Balance from the Ground Up: Start with Your Feet!

When Activcore and CORE merged earlier this year in Atlanta, we introduced a new movement method to our suite of services: the Gyrotonic Expansion System®. This system has two parts: 1) Gyrotonic® exercise which is performed on specialized equipment, and 2) Gyrokinesis® work which is performed on a chair and/or mat.‍ If you’ve been at Activcore lately, you might have seen the equipment in our back room. The Gyrotonic® equipment uses a system of weights and pulleys to simultaneously offload body weight, similar to the Redcord suspension system.

Balance is something often taken for granted until it is gone. Whether you suffer from a sudden physical injury or simply notice that things you used to do are getting harder over time, losing your balance can affect your quality of life. In some cases, it can even shorten your life.

Did you know that each of your feet has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments? And you have more than SEVEN THOUSAND nerve endings in each foot? The foot provides both important structural support for our balance and a ton of subconscious information for our brain about where we are in space and how to organize our movement.

On October 14, 2022, The New York Times published an article titled “The Fight for the Soul of Pilates.” The story was on the front page of the paper’s print edition style section the following weekend. It was a huge amount of visibility for the Pilates community. The topic? A new copyright-related lawsuit filed in federal court.

A few weeks back, I shared my take on the Pilates copyright lawsuit that is being heard soon in federal court in New York. Parties on both sides of the lawsuit claim to want to protect Joseph Pilates’ work and legacy, albeit through different mechanisms.

The new year is right around the corner. Have you carved out time to set your intentions for 2023? ‍The last week of the year is my favorite time to reflect and to cast a vision for how I want the new year to look and feel. More than simply reflecting and dreaming, I like to use this time to create a plan for the year ahead. 

Do you set New Year’s Resolutions? If so, how successful are you in maintaining the resolutions you set? ‍According to discoverhappyhabits.com, the statistics aren’t encouraging. After 1 week, 25% of people have already dropped their resolutions. After a month, about a third of people have given up. And at the 6 month point, roughly half of resolutions have been broken.

The new year is just days away. Have you completed a review of 2022 and set your intentions for 2023? The last step in actively creating a 2023 that's aligned with your purpose and priorities is identifying habits and small actions that will support moving toward your vision of the year ahead.

As a Performance Specialist at Activcore, I frequently get questions from my clients about bone density and ways to improve it (or at least maintain it). Building strong, healthy bones is essential for overall well-being and longevity. While traditional weightlifting has long been associated with bone-building benefits, Kettlebell training offers a dynamic and effective alternative.

Shoulder injuries can be debilitating, hindering our daily activities and compromising our overall well-being. Mindful exercise methods like Pilates and the Gyrotonic Expansion System® are a helpful addition to physical therapy. Both approaches focus on strength, balance, breathing, stability and mobility. But they differ in their principles and techniques.

In the world of fitness, finding the perfect balance between personalized attention and the motivating energy of a group setting can be a challenge. That's where semi-private Pilates sessions at Activcore shine. At our Atlanta (Druid Hills) location, we specialize in classical Pilates instruction led by comprehensively trained instructors.