Pilates- The Green Way to Lose Weight on Your Vaca

Just because you're on vacation doesn't mean you have to get fat. Sure, taking photos and doing touristy things is great! But let your vacation do double duty as a mode to get healthy too, by incorporating a green exercise that you can do anywhere- Pilates.

In this multitasking society, we are no longer satisfied with one-dimensional anything. Cell phones also connect to the internet, lunch breaks do double duty as meetings, air travel offers the opportunity to catch up on missed movies, even elevators and gas stations are equipped with televisions to ensure incessant stimulation. Seems we are able to combine business and pleasure, relaxation and rejuvenation into just about every facet of our lives. The spa world has taken a cue from our determination to lead active green lifestyles and supplementing the basic restful routine of massage, facial, hot springs, rest, and refueling, with classes and workshops that engage both the mind and body, without impacting the environment. Yes, yoga took the resort world by storm as a natural shoe-in within the om-style atmosphere, but Pilates is now rivaling yoga in retreat popularity.

"People go to spas because they feel good and they are good for you. A Pilates retreat is a natural addition to the spa scene since it is all about general health and well being," notes Mari Winsor, creator of Winsor Pilates, who is involved in Pilates retreats at upscale resorts throughout the country. "At a spa you are out of your element without the distraction of your everyday routine. You don't have to jam Pilates in and run to your class after work. You get your spa, spa meals, you lose weight, and you get to focus on your Pilates practice, going deeper into the mind/body connection. Pilates retreats are about all over well being and promoting good habits."

Jeanette Newman, Pilates instructor at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa adds, "The expanding Spa Pilates trend is due to the fact that Pilates is both an efficient and functional form of exercise. Busy professionals and others who don't have much time to devote to working out, find they can achieve tone and flexibility goals more quickly through Pilates than other types of exercise." Cardio classes have become boring for the experienced exerciser who is looking for something more that just stepping up and down or side to side to get a workout. They have specific goals, and want to meet these goals while experiencing the least amount of boredom and pain. Whittling the middle for both aesthetics and health reasons has prompted the trend of core-focused fitness- Pilates being one of the most core-centric practices of them all. Newman knows that her students are looking to Pilates retreats for more than just the mind calming and body chiseling effects. "Pilates training builds a balanced body with a strong core. These qualities enhance everything from walking to sports performance, reduce the chance of injury and can sometimes reduce or eliminate back, shoulder and neck pain. As the Baby-Boomers age, they are getting smarter about fitness and more interested pain and injury reduction."

Who Should Go?

Many students who maintain a regular practice at home can experience an array of benefits from Pilates retreats, beyond body enhancing. From finally taking class with a favorite teacher whose DVD is getting scratched from overuse, to understanding alignment and correcting positions that, for years, have been slightly off, taking the time to fully focus on the practice, going deeper and increasing the effectiveness. Sometimes simply focusing on an element of the practice that may not have held such importance at home, for example changing breath patterns, can make for a whole new experience that takes the workout to a whole new and deeper level, without altering the series. For an advanced practitioner, going back to the basics and feeling every minute movement in the muscles can help fine tune and increase focus, concentration, control, and, therefore, strength- both of mind and body.

For those who are new to Pilates, a retreat is the perfect opportunity to learn from the best, understand body positioning and alignment, and develop a practice that they can then take home and continue. A Pilates retreat is offers a safe haven where new students can learn the tools and get a grasp of the basics without feeling intimidated or pressured to be perfect.

Finding the Best Pilates Retreat for You

Winsor acknowledges that not all retreats rank the same and in order to find the best resort for you to go deeper into your practice, you need to do your research. "The best thing to do is if you see a teacher at a spa, google them first or go to Romanas Pilates and see if they are certified. If you have a favorite teacher, go to their website and find out if they will be at any upcoming retreats. As a consumer you have to do your homework. And remember, just because it is expensive doesn't mean that it is good."

Spa websites, such as SpaFinder, SpaMagazine, and HealingLifestyles often provide extensive lists of the specific offerings at spas, including retreats, programs and classes. Calling the individual resorts and enquiring about Pilates options will give more in-depth information as to what exactly you can expect. Some resorts offer group and private mat classes. Others have full Pilates studios equipped with reformers. For those resorts offering retreats, they may range from a weekend intensive to a two week program complete with healthy meals, regular spa treatments, and personalized instruction catered to the specific needs of the individual. You can also have a Pilates retreat created for you as they do at Sycamore Mineral Springs. Though organized retreats are not offered, several classes are held each week at the resort and the activities director can personalize a Pilates-focused trip. Bottom line: Do your homework. Know what you are getting into. Relax. Have fun.

Teacher Trade

Most resorts offer trade or discounted rates for teachers in order to encourage the "best of the best" to be there. Of course, every spa is different and the rules are flexible based on the retreat, the teacher, and the student demand. The best thing to do is contact the program or activities director at the individual spa and find out how you can get a comped or reduce rate as a trade for your services as a teacher.

Poses to Go

Cal-A-Vie helps students develop a mat series that they can take home with them. Creating a repertoire in a specific sequential order that persistently challenges and consistently encourages a deeper practice allows the work to continue long after the retreat has concluded. At Cal-a-Vie the mat Pilates classes are structured to follow the "classic" teaching of Joseph Pilates. While at the resort the series will evolve in order to constantly increase the intensity and provide a challenging experience. Below is a basic mat format (50 minute class) from the resort that can be taken home or on the road. This particular progression and exercise order emphasizes concentration, centering, control, precision, breathing and flow.

- Hundred

- Roll Up

- One Leg Circle

- Rolling Like a Ball

- Single Leg Stretch

- Double Leg Stretch

- Scissors

- Criss-Cross (optional)

- Spine Stretch Forward

- Open Rocker Prep/Balance

- Corkscrew (optional)

- Saw

- Side Leg Series (Front/Back, Up/Down, Pass, Circles, Inner thigh Up/Down & Circles)

- Beats on Belly for transition from one side to the other for Side Series

- Mermaid

- Seal

- Push Ups (optional)