December 2024

 All you have to do is come to class.  The Series is on-going and part of every class so start anytime.  New? Start with Pilates 101

Having good spinal stability, mobility, and flexibility is essential aspects of maintaining overall health and well-being as we age.

You've probably already discovered that VASIE Pilates (aka. Rolfilates) workouts include:

• Focused toning
• Core strengthening
• Joint stability 

but did you know your VASIE Pilates workout sessions also go deeper into your nervous system?  Often overlooked in traditional fitness VASIE can: 

• Calm your mind
• Improve circulation 
• Improve your coordination
• De-age your spine. 

The spine plays a central role in supporting the body, protecting the spinal cord, and facilitating movement. Discover the connection between your breath, core stability, and new movement/range of motion in your spine/mid-back.  

• Prevention of injuries: A strong and flexible spine reduces the risk of injuries, such as strains, sprains, and fractures, which can be more common as we age due to changes in bone density and muscle mass.
• Maintaining independence: A healthy spine enables us to perform daily activities with ease and confidence. Good spinal mobility ensures that we can continue to engage in essential tasks, such as bending, lifting, and reaching, without limitations.
• Posture and balance: A well-aligned spine contributes to better posture and balance. As we age, balance issues become more prevalent, and a stable spine helps prevent falls and related injuries.
• Pain management: Chronic back pain is a common problem among older adults. By maintaining spinal flexibility and mobility, we can alleviate or prevent discomfort, allowing us to remain active and enjoy a better quality of life.
• Nervous system health: The spine protects the spinal cord, which is a crucial part of the central nervous system. A healthy spine ensures the proper functioning of nerve signals and communication between the brain and the rest of the body.Joint health: Proper spinal mobility helps to distribute forces evenly across the joints, reducing wear and tear on the surrounding structures. This can be especially beneficial for individuals with conditions like arthritis.
• Enhanced range of motion: Flexibility in the spine allows for a broader range of motion in the upper body, which is vital for activities such as turning, twisting, and reaching.
• Improved circulation: Maintaining good spinal alignment can help avoid compression of blood vessels that run alongside the spine, ensuring adequate blood flow to various parts of the body.
• Psychological well-being: Chronic pain and limited mobility can have a significant impact on mental health, leading to stress, anxiety, and depression. A healthy spine can contribute to a more positive outlook on life.

To maintain good spinal stability, mobility, and flexibility as we age, it's crucial to adopt a holistic approach to overall health. Regular exercise, especially activities that promote core strength and flexibility, can help support the spine. Additionally, maintaining a healthy diet, managing weight, and avoiding smoking can contribute to better spinal health. Moreover, incorporating Pilates can improve spinal flexibility and posture, while also reducing stress levels. Consulting with healthcare professionals, such as physical therapists or chiropractors, can provide personalized guidance on maintaining spinal health and preventing age-related issues.

Taking care of our spine through stability, mobility, and flexibility exercises is a proactive approach to ensure a higher quality of life as we age. By investing in our spinal health, we can maintain independence, prevent injuries, and continue to lead an active and fulfilling life in our later years.

The

VASIE® Integration Workout Cycle 

Focus of the Month Achieve a Naturally Balanced, Pain-Free Body.  

The VASIE Structural Integration Workout Cycle is a unique system of 4 meticulously designed workouts that progressively upgrade your body’s natural balance, tone, and resilience. This approach addresses the imbalances caused by aging, injury, and poor posture—whether from physical, emotional, or societal influences—by realigning your body with its optimal design.

Each cycle is crafted to improve the way your muscles and joints work together, allowing you to develop a body that is naturally more resistant to pain, age, and injury. Through precise repetitions and focused techniques, the VASIE workouts build a strong, well-toned core while rebalancing the entire body. The result is a body that moves effortlessly, feels more energized, and maintains a lean, toned appearance—qualities often associated with dancers and athletes who have mastered their form.

The Series is on-going and part of every class, you can start anytime in the series just by coming to class.  New? Start with Pilates 101.  

 The Integration series is designed to help you achieve exactly that. All you have to do is come to class.  

What is the Integration Series? a 16-week journey of thoughtfully crafted workouts to:

• 🍏Rebuild your core
• 💪🏼Increase tone and strength 
• 🧠Calm your mind
• ⚡️Rewire your nervous system

Join anytime—the series repeats three times a year.

How It Works:

• Holistic Approach: Each workout provides a comprehensive core and full-body exercise, focusing on a specific area such as the feet and lower legs, glutes and low back, shoulders and neck, or spine. This targeted focus allows you to develop deeper body awareness, strength, and coordination in each region.

• Continual Improvement: As you progress through the cycles, your body awareness and coordination improve, enabling you to perform exercises with greater precision. This leads to enhanced muscle activation and tone, which in turn fosters even better results in subsequent cycles.

• Natural Synergy: Unlike traditional fitness programs that may exacerbate imbalances, the VASIE cycle ensures that your breath, muscles, and joints work in harmony. Over time, this creates a naturally balanced, pain-free body that functions closer to its optimal design.

• Integrated Movement: VASIE workouts blend smaller, precise movements into larger, multi-joint exercises, enhancing fascial tone and joint coordination. This integration results in a more cohesive, balanced body posture and movement, giving you that long, lean, and toned look.

Start Anywhere, Improve Everywhere:

You can begin your journey at any point in the cycle. Each workout will challenge your core and whole body while also deepening your understanding and control of a specific focus area. With every repetition of the cycle, your body will become more balanced, your coordination will improve, and your muscle tone will become more refined.

The VASIE Difference:

While many workouts prioritize variety and high-energy distractions, VASIE emphasizes the discipline of proper form and focused inner work. This rigorous approach, akin to ballet training, ensures that you strengthen the right muscles and improve balance—creating a body that is not just stronger but also more harmoniously aligned.

2024 Focus Areas

Along with balanced whole body workouts the series is divided into 4 sections:

• 🍃September: Lower Legs & Feet
• 🍂October: Pelvis, Low Back, Low Abs & Glutes
• ❄️November: Shoulders & Neck
• ⛷December: Spine

What to expect:

• Full-body workouts with a focus on one area each month
• Weekly progressive challenges
• 3 weeks of targeted work + 1 week of fun, instructor-choice sessions

Sign up for just one class, and you might find yourself hooked on the entire 16-week journey! No long-term commitment required.