~ Articles About Pilates, Yoga & Wellness ~

At Lotus Mind & Body, located in Bernardsville, NJ, we're all about "fitness" as it relates to a balanced body and state of being.  In fact, we think the new healthy is really more about feeling happy (certainly more than it is about your dress size).  But when we discovered it was possible to combine yoga and Pilates with state-of-the art technology, to get amazing anti-aging and health benefits FAST, we were all in!  

The technology, sometimes referred to as Whole Body Vibration, is created using a machine called the Power Plate.  Positive neuromuscular responses are created in your body as you exercise on this "unstable" vibrating platform.  The vibration also increases gravitational force ("G-Forces") on the body, which is why just a 30-minute workout, 2-3X per week is super effective at building strength, increasing flexibility, improving balance and decreasing belly fat (primary indicators of longevity and health).

And based on independent, published research studies, the Power Plate also stimulates the body's own production of bone mineral (to combat osteroporosis), human growth hormone (the "fountain of youth" hormone which decreases after age 40), along with a myriad of other responses that help slow down the aging process.  

Here's Why Power Plate is Sweeping Europe (...and Why We Chose it for Lotus).

• Reduces belly fat and cellulite
• Increases collagen production
• Tones muscles and increases flexibility
• Reduces cortisol, balances hormones
• Increases metabolism
• Builds bone mineral density and reverses osteoporosis

Empowering Your Pilates and Yoga Practice.

Our approach to Power Plate training is based on the time-tested, mind/body disciplines of yoga and Pilates.  Taking traditional asanas and Pilates core exercises off the mat and onto an unstable surface is an ideal way to challenge your practice.  You'll quickly build strength, as well as increase flexibility, balance and breath control.  A 30-second plank on the Power Plate is equivalent to 2 minutes on your mat.  Imagine doing Warrior 3 on a moving surface, or the Pilates Ab Series with 4X the G-force on your torso!  (Mark Wahlberg reportedly used the Power Plate to get those abs for his movie, The Fighter.)

Good Vibes...A Truly Healthy Addiction!

Training on the Power Plate is easy on the joints and helps rehab muscles and connective tissue.  And because it decreases stress hormones (like cortisol, which is linked to weight gain), and actually increases "happy" hormones (like oxytocin), you'll begin to crave your 30-minute workout!

The Power Plate is the Real Deal.

Not all vibration is created equal (for instance, a violin can be pleasing or down right annoying!).  It's critical that the plate vibrates on all three planes (how the human body moves) and adjusts to the correct frequency and amplitude for all components of a complete workout: stretching, strengthening and massage.  That's why we selected the Power Plate for Lotus Mind & Body, and why you'll feel amazing after each workout.

Schedule a Test Drive and See for Yourself.

Try an introductory session at Lotus Mind & Body.  A private, 30-minute workout includes 5 minutes of stretching, 15 minutes strengthening and balance exercises, followed by 10 minutes relaxation and "massAHHHge"!  For more information, or to schedule your Test Drive, contact the studio at 908.766.YOGA (9642).

If you're reading this sentence, there is something in you that's drawn to meditation.  Some part of you is naturally curious and, on a deeper level, knows that meditation would be a benefit.  So much of life is about rushing, seeking, and trying to get to the future, creating the feeling that life is flying by so fast that you're missing it.  Meditation is the antidote.  However, the idea of meditation can conjure up scary images or just seem way too boring.  The positive benefits, however, go way beyond the list of physical results in the body that medical science is now beginning to verify.  (Often more powerful than pharmaceuticals!)  Meditation is an access to that deep dimension beyond our thoughts where our true self resides.  

If you have tried to sit and "not think," you know how daunting that is.  To learn meditation, a few basic techniques can really help you along your path.  Techniques such as mantra repetition or breathwork have been practiced for thousands of years and have been passed along for your very benefit, for that moment when you decide to look deeply within.  It's an important moment.

The first step is something you probably have already done - putting the thought out in the universe that you are seeking more depth, or that you need some tools to be more grounded, happier, more peaceful, etc.  We do create our reality, so after that first step, usually a book, a blog, a signup sheet or something else is synchronistically placed in front of you.  We then need to be aware enough to perceive the response to our request.  It's important to know that your left brain, rational mind, does not understand.  The left brain is the chatter in your head.  The chatter is very helpful when it tells you to get out of the way of that oncoming truck, but not so helpful when it can't slow down, especially at 3am.  The left brain/rational mind will tell you that any work in this area is a waste of time, and that you can not possibly spend your time "doing nothing".  If you begin to notice the sabotage, that is a giant step toward being more aware and beginning to master the mind, rather than being the slave of the mind.  That is the beginning of mastery.

If this subject interests you, please join us at Lotus Mind & Body in Bernardsville on our 21-day meditation journey.  Together, (even if that means via the internet) we will learn basic tools to begin to quiet the mind and at least get a glimpse of the spaciousness, peace and creativity that reside just beyond our thoughts.  For 21 days, you will receive guidance and yoga meditation techniques to contemplate.  After 3 weeks, you will feel some definite benefits and experience for yourself how your life is enhanced and enriched motivating you toward a life-long exciting inner journey.

We'll meet once at the beginning of the 21 days to learn some basic meditation techniques and answer any questions.  (We'll summarize our meeting online for those that can't make it in person.)  We'll meet again after 3 weeks to share our experiences and also to create a strategy for moving forward with the practice.  We hope you're in! 

Blog by Susan

People often have the misconception that Pilates is just for women.  But tell that to our male clients at Lotus Mind & Body, as well as the thousands of men in the military, including the very macho Navy SEALs, who use its core strengthening exercises as part of their daily conditioning regimes.  Not to mention the many pro athletes like Tiger Woods and the NY Giants who've adopted Pilates for core fitness training and stretching.

Need more "hard core" facts?

FACT: The originator of the method, Joseph H. Pilates, was in fact, a man.  Moreover, he was a whisky-drinking, cigar-smoking guy's guy.  A boxer and gymnast, he trained hard and took pride in the fact that he was asked to model for anatomy charts as a young adult.

FACT: The Pilates method is a "functional exercise" form that focuses on how the body moves as a "whole," not just on the major muscle groups that are so often over-used in sports or over-developed in typical gym exercises.  And they're often the very muscles that are tight and stressed from long commutes and sitting at a desk or computer.  Men can benefit tremendously from the "re-balancing" effects of Pilates and tend to see marked improvements in strength, flexibility and overall wellbeing very quickly.

FACT: Pilates is often prescribed by doctors and physical therapists for both male and female paitents with lower back pain because it strengthens the deep stabilizing muscles of the torso, helping to take stress off the delicate and often over-worked lumbar spine.  It also increases range of motion and flexibility of the overall spine, making it a golfer's best tool (next to his 60 degree wedge, of course).

FACT: Because Pilates equipment is spring-loaded, each person experiences a unique amount of resistance based upon the force he or she exerts, so it's equally effective for people of all ages and fitness levels.  Pilates will challenge both the muscle-bound, weight-lifting gym rat, as well as my 76-year-old mother (yes, she does Pilates twice a week!).  And just when you master a specific spring setting, this unique equipment will provide even more of a challenge by using a lighter spring load.  A "less is more" kind of twist!

The next time you hear someone say Pilates is not for men, give them the facts.  Or better yet, invite them to one of our Pilates classes.  But only if you think they're man enough to keep up!