| p>When I committed myself to two pilates and one | | | | My body is stronger and more flexible. I notice a big |
| yoga class a week I did it as part of my goal to be | | | | improvement in balance and posture. It wasn't until I |
| healthier. What has pleased me greatly is the | | | | had to do the pose in yoga where you stand on one |
| emotional benefits that I have received from these | | | | foot where I saw that I favored the outside of my |
| two forms of exercise. | | | | right foot. I have had to retrain my foot in order to |
| Both yoga and pilates require concentration. As | | | | be able to stand comfortably on either foot. The |
| someone who tends to have her mind move quickly | | | | mental discipline to concentrate on my breathing and |
| from one thought to another this mental discipline has | | | | the exercises continues to be challenging. |
| also helped me focus better in other areas. | | | | This has surprised me because I would have |
| Another unexpected benefit of yoga and pilates was | | | | predicted that I would soon get bored with the |
| how the mental discipline I had learned helped me | | | | repetitiveness of the exercises.Best of all I find that I |
| when I had to have an MRI of my head and neck. It | | | | have more energy. I found that just one pilates class |
| is scary and claustrophobic to be inside this narrow | | | | was not enough. Two pilates classes and one yoga |
| tube where you can not move. I reminded myself to | | | | class in addition to regular walking seem to give me |
| breathe the way I had learned in my classes and it | | | | the vitality that I need. This past summer I turned |
| made all the difference. I entered a state of quiet | | | | seventy years old. I love the fact that I am limber |
| mindfulness and was able to get through the lengthy | | | | enough to go kayaking and sailing, can keep up with |
| procedure staying calm and actually relaxed. A real | | | | my young grandchildren, and that my mind is |
| achievement for someone who is known to be | | | | energized so I can take my business in new |
| fidgety and prone to anxiety. | | | | directions. |