Pilatesology Brings the Best Pilates Classes and Instructors Straight to Your Home

We've been preaching the benefits of Pilates for years: Done correctly, the exercises can build strength, improve flexibility, speed up weight loss and tone muscle -- especially those in your arms, legs and abs. But it's not exactly something most of us can do on our own without some type of instruction, and it's not always easy to find a class nearby that works with our individual schedules and budgets. That's where Pilatesology can come in handy: The online video subscription network is literally all Pilates, all the time, for less than $20 a month.

I'm assuming not many of you have a Pilates reformer machine in your homes (cause, you know, it's not really practical), so it's a great thing that Pilatesology has hundreds of videos using just the mat alone, or small props like hand weights or the Magic Circle. (If you do happen to have the bigger equipment, they've got videos for that stuff, too.)

Another thing Pilatesology has is top-notch instructors -- really big names from all around the world (like Alycea Ungaro, Mari Winsor, and probably some others from your DVD collection), who are teach Pilates in its purest, most original form; you won't find any hybrid yoga or cardio classes here.

I love the Beginner's Guide feature, which includes a site tour and a self-assessment that will help you figure out what level you are and where you should get started. After that, you can search videos by length of time, body part, equipment, or instructor. Access is unlimited -- but with new classes being added every week, it's not like you'll run out of new ones to try.

After a 10-day free trial, Pilatesology is just $19 a month or $150 a year. A small price to pay for bringing the best and brightest in the field straight into your living room, don't you think?

Are you a Pilates devotee? Tweet us at@amandaemac and @SELFmagazine!

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Image Credit: Courtesy of Pilatesology

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Parent-Focused Classes May Help Tots at Risk for ADHD

Programs try to promote positive relationship between parent and child

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- Parent behavior training is an effective and well-studied intervention for preschoolers at risk of developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new review shows.

Such programs seek to promote a positive relationship between the parent and child, and to teach effective discipline strategies that rely on rewards and non-punitive consequences.

"When we looked at studies with children with a cluster of disruptive behaviors, parent behavior training is a good strong intervention for behaviors like hyperactivity, impulsivity, temper tantrums and oppositional behavior," said review author Dr. Alice Charach, head of the neuropsychiatry team at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

The drug methylphenidate (Ritalin, Methylin) may also be effective in this age group, although there was only one study that met the review's standards, and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines don't recommend medication for ADHD in preschool-age youngsters.

Results of the review were published online April 1 and in the May print issue of Pediatrics.

Diagnosing ADHD in preschool-aged children is possible, but it can be difficult, according to study background information. "Kids that age can be very busy and inattentive and distractible. It's sometimes hard to have them do what they're supposed to do," Charach said. Parents may initially ask their doctor to evaluate their child because the kids have more disruptive, oppositional behaviors, she noted.

Once kids are diagnosed or found to be at high risk of developing ADHD, the most effective intervention hasn't been clear.

To get a better idea of what might work best in these young children, the researchers reviewed the medical literature for studies on interventions for children younger than 6 who had behavior disruptive enough to be referred to treatment, or a diagnosis of ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder or a conduct disorder.

They found 55 studies that matched their initial criteria, and then they further reviewed the studies to assess factors such as sample size and study design. They found eight good studies on parent behavior training, and one study they considered good on medication.

The four parent interventions studied in this review were: the Positive Parenting Program, Incredible Years Parenting Program, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and the New Forest Parenting Program.

Interventions that focus on changing parental behavior may seem like the blame is being placed on parents for their child's behavior. But, Charach said, that's not the case at all.

"Some kids are more challenging and need extra skills and extra support from their parents. And, this may not come naturally. We learn how to parent from our own parents. If a child isn't like us, we might not know what to do," she explained.

The researchers found that when parents completed the entire course, their children's behavior improved more.

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Parent-Focused Classes May Help Tots at Risk for ADHD

Title: Parent-Focused Classes May Help Tots at Risk for ADHD
Category: Health News
Created: 4/1/2013 10:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM

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3 Cool New Ways to Find Classes

If you've spent any time in or around the New York City boutique fitness scene, you know that the options are endless -- and slightly overwhelming. It used to be that you went to class at your gym, or maybe that one local yoga studio; now, we've got cycling, boot camp, barre, CrossFit and countless other workout-specific studios that hone in on one particular niche. And now, the pay-per-class trend is catching on in cities all across the country, as well. But how do we keep track of what classes are offered when and where? Luckily, we've got options there now, too.

1. Classivity: This online directory contains class listings throughout your city (and currently covers eight major metro areas), for everything from photography and cooking to martial arts and yoga. The main draw, though, from Classivity, is it's signature "Passport" deal:  For $40, you can book 10 classes that normally retail for $20 to $30 a piece. Score!

2. FitMapped: A new app for iOS, FitMapped is currently available only in NYC and LA, with Boston and Chicago next on its agenda as the services continues to expand. FitMapped uses your phone's GPS to find gym and studio classes filtered by location, time, activity, price and membership type (i.e., whether you can just walk right in or not). You can even book right through the app, and rate and review the class afterward. No iPhone? No problem: You can also search for a class using the online neighborhood map.

3. Gravy: Available nationwide for iPhone or Android, Gravy is another app which also aggregates a variety of events focused around active lifestyles, music, brainy stuff, arts and crafts, and more, and includes cool features like estimated driving times and highlighted free events. Find a Spin class one day, a pottery lesson the next, and a lecture after that. How cultured of you.

Not sure which type of class is best for your fitness goals? Check out our handy cheat sheet!

How do you find cool workout classes near you? Tweet us at @amandaemac and @SELFmagazine.

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Image Credit: Courtesy of Classivity

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