My work is a constantly evolving blend of whole body movement conditioning
techniques that I have used to have heal my own body and those of my clients.
I integrate elements of Yoga, Pilates
method floor work, Gyrotonic, functional
strength training, and my own interpretation of movement-conditioning
styles such as dance, martial arts, and Feldenkrais.
I don’t believe in cookie cutter sessions, workouts using too much
man made fitness equipment, or over training. I think isolation exercises
are appropriate for specific therapies, but overall I think it severs
the body in pieces affecting the attunement, coordination, and peace of
the person. You are what you train to be, and disharmony breeds disharmony.
Integrative Movement Conditioning uses existing elements: gravity, opposition,
three-dimensional movement, expansion and contraction and most importantly
breath.
Look
at some photos of Ari in action with a client.
Yoga
I do a great deal of Yoga, but prefer to teach and study flexibility
and postures outside of the proverbial rectangular mat and without the
religious imagery and motifs that are often abused. From the relaxing,
to the vigorous, to the restorative, I teach postures in a progressive
form attempting to adhere to tradition by encouraging a natural progression
to higher levels of conditioning. I like to present yoga as a moving art,
often repeating a pose while moving across the studio floor, increasing
it's possibilities and playfulness.
I believe that all yoga and exercise for that matter is but a preparation
for the most important yoga posture of all... final relaxation. This conscious
relaxation is how we finish each session, invigorating and refreshing
both body and mind.
Pilates
Principles of Yoga, Martial Arts and Gymnastics combine to form this
unique system of conditioning. Designed during the First World War by
Joseph H. Pilates, the method emphasizes mental attentiveness and control,
sometimes known as contrology.
I teach Pilates mat work using the body's resistance against gravity
with increasingly challenging sequences to help align posture, stabilize
the spine and enhance the body's core strength. For advanced clients I
vary resistance to the designed movement sequences using giant thera-bands,
Swiss balls and other exercise 'toys'.
www.pilatesmethodalliance.org
Gyrotonic
Whereas Pilates tends to be core oriented and linear, Gyrotonic, a discipline
designed by gymnast/yogi/dancer Julio Horvath, expands the possibilities
of human movement. Gyrotonic is designed to move as we do and increase
the range of human movement while simultaneously adding resistance for
strength.
Every session I therapeutically use three dimensional Gyrotonic movement
sequences to warm up the internal body, stimulate the energy points, increase
flexibility while at the same time increasing strength.
www.gyrotonic.com
Functional Strength Training
For years I was obsessed with the desire to develop my physique. I achieved
my physical fitness goals from admiring well-developed physiques in magazines,
to adapting their formulas and becoming one of those whose photos were
taken to be in those magazines. Along the way I studied and trained with
many bodybuilders and sport specific athletes. However, my body structure,
chemistry, and heredity could not keep up with this style of training
and I suffered many injuries.
The knowledge I learned through my rehabilitations was the most valuable
professional information I have ever received. My injuries taught me how
to strength train the body without the excessive damage, over training,
and isolated movements. I use weights with clients who need more strength
and for those that desire a more toned aesthetic, but I do it in a way
that is functional, demands the awareness and dynamic action of the whole
body, and is pain and injury-free.
Aside from free weights I use: medicine balls, giant resistance bands,
physio-balls, balance boards, and more.
Call (917) 576 6683 or email
Ari for an appointment.
|