BASI has launched its first full-length online workshop.
Powerhouse of the Upper Girdle is a new and provocative workshop from BASI founder Rael Isacowitz. In addition to exploring the mechanics of the shoulder area in depth and reviewing a wide range of repertoire, the workshop examines the thesis that much of the standard cueing for the upper girdle might in fact be counter-productive. Continue reading
Andrea Clements and Nelson Li
By Andrea Clements
I went to Beijing not knowing exactly what to expect. Some of my friends and colleagues had given me little tidbits about their experiences there, but no one had prepared me for what I found. The welcoming and generous spirit of our hosts at the Asian Academy for Sports and Fitness Professionals made my trip unforgettable. As a tourist, I discovered a rich and ancient culture, many delicious foods, and wonderful adventures. As a BASI instructor, teaching Pilates in China was truly a great gift. Continue reading
Kalie Moore
By Kalie Moore
Joseph Pilates believed that physical fitness was the first requisite of happiness.
I wholeheartedly agree, but a close second has to be travel. I may be one of the luckiest people in the world, because I have been able to fuse my two loves into one epic experience. I am an American who has journeyed to Istanbul to learn Pilates from BASI, a training company based in California. Our next three modules will be taught in English by an Italian living in Germany to a Turkish and American audience. Talk about an international experience! Continue reading
Francesca Caruana
By Francesca Caruana
My journey into the magical world of Pilates started in 2002. Due to moderate scoliosis and knee instability, I was fearful of many sports and other physical activities. I was used to constant pain in my back and, while I did like to work out, there was nothing I overly enjoyed – other than the calorie burn that it delivered. The very first time I tried Pilates with the Reformer, I realized I had found a form of exercise that could help my body, without putting undue strain on the weak parts. Continue reading
Joleen Watson
By Joleen Watson
We all know that the success of Pilates is partially due to the positive effect we have on individuals who come to us seeking improvement of minor aches, pains or injuries.
Sometimes we are able to determine their problems are postural or due to misalignment. However, it is a fact that Pilates studios are seeing more and more cases of a rehabilitative nature. Working with a client who has an injury or disease that we, as Pilates instructors, do not understand and are not trained to treat can be intimidating. Continue reading
With 21 courses on the go in May, several new hosts and a fresh addition to the BASI team in Costa Mesa, CA, BASI Pilates is gearing up for a fast and furious summer.
Travel is the name of the game when you have activities in over 25 countries, and our faculty members are certainly clocking up the miles. Our thanks to hard-travelling Meredith Rogers (Athens), Sheri Long and Mario Alfonso (Istanbul), Amit Younger (Prato, Italy), Andrea Clements (Beijing) and Bonnie Sessions (Long Island, New York) among others. Continue reading
Dear Friends
First I would like to thank so many of you for your absolutely wonderful birthday wishes. The outpouring of goodness was truly overwhelming and made my special day that much more special.
I am not sure whether I am allowed to label us (BASI) pioneers, or if this is a title that can only be bestowed with the hindsight of history. But one thing is for sure – we are trailblazers. We were certainly one of the first in the world to offer a comprehensive, curriculum-based teacher training program for the study of Pilates. I am also confident in saying that BASI was one of the first to be used in a multi-disciplinary way, serving as an exercise platform for osteopaths, physiotherapists, orthopedists and chiropractors, without forgoing the comprehensive approach of Pilates. Continue reading
By Roy Isacowitz
Pilates and yoga studios are among the fastest-growing industries in the US, according to a new report by research group IBISWorld, which measured industries based on their contributions to the economy, revenue growth and expected future performance.
Pilates and yoga studios were “highly resistant to the recession,” the report says. “Instead of facing negative growth in 2008 and 2009, revenue merely slowed. In the five years to 2017, industry revenue is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 4.8%” – from a forecast $6.8 billion in 2012 to $8.6 billion in 2017.
The report attributes the strength of the studio business to the heightened concern for the environment among Americans, which has engendered a renewed interest in becoming and staying healthy. This trend explains the growth of other “green” businesses, including solar panels and self-tanning products, which the report attributes to increased consumer awareness about the harmful effects of UV light.
While the report forecasts solid growth for the studio business, the forecast average annual growth rate of 4.8% will be significantly lower than the average 12.1% that was recorded between 2002 and 2012.
Other industries included in IBISWorld’s fastest growers are generic pharmaceuticals , for-profit universities, 3D printers, social network games, hot sauces, sustainable construction and online sales of spectacles and contact lenses.
Sheri Long
By Sheri Long
Some people love amusement parks; I love playing in my studio. It could be anything – modifying an exercise so that movement is correct for a specific client or creating a variation of an exercise. An example would be taking an exercise done in supine position but having the client work the same muscle group in a standing position, in order to add balance and coordination.
I love to design preparations for exercises; providing building blocks with which a client can experience, learn and understand a movement that is correct for the client’s body at that time. My objective when working with a client is to consistently meet their needs and goals. Every client is an individual with individual needs. Continue reading
The winners of the 2012 About.com Readers’ Choice Awards were announced on March 31st and we are proud that Pilates, by Rael Isacowitz, was the winner in the Best How-to-Do Pilates Book category. Published in 2006, Pilates was described by Kirkus Awards as “the first truly complete guide to Pilates technique, exercises and equipment.”
In announcing the selection of Pilates, About.com wrote: “Since it was published in 2006, Pilates by Rael Isacowitz has become a primary resource of Pilates exercise instructions for Pilates practitioners all over the world. This year, the Pilates community made its appreciation well known by voting Pilates into the No. 1 spot and keeping it there throughout the voting process. This book contains instructions for 210 Pilates mat and equipment exercises, exercise sequences and a wonderful introduction to Pilates movement in general. Rael Isacowitz is the founder of BASI Pilates.”
Read Marguerite Ogle’s review of the book here: Book Review: Pilates, by Rael Isacowitz
Now in its fifth year, the About.com Readers’ Choice Awards honor the best products, features and services across more than a dozen categories, ranging from technology to hobbies to parenting and more, as selected by its readers.
“This year’s Readers’ Choice Awards program had a record number of nominations submitted across dozens of categories and featured hundreds of finalists,” said Margot Weiss, managing editor, About.com. “We are thankful to all our readers for their participation and congratulate Rael Isacowitz on his success.”
Rael Isacowitz is one of the most authoritative figures in the global Pilates firmament. Founder of the BASI Pilates® educational institute for Pilates teachers, he has been a practitioner of the method for over 30 years and is a prominent presenter at Pilates conferences and workshops around the world.
In addition to Pilates, Rael is the author of Pilates Anatomy (with Karen Clippinger) and six movement analysis workbooks covering all the major pieces of Pilates equipment. He is also the designer of a new line of multi-functional and ergonomic equipment known as the Avalon System®.
Thank you to everyone who voted! We couldn’t have done it without you.
Premier pilates exercise equipment designed and developed by Rael Isacowitz
Unique video knowledge resource for all Pilates professionals
The PMA is an international non-profit association for Pilates professionals.
BASI is represented in China by the Asian Academy for Sport and Fitness Professionals