand the particular vocabulary of anatomy and movement. Our small class size enabled us to give her a lot of attention, and the weekly class format gave her time to absorb all the new language she was learning along with the repertoire—an intensive format might have been overwhelming for her. Of course, movement is a universal language, and practicum is a substantial part of the program. She has taken full advantage of the extensive internship we offer, devoting many hours to self-practice, observation and practice teaching. Rosi has been very able to feel the benefits of the method on her self, and her student teaching has become confident and effective. She’s going to be a great teacher.”
“The training is hard, but I never wanted to quit,” Rosi adds. “There’s a lot to learn, and every single day, every single session, you learn something.”
One of the largest segments of the Pilates Teacher Training Program is working with student volunteers. “One student was 77 years old and she still enjoys doing exercise. Pilates helps keep older people moving – I hope I’m like that when I’m in my 70s!”
“Rosi is very assured with her students,” says Anne Marie Zanchetti, “and has really taken to this work. She asks very good questions and, unlike Pilates teachers who may come from a dance background, her experience with sports training gives her a different perspective. People with trained athletic bodies who study Pilates go back to the ‘A-B-C’s’ in a sense, and become more conscious of movement. As an athlete, you want to do it the best, but with Pilates you have to let go of your ego and the idea of who you are as an athlete, and start slow. Rosi is very determined to get where she’s going.”
Result: “Now, when I’m running or riding a bicycle,” says Rosi, “I’m thinking about what I’ve learned about Pilates. I’m thinking ‘by moving my knee this way, I’m using this muscle and I’m not going to hurt myself’. When I run a marathon, I’m thinking, ‘keep your spine straight or you’re not going to finish’. And now, when I see people on the street, I notice if their shoulder is up or their hip is out of alignment.”
“If you’re curious about Pilates, just give it a try and see how it feels,” she says. “It will definitely change your life.”
Following her curiosity about Pilates has certainly changed Rosi’s life: she’s leaving industrial engineering behind and wants to work as a Pilates instructor. “The volunteers and teachers I’ve worked with at The Moving Body are so nice, and this community is so kind. Sometimes I feel like this is the perfect bubble. I still have a lot to learn, this is just a first step in my new career, but I’m going to keep going forward,” says Rosi. “Teaching something you enjoy is one of the best things in life.”
Kiran Ramgotra Sancious
“I am definitely stronger, more assured: I’ve found my magic youth potion!” Kiran
photo by Dion Ogust
Background: Kiran Ramgotra Sancious, 46, runs a successful business, Indian Home Cooking Classes, and had been practicing yoga, walking and playing tennis to keep fit and focused.
Problem: Spending long hours hunched over her stove and leaning against her kitchen counter had taken a toll on Kiran’s body. She was relying more and more often on chiropractic adjustments and frequent massages to help manage aches and pains. Her posture and her right shoulder – or, as she calls it, “my stove arm” -- were particular trouble areas. “Cooking is an out-of-body experience,” she says. “When I prepare foods for my clients, I’m thinking about time and ingredients and sometimes I get anxious. I didn’t even realize I was taking it out on my body.”
Moving Body Solution: Since 2005, she has been working out at least twice a week at The Moving Body in small group (2-3 people) sessions, more frequently when her schedule permits. At first, Kiran started with one-on-one private sessions, and also attended small group lessons and “open” mat classes to become familiar with all the options.
“I never thought I was going to get it all – finding my upper abdominals, engaging my pelvic floor, learning to breathe more fully,” she says. “Pilates is not an easy thing to do, and it took me a while to understand the small dynamics. But, all of my teachers give me personal attention and ask me about my issues; they know I don’t like a lot of weight on my shoulders. Right away, I noticed the pain had diminished in my right shoulder. I learned that my posture was really pronounced forward and I was slumped to one side from hunching over the stove.”
After about a year, she began to see more definition in the muscles of her torso. And she has changed the way she cooks: “My body is more aligned and I stand properly now. I don’t splay my hips forward and my feet are hip width apart. I definitely feel more assured, and feel I have more control over life and my physicality. I’m not as tense either; Pilates is a great stress reliever.”
“Kiran came to the studio with an injury related to what she does, cooking,” says Anne Marie Zanchetti. “Sometimes, people fix the problem and then stop coming to the studio. But others, like Kiran, get hooked on Pilates because it makes them feel so much better in everything they’re doing. It improves their body image, their energy, and for them it just works really well. Kiran realizes Pilates’ value to other aspects of life.”
“When Kiran finishes her workout, her contentment is palpable,” adds Sirkka Svanoe. “She is released, relaxed, focused and invigorated for the rest of her day to come. She has really made this work her own and carries it with her wherever she goes. I think if we could all eat her food and do Pilates regularly our lives would be close to perfect.”
Result: Kiran says all of her pain is alleviated. “It was definitely caused by weak muscles. I would think I was working those muscles, playing tennis, but I wasn’t. Before, when I did yoga, my shoulders were up to my ears but now my shoulders are wide and open and I work from my serratus anterior (one of the major lower shoulder stabilizers). Pilates has improved my posture, my total sense of well-being, and my self esteem has gone way up. I feel elegant and, without doing weight lifting, I finally look like I’ve always wanted to look,” she says. “I tell my teachers, ‘you have no idea what you’ve done for me, you’ve saved my life!’ I know it sounds dramatic but it’s true.”
“For my business, I just did a photo shoot. You know how Indian women wear those short shirts that show their midriffs? Well, I wore one - and that’s something I never would have done before Pilates, even in my 30s!”
Isaac Abrams
“There’s longevity in my genes and I didn’t want to go into premature decline.” Isaac
Background: Isaac Abrams, 68, is an accomplished artist who often paints long hours in his Woodstock studio. He recently began work with Core Energetics® to focus on improving his overall health and well-being. In years past, he was more athletic, and he loved to boogie down on the dance floor.
Problem: Isaac tried acupuncture, working out at the gym and other things to relieve discomfort in his shoulders, back and feet, but he wasn’t getting the results he desired. “I was really having trouble walking,” he says. “I got inserts from a podiatrist, which helped with the pain in my heels and toes, but then I started developing pain in other parts of my foot. And, the emphasis at the gym seemed to be more on building surface muscles and looking good; being a ‘hunk’ has never been my approach. My uncle lived to be 97 and my mom, 88, so there’s longevity in my genes. I didn’t want to go into premature decline and realized I needed to work from the inside out.”
The Moving Body Solution: Isaac started coming to The Moving Body in May 2007 because he wanted to feel better, and wanted congruence in his emotional and biological/physical health. “I wanted to become aware of my body and be freed of problems,” he says.
“Looking at pictures of Isaac when he was younger, he was incredibly strong and athletic,” says Clyde Forth, who works with many older students at The Moving Body. “Even though he was de-conditioned when he started, he had a lot of underlying strength.”
Clyde started very gently with Isaac, focusing on fundamental core strengthening of his abdominal muscles and breathing. When he first came in, his hamstrings were very tight and he couldn’t sit with his legs extended in front of him without bending his knees or bending over. “As a painter, he spends a lot of time with one arm in the air,” Clyde says, “but, at first, he couldn’t raise his arm above his head without his shoulder going up to his ear. There was a lot of tension in his neck and upper trapezius muscles so we focused on increasing his range of motion and flexibility using arm circles, chest expansion and other movements related to shoulder organization.”
Isaac progressed rapidly, Clyde says, because he really took what he learned into his daily life. “When he’s driving the car, he’s thinking about where his pelvis is. When he’s standing and painting, he’s learning to be aware of where his feet are on the floor and where his shoulder is. He saw right away that Pilates can immediately be integrated into his daily tasks and he purposefully takes what he’s learned with him when he goes out the door. He uses what he learns to develop and embrace a new awareness on more than just a physical level. Turning a focused eye to how he moves has also helped him deal with other issues related to weight loss, emotions and aging.”
Result: By July, after one private and one group session each week for three months, Isaac’s back didn’t bother him at all, and his feet felt much better. “People keep telling me how much better I look. I am more consciously aware of the totality of my body and how I use it. The thing that really helped me about Pilates was having a more regular format of movement. I let myself be guided by Clyde and I like the approach.”
“Every single time Isaac comes in, there’s some improvement and retention from his last session,” says Clyde, “He’s now able to do exercises without using thigh straps (which were used in early sessions to keep his lower back safe until some abdominal strength was re-established), and he can sit in neutral spine with his legs extended on the mat in front of him without hurting his lower back. He’s also able to raise his arm about 120 degrees without a problem.”
“Pilates just helps, that’s all. I like and enjoy doing it, and it’s quite energizing,” Isaac concludes. “I feel taller, more relaxed, and more conscious of stress and strain and how I’m containing it. I’ve improved most of the functions I have, and have also unburdened some things. It’s very important to have access to this information.”
The Moving Body changed my life. Pilates keeps me on track, and physically able to do all my work. I’m always recommending this to friends and others.
Christine Oliveira