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Body Harmonics

Pilates & Movement Institute

  • Teacher Training
    Certification
    • Level 1: Pilates Mat
    • Level 2: Pilates Reformer
    • Level 3: Pilates Cadillac, Chair, Springboard & Barrels
  • Continuing Education
  • Specialist
    Certificates
    • Primary Specialist Certificates
    • Advanced Specialist Certificates
  • Course Calendar
    & Registration
  • Faculty
  • Blog
  • Contact

Blog

The Subjective Matters

November 20, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

I had an epiphany this weekend as I was teaching a group of Pilates Teachers about client assessment, and how to teach the body in front of them. Inevitably as we were talking about protocols for assessing, comparisons between our approach as Movement Educators and that of the medical community inevitably arose. What came out …

The Subjective MattersRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Assessment protocols, back, Body Harmonics, Client assessment, Clinical tests, Education, Exercise, Hip, knee, Medical, Movement, Movement educators, Movement Impairment, Objective, Pain, Pain Cycle, Pain Free, Pilates, Pilates Certification, Pilates Education, Pilates Teacher, Science, shoulder, Strength, Subjective

Where Knowledge meets Confidence

November 19, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

Pilates teachers take on a myriad of roles, and styles too. That’s what makes us a diverse group of amazing and talented individuals! Along with that versatility comes varying degrees of experience and education related to movement and the body. All sorts of terms have been used to describe the study or science of movement, …

Where Knowledge meets ConfidenceRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: anatomy, biocuriosity, Biomechanics, Confidence, critical thinking, curiosity, Education, knowledge, Movement, movement science, Pilates Certification, Pilates Education, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Teacher Training

An Ode to my Favorite Muscle

November 19, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

So, I have a favorite muscle. Is that weird? Do other people have one favorite muscle or is it just me? I guess if you can be especially fond of a physical feature like your eyes, your legs, or whatever else, why not give special honor to a part that no one sees? Well, the …

An Ode to my Favorite MuscleRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: back, Body Harmonics, Fitness, Injury, Movement, Muscle, Pain, Pilates, ribs, serratus anterior, shoulder, spinal cord, spinal cord injury. body

The experience of experiential learning

November 19, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

In our society of infinite conveniences, one-on-one connections are increasingly lost as we become more reliant on technology. Of course, it is easier to jump in front of a computer and quickly look for the information we seek, all without leaving the comfort of our home, or our pajamas. Over the years a vast amount …

The experience of experiential learningRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: courses, Education, experiential learning, kinesthetic learning, learning, learning styles, online learning, Pilates Certification, Pilates Education, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Teacher Training, workshops

Do you mean what you say?

November 19, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

“Be mindful when it comes to your words. A string of some that don’t mean much to you may stick with someone for a lifetime.” Rachael Wolchin As teachers of movement, in whatever capacity, we use our words in the form of “cues” to help our clients find a movement, a position, a shape, stability, …

Do you mean what you say?Read More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Ab Curl, Abdominals, Abs, Biomechanics, Body Harmonics, bones, brain, central nervous system, eccentric contraction, glutes, isometric contraction, joint, knee, leg, lumbopelvic rhythm, Movement, Muscle Contraction, muscle patterns, muscles, musculoskeletal system, neutral spine, pelvic floor, pelvis, Pilates, Pilates Education, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Teacher Training, shoulder, shoulder girdle. neck, spine

How do we get them to stay? Exercise adherence and client retention

November 15, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

We have all had those clients that come to us in agony with the goals of getting moving and staying moving. In their first session, they say that they realize that the reason for their pain is because they haven’t been moving enough or not in the right way. If they could just get back …

How do we get them to stay? Exercise adherence and client retentionRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Body Harmonics, bootcamp, Exercise, exercise adherence, functional movement, Gym, learned behavior, Movement, Pain, physical therapy, physiotherapy, Pilates Certification, Pilates Teacher, rehab, Rehabilitation

The New Age of Pilates: What is the disconnect?

November 15, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

In my 15+ years of teaching and owning a studio, I have been advised over and over that if I want to be successful in this industry, I should avoid using the word Pilates in describing or promoting my business. This advice, of course, comes from those who do not understand Pilates or the philosophy …

The New Age of Pilates: What is the disconnect?Read More

Category: UncategorizedTag: classical Pilates, contemporary Pilates, Exercise, Joseph Pilates, Pilates, Pilates Principles, Pilates Studio, Pilates Teacher

Mind-Body or Mind(minus)Body

November 15, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

As a child, I learned that one must not speak of politics and religion in polite company. The weather was always a safe choice. The past year has been a challenging time both in the US and around the World, and I am finding myself in unfamiliar territory. I realized early on in my career …

Mind-Body or Mind(minus)BodyRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: body, Body Harmonics, mind, Mind-Body, Pilates, Pilates Certification, Pilates Method, Pilates Principles, Pilates Teacher

Is there still room for biomechanics in Pilates?

November 15, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

We have been hearing about Biomechanics everywhere these days, it seems like it’s the latest buzzword. In the fitness and health industry, we tend to latch onto one word, muscle or concept then use it, correctly or incorrectly, in every single situation, relevant or not. Let’s step back in time even before Pilates was known …

Is there still room for biomechanics in Pilates?Read More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Biomechanics, Breathing, circulation, Contrology, Joseph Pilates, Movement, Movement Professional, Muscle, physical education, Pilates, Pilates Principles, Pilates Teacher, Posture

I have the best job in the World

November 15, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

I LOVE MY JOB! I am that person on Monday morning that jumps out of bed, dances while getting ready, and sings all the way to work. Why? Because I get to make a difference in at least one person’s life every day. No, I am not a doctor, and I am not a scientist …

I have the best job in the WorldRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: back pain, hip pain, Movement, Movement Impairment, Pain, Pain Free, Pelvic Alignment, Pilates, Pilates Certification, Pilates Teacher, Recovery, Rehabilitation

Stack your Boxes: Strategies for Standing and Walking

November 14, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

One of the most common physical complaints clients bring to us is pain in their back and knees when they are standing and walking. I personally live in a very hilly area so add to that the extra exertion and the challenge on my clients’ joints when walking up and downhill. This is one of …

Stack your Boxes: Strategies for Standing and WalkingRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Balance, bone density, cardiovascular health, Exercise, joint mobility, Pain, Pilates, Pilates Certification, Pilates Teacher, Posture, psychological and mental well-being, standing, walking, Workout

Between the Cues: The Magical Sound of Silence

November 14, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

Whether you are teaching a private session or group class, there are so many moving parts to observe, assess, and instruct. As teachers, we all have different strategies to manage this, whether through the use of cueing, hands-on adjustments, or breaking down movements into incremental parts. It is easy to get caught up in the …

Between the Cues: The Magical Sound of SilenceRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Body Harmonics, Exercise, Hands-on Cueing, Joseph Pilates, Mind-Body, Mind-Body Exercise, Movement, Pilates, Pilates Certification, Pilates Class, Pilates Principles, Pilates Session, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Teacher Training, Return to Life, Tactile Cueing, Verbal Cueing

Do you see what I feel?

November 14, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

Have you ever wondered why a client says that they feel straight when they look completely out of alignment? It can be frustrating for a Movement Practitioner to be looking at a client that is clearly twisted and contorted on the table, and they claim to feel evenly weighted and in a straight line. How …

Do you see what I feel?Read More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Alignment, Balance, Biomechanics, Center of Gravity, Movement, Movement Practitioner, Pilates, Pilates Certification, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Teacher Training, Postural Alignment, Posture, Spatial Awareness

Cueing the Breath: A Blessing and a Curse

November 13, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

One of the quintessential Pilates Principles is Breathing. Seems like an obvious task, but amazingly a significant challenge for many, especially with the amount of focus asked of them in a typical Pilates session. Joseph Pilates himself explains in his manifesto, Return to Life Through Contrology that to breathe properly we should “SQUEEZE EVERY ATOM …

Cueing the Breath: A Blessing and a CurseRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Ab Curl, Abdominals, Bicep Curl, Breath, Breathing, Exercise, Inner Unit, Intra-Abdominal Pressure, Joseph Pilates, Movement, Muscle, Muscle Activation, Pilates, Pilates Breathing, Pilates Principles, Pilates Reformer, Pilates Teacher, Power House, Return to Life, spine, Transversus Abdominis

Finding your Teaching Voice

November 13, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

Making your way through your Pilates Teacher Training program is an exciting and overwhelming time to say the least. There is an incredible amount of information thrown at you all at once, and you are expected to retain it all in a very short period of time. At a minimum, the initial certification part of …

Finding your Teaching VoiceRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Body Harmonics, Exercise, Joseph Pilates, Movement, Pilates, Pilates Certification, Pilates Method, Pilates Specialist, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Teacher Training, Voice

The Core: Function over Fashion

November 9, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

Core Stability continues to be all the rage in the fitness and medical field. As Pilates Professionals, all of us have had new clients mention that Pilates was suggested to them by their Physician to improve core stability. Have you ever asked these clients what that means to them? The answers are often the same. …

The Core: Function over FashionRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Ab Curl, Abdominals, Abs, Biomechanics, Body Harmonics, Core, Core Stability, Fitness, Gym, Health, Locomotor Systems, Movement, Movement Pattern, Movement Professional, Muscle, Pilates, Pilates Instructor, Pilates Teacher

You know how to move bodies, but do you know HOW the body moves?

November 9, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

The human body is an exquisitely complicated piece of machinery made up of a complex web of muscles and tissue that support and move its bony structure. Every single day, you work with bodies of all shapes, sizes, and abilities, but how well do you know the intricacies of how the body functions to produce …

You know how to move bodies, but do you know HOW the body moves?Read More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Biomechanics, Body Harmonics, Exercise, Functional Anatomy, Movement, Movement Professional, Muscle, Pilates, Pilates Certification, Pilates Instructor, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Teacher Training, Post-Rehabilitation, Therapeutic Exercise, Yoga

What would Joseph do? Navigating the Competitive Arena of Pilates

November 9, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

In recent years, Pilates has become as prominent in some cities as Starbucks. In smaller communities even, you can find a Pilates studio almost on every corner, in a number of iterations. In one neighborhood in my town, there are 7 studios in a two-block stretch, with 3 more rumored to be opening soon. We …

What would Joseph do? Navigating the Competitive Arena of PilatesRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Barre, Body Harmonics, Business Coach, Business Owner, Business Skills, Confidence, Entrepreneur, Joseph Pilates, Movement, Networking, Pilates, Pilates Studio, Pilates Teacher, Pilates Teacher Training, Starbucks, Yoga

Mobility vs Stability: The Building Blocks of Biomechanics

November 9, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

I think it’s pretty fair to say that we go through life with little awareness of whether parts of our body are mobile or stable, and thank goodness for that, how boring! (well, not for movements nerds) It’s not until we experience a moment of instability that results in a stumble or a fall, or …

Mobility vs Stability: The Building Blocks of BiomechanicsRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: back pain, Biomechanics, dynamic movement, fall prevention, hip pain, joint pain, knee pain, mobility, Movement, movement teacher, neck, Pain, Pilates, Pilates Teacher, shoulder, spine, stability

Stop Chasing the Symptoms: Getting to the root of the matter

November 8, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

In our role as Movement Professionals, we all have the privilege of working with people that have some sort of pain, some much worse than others. They may come to us with a list of symptoms, and over time they may have developed preconceived ideas of what is “wrong” with them–many even refer to themselves …

Stop Chasing the Symptoms: Getting to the root of the matterRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: back pain, Body Harmonics, bodywork, causation, correlation, knee pain, Movement, Movement Professional, Pain, pain management, physicians, Pilates, Pilates Studio, Pilates Teacher, symptoms

The Fear Factor: The Anticipation of Pain in Movement

November 8, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

As we all move through life, we don’t really think of the hundreds of coordinated movements that our body makes each day, let alone how they feel. When a person is in pain though, every single movement can bring on a landslide of feelings, both emotional and physical. When pain persists over a long period, …

The Fear Factor: The Anticipation of Pain in MovementRead More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Body Harmonics, Exercise, Fear, Injury, Injury Recovery, Movement, Pain, Pain Cycle, Pilates, Pilates Studio, Pilates Teacher, Rehabilitation

Clench it or Move it? That is still the question.

November 6, 2021 //  by Holly Wallis

Since the exercise craze of the ’80s, we have seen many variations of the “Butt Crunch”, “Ab Crunch”, anything you can crunch–and the more the better, right? The action of a Butt Crunch is a repeated squeeze of the buttocks while sitting or standing–and squeeze and squeeze and squeeze. With the promise of a more …

Clench it or Move it? That is still the question.Read More

Category: UncategorizedTag: Abdominals, Biomechanics, Body Harmonics, Exercise, Gluteus Maximus, isometric contraction, Movement, Movement Professional, Muscle, Muscle Contraction, Pilates, Pilates Studio, Pilates Teacher

Contact
Teacher Training Affiliate Studio: ReActive Movement, 6200 La Salle Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611
510-710-5212
Program Director: Holly Wallis, holly@bodyharmonicsus.com
Copyright © 2023 Reactive Movement  |  Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Course Replays Available

Arthritis: The Modern Epidemic
Balance Apparatus
Breathing Mechanics & Protocols
Build a Strong & Supple Spine
Cervical Spine Mechanics & Protocols
Foot & Ankle: The Body’s Spring System
Myofascial Lines of Movement
Neurophysiology 101
Post-Rehab Protocols: Hip & Knee
Post-Rehab Protocols: Shoulder
Post-Rehab Protocols: Spine
Power & Balance for Hip and Knee
Resistance Apparatus
Simplifying the Shoulder Complex
Strength, Balance & Fall Prevention for Seniors

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