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Pilates Abroad

Amanda Fletcher recently had the opportunity to teach Pilates Instructors in Istanbul, Turkey for three months and these are just a few of her experiences from her time there:

It is amazing to walk through some of the oldest streets in the world
on my way to work every day. Istanbul, the cradle of civilization, is more populated than New
York City, with a much less stable infrastructure. 

I am learning how to slow down, one of my reasons for coming here, as nothing gets done on
time. I used the word efficient in class today, and my translator
literally could not come up with a Turkish word to mean efficient. I
think the concept doesn’t even exist here.

The historic parts of the city are beautiful, windy narrow streets,
the Grand Bazaar, spice market, fish markets, restaurants. My Turkish
friends are very proud of their culture, history, freedom. Even the
young people have a picture of Ataturk, the first President of Turkey
and founder of the Turkish Republic, in their homes. Yesterday was the
73rd anniversary of his death, and everywhere his picture, flowers,
and the Turkish flag were on display.

My students and the people I have met are awesome, so warm, kind, and
helpful even when we have to use google translate to communicate with
each other, mixing up phrases and laughing about google’s word
choices. I am going to miss a few of these girls!

Only about 10-15% of the women are covered here, most are “modern”.
You can hear the sound of the call to prayer from every mosque five
times a day, beginning before the sun rises. Yet none of the people I
know pray that often even if they are Muslim.

The food is by far my favorite part! Everything is fresh and healthy,
vegetables, fresh pomegranate juice, fish, yogurt with every meal. If
only I could eat less of the cheese and bread, delicious!

I spent the Muslim Byram holiday in the Asian part of Turkey, in
Kemer, a part of Antalya. It is in the southern part of Turkey on the
Mediterranean, thankfully far from the second round of earthquakes
since I’ve been here. I hiked through the ruins of Olympos, and a few
other ancient cities. The weather warm enough for sun bathing, 20
degrees warmer than Istanbul.

The Hamam, Turkish bath, was another adventure. I decided to
experience a package of services, not knowing exactly what I was
getting myself into. The surprising part was that I was actually
bathed at one point, scrubbed and washed and rinsed. Then a massage,
followed by soaking in a private hot tub of sea water from the
Mediterranean, all very relaxing. You must go to a Hamam if you visit
Turkey, and I even recommend the bath part.


Amanda Fletcher
STOTT PILATES® Instructor Trainer

April 24, 2012
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A Pilates Poem

Inhale find the length throughout the crown of your head

Engage muscles that you didn’t know you had

Awaken your muscles that have been almost dead

Pilates is perfect for many ages, athletes, mom or dad

Pilates on the mat, barrel, reformer, Cadillac or chair

Standing, sitting, supine, sidelying or prone

Give it a try is my dare

And you too can be sitting tall on your thrown

Stand taller, compact your muscles, feel stronger,

Of coarse better posture and a stronger core

And don’t forget you might become longer

Knowing that each and every class is never a bore

Pilates in the early morning, afternoon and night

The hundred’s, mermaid, hug a tree or hug a moon

Is really almost as much fun as flying a kite

And will never be that class you doom

Exhale draw your navel to your spine

Pilates shall cause a change in postural lifestyle

With more flexibility and strength, you will be feeling fine

Come take a class, it will be worth your while. 


~Ann Samson 


March 21, 2012
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With my now 3 month old baby Dylan finally sleeping in my arms and sounds of Pandora’s toddler tunes dancing in my head, I finally put myself down to snuggle up with my Mac hoping for a solid 10 minutes to catch up on the current ways of the adult world.  I thumb through women’s health topics - my obsession. I wonder why there is so little information out there on putting our bodies and minds back together once we meet our wee one’s in turn giving us the ever so necessary tools to meet the extreme demands of motherhood.  We all have our own and very personal birthing story to tell. The bottom line is each of us went from carrying a watermelon inside of our incredibly stretched out pelvis, of which stretched further than any of us can or would care to imagine, hopefully resulting in the birth of our little beauties. The part I can not wrap my brain around: after that sort of trauma to our bodies and more times that not, our psyche, we are left with very little if any guidance on how to put ourselves back together.  The good news: I am not the only mother who has had these thoughts. Everyday I find more and more new and exciting research on women’s heath issues, such as postpartum care. These include oh so simple exercises to get us all pulled back together. Beware, these exercises do not include getting out our jog stroller as soon as we’re given the go ahead at that much awaited 6 week visit ;)  Maybe future birthing centers will include a “put me back together for dummies” manuel in the diaper cake, so that we are respectfully given the tools that will enable us to again dig deep and find the energy necessary for that 3rd night time feeding with a smile that says, I can do it. After more than a decade of working in the health and fitness industry and having my second child, my clear goal is to prevent unnecessary low back or pelvic pain in as many women’s lives that I am able to touch, and just maybe more and more women can laugh out loud and, get this, even sneeze in public without the worry. Tammy Kinsman

With my now 3 month old baby Dylan finally sleeping in my arms and sounds of Pandora’s toddler tunes dancing in my head, I finally put myself down to snuggle up with my Mac hoping for a solid 10 minutes to catch up on the current ways of the adult world. 

I thumb through women’s health topics - my obsession. I wonder why there is so little information out there on putting our bodies and minds back together once we meet our wee one’s in turn giving us the ever so necessary tools to meet the extreme demands of motherhood. 

We all have our own and very personal birthing story to tell. The bottom line is each of us went from carrying a watermelon inside of our incredibly stretched out pelvis, of which stretched further than any of us can or would care to imagine, hopefully resulting in the birth of our little beauties. The part I can not wrap my brain around: after that sort of trauma to our bodies and more times that not, our psyche, we are left with very little if any guidance on how to put ourselves back together. 

The good news: I am not the only mother who has had these thoughts. Everyday I find more and more new and exciting research on women’s heath issues, such as postpartum care. These include oh so simple exercises to get us all pulled back together. Beware, these exercises do not include getting out our jog stroller as soon as we’re given the go ahead at that much awaited 6 week visit ;) 

Maybe future birthing centers will include a “put me back together for dummies” manuel in the diaper cake, so that we are respectfully given the tools that will enable us to again dig deep and find the energy necessary for that 3rd night time feeding with a smile that says, I can do it.

After more than a decade of working in the health and fitness industry and having my second child, my clear goal is to prevent unnecessary low back or pelvic pain in as many women’s lives that I am able to touch, and just maybe more and more women can laugh out loud and, get this, even sneeze in public without the worry.

Tammy Kinsman

March 08, 2012
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Roger Martin-Pressman on Anusara Yoga at Pura Vida I joined the Yoga teaching staff at Pura Vida in November of last year and teach Anusara yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I love being part of the community here and would like to take this opportunity to explain my practice both as a student and teacher of Anusara yoga with a little more depth.  I discovered Anusara 6 years ago, randomly in the basement of the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  My first teacher is a retired lawyer who, at the time, was offering the classes for free.  I came to class searching for flexibility after years of playing soccer, being a “gym rat, ” and generally moving towards a tighter state of being.   I was surprised to find a powerful physical gateway into a deeper understanding of, and connection to, my emotional, psychological and spiritual selves. Anusara appealed to me at first because of my scientific mind.  With a degree in exercise physiology, I tend to resonate with the technical side of things and have found the human body to be a source of great fascination for me.  Anusara’s Universal Principles of Alignment (UPA’s) provide an extremely powerful way to understand how the human body fits together and moves at its fullest potential in all of the diverse ways possible. The use of themes and stories both at the beginning and throughout each class was also something new to me when I first came to Anusara.  Through the thoughtful weaving of these themes, my teachers have shown me over and over that the true power of this yoga is not necessarily in the physical, but in the use of the physical postures as metaphors for something greater.  The transformative power of Anusara lies in its ability to unify the body.  This is achieved by drawing both deep and subtle energies into each posture and practice using the Universal Principles of Alignment paired with heart-based themes. At its heart, Anusara yoga is about making powerful connections, which we can build upon in order to enhance our life and the lives of others.   Throughout my journey with Anusara yoga I have learned how to cultivate a practice of making these connections, and have experienced great richness as a result.  I believe this to be central to the practice of yoga regardless of the particular style.  My hope is that you will join me and the other teachers at Pura Vida and share in a similar experience.

Roger Martin-Pressman on Anusara Yoga at Pura Vida

I joined the Yoga teaching staff at Pura Vida in November of last year and teach Anusara yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I love being part of the community here and would like to take this opportunity to explain my practice both as a student and teacher of Anusara yoga with a little more depth.

 I discovered Anusara 6 years ago, randomly in the basement of the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  My first teacher is a retired lawyer who, at the time, was offering the classes for free.  I came to class searching for flexibility after years of playing soccer, being a “gym rat, ” and generally moving towards a tighter state of being.   I was surprised to find a powerful physical gateway into a deeper understanding of, and connection to, my emotional, psychological and spiritual selves.

Anusara appealed to me at first because of my scientific mind.  With a degree in exercise physiology, I tend to resonate with the technical side of things and have found the human body to be a source of great fascination for me.  Anusara’s Universal Principles of Alignment (UPA’s) provide an extremely powerful way to understand how the human body fits together and moves at its fullest potential in all of the diverse ways possible.

The use of themes and stories both at the beginning and throughout each class was also something new to me when I first came to Anusara.  Through the thoughtful weaving of these themes, my teachers have shown me over and over that the true power of this yoga is not necessarily in the physical, but in the use of the physical postures as metaphors for something greater.  The transformative power of Anusara lies in its ability to unify the body.  This is achieved by drawing both deep and subtle energies into each posture and practice using the Universal Principles of Alignment paired with heart-based themes.

At its heart, Anusara yoga is about making powerful connections, which we can build upon in order to enhance our life and the lives of others.   Throughout my journey with Anusara yoga I have learned how to cultivate a practice of making these connections, and have experienced great richness as a result.  I believe this to be central to the practice of yoga regardless of the particular style.  My hope is that you will join me and the other teachers at Pura Vida and share in a similar experience.

February 28, 2012
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What’s in my mason jar you ask?

If you are a pilates regular and in the studio weekly, you’ve probably noticed my mason jar full or green, orange or red liquid. Many people are curious about the concoctions and continue to ask me about the process etc. So, I thought I’d blog about it to give everyone who is interested the details.

Long story short, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer several years ago. We were told she needed to increase her consumption of green, leafy vegetables and avoid processed/packaged foods. She was also encouraged to follow a whole food, plant based diet. We took this advice very seriously, and I started juicing for her daily. I made drinks for myself too and in the process became a huge advocate for fresh, juiced vegetables. We were both not the type to crave vegetable or snack on something other than crackers and cheese. Introducing vegetables in this form to my diet changed my cravings, weight, skin, digestion and more. The benefits were tremendous and most importantly, my mom beat cancer and is healthy and vibrant today….and still juicing!

Juicing has become habit. It can be time consuming and tedious, but the benefits are endless and it is always worth it in the end. I try to have at least one juice a day and believe me, I notice when I don’t have one. The juice isn’t a meal replacement; it is a supplement to my diet. I view it as an easy way to fill my body with dense nutrients I can easily absorb and digest. There is approximately 8-11 pounds of fresh vegetables in each juice. 

Here are a couple standard recipes I make with my Die Cast Juice Fountain Breville Elite:

Green Drink

3 apples

2 cucumbers

1 lemon

½ bunch of celery

½ bunch of spinach (with the root attached)

1 bunch romaine

½ bunch of Laciato kale

2 quarter size pieces of kale

Red Energy Drink

2 small beets

5 carrots

2 apples

2 pears

½ bunch celery

2 quarter size pieces of ginger

February 15, 2012
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Does Fashion Harm?

Does fashion harm?  Well, when considering wearing high heel shoes women understand that fashion can cause undue pain and lasting discomfort.   But, what about less obvious fashion treads, for instance, piercings, specifically belly button piercings?   From an “energetic” point of view, the fashion of piercing potentially harms the body.   Physically we are an energetic system, in Chinese medicine the “chi” or life force flows through pathways called meridians.   A belly button piercing dissects a specific meridian pathway. 

Personally I have seen the power of opening that pathway by removing the piercing. REALLY!  

A physical therapist working with athletes has been researching the correlation of performance with piercings.  During a workshop I observed the difference myself. An individual had her belly button pierced for 18 years. Her movement pattern was obviously different before and after the ring was removed.   It was unbelievable!  This individual was emotional about the physical difference she felt and because of the change, she never put that thing back in. Fashion be damned!  Fortunately I worked with this individual for many months and knew her body well.  It WAS different working with her after the ring was out versus when the was ring in.  I won’t go into the physical complications, but the experience and struggle she had for years, and  the “blocked” meridian (by piercing) in Chinese medicine, is responsible for the flow of energy to the problem areas.    You might not experience the difference my student did  if you take our your belly ring but,  you will be opening up the flow of energy.  Try it, fashion be damned!  

Colleen Glenn

February 09, 2012
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Pilates is for Everyone

Ruth Kobin: 100 Years Old and Healthy Thanks to Pilates and Weight Lifting 

About 7 years ago Kitty Carlisle Hart at 95 (and in tights and a leotard no less) was featured in a New York One segment on Exercise for Seniors. A young male personal trainer who was very full of himself was talking about the importance of exercise for ‘the active agers’, and what this population should be doing. Ms Hart looked at him and told him that she had been doing Pilates for years, at which point she then got down on the exercise mat and demonstrated her Pilates prowess, while the wide eyed and wide mouthed personal trainer just stood there watching.

Pilates is the fountain of youth! What we must keep in mind though, is that Pilates really is for everyone. While there are countless women who do Pilates - the reality is that Pilates was created by a man for men. It just so happens that woman were drawn to the method and seem to have embraced it more than men have. If I can continue to move and do all the things that I easily did at 25 when I am 65 or older then I think - enough said!

Kevin Bowen

February 02, 2012
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Training and Intimidation

I am 5’-7”, 160 pounds, and have a receding hair line. Never in my life have I thought I would be considered intimidating. Intimidating may not be the right word, but I have recently learned that some people view me much differently than I see myself.

During a great talk with one of my clients, it was stated how difficult it is to decide to get a trainer. After asking him, my wife, mother, and other clients I found out that my profession is intimidating to some people. I never knew there was a fear of doing something wrong, or of being judged on on their body, or of just looking stupid. I want everyone to know how wrong this is.

Every trainer I know and respect chose this profession for their need to help people. We would all agree that if we had a friend that wanted to ski, they should get a lesson. Trainers are no different. We enjoy teaching the beginners the lifestyle that excites us. We love showing the intermediates how to get to the next level. And those seasoned veterans, we can give you 5 different ways to get your butt kicked again. So, please, come ask anyone with a name tag on the second floor any question you have about exercise, nutrition, or training philosophy. I promise, no one will get hurt.

Timothy Harris, Master Personal Trainer

January 30, 2012
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Pilates. Why Not? I talk about Pilates a lot. Most days, even when I am not teaching I find myself talking about it. I don’t have to, I want to. I like to. Sometimes I can’t help myself. Am I addicted? Perhaps. Although a bit weird to admit, I’ve woken myself up many a time stretching, doing the hundreds, a Pilates favorite :), or talking a client through an exercise. I’m not sure if it makes me fluent, but I love what I do. I can speak for the other eight instructors at Pura Vida that they do too.  Speaking Pilates is not just giving detailed instruction, or promoting certain exercises or conquering footwork. It’s a belief and focus on better posture, balance and overall being. So what is that really? It’s how you sit, stand, and feel on a daily basis. These are really the results that you “see”. Yes, you might lose inches and tone and get a flatter stomach, but truthfully it’s instilling movement and values and an understanding in what you do when you are outside of the studio.  If you think about how much time and money we invest in THINGS that make us happy, why wouldn’t you do the same in something that is proven to give you a better quality of life.   For more information:  http://www.sportsmd.com/SportsMD_Articles/id/410.aspx http://pilates.about.com/b/2011/08/29/stats-pilates-keeps-on-growing.htm Stacy Weinstein

Pilates. Why Not?

I talk about Pilates a lot. Most days, even when I am not teaching I find myself talking about it. I don’t have to, I want to. I like to. Sometimes I can’t help myself. Am I addicted? Perhaps. Although a bit weird to admit, I’ve woken myself up many a time stretching, doing the hundreds, a Pilates favorite :), or talking a client through an exercise. I’m not sure if it makes me fluent, but I love what I do. I can speak for the other eight instructors at Pura Vida that they do too. 

Speaking Pilates is not just giving detailed instruction, or promoting certain exercises or conquering footwork. It’s a belief and focus on better posture, balance and overall being. So what is that really? It’s how you sit, stand, and feel on a daily basis. These are really the results that you “see”. Yes, you might lose inches and tone and get a flatter stomach, but truthfully it’s instilling movement and values and an understanding in what you do when you are outside of the studio. 

If you think about how much time and money we invest in THINGS that make us happy, why wouldn’t you do the same in something that is proven to give you a better quality of life.  

For more information: 

January 20, 2012
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Thanksgiving Recipes

Here are a couple of healthy options for your Thanksgiving feast courtesy Sara Kosick: 

Recipe: Clean Green Bean Casserole

1 box Amy’s organic cream of mushroom soup

1lb fresh green beans

1 cup yellow onion, diced

1 ½ cups mushrooms

½ cup fresh almond meal

½ cup parsley

1 tsp salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350.  Wash and steam green beans for about 6-8 minutes (shouldn’t be completely soft).  Put 1 cup raw almonds in a food processor with parsley, salt & pepper; and blend to desire consistency ( I like it a little more chunky, but you can blend to a fine powder.)  Place green beans in casserole dish with Amy’s soup, and fresh cut onion and mushrooms; and top with almond meal.  Put in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Pumpkin-Cinnamon Pudding

2 1/2 T Agar flakes
1/2 cup raw cashews or hazelnuts
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 T cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 tsp vanilla
Whipping cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla


Place agar, cashews, and salt into food processor and blend into fine powder.  Add boiling water, blend.  Add pumpkin, agave, cinnamon, and cardamom and blend until smooth.  Transfer to desired dishes and cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes.  To top with homemade whipping cream: whip cream in a chilled mixing bowl until almost stiff.  Add maple syrup and vanilla; beat until cream holds peaks. Scoop a dollop on top of pudding and enjoy!

November 23, 2011
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Total wellness is the focus of Pura Vida Fitness & Spa, offering four floors of the finest cardio and strength equipment & classes in a luxurious and inviting environment. Pura Vida - Embody the good life.

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