Moving Well Podcast

In this episode, Nikki and Janet chat with strength coach and host of the Revolutionary You! Podcast Jason Leenaarts about the relationship between mindset and reaching your fitness goals.

 They discuss:

• Why the basics are often what you need to reach fitness goals, but why these goals are still challenging to achieve (e.g. emotional factors, family life, ect)
• The different stages of change and how it relates to fat loss and strength training
• A primer on getting started strength training and the important of recovery
• What to do when you or your clients have conflicting goals (e.g. wanting muscular arms while also battling shoulder pain)

About Jason Leenaarts

Jason Leenaarts is the owner of Revolution Fitness and Therapy (RevFit) in Stow, Ohio. RevFit began in 2009 and continues to thrive as a semi-private personal training facility. Jason caters to both face-to-face and online clientele. He is the host of the Revolutionary You podcast and author of The Revolution Is You. To learn more about Jason's work, you can visit www.jasonleenaarts.com or www.revfittherapy.com You can also connect directly with Jason on Facebook or Instagram.

In this episode, Janet and Nikki chat with Theo St Francis & Stephanie Behrendt Comella about the process of recovering from a spinal cord injury (SCI) and their project Zebra Fish Neuro.

They discuss:

• The difference between the traditional medical model for working with a SCI and a movement based approach
• Why Pilates inherently lends itself to being so beneficial to this group
• The benefits of getting on the ground and using rolling patterns after an SCI
• Why the diagnostic tests may not always accurately measure SCI recovery
• Zebra Fish Neuro and how it will help movement teachers, Pilates instructors, and fitness professionals work with people who have an SCI

About Stephanie Behrendt Comella

Stephanie has engaged in over 15,000 hours working directly with individuals with spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders. She was first introduced to Pilates in 2014, which forever changed her thinking about spinal cord injury rehabilitation. 

Stephanie graduated from University of California, Davis in 2011 with a B.S. in Exercise Biology. She studied sports medicine and exercise-based rehabilitation as an intern with the university's Division I athletes. After graduation, Stephanie served as a Neuro Exercise Therapist and Manager at a spinal cord injury & neurological disorder specialty gym in Pleasanton, CA for almost 5 years before starting a Pilates-based SCI recovery program – AbsoluteENDEAVOR – at Absolute Center in Lafayette, CA in 2015.

She blends her formal education, vast experience with SCI, and training in Pilates and mindful movement to provide a unique style of training that is focused on body re-connection. 

Stephanie is a Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) Certified Pilates Instructor through Balanced Body, as well as an American Council on Exercise (ACE) professional since 2008.

About Theo St. Francis

Theo has been exploring the vast landscape of body-reconnection since his 2013 injury at the start of his Mechanical Engineering and collegiate swimming careers at MIT. Having the trajectory of his healing completely redirected by his practice of Pilates, Theo is now working on ways for others to benefit from the same effective therapy.

Theo is the author of TheOvercoming blog, where he shares the journey of reconnecting to his body. Since he first read Calais-Germain's Anatomy of Movement textbook while in a cervical collar at inpatient rehab, he has approached his healing as a research project on which his life depends.

Having sought out and worked with Pilates instructors around the country on his healing journey, Theo seeks to blend various mindful practices to discover which ways best reconnect a paralyzed body. He lives to problem-solve and cannot wait to resume his studies in Mechanical Engineering at MIT.

In this episode, Janet and Nikki chat with Tom McCook, Pilates teacher and movement specialist about what it means to create an embodied movement practice.

They cover:

• Why so many people struggle with proprioception and slowing down
• How to bridge the gap between embodiment and fitness
• Why taking a kinder approach to movement can transfer to a kinder approach in life
• How Tom integrates meditation, the Franklin Method, Pilates and Feldenkrais into his teaching

Tom McCook, founder and director of Center of Balance in Mountain View, CA, is an internationally recognized Pilates teacher and movement specialist. Beginning his full-time career in personal training in 1984, Tom designs programs for health and life performance for working professionals, people rehabilitating from injuries, and world-class athletes, including Olympic Gold Medal swimmers Natalie Coughlin, Jenny Thompson and Misty Hyman.

Through years of continuous study and his strong commitment to a daily meditation and physical practice, Tom has developed a refined understanding of what it means to be have a balanced, functionally fit, intelligent body. His teaching integrates Pilates, Franklin Method, yoga, hands-on bodywork, resistance stretching, BodyCode system, somatics, and life coaching, which enhance his holistic approach to working with clients and teachers. Tom produced "Combining Pilates & Yoga for Balance," an exercise video that brings together the benefits of Pilates and yoga.

Tom began his study of Pilates in 1991. He has been leading Pilates teacher training courses since 2001 for PhysicalMind Institute formerly, and currently for Balanced Body Education. He has certifications through the PMA, ACE, along with being a CEC provider. In 2010, Tom became one of the first Master teacher trainers in CoreAlign.

Since 2004, Tom has been studying the Franklin Method, an instrumental part of his teaching that offers a very effective approach to improving movement potential and health through imagery and experiential anatomy. Tom has completed all 3 levels of the Franklin Method training and is now a teacher trainer for the Franklin Institute.

Tom teaches workshops, conferences and retreats worldwide. He is part of the Passing the Torch Mentorship program offering continued education, insight and guidance to certified Pilates teachers. Tom also offers a 3-month movement and life coaching course, “Embodying a Balanced Life,” helping students to develop healthy practices, create momentum, and experience more freedom in their lives. 

Tom’s goal as a teacher is to empower, educate and inspire others to live more fulfilling and balanced lives. He lives on the coast outside of San Francisco with his wife and business partner Karen deMoor.

In this episode, Nikki and Janet chat with Dr. Ellie Somers, physical therapist and owner of Sisu Sports Performance & PT about how using body positive language in medical and fitness settings can create better outcomes for patients and clients both in improving performance and reducing pain.

They cover:

• What it means to use body positive language and why it's important not to scare people when educating them about their form or their diagnosis
• How to offer constructive feedback to create a positive movement experience and help someone feel better, while still keeping safety as a consideration
• The power of motivational interviewing and how to use it in a session
• Cultural reasons behind why women statistically have more pain
• Myths around the biomechanical model and why moving outside of neutral isn't always a dangerous or bad thing, if you are prepared to load there
• Why helping someone make an informed choice is more empowering and creates a better outcome than just telling them what to do

About Ellie Somers

Dr. Ellie Somers is a physical therapist of 10 years, with a special focus on treating the female athlete. She has a background in sports performance and rehab, including extensive training and education in the science of pain.

She started her practice, Sisu Sports Performance & PT, in Seattle, WA with the goal of empowering female clients to help them reach their unlocked potential. She hopes to keep women actively engaged in sport and activity for their lifetime.

Dr. Somers has spoken at the Women in Physical Therapy Summit in New York City as well as at several continuing education courses and professional conferences. She is a lover of soccer, running, heavy things, craft beer, and the great PNW. You can learn more about Dr. Somers on her website, or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

In this episode, Nikki and Janet chat with Jules Mitchell, yoga teacher and movement educator, and Charlie Reid, strength and conditioning coach, about transitioning clients from post rehab back to regular activity and performance.

They cover:

•  Why clients often get trapped in the revolving door between physical therapy and fitness
• The role of the physical therapist and the fitness professional or movement teacher in helping clients resume regular activity after an injury
• The limitations of the current model that is used to assess, treat injuries, and transition the client out of rehab
• How the mindset of the client and their activities prior to the injury should determine how you progress them
• A case study about Marla (Jule's sister) and her experience working with a physical therapist and Charlie to return to running after a foot injury
• Examples of exercise and program progressions when helping a client improve their conditioning during and after injury recovery
• The importance of progressive external load, transference, and specificity when working with a client who has the goal of resuming an activity or sport after injury

Jules Mitchell MS, CMT, RYT

Jules is a Los Angeles based yoga educator. She combines the tradition of yoga with her background in biomechanics to help people move better and achieve individually defined physical success. Her approach to asana is multi-modal and skill based, balancing the somatic (moving from within) aspects of yoga with exercise science.

Jules writes on yoga biomechanics and references the exercise science literature on topics (such as stretching) where the yoga research is lacking. She is a regular contributor to yoga teacher training programs worldwide, providing yoga schools with the most current research in biomechanics, even when it invokes a discerning analysis of tradition.

Her most influential teachers include Leeann Carey (Yapana Yoga), Gil Hedley (Integral Anatomy), John Casey (yoga philosophy and Sanskrit), and the many dedicated scientists who collect, analyze, and publish data so we may continue to ask more questions. As adjunct faculty at Arizona State University, she serves as the yoga consultant on research studies to quantify the effects of yoga therapy on special populations.

Jules is currently writing her book, Yoga Biomechanics: Redefining Stretching, which is expected to become available in 2017 through Handspring Publishing. You can find her leading workshops at your favorite local studio or check out her classes online.

To connect with Jules on social media, you can find her on Twitter and Facebook.

Charlie Reid, CSCS, CMT

Charlie is a Movement Educator, Coach, and Massage therapist based in San Francisco, CA. His mission is to help cultivate stronger, more resilient humans. When he’s not coaching one-on-one, teaching workshops, or hosting seminars in the Bay Area, he is most likely drinking too much espresso whilst torturing a bass guitar.

To learn more about Charlie, you can visit his website charliereidfitness.com or connect with him on Facebook or Instagram.

In this episode, Janet and Nikki chat with Mariska Breland and Meghann Koppele Duffy about Pilates and movement training for neurological conditions.

They discuss:

• Common neurological conditions such as MS and what to expect when working with these clients
• The importance of cross training and a taking an interdisciplinary movement approach when training clients with neurological conditions
• Different types of neuropathy and how to address the symptoms with a movement approach 
• Vibration and gait training
• Mariska and Meghann's new project The NeuroRehab Movement

About Mariska Breland

Mariska is the founder of Washington, D.C.-based Fuse Pilates®, an award-winning creative director and writer, and a self-proclaimed “casual student” of medical neuroscience. 

Mariska has been teaching Pilates since 2003, and developed her signature style, Fuse Pilates, as a mat class at a yoga studio in 2005. Over the years, the Fuse Pilates method has evolved to offer unique hybrid mat, tower, reformer, and chair classes, as well as private instruction. Her classes are heavily influenced by her background in Pilates, yoga, and barre, as well as a three-year mentorship with Julian Littleford. Fuse is a proud affiliate of Julian Littleford Pilates and was voted the Best Pilates studio in Washington, D.C. by Washingtonian Magazine. 

In addition to her passion for creating fun and effective workouts for her group classes, Mariska is passionate about educating teachers and patients about exercise for neurological conditions. Her Pilates for MS™ Teacher Training incorporates the latest research into neuroplasticity and neurorehabilitation into a Pilates program design for multiple sclerosis, stroke, and other neurological conditions. It is core curriculum for Carolyne Anthony’s Center for Women’s Fitness’ Women’s Health Pilates Certificate. Mariska is a PMA@ Certified Pilates Teacher who completed her comprehensive training through BASI Pilates. She has additional training through Power Pilates, Peak Pilates, Balance Body, and PureBarre, as well as several specialty certifications. She also studies regularly with friend and “spirit guide,” Jennifer Kries. 

A frequent guest writer for fitness and lifestyle blogs, Mariska is currently writing a book on exercise for neurological conditions, developing additional training manuals for the Fuse method, teaching internationally, running a studio, and spending rare time off with her husband and their dog-child – a Basenji named Zoe.

About Meghann Koppele Duffy   Meghann Koppele is a Kane School, Pilates Method Alliance, and iM=X certified instructor as well as a Certified Strength and Condition Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She has also completed the Functional Anatomy for Movement & Injuries Workshop at Mt. Sinai Medical Center.

Meghann received her undergraduate degree in exercise science from the University of Scranton and a Master's degree in Applied Physiology from Columbia University. After completing her Master's degree, Meghann opened a Pilates studio in Hoboken, New Jersey, where she worked with clients with a variety of conditions including severe back pain, sports injuries, pre- and postnatal, and multiple sclerosis. She also worked with clients who simply wanted better fitness or to achieve their weight loss goals.
After five years running a studio, Meghann decided to sell her business to refocus on her first love of teaching and helping others. Over the past twelve years, Meghann has had the privilege of working closely with many clients with multiple sclerosis (from early stage to advanced), as well as their doctors. After compiling medical research and anecdotal evidence, she created her own Pilates-based protocol to help her MS clients. Realizing that teachers were ill-equipped to work with this population, she joined forces with Kelly Kane and Matt McCulloch via the Kinected Mentor Program to help her further develop her work into a workshop for other teachers, personal trainers, physical therapists, and other rehab specialists.  

 In 2014, Meghann and Mariska Breland decided to combine forces to help educate other movement professionals about Pilates for Multiple Sclerosis. They realized that their programs were entirely complementary (down to the way each teacher believes a session should begin). Meghann then joined the Pilates for Neurological Conditions team and teaches a 3-day Pilates for Neurological Conditions course based off Mariska's book Pilates for MS and Neurological Conditions in addition to teaching her own Advanced Neuro workshop based on the Koppele Method. Since 2014 Meghann has taught her method nationwide and across the world in Australia.  She is also currently working with top hospitals to incorporate her method into the standard treatment plans.   In 2017 Mariska and Meghann joined forces yet again to create the first online movement education tool for people with Neurological Conditions.  They were both sick of Pilates being so cost prohibitive and decided to create the Neuro Rehab Movement to help bring their successful methods to everyone at a fraction of the cost.  The Neuro Rehab Movement will be live in March 2018, sign up  for our newsletter to stay up  to date.  

Meghann is also the Resident Coordinator and Teacher Trainer at the acclaimed Kane School teacher training program at Kinected in NYC.  For more information about getting certified through the Kane School or continuing education at Kinected please email [email protected] or visit Kinected's website.  

In this episode, Janet and Nikki chat with licensed physical therapist and certified Pilates instructor Jessica Valant about working with pre and postnatal clients in a Pilates and fitness setting.

They cover:

• What it means when a client has a diagnosis of endometriosis and how to work with them in a Pilates or fitness setting
• Signs of pelvic floor dysfunction and how to know if you should refer a client out to a medical professional
• How to stay in your scope of practice when working with pre and postnatal clients and the difference between assessment and diagnosis
• Exercise recommendations + suggestions for your postnatal clients
• Precautions to reduce your risk of causing a diastasis recti during pregnancy
• What you should know when working with someone who's had abdominal surgery
• What to know about working with a client who is undergoing IVF
• Signs of prolapse and what to do if you suspect you or your client has one
• Why Jessica started Momentum Fest and how to be a part of it

About Jessica Valant

Jessica has been a licensed physical therapist and certified Pilates instructor for over 17 years. She first experienced Pilates during a short inservice at her first PT job out of graduate school. She quickly fell in love and realized Pilates could be used as an amazing tool in helping to rehabilitate her patients.

She received her Pilates training through Polestar Pilates and is a Certified Pilates Teacher and continuing education provider under the Pilates Method Alliance. She has a successful fitness DVD series, YouTube channel, women’s health program and online Pilates studio called Jessica Valant Pilates. She was named a top 10 finalist in the 2015 Pilates Anytime Next Instructor Contest and teaches workshops and courses to other health care professionals and Pilates instructors.

Jessica’s love and passion for the Pilates industry led her to co-found Momentum Fest with her husband, Brian. Jessica believes movement should be empowering and exciting and she hopes to help all people in her classes feel the same. To learn more about Jessica visit her website jessicavalantpilates.com.

 

In this episode, movement educator and professional classical musician Kayleigh Miller interviews Janet and Nikki about their experience creating the podcast.

They cover:

• How their perspective of movement and fitness + their own workouts have been influenced by their guest interviews
• How they reconcile conflicting perspectives when they and their guests don't agree
• The mission + future of the podcast

About Kayleigh Miller

Kayleigh Miller is a movement educator and professional classical musician who helps people move better so they can be the best version of themselves in all aspects of their lives.

Drawing from the Pilates method, yoga asana, current research, and more, she helps people to strengthen, challenge, and integrate mind, breath, and body.  Although music and movement may seem like disparate modalities, she's found them to be extremely complementary, and is constantly learning to become a better, more embodied musician.

She's passionate about creating connection, using music and movement as means to connect people with the human experience, and  reconnect people to their own bodies and internal experiences.

To connect with Kayleigh visit her websites kayleigh-miller.com or musicianshealthcollective.com.

In this episode, Janet and Nikki chat with Pilates teacher and educator Nico Gonzalez about his experiences of being a minority in the Pilates industry and his strategies for combining Pilates and traditional fitness in his studio fitness physiques by Nico G. 

They cover:

• How being male and minority opens certain professional doors and closes others
• How different people can get away with using different words and styles of cuing
• Strategies for making Pilates feel more accessible to male clients
• Ways to introduce mind body work to clients who are more interested in exercises that feel "hard" 
• How teaching Pilates in an instructor education setting is different than creating a tailored session for clients

About Nico Gonzalez

Nico Gonzalez is the studio owner of Fitness Physiques by Nico G, an international fitness educator, trainer, and motivational speaker. Certified through the American Council on Exercise (ACE) for group fitness and personal training and the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) for Pilates training.

Nico was the Director of Fitness for a regional hospital based wellness facility for over 8 years where he created their Pilates program from the ground up. Nico was an integral manager in developing their wellness programs for post rehabilitation patients. 

Nico travels across the country and beyond training Pilates instructors in the Balanced Body Pilates teacher trainer program. In this regard, he is able to deliver certificates and trainings in all aspects of Pilates. He travels extensively delivering trainings in fitness facilities and studios alike.

Nico has presented internationally, including being a presenter at IDEA World Convention (USA), Can-Fit-Pro (Canada), Fitnesslandia (Italy), World Class (Moscow, Russia) and in Chile, South America. He presents workshops in Pilates, Program Management, Cardio / Strength Training and delivers Choreography Master Classes. Many trainers continue to ask for his practical approach to instruction and easy to follow formulas of success. 

Nico is featured in multiple Pilates videos and podcasts that showcase his creativity in movement and inspiration. He has been credited as a contributing creative editor of the following Pilates instructor manuals: EXO Chair, Pilates ARC, and the Mat with Toys workshop manuals.

In this episode, Janet and Nikki chat with movement educator and co-founder of the Absolute center, Louise Johns about how to use cues to get better results for your clients and how primal movement can be integrated into your practice.

They cover:

• Cuing for embodiment versus cuing for biomechanics (and why these cues aren't mutually exclusive)
• Why sometimes saying less is more effective
• How to sequence and incorporate primal movement into a Pilates class or private session
• Why primal movement and less structured movement experiences are an ideal complement to more structured fitness modalities like Pilates
• Why it's beneficial to have a foundation for teaching before branching out into other modalities like primal movement

About Louise Johns

Louise’s dedication to helping people feel better shows through her clientele, some of whom have been working with her for over 17 years. Louise finds herself drawn towards a broad section of clients from all different walks of life and abilities. At Absolute Center, the studio she co-owns, her day-to-day practice includes one-on-one sessions, small group classes, and large group instruction, including Franklin Imagery, Pilates, Primal Pilates, TRX, and more. She also mentors her staff and student Pilates teachers, and participates in the Balanced Body Pilates Teacher Training her studio hosts.  

When not at her studio, you can find Louise on the road with Balanced Body, presenting at the world-renowned Pilates on Tour conferences and at the Pilates Method Alliance conference (PMA). At these events, she shares continuing education material as well as Primal Movement WORKS!, a movement brand she co-founded. You can also find her online on Pilates Anytime, teaching Pilates and Primal classes. Louise furthers her own growth as well, studying under distinguished teachers like Cara Reeser, Tom McCook, Lesley Powell, Elizabeth Larkham, Nora St John, Madeline Black, Benjamin Dagenhart, Trent, and many more.  

To learn more about Primal Movement Works! and the Absolute center, visit primalmovementworks.com or absolutecenter.net, or say hello on Facebook or Instagram.