WE DO!! Neutral Spine is the position where the spine’s natural curves are optimized.  The reality is that our life (old sports injuries, sitting at a desk for decades, having babies for some of us) has taken a toll on the actual position of our spine. 

When our posture is compromised, our body is so smart, it adjusts and we carry on. This video will explain how to find neutral spine and why it is important, it will also talk about considerations for neutral spine if you have a disc issue.  Happy learning!

If you only decided to watch one Educate Me video - this is the one I would recommend.  We are an under-oxygenated society. Our trillions of cells are like little gas tanks with their low fuel light perpetually on! 

We have literally forgotten how to breathe and our diaphragm muscle, which is our main muscle of respiration is often very weak and underutilized.  When we are properly oxygenated, we have energy, our body’s systems work more efficiently and we can LIVE! Spend time with this video, it is a game changer!

Our pelvis….where the heck is it and why do we need to be able to move it like a clock??  To make things really simple all you really need to know for this video is where your hip bones are (fancy name is the ASIS) and where your tail bone is (fancy name is sacrum).

Because of our poor posture from so much sitting our pelvis it often tipped too far forward or sits too far back. This video will teach you why we need our pelvis to sit in its neutral position and then pelvic clock exercise sequence is the ‘how’ to get it there!

Did you know that short hamstrings (the muscles that live at the back of your legs in between the back of your knee and your butt) can wreak havoc on our posture and cause low back, hip and knee issues?  

Even though the hamstring muscle is not basic at all, this video will give you a good idea if this area could be causing you trouble and what you can do about it.

Chances are we do not remember learning to walk, right? BUT the truth is that very few of us actually walk correctly.  Over time we get ‘stuff’ - plantar fasciitis, hammer toes, bunions, fallen arches, achilles issues, unexplained knee and hip discomfort….why??  

This video will help you to discover some of the most basic mistakes you could be making over your thousands of steps a day, millions of steps in a year!  Learning these basic changes will leave you “walking on air!”

Many people believe that the 6 pack (whether you see yours or not) make up our abs.  This is what the fitness industry has taught us. The 6 pack or Rectus Abs are only a small part of our core, so why the heck do we chase the goal of a 6 pack when in reality it is probably the least functional of all the abdominal muscles??? 

This video will explain the parts of our core - the floor, the ceiling and the cylinder. Become core savvy, your perspective on core strength will shift and so will your back pain, hip tightness, pelvic floor disorganization…...this list goes on and on.

Calling all people with shoulder, elbow and wrist issues…...is that you?  It is most of us!! Our rib cage plays a HUGE role in how our shoulder, elbow and wrist move (or in some cases don’t move). 

Our rib cage can ‘cheat’ for a lack of movement in our shoulder which then places unnecessary stress and tension in your back - it’s ALL CONNECTED!!  Learn…..and be amazed…..the more you know!

It’s not just about putting on your socks!

Joseph Pilates had a recipe for movement, he said our spine has to move 5 ways everyday for optimal health.  Flexion (bending/rounding our spine forward) is one of those 5.

I will educate and move you into the proper positioning of spinal flexion and once you understand this, your Pilates journey, and there for you life will be changed forever!

Say this fast 10 times - Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation! Aka - PNF stretching, this video will take you through what PNF is and why it is one of Jana’s fave ways to stretch. When you can stretch a muscle while it is working, it makes so much sense that it will start to learn how to have more length while in motion, which is what we want, right? Who cares about long hamstrings when you are sleeping!

Rolling on our spine (much like a ball would roll) is an amazing way to move the fluid around the spine so that our intervertebral discs (the little jelly doughnuts that are located in between each vertebra and act as shock absorbers) get hydrated when we roll. I will be taking you through the why and how in this video. Learning how to roll properly will also take your abdominal work to the next level. If you have osteopenia, osteoporosis, rheumatoid or osteo arthritis, bulging or herniated discs, you can watch this video but you should not do this video as it would not be safe to do so.

You will teach your body some amazing posture and alignment skills if you start to understand this concept of opposition during movement.  It will feel like you are working 10x harder! In this video I will take you through the basics of opposition and will offer up a few examples where you can feel the difference for yourself. 

The tricky thing here is, whether you use opposition or not, the movement will not look very different BUT it will feel totally different. Maximize your time on the mat with me by understanding the difference.

Experience less neck tension!

How many of us have experienced neck tension after doing ab crunches???  Count me in that group. It was not until I started taking Pilates almost 20 years ago that I learned how to properly use my core and the muscles of my neck to properly.

In this video, I will share the keys to coordinating the movement (of your 8-10lb head) with your core engagement and breathing to create a head curl up that Joe Pilates himself would be jealous of!

Whaaaat?! You mean there are different ways to move??

Pilates as a form of movement is super efficient because you lengthen AND strengthen your muscles in one complete range of motion. 

Our activities of daily living are full of concentric - walking, climbing stairs, sitting down….we need to build eccentric movement into our lives; learn why in this video.

We really do understand very little about our anatomy, especially if it is anatomy that no one really talks about or talks about correctly.  Your pelvic floor, like your quadriceps or your biceps is made up of muscle and, when you do not work your muscles what happens??? They do not function as effectively as we would like them to. 

Take the time, watch the video. I will help to clarify misconceptions about the pelvic floor (for men and women), the information will empower you to change the way you think about what’s going on down there. After you watch this video, pop over to the Rescue Me link and join me in some pelvic floor release and strengthening exercises, because we need both!

Like we have day and night, peanut butter and jelly, we also have two aspects of our nervous system.  The sympathetic aspect is what has become known as ‘fight or flight mode’ and the parasympathetic aspect is what has become known as ‘rest and digest’. 

Here is the issue, many many of us live most of our day in fight or flight and we lay our head on our pillow at night and our brain does not shut off. We scenario a plan in our head until we are so worked up, we cannot function effectively for the rest of our day.  This video highlights how you can nurture your parasympathetic nervous system, slow down and feel more in control.  

Not all breath is created equal or delivers the same results.  In this video we will cover the differences between diaphragmatic breathing, percussive breathing, one lung breathing and lateral breathing.  

Joseph Pilates used to say that breath is the first and the last act of life and somewhere in the middle, we forget how to do it. Take the time to learn this skill, your body and your brain will thank you.

In this video I will dissect the Roll Over, I will cover all the watch for’s and ways that you can optimize this movement from a core strength and tricep angle. Get ready to feel the burn!  Note: the Roll Over It is NOT for anyone with osteoporosis, disc issues, who is pregnant or who has arthritis - a neutral bridge is perfect for these bodies.

A lot of the unexplained knee pain is the result of an alignment issue between the hip, knee and ankle. Take 7 minutes, watch this video then invest in a foam roller, grab a piece of PVC pipe or grab your rolling pin, because we are going to effect change!!

P.S. This is not going to feel great, in fact, the more discomfort you experience, the more you need to do this daily. Just ensure that you can continue to breathe when you are rolling - if you need to put a towel or a cushion on your prop to lessen the ‘ouch’ then go ahead! Happy rolling!