We had a fantastic weekend at Pilates Central presenting the second ever PRI Integration for Pilates course to a stellar audience that brought a fun and energetic vibe. I really love presenting a two day course with 2 other faculty members because we can showcase each other's strengths in a complementary way and it increases the likelihood of course attendees connecting personally with one or more of the presenters. Donna Parise Byrne and Sarah Petrich are two professionals that bring a strong combination of experience and ability to the table and the course attendees just love them.

We welcomed a dynamic group of physical therapists, pilates instructors, strength and conditioning professionals, athletic trainers, massage therapists, personal trainers and students. Thank you Jenny LaForest, for bringing your interest in pediatrics all the way from Missoula MT, and Danny Jackowicz, for bringing your interest in performance training all the way from Erie PA. When people who are not in the world of Pilates realize that adding Pilates can powerfully enhance what they do, its awesome. Thank you Glenna Nall, for being a competitive olympic lifter who appreciates the value of breathing and proper core integration, and Mark Cibrario, a personal trainer who still plays high level baseball with athletes 25-30 years younger than he is and doesn't miss a beat. I love it when our attendees really put the principles we teach to work in their lives to enhance body durability and career longevity.

I also wanted to thank Deb and Angel Giordano, the dynamic mother daughter team that brought so much to the weekend. Deb, I know you have a long history with Donna and Pilates Central. Thanks for bringing Angel, because her questions were so helpful to the flow of the class and definitely made the experience better for the rest of the class. It was also special to have Elizabeth Hodges attending this course. She is the one and only PRI Integration for Pilates model for all of our exercise techniques. Her contributions to the manual will continue to bless others for a long time into the future. Thank you Elizabeth and thank you for coming.

Speaking of the PRI Integration for Pilates exercise techniques, I just love what the reformer and the chair allow us to do in terms of creativity, adaptability and successful delivery of muscle and movement integration. I mean, where else does Supine Left Stance with Right Rectus Femoris and Sartorius become Left Leg Footwork Right Develope, Supine Supported 90-90 Synchronized Resisted Glute Max become Butterfly Breathing Thighs in Loops, Supine Supported Thoracic Inhibition with Serratus Reach become Feet in Loops Reach, Paraspinal Release with Left Hamstrings become Seated Gymnast Prep, Standing Left AFIR with Right Glute Max become Left Stance Scooter, Standing Left AFIR with Right Abduction become Speed Skater and Standing Left Posterior Mediastinal Expansion with Alternating Weight Shift become Standing Walking Elephant? I could go on, but you get the idea.

Please consider joining us for one of our upcoming courses this year in Albany NY, Minneapolis, MN or Novato, CA.

Philadelphia – “City of Champions” – provided good karma for the latest Postural Respiration course, hosted by Jon Herting, DPT, CSCS and Rob Rabena, MS, CSCS at Maplezone Sports Institute/The Training Room Physical Therapy. This was the first PRI course for half of the attendees. The class comprised a mix of PTs, PTAs, strength and conditioning specialists, coaches, massage therapists, and student PTs, with a range of experience and patient populations. Artem Imnadze, Nick Perugini, and Chris Stires, our students, confirmed that, still, there is virtually no discussion in the PT curriculum of the diaphragm’s functions. We addressed that short-coming through in-depth analysis of our lateralized diaphragm and its impact on human movement, physiology, and behavior. Ample time was devoted to testing and re-testing, following non-manual and manual techniques, to ascertain the each person’s degree of patterning and how challenged, or effective, they were in achieving tri-planar diaphragm position and activity. Participants learned that orthopedic dysfunction stems from our neurology and the patterned diaphragm. Therefore, breathing patterns and associated rib movement (or lack thereof) must be assessed and addressed to ensure recovery! Many mentioned they had “aha” moments throughout the course. Others had patients in mind that they planned to apply the material immediately. Thank you to Jon and Rob for hosting and to Jon and Frank Mallon, DPT, PRC, for your outstanding assistance with lab and clarifying concepts. Special thank you to Alfredo Aviles, NSCA-CPT, Ray Carr, DPT, Christopher Carroll, DPT, NCS, Justin DePermentier, DPT, ATC, Leor Giladi, DPT, CSCS, Tracey Emrey, MSPT, Michele Kersman, PTA, Nicole Ledbetter, LMT, Sheree McMullen, PTA, LMT, Jennifer Nieberlein, PT, ATC, Akil Piggott, DPT, Karen Vozzella, DPT, Michael Wehrhahn, DPT, CSCS, and Ryan Wolff, DPT for your insights, reading aloud to the group, modelling for lab, and setting up and taking down.