Maggie Downie, Author at Personal Euphoria: Pilates & Fitness Classes in CT

About Maggie Downie

Thank you for giving your time to stop and read my blog. I hope it encourages you to keep moving. Move and the body will be happier. And when you're moving you can hike, run, swim in Jell-O, race over non-Newtonian fluids, travel the world or build igloos--if that's your thing. If not, you can watch me do it. This is just a spot to try and feel good about life.

10 Summer Exercises

If your schedule changes in the summer and you can’t get to your regular Pilates class this video and blog is for you. Below you’ll find a ten minute Pilates workout of some of the best exercises to continue doing during your off season.

Best is always a sticky word because the ten best exercises would be different for every person and might be different for a specific individual on different days.

But what I think is good about this series is that is works you in flexion (rounded forward), extension (bending back), rotation and laterally (did you see how I threw in a plank there?). The spine gets mobilized in every direction. We work abs, back, glutes, legs and arms. And we bookended it with two of the best stretches ever.

Watch the video for help or print out this list and take it with you. You can do these moves anywhere, even outside in a park.

Reminder: You want to ensure your abdominals are gently engaged the entire time to keep the work out of your back. If you feel an exercise in your back, stop. Take a break. You can always try again later. Turn up the volume; it’s a little […]

10 Summer ExercisesMaggie Downie2018-01-13T16:15:45-05:00

Prevent Dowager’s Hump

No one wants a dowager’s hump—that lump at the base of your neck that makes you look a little like Quasimodo. Honestly, most people won’t notice it as much as you notice. It isn’t always that obvious, but it is a sign of an unhealthy spine. Joe Pilates wrote, “If your spine is inflexibly stiff and 30, you are old. If it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.” We should all strive to prevent a dowager’s hump before we see on there. Prevention is always easier than resolution.

A dowager’s hump is often associated with osteopenia and osteoporosis with the front of the vertebra fracturing and causing a kyphosis (rounding forward of the spine). While osteopenia and osteoporosis are likely culprits, our general posture tends to weaken and over time exacerbate the degeneration in the area. Having slightly kyphotic spine for most of our lives probably increases the problem.

We are a society of slouchers. Our upper backs are rounded and our heads jut forward. Be mindful and try to be taller.

Here are some tips to ward off a dowager’s hump:

Throughout the day, but especially when sitting, think long and tall out the crown of your head. Try to create […]

Prevent Dowager’s HumpMaggie Downie2018-01-13T16:15:30-05:00

Plank Story: Vihno Verde, Fado and Portuguese Mussels

Before Matt and I left for Portugal people recommended all sorts of food and experiences we should try. One recommendation was Vinho Verde (an immature, white wine) and another was Fado (a somewhat melancholy, traditional music). We wound up trying them on the same night. A view of Lisbon from above. Somewhere down there we were racing through the streets to get to Fado.

We’d gone out to dinner and were stuffed, but ran through the streets and staircases of Lisbon to get to the Fado bar. The music was supposed to start promptly at nine. People and restaurants were spilling out into the cobblestones streets, so we zigzagged down the small alleyways beneath colorful streamers hanging above and amongst the excitement of everyone watching soccer in the streets.

We arrived at the Fado bar just in time. They had one table left. “We’ll take it,” we said. “You’ll be eating dinner?” they asked. Oh, we were so full. We didn’t want dinner. We just wanted to listen to the […]

Plank Story: Vihno Verde, Fado and Portuguese MusselsMaggie Downie2017-12-29T20:55:13-05:00

Plank Story: Matt’s Birthday Nap

Matt is better at relaxing than I am. I’m improving though. This year on his birthday, as always, he got to pick the activities. So we napped in the living room. We napped in bed. And we napped on the deck. Sadly, this isn’t code for anything else. We actually just took three names in one day and then went to bed around nine. When we got in bed he said to me, “This was a great day. We napped on the couch. We napped in bed, and we napped on the deck.” Cheap date. I’ll remember that next year.

Clearly, we both needed some sleep. And I know I’ve gotten more chill because once upon a time that kind of day would have killed me.

My plan for Matt’s birthday involved a trip to Specter, Alabama—the faux city from the set of Big Fish. There he tossed his only pair of shoes up on the line running along the town limits. We had to drive to JCPenny in stocking feet to go buy a new pair of shoes.

If you’re a Tim Burton, Ewan McGregor or Big Fish fan, check out […]

Plank Story: Matt’s Birthday NapMaggie Downie2017-12-29T20:57:01-05:00

Client Corner: 100 Days of 100 Complete!

Sue doing the 100!

Sue has been taking Pilates in Glastonbury for over 6 years. While some people groan when it’s time for planks, Sue’s personal nemesis is the roll up. Her goal is to one day do it without using a flex band.

With that in mind, when her instructor Maggie mentioned an abdominal challenge in class, Sue was interested to see if it could help her build core strength for the roll up. She thought to herself “this is probably a challenge I should take on.”

The challenge was 100 days of the 100, where participants were asked to do the Pilates exercise the 100, one hundred days in a row. The 100 is an exercise that you’ll find in almost any Pilates class. It consists of lying with your back on the mat, upper body curled up, legs in the air (usually) and completing 100 arm beats while holding the position. It typically comes early in class and gets the entire body warmed up by getting you in tune with your breath and your blood pumping. To read more about why we do this challenge check out […]

Client Corner: 100 Days of 100 Complete!Maggie Downie2017-12-29T20:59:00-05:00

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