Like many people we in Sarasota affectionately call “snowbirds,” 24 year old Liebelei Elena Lawrence enjoys the February Florida sunrise. But she’s not viewing it from a beachside condo; three times a week, diligently and without fail, Lawrence is leing her Pilates Personal Training session with Christina Gadar, just as the sun comes up.
Liebelei Elena Lawrence is a professional golfer with the Ladies European Tour who has been golfing since age 10 and now has a handicap of +1.6. She takes her training very seriously, and has tried several different exercise regimens for staying ready for the game. “As a professional golfer, I have spent countless hours in gyms with personal trainers but none have produced the results that Christina has,” says Lawrence. “Pilates is miraculous for golfers as it is, but you only get the full benefit if you have a good instructor to ensure that you are doing the movements correctly.”
WHAT IS PILATES?
Pilates is a proven and acclaimed conditioning program that has helped people strengthen and empower their bodies since the 1920's. The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning was developed by fitness visionary Joseph H. Pilates. He called his method "Contrology," or the art of control. He emphasized the importance of integrating mindfulness into exercise to increase muscle control: a revolutionary idea in the early 1900's.
Pilates is based on a series of controlled movements performed on spring-based equipment and specifically sequenced mat exercises. It is a full body exercise system that strengthens the abdomen, buttocks, lower back, and inner thigh region. By strengthening these muscle groups, those who practice Pilates notice improvements in posture, energy, flexibility, balance, strength, stamina and muscle tone. Pilates is predicated on six principles: control, concentration, body alignment, precision, correct breathing, and flowing movement.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PILATES?
People engaged in a routine Pilates exercise regimen experience increased flexibility and control; uniformly developed strong, lean muscles; improved posture, coordination and balance; increased energy and stamina; and invigorated mind and elevated spirit.
“Imagine an exercise program you look forward to, that engages you, leaving you refreshed and alert with a feeling of physical and mental well-being,” says Personal Pilates Trainer Christina Gadar. “The Pilates Method of physical and mental conditioning will do all of this, and more.”
WHO SHOULD DO PILATES?
Pilates was designed for a broad section of the public. Men and women of every age and body type can benefit from Pilates when done correctly and consistently. From the very athletic to the sedentary, Pilates can be used as a primary exercise regimen, or as cross training for golf, tennis and more. Pilates avoids mundane and repetitive movement, making it the ideal choice in fitness for the mind, body and spirit.
“I was overweight with chronic lower back and neck pain before starting Pilates with Christina,” said Deanna, who has been practicing Pilates for 3 years. “I feel better without chronic pain and have lost over 25 pounds. I have made Pilates with Christina a place in my life forever.”
“I started Pilates with Christina shortly after having my open heart surgery),” said Ed, a decade later. “I have noticed a big improvement in my flexibility and my golf game.”
“Despite having exercise-induced asthma, my flexibility and muscle strength have shown tremendous improvement,” said Donn, a client of Christina Gadar’s for four years. “My doctors confirm that my physical condition improves every year, and I am now in the top 15% of men my age for overall physical condition, including cardio-vascular metrics.”
“As a result of Christina’s instruction and my resulting core strength, my significant scoliosis pain has continued to lessen,” said Holmes, a Pilates client for over 3 years.
ABOUT CHRISTINA GADAR, PERSONAL PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Christina is a second generation Pilates instructor, having been certified by Romana Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates' hand chosen protégé, in 2000. She now owns and operates a fully equipped Pilates studio in Sarasota, complete with top of the line equipment based on Joseph Pilates’ original designs.
Gadar began her Pilates certification under the tutelage of certified teacher trainer Roxane Murata before obtaining full certification from master instructor Romana Kryzanowska in New York. In addition to yearly continuing education seminars, Gadar schedules trips throughout the United States to study with master Pilates teachers and teacher trainers.
“My dual citizenship with Brazil and the United States gives me the opportunity to schedule visits to the Pilates Studio of Brazil, where Romana (Kryzanowska) guest teaches every year,” says Gadar, who was introduced to the Pilates method at the age of fifteen while a student at the Boston Ballet. “My years of dance training have given me a better understanding of correct body alignment and body mechanics.”
“My goal is to preserve the integrity of Joseph Pilates' original vision of physical and mental conditioning while constructing creative workouts tailored to the individual,” says Gadar. “I love what I do and it brings me a lot of satisfaction to share the benefits of Pilates with others.”
For Liebelei Elena Lawrence, Pilates has become a way of life. “I have become infinitely stronger and more flexible through my sessions with Christina and owe a great deal of the improvement in my game to her.”
For more information about Pilates Personal Training with Christina Gadar, please call (941) 955-3800, or visit www.pilatespersonaltraining.com.
About Pilates Personal Training with Christina Gadar: Christina Maria Gadar has been providing top quality Pilates instruction in Sarasota, Florida since 2000. Christina’s fully equipped Pilates studio features the very best equipment in a comfortable and private setting. Proper choice of instructor and equipment is absolutely essential for success in Pilates. Private lessons last 55 minutes and are available Monday through Friday by appointment only. Christina’s studio is conveniently located near Sarasota Memorial Hospital, between the Siesta beaches and downtown Sarasota. For more information, please call (941) 955-3800, or visit www.pilatespersonaltraining.com.
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