This summer we’re launcing a new program for teens. It’s a perfect way for these yuggin’s to learn about their posture, develop some core strength, and just get into kick ass shape! WE all know waht a difficult time the teens can be for some– I wish I had had some Pilates to get me through that murky time!

Dates: July 10th-August 4th, 3 hours/day. One hour of Mat/Props/Ball, one hour of Pilates Equipment, and 1 hour of aerobic Walk-ilates. It’s for 4 weeks, but you can take 1,2,3, or all four! Check the worldwide education calendar for details.

If you want to be a Pilates Instructor; this is where you start. 8 week mini-intensive to get you mentally and physically prepared for the vigors of the teacher training. Call the studio for an audition. Check the Worldwide Education Calendar on this site for schedule.

Learn proper gait and alignment. Maximize your MBT shoe experience. Start walking groups in your neighborhood.

Nancy Myers will be flying out from SF to co-teach a Walk-ilates teacher training with me on Sunday August 6th 1-8pm. Call Nancy at 415-642-1200 or email nancy@ellie.net for details.

“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”
- Mark Twain

But the hottest summer I ever spent was in New York, so I’m actually looking forward to the natural air conditioning known as San Francisco wind.

For anyone wanting a super-condensed teacher training, I will be teaching a 20 day complete Pilates certification program in SF the last three weeks of August. You must be in good shape, so check in at any studio for an audition and prerequisites.

Here are SF students learning the Stomach Massage “Bouquet” variation

I know you’ve all been chomping at the bit to get your hands on this, the latest Ellie Herman Books publication. Order it today from our online store or come in to one of our studios at the end of the month. Sharon Gallagher from SF is the gorgeous model and Susi May from Oakland co-wrote the book with me and with the help of Lisa Graham from SF…

I just completed teaching all the repertoire to the students in SF and will be finishing up with the Brooklyn-ites this weekend. All of them need people to practice on, so send in all your friends for discounted personal training.

That’s right folks- drop everything!
We’ll be celebrating at our studios by walking across bridges east and west; the Golden Gate and Brooklyn Bridge at 11am. In good alignment. Details about where to meet coming up.

On our day out and about we walked throught the old markets where they sold Celadon pottery and abalone inlay boxes and then onto the Olympic park where older Koreans donned face masks and visors while taking their constitutionals around the Park.

We wondered why so many people wore face masks.

The next morning while running on the treadmill the TV was showing a panic-inspiring news clip of people getting eye problems, lung problems, putting air conditioners in the windows and shutting the doors etc.

I googled pollution and found out Seoul has 10 million people living there and it has some of the worst pollution of any developing city. People drive diesel cars there with endless traffic jams on three lane highways. Public transportation doesn’t seem to be too accessible.

In the airport home they warned of avian flu and annouced to be careful for sudden fever or flu symptoms.

Well, Shabs and I arrived in Korea after a grueling fourteen hour plane ride sitting next to humoungous smelly New Yorkers who kept leaning into my seat. We were carted off to a hotel, another hour and a half of travelling, exhausted.

The next day we were picked up by Kimberly, our Korean connection, and drove through terrible traffic to Thera Pilates studio where we reviewed Reformer and Mat repertoire. We were very impressed with the heated floors!

Then the exciting part: we found the spa in the hotel! Yay for the Koreans! They have a fantastic Japanese style bath with a huge hot jacuzzi tub, an even hotter still tub, and a cold plunge. It’s alot like Kabuki spa in San Francisco. So Shabs and I have a daily routine of waking up (normally at the crack of dawn– major jet lag!) have a capuccino in the coffee shop and then down to the gym where I have started to do MBT walks on the treadmill and Shabs sprints next to me, then a fabulous bathing experience, and then of course the breakfast buffet which combines western food (eggs, bacon, etc) and Korean fare (kim chee, mussels, porridge, chili paste radishes, rice with fish eggs etc.) We’re amazed how much kim chee the Koreans eat (and beef!). The restaurants seem to serve just bbq beef and various kim chee type condiments.

Yesterday was our big day– the Theraband Academy lecture. Basically they set up a huge gymnasium in our hotel with 200 mats, magic circles, rollers, and gertie balls all in perfect rows and a huge stage with banners donning large photos of me behind.

There were two huge projection screens on either side of the stage and live video of Shabs and I so people could see in the back of the space.

I did an eight hour lecture, first 2.5 hours of Pilates Mat Fundamentals, 2.5 hours of roller and Theraband, and 2.5 hours of Ball. They had two of my books that were translated into Korean (the Props Book, and the Ball Book).

The cutest part of the whole day was when I led a bouncing sequence on the balls and 200 Koreans were bouncing and clapping in complete unison– it was quite exuberant!

On the brake, the participants ran up to the stage and starting grabbing my books and DVD’s that I had brought to sell– it was a mad house.

After the lecture I spent forty five minutes doing photo ops. Everyone wanted a picture with Ellie Herman. I felt like a mini- star. The participants were so lovely and appreciative.

I have learned that Koreans are extremely committed to education and take their learning very seriously. It’s very satisfying to teach in such an environment.

Kimberly and I discussed setting up future teacher trainings in Seoul. We’re thinking of starting with a core curriculum hopefully this summer.

Today Shabs and I will finally get out of the hotel and see some of Seoul. We hope to get to some of the more traditional sites and see the markets, etc. Then it’s back for another fourteen hour plane ride (oy!) and back to Brooklyn…

that will be the Kendall “Muscle Testing and Function” for the Pilates professional. A complete soup to nuts for us teachers. I’m thinking of putting in the complete mat repertoire of course, postural analysis and photos, gait and Walk-ilates exercises, props, and basic rehabilitation approaches that can be applied to all injuries and muscle imbalances. Any ideas? Email me.