August 25 2009 by admin.

Our own Nicole Owens recently competed in Mrs. Pennsylvania America, and was chosen Mrs. Congeniality by her fellow contestants. Congratulations, Nicole!

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August 19 2009 by admin.

Cycling is a great fitness option- fresh air, moving scenery and no impact. However, research is finding that cyclists may be at a greater risk for osteoporosis in their lumbar spines, or low back. The study compared competitive male road cyclists with other, moderately active men. It found that despite the cyclists’ higher calcium intake, they had “significantly lower” bone density, and it was not associated with testosterone. IDEA Fitness Journal replies, “…the answer is strength training and cross training…for greater bone density in the spine.”

The IMX Pilates program specifically addresses spine health and strength by training the supporting muscles for endurance and flexibility. Osteoporosis is a serious concern that IMX Pilates Blue Bell can help cyclists prevent.

This study was reported in the July-August 2009 IDEA Fitness Journal.

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August 10 2009 by admin.

Sunday August 23, join the IM=X Blue Bell Teaser Team and Team Captain Jill at the LIVESTRONG Philly challenge right here at Montgomery County Community College!

Jill and Jim at the 2009 March of Dimes event.

You can run or walk a  5K, or bike between 5 and 100 miles. You can cheer, chat with people at the IM=X Pilates Blue Bell Info Table, or even participate via stationary bikes if you’re not up to walking or road-biking.

Links to join online will be up soon, or you can see us at your next pilates class.

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July 26 2009 by admin.

It’s that time again- time for the MyFoxPhilly HotList Voting!

You can vote from www.imxbluebell.com, or from right here- just click on the pic. Take your time and browse around other types of businesses up for voting, too- for example, the women’s boutique therapy (right across the street from the studio) appreciates your vote also!

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July 20 2009 by admin.

Lots and lots of people suffer low back pain, or LBP. There are almost as many remedies out there for LBP: pills, tablets and gel caps, shoes and shoe inserts, physical therapy, heating pads, cooling gels- the list goes on and on.

The best pain relief methods turn out to be the ones least used. A study was conducted to determine what approaches are being used to manage LBP. It found that many patients turned down research-proven methods like exercise and physical therapy in favor of medication.

Bodies are full of imbalances and restrictions from our lifestyles. Correcting these and allowing strong muscles to stabilize the body by establishing safe movement patterns can actually remove stress from the spine and eliminate the pain, not just mask it. In addition, mobility problems in joints like the ankle, hip or even shoulder can contribute to LBP, so continuing to compensate for that immobility will continue to cause pain.

The upshot: exercise permanently helps low back pain. Train with a credible, certified fitness instructor or physical therapist, and make sure they’re using the latest medical research to influence your workout program. The IMX Pilates system uses this research in its 5 Fundamentals, which color every moment of your pilates workout. The IMX Pilates Blue Bell studio has these research briefs bound and displayed in the studio lounge for your browsing pleasure.

This study was reported in the July-August 2009 IDEA Fitness Journal.

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July 10 2009 by admin.

Think it’s harder to exercise at night? You may be right, just because you think so! Researcher have found that people stopped exercising about 15% earlier when they were mentally fatigued, because they felt more fatigued at the beginning of the session. This resulted in less time exercising, a lower heart rate and lower blood lactate levels, which indicates that the fatigued individuals didn’t work as hard, probably because they didn’t work out as long. Instead of getting winded or being physically fatigued, mental fatigue limits exercise tolerance by making you feel you are more tired.

How does IMX Pilates Blue Bell combat this phenomena? We have 2 ways:

1. Our class schedule includes early morning options for people to exercise before work.
2. Our evening classes are taught at a high-energy pace to compensate for your tired brains. Any of the IMX Pilates Blue Bell clients that have experienced Jim in the evening can vouch for this!

Since you can’t always exercise in a perfect world where you are mentally rested, rest assured IMX Pilates Blue Bell will do its best to work with your schedule’s quirks.

This study was reported in the July-August 2009 IDEA Fitness Journal.

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July 8 2009 by admin.

Introducing It’s Good For You, a semi-regular series featuring exercise-related tidbits. Share them with your friends, or use them to motivate yourself. Exercise is for everyone, because good health is for everyone.

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June 29 2009 by admin.

Summer is in full swing, and everyone at IM=X Pilates Blue Bell is wishing you a fun, safe and happy vacation season. In that spirit, please remember that the IM=X Pilates Blue Bell studio will be closed on Friday July 3, Saturday July 4, and Sunday July 5. We will see you and your suntans starting Monday, July 6 2009. Come with a sunburn, though, and you’ll find no sympathy!!

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June 17 2009 by admin.

A limited schedule is in effect for Monday, June 22 and Tuesday, June 23. Courtney, Jim and Paula are headed to training in NYC, so the available classes are those that can be covered by Beth and Kate. We want to sincerely thank you, IM=X Blue Bell clients, for your understanding, and thank Beth and Kate for their extra availability! The schedule will be back to normal on Wednesday, June 24.

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June 13 2009 by admin.

June 13 and 14 2009, IM=X Blue Bell’s own instructor Courtney will be performing in the Spirit In Motion Ballet Theater Production of “The Spirit of America II” at the Bucks County Community College in Newtown, PA. She’s fabulous, so go see the show! Click here to visit SpiritInMotionBallet.org. To get all the details, click on Ticket Sales

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