Tag Archives: chris hunt

Health and fitness, Pilates

Pilates EVO in Brazil

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www.pilatesevo.com

Pilates EVO in Brazil

I will be returning to Brazil in May 2016 to deliver Pilates EVO educations, and I will also be teaching again at the Congress of Pilates in Sao Paulo in September. For more information, please contact me at chris@pilatesevo.com.

For those people who are new to PilatesEVO….

“Life is always moving forward, always changing, always evolving. When we awaken to the fact that we cannot stop or control change; that we should embrace change, then we are able to move forward as well. From this philosophy I created Pilates EVO©. We should never forget our past. It built the foundation that our present so depends. But the past is not an excuse to stay still and not plan for a different future. I hope that you enjoy the journey you are about to start. Every journey begins with an intention and a small step. You have taken your first step.
Just as Pilates works the body from the inside out, the proactive approach to life is to change from the inside out: to be different, and by being different to effect positive change in yourself and the world.”
Chris Hunt, creator of PilatesEVO©.

Since its birth around 100 years ago, the Pilates method has been modified and arguably made more effective by some distinguished presenters, but diluted and the basic principles largely ignored by less scrupulous teachers. There are so many commercially orientated systems on the market today that tell teachers exactly what to do and when to do it, because they do not trust them to think for themselves. Welcome to a breath of fresh air; welcome to the world of PilatesEVO©.

Pilates EVO©(EVO is an abbreviation of evolution) is like no other Pilates system. Developed by Chris Hunt Pilates in London, it takes Pilates in a new and exciting direction incorporating more functional training methods and movement patterns, whilst staying true to traditional Pilates principles. It is a complete system, and the ideas that it teaches can also be used to enhance the teaching of any other Pilates method.

Pilates EVO© expands the mind and body element of Pilates by incorporating Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Mindfulness Meditation techniques to maximise the psychological and physical benefits, improving concentration and making clients emotionally, mentally and spiritually fitter. It improves motor fitness such as agility, balance, speed, co-ordination, reaction time and power. It also draws on thousands of years of teachings from Kundalini yoga and meridian stretches to enhance the overall experience. It has more flow and movement with sequences of moves made up from the sacred numbers 3, 7 and 21, and it uses unique, uplifting soundtracks mixed in London by DJ Shameless to enable clients to really connect with how their body is moving and working, giving a far deeper and rewarding experience. Most moves have different levels progressing muscular fitness using repetitions, range of motion, rate and resistance. This creates a system that will remain challenging to a wide range of training goals from elite athletes, people seeking everyday fitness, to clients rehabilitating following accident or injury.

This system increases muscular strength and endurance as well as flexibility, and helps prevent injury and improve performance with movements that are applicable to life and sport.

PilatesEVO© is the only system that allows its teachers to create their own movement combinations, that can then be introduced to the system worldwide. PilatesEVO© does not just tell its teachers what to do and when to do it; it actively encourages them to create their own Universe.

 

Chris Hunt is a Business Consultant and Pilates/functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, mind and body retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

 

 

 

Health and fitness, Pilates

Seja o melhor que você pode ser: Corpo e mente são vias de mão única

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Pilates EVO

Seja o melhor que você pode ser: Corpo e mente são vias de mão única – Por Chris Hunt

www.pilatesevo.com

Neste artigo quero falar sobre o ligação entre nossa mente e corpo. Sempre tive muito interesse nesse assunto e meu interesse aumentou quando meu pai faleceu devido à complicações do Alzheimer.

É comum pensarmos que nossa mente está no controle dizendo ao nosso corpo o que fazer. Mas há inúmeras evidências científicas que mostram que comunicações entre mente e corpo acorrem e o corpo é parte integral de como pensamos.

Em meus cursos de PilatesEVO e BodyFUNC (método de treinamento functional), eu incentivo meus alunos a abrirem suas mentes ao fato de que mente e corpo têm as mesmas intenções e propostas e trabalham juntos. Uma parte significante do curso é sobre o nível psicológico, visto que percebo que a grande maioria dos treinamentos focam somente na parte física o que, na minha opinião, é um grande erro. Então, dou a meus alunos ferramentas e técnicas que possam usar todos os dias em seus próprios treinos e no treino de seus clientes. Como Joseph Pilates disse “O Método Pilates de Condicionamento do Corpo é a completa combinação de corpo, mente e espírito”.

Até que aceitemos esse fato, acredito que não poderemos ser melhores instrutores. Há ainda muitas pessoas que se preocupam apenas com o nível físico. Hoje, há um crescimento muito grande de evidências científicas que vão de encontro ao meu pensamento indicando que pensar nesse todo indivisível, podemos atingir de maneira impactante os resultados que queremos, psicológica e fisicamente.

Movimentos e a atividades físicas envolvem a todos, começando com bebês e crianças pequenas. Crianças que se movem, atingem marcos cognitivos mais rápidos. Usar fraldas por muito tempo e andadores por exemplo, pode limitar a capacidade da criança pequena a interagir com o mundo e dificultar o processo de aprendizagem do andar. Quanto mais rápido as crianças aprendem a andar e explorar, mais rápido e melhor se desenvolve a parte cognitiva.

Trazer a atividade física em várias matérias pode ajudar as crianças na escola. Não podemos apenas confinar nossos alunos em suas cadeiras – devemos fazê-los levanter e se movimentar! Quando a matéria for matemática ou física, trazer os alunos para experiências físicas, pode mudar como seus cérebros processam as informações e pode trazer um melhor desempenho em uma prova, por exemplo. O movimento também ajuda a explicar a conexão entre a música e a matemática. Por que as crianças tendem a se destacar e ambas matérias? Porque as áreas do cérebro que controlam a destreza dos dedos e números tendem a se sobrepor em grande parte delas.
Uma área de especial interesse para mim é a ideia de que o exercício pode ajudar na saúde mental, bem como no desempenho acadêmico.

PilatesEVO

Pesquisas mostram que manter crianças em atividade física é importante não só para o seu bem-estar físico, mas para o seu bem-estar mental. O exercício é igualmente importante para os adultos mais velhos pois, pode promover o envelhecimento saudável mental e fisico. Existem diferenças claras na saúde do cérebro de idosos que praticam alguma atividade física, em comparação com os idosos mais sedentários, principalmente nos aspectos de pensamento, raciocínio e memória. Sabemos que o exercício aeróbico pode alterar a estrutura e funcionamento do cérebro, sendo então a chave para melhorar a saúde mental. Atividades como nadar, correr , andar de bicicleta, caminhar ou até mesmo fazer as tarefas domésticas em um ritmo vigoroso pode beneficiar o cérebro, além de manter o corpo em forma.

Aqui estão algumas idéias simples que você pode utilizar em suas aulas e em sua própria vida diária:
-Faça pausas durante o trabalho ou durante algum problema inquietante para dar chance ao seu cérebro de se “reagrupar” e “reiniciar”. Caminhar para longe do problema com pausas envolvendo atividades físicas te ajudam a resolvê-lo.
-A postura do seu corpo e as expressões não são apenas reflexos de sua mente – elas podem influenciar em seu humor. Fique em pé para dar confiança a você mesmo e esteja consciente de suas expressões faciais. Seu cérebro usa suas expressões como pistas para sentir as emoções. Sorrir pode realmente te fazer sentir mais feliz.
-Pratique em reais condições em que você terá que realizar – mesmo se for falar em público, uma prova ou um encontro importante. Também é bom praticar em frente à outras pessoas então quando todos os olhos estão em você, não é nada novo.
-Escreva, “coloque para fora”. Transferir o que sente para o papel pode te ajudar a lidar com o stress de um teste ou preocupações do dia-à-dia. Colocar preocupações no papel, te ajuda a reduzir stress e o quanto ele pode afetar sua saúde.
-Passe um tempo no meio da natureza com a maior frequência que puder e encontre tempo para meditar. A ciência mostra que caminhar no meio de um bosque rejuvenece nossas mentes e melhora nossa habilidade de prestar atenção e a focar em objetivos. Meditação por alguns minutos durante o dia pode ajudar a aliviar a ansiedade e a dor crônica. Também melhora o auto-controle ajudando-nos no trabalho e a quebrar hábitos ruins, como fumar.
Pequenas coisas que fazemos podem trazer grandes efeitos positivos. Não temos que gastar horas tentando melhorar nossa saúde física e mental mas, aplicando técnicas simples, podemos começar a fazer mudanças importantes em nossas vidas e nas vidas dos nossos alunos!

Chris Hunt PilatesEVO

Chris Hunt – Nascido em Londres/Criador do Método PilatesEVO que utiliza movimentos mais funcionais, PNL, meridianos e meditação (utilizado por muitos instrutores de Pilates em vários países incluindo Russia e toda a Europa, chegando agora no Brasil!).Trabalha com Pilates há 25 anos. Parceiro da MR3 – Sport/Training/Nutrição em São Paulo (com Marcelo Capella). Cursos no Brasil (São Paulo, dias 19, 20, 21 e 22 de Maio). Contato: educations@pilatesevo.com

Traduzido pela fisioterapeuta Dra. Renata Barros dos Santos (MR3 – Sport/Training/Nutrição)

Health and fitness, Pilates

Pilates e Programa Neurolinguístico

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Pilates e Programa Neurolinguístico

Pilates e Programa Neurolinguístico

www.pilatesevo.com

Pilates e PNL (Programa Neurolinguístico): como se tornar um melhor instrutor de Pilates

O Programa Neurolinguístico (PNL) é uma abordagem em comunicação, desenvolvimento pessoal, e psicoterapia. Há uma conexão entre processos neurológicos, linguagem e padrões comportamentais que são aprendidos através de experiências e que podem ser organizados para se atingir metas específicas na vida. Foi criado por Richard Bandler, um estudioso matemático, e John Grinder, um professor de linguística da Universidade da Califórnia em 1972. Desde então, outras pessoas têm complementado o programa com suas próprias técnicas e idéias. PNL tem crescido mundialmente e o PilatesEVO é um sistema em que se utiliza o PNL como base para aprender e ensinar o método Pilates. Este artigo tem como objetivo mostrar ao instrutor de Pilates, que é possível utilizar essa ferramenta para melhorar as aulas e o aprendizado dos alunos, visto que, muitas vezes os alunos têm dificuldade em entender os movimentos e porquê devem realizá-los da maneira que ensinamos. Assim como também temos alunos que são mais difíceis de fidelizar em nossas aulas.

O nome PNL é quase explicado por si só:

Neuro/Neurologia é o estudo do Sistema Nervoso. Como pensamos/como funciona todos nossos processos fisiológicos.
Linguística é o estudo da linguagem e de como usá-la, bem como seu efeito em nós e em outras pessoas.
Programação é sobre a sequência das ações que tomamos e a ordem em que as tomamos. Porque fazemos e porque pensamos da maneira que pensamos, e como nos levantamos da cama e nos motivamos a fazer todas as coisas que queremos a cada dia.
Então, no PNL tentamos unir todas estas áreas em um Sistema que pode ajudar pessoas a obter uma nova perspectiva de suas vidas, fazê-las melhores na comunicação e se comportarem diferente para alcançar o melhor. Claramente, esse trabalho pode ajudar pessoas a mudar suas próprias vidas para melhor, mas, em nosso caso, nos ajudar como profissionais do Pilates a melhor muito o aspecto da comunicação com nossos alunos e como lidar com diferentes tipos de pessoas!

Incluindo PNL na aula de Pilates

Existem 7 razões principais para se utilizer o NLP no Pilates

1) Faz com que seu aluno entenda os movimentos do Pilates com maior facilidade
2) Faz com que seu aluno goste mais de suas aulas
3) Permite que seu aluno ganhe maiores benefícios de sua aulas
4) Faz com que você possa se tornar um melhor professor, passando as informações de maneira mais eficaz
5) Faz com que você entenda melhor as necessidades do seu aluno
6) Faz com que você melhore a interação entre você e seu aluno, inclusive em aulas para grupos
7) Te ajuda em sua própria vida. Entender você mesmo e alcançar seus objetivos pessoais

Todos estes pontos acima também te ajudarão a manter seus alunos e a qualidade das aulas bem como o mais esperado: o resultado, seja ele qual for!
Há muitos aspectos do PNL que eu costumo ensinar durante o curso do método criado por mim, o PilatesEVO mas, neste artigo falarei sobre os Sistemas de Representação. É apenas uma parte do PNL mas, uma parte muito importante pois nos ajuda a entender como as outras pessoas aprendem.
Todos nós já passamos pela experiência de encontrar alguém que nos identificamos ao primeiro momento ou alguém com quem não nos sentimos muito confortáveis. Isso pode acontecer no trabalho, num bar, e crucialmente durante uma sessão de exercícios. Tenho visto pessoas deixarem de frequentar aulas dizendo “eu simplesmente não consigo” ou “eu não consigo me conectar com a aula ou com o professor”. Estas pessoas geralmente não têm consciência do porquê da existência destes sentimentos, mas através deste artigo podemos imaginar como se conscientizar sobre estes motivos e saber as razões pelas quais estes sentimentos podem ocorrer. Este conhecimento é muito poderoso e pode transformar nossas aulas e tornar-nos também pessoas de sucesso.

Classificação dos Sistemas de Representação
Nós processamos informações através de quatro formas distintas: visual; auditiva; cinestésica e cognitiva. Estas são as maneiras em que representamos o mundo aravés de nossos cinco sentidos e como nós tipicamente nos comunicamos de volta com o mundo. Quando a informação alcança nosso cérebro, uma experiência de mundo ganha significado e forma. Esta é a nossa representação, ou seja, nossa percepção da informação. Embora todos nós utilizemos todas os sistemas de representação, nós sempre tendemos a ter uma preferência entre eles.
Então quais são os quatro sistemas de representação (ou aprendizado)?

Visual
Pessoas visuais memorizam através de figuras ou fotos. Então, estas pessoas geralmente têm dificuldades em se lembrar de instruções verbais porque suas mentes tendem a “vagar”. São pessoas que se distraem menos com ruídos ou sons mais altos e geralmente utilizam frases visuais.

Pessoas visuais precisam “ver a informação” para poder entendê-las, gostam de um feedback baseado no visual e de usar gestos!

Auditivo
Pessoas que são predominantemente auditivas memorizam informações passo a passo e através de sequências. Gostam de ouvir o feedback através de conversas. Elas tendem a utilizar frases auditivas e se interessam naquilo que temos a dizer. Elas podem ser excelentes ouvintes, gostar de música e da voz falada.

Pessoas auditivas gostam de memorizar informações passo a passo, através de procedimentos sequênciais. Gostam de ouvir “como estão indo” e respondem à um determinado tom de voz ou conjunto de palavras.

Cinestésico
Pessoas cinestésicas processam informações que lhes são ditas para determinar seus sentimentos. Elas respondem bem ao toque e a recompensas físicas. Interessam-se em como se sentem e memorizam através do processo de realizar.

Pessoas cinestésicas respondem ao programa se sentirem-se bem. São pessoas muito físicas e gostam de ser tocadas. Elas aprendem atráves de uma ensino passo a passo.

Cognitivo
Pessoas cognitivas “conversam consigo mesmas” e gostam de pensar em como as informações podem fazer sentido e então as entendem. Dão muito valor na lógica e gostam de detalhes.

Pessoas cognitivas: precisam entender porque estão fazendo aquilo que estão realizando. Novas idéias precisam fazer sentido e serem lógicas para que elas possam se engajar completamente.

Há um teste simples para se fazer em casa que dá a idéia de qual sistema de aprendizado fazemos parte. No link https://www.facebook.com/pilatesevo, é possível mandar uma mensagem inbox com endereço de email e então enviaremos um teste. É possível utilizarmos este teste com os nossos alunos!
Neste teste podemos ver que aprendemos através da fusão destes sistemas, mas com um ou dois sistemas dominantes. Estatísticas sugerem que em países desenvolvidos, 60% das pessoas são predominantemente visuais, 20% auditivas e 20% cinestésicas. Isso explica porque fotos de propagandas no Facebook funcionam melhor do que os anúncios feitos apenas com palavras ou textos. Então, vale a pena lembrar disso quando criamos materiais de marketing e também quando estamos ministrando nossa aula de Pilates!
O sistema de aprendizado que usamos com maior predominância é como um idioma especial que abraça todos os nossos processos mentais de consciência, do pensamento, das lembranças, da imaginação e da percepção. Entender todas estas questões mais claramente, permite que nos comuniquemos melhor conosco e com outras pessoas e que possamos controlar a maneira que interpretamos as informações. Então, uma vez que entendemos mais sobre como representamos informações para nós mesmos, podemos melhorar nosso próprio aprendizado e nossas aulas focando em um sistema favorito e desenvolvendo os outros sistemas também de acordo com nossos alunos.

Como utilizar os Sistemas de Aprendizagem

Se ensinarmos utilizando somente os métodos visual e auditivo (como muitos professores fazem), não será surpresa se algumas pessoas em nossas aulas não responderem adequadamente ao que ensinamos. Isso nos mostra que possivelmente, elas preferem outros sistemas que não estamos utilizando.

Como podemos maximizar o potencial de treinamento em nossos alunos?

Pessoas visuais: devemos dar demonstrações claras dos movimentos

Pessoas auditivas: devemos instruir de forma muito clara enquanto demonstramos os movimentos.

Pessoas cinestésica: devemos tocar os alunos até o ponto em que sintam certeza de que seus corpos estão realmente alinhados da maneira que devem ficar e seus movimentos estão perfeitos ao ponto de estas pessoas sentirem realmente as sensações devidas.

Pessoas Cognitivas: devemos explicar não somente como fazer os movimentos mas, o porquê de estarmos realizando estes movimentos. Estas pessoas precisam entender o que estão fazendo e o porquê estão fazendo.

Parece óbvio mas, quando nos aprofundamos nos sistemas de aprendizado, passamos a avaliar muito melhor nossos alunos e a conhecê-los melhor também assim como a nós mesmos. Nossas aulas ficam mais produtivas e os alunos interagem melhor com o grupo e com o instrutor. A fidelização dos alunos aumenta e são vistos muitos resultados satisfatórios. Os objetivos são alcançados rapidamente. Vamos testar!

Por Chris Hunt – Nascido em Londres/Criador do Método PilatesEVO que utiliza movimentos mais funcionais, PNL, meridianos e meditação (utilizado por muitos instrutores de Pilates em vários países incluindo Russia e toda a Europa, chegando agora no Brasil!).Trabalha com Pilates há 25 anos. Parceiro da MR3 – Sport/Training/Nutrição em São Paulo (com Marcelo Capella). Cursos no Brasil (São Paulo, dias 19, 20, 21 e 22 de Maio). Contato: educations@pilatesevo.com

Traduzido pela fisioterapeuta Dra. Renata Barros dos Santos (MR3 – Sport/Training/Nutrição)

Current Affairs, Health and fitness

Processed Meat Causes Cancer

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Processed meat causes cancer

Processed Meat Causes Cancer

www.barcelonabienestar.com

So the news is out. The grapevine has been full of rumours that appear to be based in truth: that The World Health Organisation is reportedly planning to declare that bacon, sausages and other processed meat cause cancer. Red meat is also expected to be listed as being “probably carcinogenic to humans”. Carcinogenic means “having the potential to cause cancer”.

Another health scare story? One would hope not as it is coming from the WHO. This announcement is expected to be made today which will put processed meat in the same category as cigarettes, alcohol and asbestos. Yes, you read that right.

It was suggested to me by a contact at the WHO that this classification in the highest risk group doesn’t necessarily mean that processed meat is as dangerous as smoking or asbestos, but it does mean that there is as strong scientific proof that it can cause cancer.

The UK NHS Choices website says that “evidence shows that there is probably a link between eating red and processed meat and the risk of bowel cancer. People who eat a lot of these meats are at higher risk of bowel cancer than those who eat small amounts.”

However, it also says that beef, lamb and pork “can form part of a healthy diet” and that red meat is “a good source of protein and provides vitamins and minerals, such as iron and zinc”.

The World Cancer Research Fund says: “There is strong evidence that eating a lot of these foods [red and processed meat] increases your risk of bowel cancer.”

So the consensus of opinion is that processed meat causes cancer.

Naturally farmers and the meat industry have expressed concern about the impact on sales if the WHO lists processed meat as a carcinogen. Betsy Booren, of the North American Meat Institute, said recently: “If they determine that red and processed meat causes cancer – and I think they will – that moniker will stick … It could take decades and billions of dollars to change that.” Don’t worry Betsy, the sugar industry can testify that spending billions buys scientists and people in high places.

The UK Government previously warned the public in 2011 about the dangers of excessive amounts of red meat, and over the past week it is coming under increasing pressure to release the findings or a report that it is suggested recommends a Sugar Tax.

So once again what we eat is making the front pages of newspapers, but does it really come as any surprise to us that processed meat is not good for us? Surely not.

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, mind and body retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

Current Affairs, Health and fitness, Pilates

Pilates our labour of love

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Pilates EVO London Educations

Chris Hunt Pilates www.chrishuntpilates.com

Pilates our labour of love.

How many hours a week do you and your staff work teaching Pilates?

August in Barcelona is a experience, this year more than most. Usually the over-bearing heat and humidity coupled with the fact that many offices close down means that many of the locals pack-up and leave, and the city is taken over by hoards of tourists. This year the number of visitors throughout all of Spain has broken records, and whilst the weather also broke heat records earlier in the year, August is proving to be fresher, cloudier and wetter than most people expected. So when it comes to business here, the emphasis moves from the regular trade of locals to the seasonal trade of tourists. Many Pilates studios go to shorter working weeks due to the lack in demand, or even shut down for a few weeks.

The story seems to be somewhat different if we believe a Pilates teacher in New York. Today the New York Post reports that a Queens Pilates studio was an unlawful sweatshop, according to a former instructor who says he was forced to work 105-hour weeks there with no overtime. Marcos Leyton, 35, says that the owner of Pilates Bodies New York demanded he toil for 15 hours a day, seven days a week at Vibez in Bayside, without even a break between classes, according to his recently filed Brooklyn federal court lawsuit. His claims are being disputed by the studio owner, but whatever the truth is in this particular case, the story got me to thinking about how many hours we Pilates professionals actually work.

Many studio owners and freelance teachers work long and exhausting hours to make ends meet, and the vast majority are honest and faithful to their staff. Here in Barcelona however I have firsthand experience of less scrupulous studio owners who take advantage of the many Pilates teachers who want to move to Barcelona by getting them to work for free or next to nothing.

So my question today is how many hours do you typically work and are you happy about this? Of course I am not only talking about hours spent teaching, but also all the host of other things many teachers do for themselves from IT to accounts, bookings to cleaning.

Of course one of the main reasons for most of us to teach Pilates is that we love what we do and we hardly consider it to be “work”. This is one reason that we do not often complain. However most of us have also worked gruelling teaching schedules that we would have found totally unacceptable if we had been working for someone else or in a different profession that we were not so passionate about.

People often say to me that I am “very lucky” to be able to live and work in Barcelona, and to travel the world teaching PilatesEVO and acting as a business consultant. My stock reply to this is that I do not believe in luck; I believe in cause and effect. I always add a smilie after this :). The truth is that all us Pilates teachers probably work many more hours than a lot of people, for example, working in offices, as we are self-employed and we really care about our clients and our work.

I have given advice to many Pilates professionals who decided to work for themselves to give them greater freedom and control, but then soon discovered that they had much less free time and often felt totally out of control.

A work-life balance is vital in any profession, no matter how much we love our work. Do you think you have the balance right?

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator and a business consultant based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza, for more information please click on Barcelona Bienestar.  To speak to Chris about his consultancy services, please email consultant@chrishunt.info. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntpilates.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

PilatesEVO London Educations Oct 2015 v.1PilatesEVO Cotswolds Educations Oct 2015 v.1

Current Affairs, Health and fitness, Pilates

Beauty of Naked

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Pilates EVO London Educations

Naked Body

Beauty of Naked

It’s Monday morning, and what better way to start the week with a little (or a lot) of naked flesh, but all in the best possible taste!

ESPN have recently published their Body Issue, the 7th time they have done it. This is an increasingly popular annual event where they celebrate the beauty of the naked body, assisted by a selection of wiling athletes from a wide range of sports.

Chris Hunt Pilates

As health and fitness experts, we are all interested in the human form, and it is refreshing to lose all the Nike and Reebok fitness clothes, and just appreciate the beauty of the human body, whatever age, sex or shape.

Chris Hunt Pilates

As functional training experts, to see bodies in the ideal shape and condition for a range of sports just emphasies that a functional body really can and should be all shapes and sizes dependant upon what it’s main function is.

In my PilatesEVO educations, I use the definition of functional training as “Functional training is about using knowledge of functional anatomy to select exercises that help prevent injuries and improve performance, but the movements have to make sense and be applicable to one’s life.”

Chris Hunt Pilates

If you want to see the full arcitle, then you can click on  http://espn.go.com/espn/bodyissue

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntpilates.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

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Celebrity Pilates, Pilates

Lady Gaga Pilates and Bill Murray

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Pilates EVO London Educations

Pilates Lady Gaga and Bill Murray

Lady Gaga Pilates and Bill Murray

It’s Friday again. It has been a long, hot week here in Barcelona. It’s the second heat wave of the year and records are being broken all over Europe. Whilst it’s uncomfortable for some and heaven for others, the forest fires and dangers to the elderly make it a dangerous time.

Whilst serious issues such as the heat and Greece’s potential exit from the EU have been dominating headlines, there should still be some time on a Friday for a light-heated look at Pilates. I do not take myself too seriously, and I have explained before that I am not obsessed with celebrity. I have never bought Hello Magazine. What I am obsessed with is Pilates, and whilst not every one agrees, it’s my opinion that if someone starts Pilates because their friend, neighbour, sporting hero, model, actor/actress or favourite celebrity does Pilates, then that has to be a good thing.

Whilst I know the majority of people take my posts in the intended tongue-in-cheek way, some people do miss the point slightly. I always totally respect everyone has the right to an opinion, but all I am doing is raising the awareness of Pilates. If you do not or can not understand that, then it is your choice not to read my blog today.

So no anatomy today, no technical information. But how do I get a headline Pilates Lady Gaga and Bill Murray? It’s common knowledge that Lady Gaga is a big fan of Pilates and continues to use the system to rehabilitate and improve her performance, as the picture above shows. But Bill Murray? Well, he made an appearance yesterday in San Diego to promote his new film, and he joked that he was preparing to audition for the role of a young Han Solo by doing “lots of swimming and Pilates”. Anytime a man mentions Pilates I am happy, as you may have read in my post earlier this week Man Utd Star Loves Pilates. But Bill, I do not think that even Pilates will get you a shot at that role…

Have a great Friday all you Pilates people everywhere, and a great weekend. Like me I imagine that many of you will be “working” over the weekend, but when out “work” give us as much pleasure as it does, there is nothing we would rather be doing.

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntpilates.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

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Celebrity Pilates, Pilates

Man Utd star loves Pilates for men

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Pilates EVO London Educations

Man Utd star loves Pilates for Men

Man Utd star loves Pilates for men
www.chrishuntpilates.com

Daley Blind reveals how he is preparing for the new season.

Man Utd star loves Pilates for men. A headline to warm the cockles of my heart. Regular readers of my blog will know that there is very little I like more than a good Pilates for men type story. My opinion is that more men should be doing Pilates, so any reason to get guys thinking about Pilates is a good thing, and a Premier League Footballer is as good a story as any other to get some headlines.

Daley Blind will return to Manchester United’s Carrington training complex tomorrow having already hit the ground running. The Dutch international enjoyed a short beach break after the season ended, but last week Blind got down to serious solo training, working out at home and pushing himself to the limit on long, gruelling runs.

Blind also turned to his favourite pastime of Pilates for men to make sure he passes all the fitness tests ordered by Man Utd boss Louis van Gaal when his squad starts preparing for the new campaign in earnest this morning. He’s confident he’ll pass the tale of the tape and get down to even harder work before heading off with the rest of the squad for United’s pre-season US mini tour.

Blind said: “The club gave me three weeks off and I’m cautious with what I eat and drink. I make sure I’m responsible. For me, the summer holidays are about letting everything go and spending quality time with my family and friends. I like to relax on the beach, play some tennis or have a kickabout with my mates. My mindset changes so I can recharge my body and mind after a long, hard season. During the last week of my holiday, I started running and stretching to get my body going again”.

“I worked out at home or outside, focusing on Pilates. This helps with stability and agility. And I focused on eating healthy food like fruit and veg. Bad food makes you feel lethargic and bloated and who wants to feel like that?”

Blind is not the only footballer or sports professional to use Pilates as part of their training program. I have written before about other stars including Steven Gerrard and Landon Donovan. I am really pleased to see more and more men attending my PilatesEVO educations and sessions, and there is a growing demand here in Barcelona for fitness and wellness based retreats for specific sports, not only the traditional wellness retreats (see www.barcelonabienestar.com for more)  .

As for writing about celebrities, I have said before that even if one man tries Pilates for the first time as a result of reading about a footballer doing it, then that is a success.

So we will keep championing the Pilates cause among men, and wish Daley Blind good luck next season in the English Premier League. But not too much success as I am an Arsenal supporter!

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntpilates.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

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Pilates

Pilates EVO by Chris Hunt

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Pilates EVO London Educations

Pilates EVO by Chris Hunt

Pilates EVO by Chris Hunt

Pilates EVO is the only system that allows and encourages its teachers to bring their own ideas and experiences and create new combinations that can be used all over the world. Do you always want to be told what to do? Or do you want to create your own Universe?

Pilates EVO by Chris Hunt

To find out how this system seemlessly incorporates NLP, meridians, mindfulness meditation, scared numbers and Kundalini in a flowing practise with a unique soundtrack, click on www.pilatesevo.com. Blend the old with the new.

The next Pilates EVO educations in 2015 are in the UK in October (London and the Cotswolds) and in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in November. For more information and to book your place, just click on  our Facebook Events Page.

Current Affairs, Health and fitness, Pilates

You want to be the best you can be? Mind and body is a 2-way street

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Mind and Body Chris Hunt BlogYou want to be the best you can be? Mind and body is a 2-way street

My regular readers will know that I have a great interest in the link between mind and body. I have always been interested in this topic, but my interest was heightened following the death of my father from Alzheimer’s (please read Dementia, I lost my father, don’t lose yours).

Here in Barcelona I organise wellness retreats that treat our healt holistically, a real mind and body experience.

It is common to think that our mind is in control and telling our body what to do. But there is a lot of scientific evidence that shows the chatter between mind and body goes two ways, and the body is an integral part of how we think. I was therefore very interested to read a new book How the Body Knows Its Mind, by Prof. Sian Beilock, who provides the latest scientific evidence about the body’s influence on our psyche, drawing on work from her own laboratory and from colleagues around the world.

On my PilatesEVO© and bodyFUNC© fitness educations, I encourage my students to open their minds to the fact that the body and the mind are to all intents and purposes one and the same. A significant part of my training is about the psychological level, whereas I find that the vast majority of training educations focus only on the physical which is my opinion a big mistake. So I give my student the tools and techniques they can use everyday in their training for themselves and their clients.

I give similar talks to senior management when acting as a consultant to business. Until we accept this fact, it is my contention that we can never be the best teacher we can be, or the best manager we can be. There are still many people who operate in the physical plane only, and there is growing scientific evidence that supports my teachings that to do so is seriously and critically impacting on our ability to achieve the results we want, both physical and psychological.
Beilock, a leading expert on the brain science behind human performance, believes the body-mind connection starts early.

“Movement matters with everyone, but it is especially important for babies and young children,” said Beilock. “Mobile kids hit cognitive milestones faster.” She said that simple steps like allowing babies to run around naked — when appropriate — can help them explore their worlds. Beilock said wearing diapers and using baby walkers can limit a baby’s ability to interact with the world and hinder the process of learning how to walk. The more quickly children learn how to walk and explore, the faster their cognitive development.

Incorporating physical activity into more subjects can help kids learn in school, according to Beilock.

“We can’t just keep students confined to their chairs — we have to get them up, out and moving,” Beilock said. “When the subjects are math or physics, getting students to actually physically experience some of the concepts they’re learning about changes how their brains process the information and can lead to better performance on a test.” Movement also helps explain the connection between music and math. Why do kids tend to excel in both? It’s because the brain areas controlling finger dexterity and number largely overlap. Beilock unpacks the latest research showing that when kids exercise their fingers through regular piano play, their grasp of numbers improves.
An area of particular interest to me that the idea that exercise can aid mental health as well as academic achievement. According to Beilock. “The research shows that getting kids moving is important not only for their physical well-being, but for their mental well-being, too.” She said schools need to emphasize “the “4 Rs” — reading, (w)riting, (a)rithmetic and recess. Boys’ academic achievement may especially benefit from recess, she added.

Exercise is equally important for older adults, as it can promote healthy aging mentally and physically. “There are clear differences in brain health in fit, older adults compared with their more sedentary counterparts,” said Beilock. “And these differences carry consequences for thinking and reasoning as well as for memory.” Beilock stressed that aerobic exercise, which can alter the structure and functioning of the brain, is key for improving mental health. Activities like swimming, running, cycling, walking briskly or even doing household chores at a vigorous pace can benefit the brain, in addition to keeping the body fit.

There are some simple mind and body ideas that you can incorporate into your training, or you everyday life:

• Take active breaks from work or vexing problems to give your brain a chance to regroup and reboot. Physically walking away from the problem for a few minutes may help you solve it.
• Your body’s posture and expressions are not just reflections of your mind — they can influence your mood. Stand tall to help give yourself confidence and to send a signal to those around you that you have brought your “A” game to the table. And be mindful of your facial expressions. Your brain uses your expressions as cues to feel emotions. Smiling can actually make you feel happier.
• Practice in the real conditions under which you will have to perform — whether it’s public speaking, a test or an important match. It’s also good to practice in front of others so when all eyes are on you, it’s nothing new.
• Write it out. Journaling can help you deal with the stress of a test or your worries in daily life. Physically downloading worries from your mind (by putting pen to paper) has positive performance outcomes and reducing that stress affects your health in good ways, too.
• Spend time in nature as often as you can, and find time to meditate. New science shows that a walk in the woods rejuvenates our minds and improves our ability to pay attention and focus. Meditation for even a few minutes a day can help alleviate anxiety and chronic pain. It also can help with self-control that may be helpful for working to break bad habits, like smoking.
“Little things we do can have a big effect,” said Beilock.
We do not have to spend hours every day in order to improve our physical and mental health. By applying some simple techniques, we can begin to make a major shift in our life.

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, mind and body retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.