Hump Day Class: Matwork + Barrel Classes on Wednesdays

The Arc Barrel which of all the barrel Joe Pialtes designed for use in his exercise system, has the gentlest curve.

We've added another class to our weekly schedule. Wednesday mornings from 10:00 - 11 am and Wednesday evenings from 5:00 - 6:00 pm we are hosting a beginning Matwork Pilates class which is enhanced with Barrel! We have both Arc Barrels shown in the pictures below as well as their bigger sibling, the Spine Corrector (sometimes referred to as the Hump Barrel) with its steeper curve available for use during the class.

Barrels are wonderful tools in Matwork Pilates as they add variety as well as more options for exercise modification. They can make exercises easier or more challenging depending on how they are used. They can support you when you need a little extra help or challenge your balance to get your stabilizer muscles to kick in just that much more. Wanna experience what I am talking about? Come by on a Wednesday evening from 5:00 - 6:00 pm, right before Jackie's Gentle Yoga Class at 6:15 pm.

Here is the class description:

This beginner level, 50 minute workout incorporates both mat exercises and exercises on the barrel. Most of the exercises are done with the Arc barrel, the gentlest of the barrels that Joe Pilates designed for his method of exercise, though some exercises may be done on the Spine Corrector which has a steeper curve. Exercises on the barrel will help to open up the chest, shoulders, and work the abdominals and hips in a way that only the barrel can. The barrel will support and assist your body as well as to open and stretch your spine long. Leave class feeling more balanced, open, and flexible!

New Reformer Class Added This Saturday, May 14.

We've added another Essential Reformer class starting this Saturday at 10:15 - 11:15 am. Essential level Reformer classes are beginner level Reformer class. Class begins with a concise warm up, followed by a series of exercises targeting the core, legs, arms, posture and back. Emphasis is placed on form and quality of movement rather than repetitions. We recommend that you take a Pre-Pilates Orientation/Introductory class prior to taking your first refomer class to learn the basic principles of the Pilates system of exercise, become aquainted with the Reformer, and familiar with the cueing (Pilates Lingo) used in our studio.

.....So if you did not get a chance to sign up for the 11:30 class before it sold out, you have a second chance. Hope to see you there!

Meet the SOMA Movement Studio Staff at the Kevin Adorno Memorial Ride & Festival

Come and meet some of the SOMA Studio staff at the 2nd Annual Kevin Adorno Memorial Ride and Festival at Winding Trails in Farmington, CT on Saturday, May 14th. We will have a table at the event with tons of information about our studio and Pilates. We will have with us a Pilates Reformer, Stability/Wunda Chair, and Ladder Barrel for you to demo right on site. Check out our Equipment Highlight posts on this blog or the Equipment page on our website for more pictures and a description of what our Pilates equipement is like.

We've donated over $30,000 in Movement Classes and Services for distribution to participants of the event including large packages of classes for the raffle. We would love for you to stop by and meet us at our table at the Festival. It's going to be a fun filled day. Here is some information and links about the Kevin Adorno, the Memorial Ride, and the Festival that follows.


Please join us for the 2nd annual Kevin Adorno Memorial Ride & Festival Saturday May 14, 2016 at Winding Trails in Farmington, CT. Brought to you by the family and friends of Kevin Adorno as well as Bicycle Friendly Farmington, this year’s festival includes three bicycle rides: a Metric Century (100 km/62.5 miles), a 25 Mile, and a 10 Mile ride. Additional activities include a 5k Trail Run, food, and live music -- all for one great ticket price. The Kevin Adorno Memorial Ride & Festival is intended to inspire and promote activity and unity for the community, in memory of Kevin Adorno.

Kids’ Bicycle Rodeo

This year, Bicycle Friendly Farmington (BFF) is presenting a Bicycle Rodeo for kids aged 8-12 from 1-3 pm. A bicycle rodeo is a fun way to learn the skills required to ride a bicycle safely. BFF's team of certified cycling instructors will conduct equipment and helmet checks and then teach proper techniques for riding, stopping, and steering. Once the skills have been taught, kids will have the chance to test them out on series of short and fun courses in a protected area. Prizes and awards will provided, and a craft station will offer kids the chance to decorate their bikes and work on other fun projects. Pre-registration is requested. All participants must have a helmet and a proper-sized bicycle. Sign-in begins at 12 noon.

About Kevin Adorno

Kevin Adorno was born and raised in Farmington where he and his family enjoyed all of the wonderful things Farmington have to offer. Kevin attended Noah Wallace School, Irving Robbins Middle School, and Farmington High School. He actively participated in soccer, football and lacrosse, and graduated from FHS in 2004. He took classes at Tunxis Community College and then graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a degree in Graphic Design. Kevin was the owner of Bevy Productions & Media and My Pencil Portraits, where he demonstrated his incredible artistic abilities. Kevin always had a sense of adventure and had a particular gift for meeting people and finding out what made them unique. He enjoyed learning about the things they did and then tried them himself. He loved to travel and see new places and by the age of 28 had backpacked Europe, toured the country by car, and biked the entire east coast.

On September 1st, 2014, Kevin was at the tail end of a bicycling tour from Maryland to Florida, completing a two-part east coast adventure he started in the summer of 2013, with a successful ride from Maine to Maryland. Tragically, his journey was interrupted in Vero Beach by an unexpected attack by a homeless man that ended his life. He was just 140 miles from his destination in Miami.

This Ride & Festival honors the life and legacy of a wonderful, adventurous, giving, athletic, fun loving person, Kevin Adorno.

Proceeds from This Event

Proceeds from the event benefit The Kevin Adorno Memorial Foundation, Bicycle Friendly Farmington, Inc., and Winding Trails. The mission of The Kevin Adorno Memorial Foundation is twofold: to support children and young adults in Farmington who are aspiring or pursing an education in the arts, and to promote bicycling, wellness, and bicycle safety in the Farmington Valley, working to ensure that all children have access to bicycles. Bicycle Friendly Farmington is the community advocacy group working to support bicycling in Farmington and Unionville. Winding Trails is an independent, nonprofit organization providing outdoor year-round recreational and educational activities, and is where the Adorno Family spent many happy weekends when Kevin and his siblings were younger.

A FUN & ADVENTURE FILLED DAY:

7:00AM: EVENT DAY Registration & Check in
8:00AM: Metric Century Bike Ride
9:00AM: 5K Trail Run
10:00AM: 25 Mile Bike Ride
11:00AM: 10 Mile Bike Ride
12:00PM: FESTIVAL & FUN ZONE (Raffle)
1:00PM-3:00PM: KIDS BICYCLE RODEO (Bicycle Friendly Farmington)
1:00PM-3:00PM: Brian Jackman(Acoustic Set)
2:00PM: PICK-UP SOCCER GAME
3:00PM-4:30PM: Tim Warren and The Alternate Routes
4:00PM: Raffle Closes and Winners drawn/posted
4:30PM-7:30PM: The Johnny Larsen Band

Small Business Update: Word is Getting Out!! Introducing the SOMA Referral Program

Our website traffic has doubled in the last couple weeks.... which is awesome. People are finding out about our team of instructors, our studio, and our classes. I have people walking into the studio daily now, asking more more information and interested in looking around. I thought now might be the time to introduce our referral program where you can bring your friends and colleagues into the studio, and as a reward, you get a free Equipment class of your choice credited to your account when you friend makes their first purchase.

Another option if you have a couple of friends that you would like to introduce to the studio is a specially scheduled class, just for your group. If you have at least two friends that you would like to bring with you to the studio, just call us to let us know, and we will schedule a class at time that convenient for your group of three or more. 

Right now, you're friend has to list your name as a referral source on our registration sheet or tell us and then we will credit your online account for the class. As soon as I figure out how to automate and add that online capability on to the website, I will.

New Evening and Saturday Jumpboard Reformer Classes

We've received several requests for more evening classes and we listened! We have a brand new class, Jumpboard Reformer Group Class, starting on Mondays from 7-8 pm, Tuesdays 5-6 pm, and Saturdays 10:15-11:15 am and continuing every week afterwards. More schedule updates coming in June.....in the meantime, here is the description of the Jumpboard Reformer class.

The Jumpboard is a fun way to incorporate some cardio and plyometrics into your Pilates routine. The Jumpboard is an attachment that converts a Reformer into a horizontal jumping machine. It attaches to the front of the Reformer where the footbar is. While lying with your back on the carriage you can adjust the spring tension and jump on the board as if it were the floor. The spring tension takes gravity out of the equation, so it feels like you’re jumping on the moon. Jumping on a Refomer is fun, weightless, and graceful. What's not to love?

Jumping takes an incredible amount of core strength and is also a great way to get your body accustomed to plyometrics without having to jump on hard surfaces. The American Council on Exercise advises that forces sustained from jumping onto hard surfaces might equal up to seven times your body weight. In contrast, the jumping on the Jumpboard is done from a horizontal position, which allows you to perform the movements with minimal joint stress.

SOMA Gift Certificates at the Connecticut Breast Health Initiative Race in the Park, May 7th

Breast cancer is incredibly common, and fortunately, one of the more treatable forms of cancer. Nevertheless, the impact breast cancer has on American society is staggering. The American Cancer Society's estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2016 are:

  • About 246,660 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.
  • About 61,000 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
  • About 40,450 women will die from breast cancer.

Despite major advances in the treatment of breast cancer, breast cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer death in women (only lung cancer kills more women each year.) The chance that a woman will die from breast cancer is about 1 in 36 (about 3%). Mortality rates from breast cancer have been dropping since about 1989, with larger decreases in women younger than 50. These decreases are believed to be the result of finding breast cancer earlier through screening and increased awareness, as well as better treatments.

For some, the road to recovery after treatment for breast cancer can be a long one and SOMA Movement Studio partnered with Farmington Valley Physical Therapy can be there to help. Bogusia Badon, a physical therapist on staff at both the SOMA Movement Studio and Farmington Valley Physical Therapy has over thirty years of experience rehabilitating clients after breast cancer surgery, reconstruction, and radiation treatment. In addition to being a physical therapist, she is also trained in Pilates and a certified Pink Ribbon Program Instructor, a Pilates-based exercise program specially designed to meet the needs and challenges facing breast cancer survivors.

To show our support for the breast cancer survivor community, SOMA Movement Studio has donated over $3800 in gift certificates to the Connecticut Breast Health Initiative for distribution at the annual Connecicut RACE IN THE PARK to be held in Walnut Park, New Britain on May 7th. Proceeds from this event go to CT Breast Health Initiative and are used make a difference locally in the fight against breast cancer through support, education and research. To accomplish this mission, CT BHI plans on funding a diversified portfolio of clinical/translational research with emphasis on programs that have not yet qualified for federal grants targeting breast cancer cause and survival.

The Connecticut RACE IN THE PARK takes place annually each May on the Saturday before Mother’s Day in New Britain’s historic Walnut Hill Park. Each year, thousands gather to participate in race day festivities and events while honoring survivors, remembering loved ones, celebrating life and most importantly, raising much needed funds to advance the fight against breast cancer in Connecticut. Click here for more information including registration instructions for the event.

Pink Ribbon Program Training for Rehabilitation and Pilates Professionals at SOMA Movement Studio

The SOMA Movement Studio at Farmington Valley Physical Therapy is now an official instructor training center for the Pink Ribbon Program, a system of Pilates based exercises specifically designed for post-operative breast cancer recovery. The exercises help lengthen and strengthen the shoulder, chest, back and abdominal muscles, allowing women to regain full range of motion to those areas affected by breast cancer surgery.

The Pink Ribbon Program, founded by Doreen Puglisi, MS, was created to help meet the goals of the breast cancer survivor. These major areas of concern typically include body image, frozen shoulder, and/or range of motion, depression and anxiety.

This post-rehabilitation protocol is appropriate for any breast cancer survivor, whether their surgery was eight weeks ago or ten years ago. Over 1000 breast cancer survivors have used this exercise protocol to aid in surgery recovery.

Summary of the Six Week Exercise Program

  • Begins six weeks post-operatively, encompassing post op weeks 6-12
  • There are three phases of the Pink Ribbon Program, each phase lasts two weeks
  • Progression from one phase to the next is individually based
  • Classes/sessions are attended two to three times a week for most reliable results
  • The client generally can resume mainstream activities after completion of the six week Pink Ribbon Program

Benefits of the Pink Ribbon Program

  • Prevent and reduce cancer related fatigue
  • Increase muscle mass, strength and endurance
  • Increase in daily functional activities
  • Increase in physical activities
  • Assist in lymphedema management
  • Increase shoulder range of motion following breast cancer surgery, especially with lymph node dissection

The Pink Ribbon Program training is open to physical therapists, occupational therapists, Pilates instructors, lymphedema treatment specialists, and nurses. After completion of the Pink Ribbon Training Program, the practicioner can refer to themselves as a Post Operative Breast Cancer Exercise Specialist (BCES).

Post Operative Breast Cancer Exercise Specialist
The Breast Cancer Exercise Specialist (BCES) is a professional qualified to assess, design, and implement individual fitness programs for those diagnosed with cancer. The BCES has an advanced understanding of the cancer treatment progressions from diagnosis to treatment, recovery, prevention of lymphedema, and contraindications.

Please sign up for our newsletter to be alerted of when the next Pink Ribbon Program Training for Professionals is scheduled at SOMA Movement Center and Farmington Valley Physical Therapy.

Equipment Highlight: Pilates Reformer

There is probably no piece of Pilates equipment more famous than the Pilates reformer. The Reformer evolved after the Cadillac, utilizing spring resistance like in the Cadillac, but also incorporating a moving base to increase the range and variety of exercises available.

Invented by Pilates founder Joseph Pilates, the reformer is a bed-like frame with a flat, padded platform on it, called the carriage, which rolls back and forth on wheels within the frame. The carriage is attached to one end of the reformer by a set of springs that provide resistance for exercises. The carriage is moved against the resistance of the springs either by pushing on a footbar at the end of the carriage, or pulling on ropes emanating from the head of the reformer. Exercises can be done lying down, sitting, standing, pulling the straps, pushing the footbar, perched on the footbar, perched on the shoulder blocks, with additional equipment, upside down, sideways and all kinds of variations thereof.

SOMA Movement studio has contemporary reformers, meaning that these reformers have been updated from Pilates' original designs to accommodate modern style exercises and accessories. Click on the interactive, 3-D picture on the left for a closer look at one of our Reformers with Vertical frame. For example, many contemporary reformers are longer than Pilates' original design in part due to the invention of the Jumpboard, an attachment that goes onto the foot of the reformer that allows the user to perform plyometric exercises, with much less impact on the user's body. Click and drag on the interactive 3-D photograph to the left of this text to get a closer look at one of our Reformers with Vertical Frame.

SOMA Movement Studio's reformers are all equiped with vertical frames, the large frame at the head of the reformer that springs, ropes, and bars can be suspended from. The vertical frames serve to vary the type and difficulty of exercises. Reformers are large pieces of equipment; the reformers at Soma Movement Studio are about 8 feet long, over 2 feet wide, and the vertical frames stand about 7 feet tall.

SOMA Gift Certificate Giveaway at Florence Thermidor 5K on May 7th at UConn Health Center

This is another great event right here in Farmington! We've been working with Matthew Anderson, MD, a talented medical student and soon to be neurosurgery resident who is one of the race coordinators to set up a giveaway of SOMA Movement Studio classes at the 5K race and walk to be held this weekend at UConn Health Center. Here is the link to sign up for this race.

Created in memory of a beloved sister, mother and wife, the Florence Thermidor 5K Walk/Run for Brain Tumor Awareness launches this year. Funds raised at the 5K will go to the Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance (CTBTA), a non-profit that is dedicated to offering support and compassion to those affected by brain tumors. Florence--who passed away from complications of Glioblastoma Multiforme in May of 2008--is the mother of Sadiya Thermidor, a former student at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. In order to honor her mother and bring awareness to brain cancer treatment and cure, she has teamed up with CTBTA and members of the UCONN community to put together the race to help find funding to support the research and care systems vital to patients and loved ones whose lives are impacted by brain cancers. For more information on CT Brain Tumor Alliance visit their website here. For questions about the race contact Florencethermidor5k@gmail.com.

Small Business Update: Gift certificates & Brochures are in!

Our hi-tech marketing materials are now available and I think they came out beautifully. We have trifold, glossy paper, brochures that are individually numbered and barcoded to act as gift certificates which can be redeemed online in our class scheduler for classes.

There are four separate bits of digital information embedded in our gift certificates. The first is a QR code in the lower right corner of the map which directs your smartphone/tablet to open our address in Google Maps in case your are trying set up GPS navigation to our Studio. To use this QR code, you scan it with a QR scanner app. I have the app, Quick Scan, on my phone and it works well.

Next we have a numerical code which is the gift certificate code that is redeemable online in our Class Scheduler. Just login, sign up for the class that the gift certificate specifies, and use this code to pay for your class during Checkout. If you prefer, to redeem your gift certificate in person at the Studio, then we will use the UPC barcode that is next to the gift certificate code to redeem the card.

Finally, in the contact information at the bottom of the brochure/gift certificate, there is another QR code that directs your phone to open our website.

We'll be distributing these brochures/gift certificates at various events and functions in the Farmington Valley that are happening in the next couple months. I'll keep you updated with events where you'll see us.

Like us on Facebook AND Win FREE REFORMER CLASSES!

Our facebook page is now up. You can view it by clicking here!

We've posted some new pictures of our studio and plan on making announcements when we schedule new classes, new instructors join our team, we have special workshops or events at the studio, or when the SOMA Movement team is out and about in the community. Like our page and be entered to win a 5 Reformer Class Pack Plus Pre-Pilates Orientation session! Winner will be announced as soon as we have our first 50 Likes.

SOMA Movement Studio Gift Certificates at the Shine on 5K in Burlington, CT

We've had the privilege to work with Amanda Fioretti, race director of The Shine On 5K race coming up in a couple of weeks in Burlington CT. We are keeping an eye on the weather forecast and it looks like that weekend is going to be great for run down the scenic race course. SOMA Movement studio donated over $2700 in gift certificates to the event.

The Shine On 5k is a family centered event with activities and fun for the whole family. The day will include a dj, popcorn and cotton candy machines, a bounce house as well as two different kids runs. At 12:40 there is a 1 mile fun run for kids 13 and under. The USATF certified 5k run and walk begins at 1pm. After the finish of the 5k, there is also a free event, the "Dolphin Dash", a 1/4 mile fun run for kids 8 and under. This will include a bubble finish line. There will be treats for kids and adults alike!

This community event benefits the Karen DuCotey Fund For Kids (operated by The Main Street Community Foundation). In the past, the Karen DuCotey Fund has granted over $1,000.00 to children and families in need in the Region 10 area last year. This year, more than $2,000.00 is available for children and families in need.

The event takes place at Lewis Mills High School in Burlington. This year's event is on Sunday, May 15th. You can register today online. Select May 15th on the calendar. There are no additional convenience fees to register online. Please register prior to May 2nd in to make sure you receive a cotton race t-shirt.

Additional information can be found at www.shineon5k.com, or on facebook.

Two Week Anniversary!

It's been two weeks since we've opened and operations are getting smoother now! Word is getting out and the phone has been ringing. Every client we've met has been so enthusiastic about exercise and learning smart movement. The first newsletter should come out soon and we just received our business cards so we are all official now!

We are still in the "nesting" phase of setting up  the studio. The equipment is all up and running, walls are painted, and furniture is in place. We are still organizing and reorganizing, making our studio as beautiful, serene, and functional as possible. It's so much fun to open a business; like a home away from home. 

This is our first blog post. I envision this blog as being a little bit about each of Pilates, Smart Movement, starting a small business, community, and maybe a couple DIY projects along the way.