Hubby and I were watching The Holiday with Cameron Diaz a few nights ago. Mid stream, there was a shot of her home gym. Probably not unlike Cameron's own personal gym. It was a brief shot, but I insisted my hubby rewind it to get a still. "There was just a treadmill with just some other work-out equipment!", he quickly informed me.
"Fine, but I still think I saw...", I said. With that came the reluctant rewind. Don't you love it when you are right?!
There was not only a Pilates Reformer, there was a Pilates Chair.
Smiles are invoked when I "catch" Pilates equipment in movies, etc. If you saw Juno, Jennifer Gardner had a Reformer in, I believe her living room. Juno's father was stumped as to what in the world that strange apparatus was. I've had some of my son's friends tell me my Pilates equipment looked like something I might torture them on! Hmmmm. Some of them probably need a good work-out.
Anyway, this photo of Cameron was taken coming out of her Pilates session in early December.
Is it so novel that famous people like Princess Pilates Cameron (the media fondly calls her) choose the Pilates system? Nope! Actually, "famous" people have been using Pilates before you and I were ever born.
Too, I thrill when I see names of people in the press that I've met personally and or have worked-out with.
Example:
Some of you may remember my article back in the summer about the renown Pilates guru,
Siri Dharma Galliano. I had the wonderful opportunity to attend one of her Pilates trainings and also take a private lesson with her as well as her cohort Vil.
Lord, he about killed me. LOL. I never met so many parts of my body in one session in my life. Vil is Russian, if that tells you anything. No mercy to me, the American. He kept saying as he was dripping wet with sweat, "Ellen, quit laughing, this is hard work." Maybe it was MY sweat he was drenched with??
Siri, on the other hand, gave me a break. Perhaps she felt sorry for me? LOL. No worries, she invested more than her physical energy in my session. She reached deeper than my "core". Siri found and attended to my soul, without sounding "new age-ish". No question; it was the best money and time I've ever invested in Pilates. And believe me, I've invested a lot. She's invited me to come out to her place in Cali; now that would be a dream. I wonder if Vil would be there? Dream turned nightmare? Just kidding, Vil. Jk. I love ya!!!!
Here is something I just ran across today while researching. Nuggets I must share, especially considering the messenger.
"It is an education in body awareness. There is an attention required [in
doing the exercises] that changes your awareness even after class. It teaches
you how to train your mind and build symmetry and coordination in the body. And
when you can get control of the little things, that's practicing willpower.”
says Siri Dharma Galliano, Pilates instructor at a famous health center in LA.
"Unless you are taught how to move and discover with your teacher what is
blocking you (for example, keeping your shoulders up too high), you will never
achieve body symmetry. When you start getting control of your body, it gives you
a great degree of satisfaction." says the same Galliano, who also worked with Madonna, Sting, Cameron Diaz and Uma Thurman (to name a few) in their quest to getting to an enviable shape. (Hey, they didn't mention, Ellen Marie!!!)
This being said, you should not take these benefits for granted just because they’re enumerated above – not without properly "testing" them out at least. Then again, Joseph Hubertus Pilates said in 1965, "I must be right. Never an aspirin. Never injured a day in my life. The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They'd be happier." He was 86 at the time and he was not lying, so he must have known what he was talking about. Elena Gorgan, Life and Style editor, 9/9/2008 Softpedia.
PHOTO: INF Daily (12/1/08) LOVE THOSE BOOTS, Cameron!
Copyright © 2008 by Pilates Worx 4 Life. All rights reserved. Check out website: www.pilatesworx4life.com
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