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HOME • CONTACT
Pilates with
Katherine Davis
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Teaching
the Pilates Method
I
first discovered Pilates eighteen years ago, through
dance. It was immensely helpful to me in building
strength & flexibility, and fostering an
awareness of alignment, mind-body connection,
injury prevention, and injury rehabilitation. After
completing a year long apprenticeship at Performing
Arts Physical Therapy, I was certified by Romana
Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates' lifelong disciple and
colleague, through The Pilates Studio (the "New
York School").
I
have been teaching for fifteen years now, and
continue to do Pilates regularly to keep
myself in peak condition. Prior to launching my own
studio eight years ago in Oakland, I taught at
Performing Arts Physical Therapy/The Pilates Studio
in Los Angeles, and Zoe: A Pilates Studio, in
Pasadena. I have taught mat classes at Applied
Ballet, The East Bay Dance Center, and the Oakland
Senior Center, all in Oakland, CA.
I
teach in the
Grand/Lake area of Oakland, at rates of $60 per private lesson/$75 per duo
lesson. Private lessons are one hour long,
including work on the Universal Reformer, Cadillac,
Wunda Chair, Ladder Barrel, Small Apparatus, and
Mat. Duo lessons are 75 minutes long, and
incorporate two students taking turns on the
equipment--this requires a bit more patience and a
dedicated partner, but it also a great value (not
to mention a lot of fun)!
The
Pilates Studio recommends that people take 2 or 3
lessons per week. I recommend 2 lessons per week,
though 1 lesson per week can be useful as a
supplement to other types of training. I teach
Monday through Friday, and my availability depends
largely on the schedules of my other clients.
Evenings tend to book up very quickly. If you have
any sort of afternoon or midday availability, your
chances of getting a regular slot in the near
future are much greater!
I
will do my best to answer your questions about
Pilates, my studio in particular, and any other
physical disciplines and/or medical considerations
that might be of interest or concern to you. Please
contact me through this site with your full name,
address, phone number, e-mail address, days &
times of availability, and questions. You will
generally hear from me within 48 hours.
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What
is authentic pilates?
Imagine an
exercise program that you look forward to, that
engages you, and that leaves you refreshed and
alert with a feeling of physical and mental
well-being.The Pilates Method (pronounced
puh-LAH-teez) of body conditioning will do all
this...and more.
Developed
in the 1920s by the legendary physical trainer and
founder of the Pilates Studio, Joseph H. Pilates,
The Pilates Method is an exercise system focused on
improving flexibility and strength for the total
body without building bulk. Not surprisingly, some
of the first people to use the Pilates Method were
dancers such as Martha Graham and George
Balanchine.
The
Pilates Method is not just exercise, however. It is
a series of controlled movements engaging your body
and mind, performed on specifically designed
exercise apparatus and supervised by extensively
trained teachers.
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A young Joe Pilates
flexing his muscles
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Who
Was Joseph Pilates?
Born in
Germany in 1880, Joseph H. Pilates had a lifelong
interest in body conditioning. As a frail child
dedicated to becoming stronger, he later grew to
become an accomplished skier, diver, gymnast, and
boxer.
While
interned in England during World War I for his
German citizenship, Joseph became a nurse. During
this time, he designed exercise apparatus for
immobilized patients by attaching springs to
hospital beds. This system formed the foundation
for his style of body conditioning and specialized
exercise apparatus, which he brought to New York
City when he opened the first Pilates Studio in
1926.
Currently,
the Pilates Method is used internationally by
individuals at all levels of fitness as well as by
dance companies, Broadway shows, students at
performing arts schools and universities, sports
teams, spa clients, and fitness enthusiasts at
private health clubs and gyms.
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What's
Different About the Pilates Method?
Joseph H.
Pilates designed more than 500 specific exercises
using five major pieces of unique apparatus to
develop the body uniformly. Instead of performing
many repetitions of each exercise, Joseph H.
Pilates preferred fewer, more precise movements,
requiring proper control and form. Because your
mind is required to engage with your body to
perform the movements correctly, you experience a
new awareness of muscle function and control. The
"powerhouse" - abdomen, lower back, and buttocks -
is supported and strengthened, enabling the rest of
the body to move freely. Proper instruction is
given only by teachers who complete a rigorous
certification program, including seminar training
and 600 apprenticeship hours. The certification
program has been continued by Romana Kryzanowska,
Master Teacher, who was personally trained by
Joseph Pilates. After Joseph's death, his wife,
Clara, asked Romana to carry on Joseph's
work.
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University
of california, Berkeley's Wellness Letter, February
2003
"Core
conditioning---build a better platform"
"If all
you do is walk, cycle, or swim, with maybe
occasional weight-training sessions, are you doing
enough to keep yourself in shape, maintain your
strength for sports (and life), and ward off
backaches and other problems resulting from weak
muscles? Lately, you may have heard that such
conventional exercise is not sufficient, and that
what you need is "core conditioning" or "core
training." You're right to pay some attention. This
approach may do you some good.
Core
conditioning is an integrated approach that focuses
on developing the muscles of the center of your
body, so you can move effectively through your
activities. The basic idea is that all the muscles
of the trunk and spine need to be trained for
strength, balance, agility, and flexibility. Rather
than strengthening individual muscle groups, such
as the abdominals or biceps, core conditioning
typically focuses on varied muscles in the torso,
back, hips, inner and outer thighs, and even chest.
The training emphasizes the role of proper
breathing and posture, and is as much a state of
awareness about your muscles as a new way to
exercise.
The
advantages of building a strong core are many. With
a strong "platform," from which your arms and legs
work, you'll be a better swimmer, cycler, and
runner. If your spine and abdominal muscles are a
powerful base for your legs, you'll be able to run
or walk farther and faster. You'll hit a golf ball
or a tennis ball more effectively. Core training
strengthens your lower back by improving posture.
It may reduce the likelihood of injuries.
If you
think you've heard all of this somewhere before,
you may have. Several kinds of "movement
therapies," including Pilates Training, have always
emphasized the core muscles. Pilates exercises are
designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles in
those areas. Some of the exercises have to be done
on special Pilates machines; some are done on a
mat. You do need a trained instructor to tailor the
routines to your needs. Trained athetes, as well as
dancers, often use Pilates as an adjunct to other
training, but the method is also adaptable for
older people and those with arthritis."
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