-Penny Brock

Dearest Friends,

I came across the attached article in the Balanced Body Newsletter this week, and I wanted to share it with you. It’s about Pilates, exercise and the brain. I felt encouraged by it, and I hope you do to!

School is back in session, and still, we have a month of summer left! I hope all the vacations and summer activities have left you feeling recharged for a return to more routine! At Premier Pilates, we are still offering two morning mat classes (Monday and Wednesday at 9:30) and a Monday, 5:30pm equipment class.The Monday morning mat class is a gentle stretch and strength class, suitable for Beginners or anyone wanting to move into their week relaxed and supple! The Wednesday class, called “Crank It Up” will get your body in great shape with some fun, amped up Pilates moves. As always, every exercise can be modified for your body.
Most of the daytime Equipment classes are booked, but check online, because many times an opening will come up the day before a class! These equipment classes are open to anyone who has experience on the Pilates equipment.

We will be starting a new Beginner’s Course on Tuesday, September 2nd at 5:30. Please touch base with me through Facebook or phone if you want to sign up! We will be accepting 8 students this time, and are very excited about those of you who have already made a commitment to the class!

Here’s to what’s left of summer and all of our commitments to “get in shape!”

Sincerely,
Jan Thorne – Owner
Premier Pilates
premierpilatestn.com
931-349-0446

Dear Friends,

We are kicking the New Year off with a bang! Starting next week on Thursday,January 23rd, we are adding a 7am Mat Class taught by Loren Saviano. If you’ve ever taken a class with her, you know you’ll get a fun and excellent workout! She’s also very good at helping you modify exercises to fit your individual needs and comfort level. The week of the 27th we are adding a Beginning Equipment class on Wednesday morning at 9am, and on Monday and Wednesdays, we will have an 11:30 – 12:00 30 minute Lunchtime Mat Class! Also, starting on Tuesday, January 28th is a new Beginner’s Course. The class will meet on Tuesdays at 5:30 for 5 weeks and is open to anyone who would like to try Pilates or feels they could use a refresher course! We are hoping this will encourage any of you who have been wanting to start the New Year with some healthy exercise to go ahead and take the plunge! Pilates is one of the most safe and effective methods of exercise available, not to mention the modifications that can accommodate most body types and injuries.

We are starting a monthly spotlight on one of our clients. This month’s spotlight goes to Oleta Pogue. Oleta, age 78, has been coming to Premier Pilates since July of last year. She has made taking care of her body and her health a priority, and comes faithfully twice a week unless she is traveling. When Oleta first started here, she was using a crutch to walk. She was having severe back pain and wanted to increase her overall strength. She no longer needs her crutch, has less back pain and feels that her strength has consistently improved. Oleta has congestive heart failure, COPD, pins in her right hip, a total knee replacement and two shoulder replacements! Nevertheless, she is committed to her exercise program. She feels that because of her increased core strength, she is able to breathe more efficiently. Even though she works hard when she’s here, she states that the environment is “comfortable and relaxed!” She says, “I am very happy with Premier Pilates!” We are happy with you, too, Oleta!

Working out and walking in this amazing weather has been an unusual treat! This is a
great time of year to get in some extra workouts in between beach, mountain, and ‘stay’
vacations! It’s been a pleasure welcoming two new people to the studio: Linda Carlin
and Sandi Ledbetter. It’s been fun and inspiring seeing your hard work and beautiful
Pilates form!

Loren’s new mat classes on Monday and Wednesday mornings are keeping me ‘on my
toes’ and building my strength and endurance level! It’s fun being exposed to some
different exercises, not to mention the benefits to my body! I hope you’ll consider trying
one! There is a new equipment class on Mondays at 5:30 for those who prefer afternoon
and evening classes and a Thursday 5pm class, as well. Starting in July, you can sign up
for these classes using the MINDBODY app. In the meantime, go to my website,
premierpilatestn.com, to sign up for classes.

I’m forwarding the newest newsletter from Balanced Body, so be looking for it in your
email. There’s a great article on Pilates and Golf, including exercises you can do to
improve your game! Any athlete could benefit from reading the articles that are
included, even those of us who are ‘studio athletes!’

We are considering a new Beginner’s Class. We’ve had several recent inquiries, so if you
are interested, please get in touch with us! The class will most likely be on Tuesday
afternoons at 5:00 or 5:30, depending on the class participants’ schedules!
Hope you are enjoying the longer days, delicious summer fruits and vegetables, and
more outside time, visiting, grilling or gardening! Drop by for a class and a visit!

Yours fondly,
Jan Thorne – Owner
Premier Pilates
premierpilatestn.com

Every body is divinely inspired, superbly designed, awesome in the complex way it’s put together and simple in the simple, economical way it works. Every body can be vital, strong and flexible, moving through life with grace and assurance, totally healthy – not just some of the time, but most of the time. Every body can be improved, inside and outside, because the body potential is hardly ever realized.  – Ron Fletcher

Dear Friends,

Spring is  officially here, and with it the itch to get outside and get moving! Many of you are die-hard walkers, and I truly admire your persistence! I, on the other hand, am a “fair-weather walker”, and I have been savoring every minute walking in the beautiful weather we’ve been having!

The studio has been hopping and it’s so exciting seeing all the energy and strength people are gaining by doing Pilates! Needless to say, all of this enthusiastic exercising is giving rise to some very sore muscles! (It’s a good pain!) In the special edition of Shape Magazine’s The New Science of Strong, it is suggested that you “ice for 10 minutes after a tough workout.” This slows blood flow, which thwarts inflammation and swelling…” “If you have stiffness or spasms (which might kick in the next day), use heat suggests Nadya Swedan, M.D., a physiatrist in New York City. The warmth speeds blood flow to the area, relaxing muscles. Take a hot shower, use a heating pad, or apply a heat wrap that is sized to fit specific muscles and stays warm for hours.”Also, foam rollers work wonders for sore muscles.

We are offering our first (non-Pilates) workshop on Saturday, April 27th. I’ve been interested in creating some kind of visualization board since I saw one on the refrigerator of one of my friends’. A new client, Emily Tipton, loves being creative and has offered to do an artsy-type workshop, but you, in no way, have to be an artist to participate! Think finger painting for adults! Here’s what Emily has to say:

“In my opinion, the best kind of art is made when we follow our own path and try to disconnect from judgement (from ourselves and others) as much as possible. This looks different for everyone.  The saying I go by is “I may be an artist, or maybe I ain’t, but all my best clothes are covered in paint.” Mixed media and adopting a child-like wonder with art/ “mess making” has really helped me process the clutter in my mind and be kinder to myself.

If you would like to do an intro to “mess making: meeting the inner artist” or something similar, I would love to help out. My vision for that would be to take the afterglow or peace of mind from Pilates and transition it to a funky free-time where attendees can learn fun mixed-media techniques and be encouraged to approach their expression via personal exploration with the mediums. Attendees would need to know I am not a formally-trained artist but someone with experience there to spread the joy that can come from getting in touch with that inner child-like wonder of creating.” Click to Register!, then “add participant”.

https://app.fitli.com/dashboard/premier-pilates-2#bsession-682328

The cost of the workshop is $25 per person, and materials will be provided. I have enough space for 10 participants, so this will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Wear comfortable clothing you wouldn’t mind getting paint on and a blanket or pillow to sit on.  If you’d like to bring something to drink and an appetizer to share, that would be wonderful! Plan on a 30 minute Pilates Flow at 10am, and time to work on a visual from 10:30 to 1:30.

Sometime in the near future I will be switching back to the MINDBODY booking system.  It will appear automatically on my webpage, but to book classes from your phone you’ll need to load the MINDBODY app if you don’t already have it.

The studio will be closed on  Friday , the 19th, and Monday, the 22nd.

I hope your Spring is inspiring and awe-producing in some way. I look forward to seeing you in the studio or on the walking trail! Thank you for your continued support of Premier Pilates!

Sincerely,

Jan Thorne – Owner
Premier Pilates
www.premierpilatestn.com
931-349-0446

Dear Friends,

February is turning into a beautiful month! Well, beautiful on sunny days, anyway, and not too terribly cold! Since Valentine’s Day is this month, I am offering a 20% discount on couple’s duets. Currently, there are three couples practicing Pilates at the studio, and one other wanting to return. This might be a good time to try it, if you have thought about combining your workouts with a spouse or good friend.

Turning once again to the winter issue of Breathe magazine, I found the following information inspirational. “The belief that the future will be much better than the past and the present is known as the optimism bias. It abides in every race, religion, and socio-economic bracket…(these people) are not blind to life’s challenges, they just have hope for the future.”How optimistic or pessimistic a person is affects “their attitude and perception of others, situations, opportunities, and challenges”…they realize “we have the capacity to change our outlook.” Here are some things you can do to develop a positive perspective:

In the morning, challenge yourself to find three things you’re looking forward to that day. Think about all the times in your life when things have gone well. Celebrate milestones-big and small. Do what puts you in a better mood- go for a walk, listen to your favorite music, talk with a friend. Talk with yourself as you would a friend with words of encouragement, support and compassion. Notice what you’re letting in-stay offline until a specific time, limit news reports, take a break. If you’re feeling hopeful, notice why that is and think about how to continue to feel that way.

Enjoy this article from MINDBODY on learning to love fitness.

https://mindbody.io/blog/fitness/how-i-finally-learned-love-fitness

My very best to you,
Jan Thorne – Owner
Premier Pilates
www.premierpilatestn.com
931-349-0446

Dear Friends,
I hope everyone’s holidays were fun and relaxing. I know mine were, and I thoroughly enjoyed the decorations, but, it is quite nice being on the other side of all the extra work and activities and back into some kind of routine! I’ve loved seeing the studio fill up again, including some new and returning clients! One of the highlights of the holidays was having Devin return for a visit, and participate in a reformer class with his mom and dad, Melissa and Ray! (see pics below

As much as exercise keeps those endorphins flowing, and consequently, helps maintain a brighter outlook on things in general, laughter can also be good for you! An article in this month’s magazine  Breathe:The Happiness Special, features laughter as a mood booster.

“Laughter releases endorphins, which help to create the buzz that comes after exercise such as yoga, dance, or running. (Can you say “PILATES”?)…laughter uses muscles and it’s that exertion that releases the endorphins, reducing physical and physiological stress. You breathe deeper to laugh, too, which means your lungs get a good workout as well…Laughter connects us… (it)is the shortest distance between two people. Laughter crosses language barriers…because other people’s laughter is so contagious.” (pp. 72-73)

This month, in addition to your regular exercise routines,perhaps try listening to, watching, or reading something funny, and escape the blues that can come from a lack of sunshine!

I would love to offer a Beginner’s Course in February, so if this is something that interests you, please either respond to this newsletter or send me a text. I have had one inquiry already, and I’m considering Tuesday, February 19th, as a start date. The course is a six week course, with the last week reserved for make-up sessions.

I hope your January is filled with many moments of laughter!
Sincerely,
Jan Thorne – Owner
Premier Pilates
931-349-0446
www.premierpilatestn.com