YOUR FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR?
YOUR FAVORITE CLASS?
HOW HAS MIND YOUR BODY PILATES AFFECTED YOUR LIFE?
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
RECEIVE 10% OFF ANY PURCHASE WHEN WE DO
THANK YOU!
Links
Contact
-
1413 Lexington Ave
(between 92-93 Streets)
Phone: 212-426-7960 -
1370 Lexington Ave (91st St)
I would like to share with you all why I teach Pilates and what Pilates has done for my body, mind, and my CAREER. I started practicing Pilates in high school when I heard about it through fitness magazines and bought a video to do at home. At 15 years old I was at the peak of my dance training and I wanted to do something outside the studio so I could have an edge on the competition! I would come home after school and do the tape in my living room before dance class and my mom would yell at me for not doing homework instead!
The first thing I noticed was an improvement in balance. I could stay on one leg forever if I really thought about engaging my deep abdominal muscles and BREATHING, something so many dancers forget to do. By the time I was dancing full-time professionally I knew I wanted to get certified. I continued to practice on my own and attend mat classes whenever I had time off from dancing. I saw myself start to get longer and leaner and my flexibility and strength improved drastically.
When I decided to go to college I was thrilled because my school offered Mat and Reformer classes as an elective in the Dance Department. By then I had been doing Pilates for about five years so I was also hired by the campus fitness center to teach open Mat classes. My mentor and professor for Pilates Tom Welsh gave us assessments on strength, alignment, flexibility and skill at the beginning and end of the year and the results were amazing. By the end everyone in the class had improved so much.
Now that I have moved to NY and I teach and dance and run around all over the city, it is difficult to find time to take a Pilates class myself or work out on the equipment. However I try to make time for it at least twice a week and I have to say still the effects are astounding. I have actually grown about a half an inch in the last year and I have been injury free all my career thus far. I have learned so much about my body that I can apply when I am rehearsing and performing. I offer my fellow dancers advice all the time on what to stretch, strengthen, etc. to improve their careers which is very rewarding. I know that i will be doing Pilates long after I am done dancing and I am so grateful for what it has done for my dancing career and my overall health.
The funniest and truest statement I hear over and over again from Pilates students is,”Hey, this stuff really works!” It is funny because unless one practices Pilates and learns it on their own bodies, he will never really know what it is like and it does work! Oh, and I first heard that 15 years ago. Too many people read about Pilates and make comments on it without ever experiencing it, let alone mastering it. Though Pilates is trendy, it is not a trend. Forget reading about it! It entails commitment, cost and time but it is worth every second and every penny. I also suggest one on one Pilates training to truly learn it on your own body. So, what is stopping you from starting Pilates today? Seriously. -Gail Giovanniello, dancer, cyclist
Gail, thank you for all you do. Our vacations together are always very special. I’m so fortunate to have the children that I do, everyone is so special in their own way. I’m reaping the benefits now.
Your web site is great, you have come a long way in your life with very little help. I’m so very proud of you. You have developed a successful upper east side pilates and gyrotonic studio that has flourished for the past 15 years. What more can a mother ask for? Congratulations on all of your fitness successes!
The instructors that I like the most are the ones that challenge me to push myself a little further and a little harded every session. They consistantly watch my form to make sure that I are doing the position right. When the teacher focus on my form, everything seems to fall into place.
I enjoy the power/tower classes and also the reformer classes. I enjoy these classes because they work different parts of my body.
Mind your body has affected my life in such a positive way. I enjoying coming to classes because it is fun yet it is also an excellent workout. My posture is the best it has ever been and when you walk tall you feel better about yourself. I think that mind your body classes have made me a more relaxed and calm person.
Thank you, Heidi! We have all seen the changes to your body. You work so hard and are so committed, which is also part of the recipe to making changes and postural adjustments. Taking three Pilates group classes a week with 100% effort enhances the results to your fitness experience at Mind Your Body Pilates.
Pilates, at least based on my experience at Mind Your Body’s Upper East Side is a welcomed combination of gentle exercise, but it can also involve a good amount of exertion (especially when done correctly). The question I have is whether a Pilates student should continue when their is an athletic injury. Of course the question is broad, and the type of injury will define an appropriate response. But in general if there is, for example, lower back pain, a sore shoulder or knee, is it best to take a bit of a vacation from the Pilates routine and simply allow the injury to heal?
“I think Gail Giovanniello is the best! I really appreciate what
she is doing for me. I will be that fit and happy bride.
Gail Rocks!
Erin Jacques of exhale spa performs a perfect plank during a tower class at mind your body.
http://bit.ly/fjIkE