Mind/Body Is on the Move!
It sounds like a radical, perhaps unattainable goal, but, in studios, clubs, and classrooms throughout the country, the transition is already taking place. Inspired, invented, and driven by some of the industry’s most talented and innovative trainers, an evolution is underway. Once more, what we think of as exercise is changing.
Hybrid environments
Elizabeth Larkam, the director of the Core Concept Center at the Rolling Hills Club, in Novato, California, subscribes to Chopra’s position. At the center, a modest 800-square-foot space that made its debut in August, mind/body practices are being married to techniques that, historically, existed in a different world. “Here, mind/body isn’t rele-
Elizabeth Larkam
gated to some sequestered sanc- tuary,” Larkam explains. “And, actually, I think the term will eventually become irrelevant. The attributes generally ascribed to these techniques are going to become ubiquitous; mindfulness will be expected in all forms of fitness. You’ll find it playing a role in every area of the club, from the cardio floor to the weight room. There won’t be a clear-cut definition for mind/ body anymore.”
A 26-year industry veteran trained in yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonic, Feldenkrais, and the Franklin Method, Larkam’s last major assignment was the restructuring of the Mind and Body Center, an 11,000-square-foot space with six beautiful, spacious studios at The San Francisco Bay Club. Now, she’s brought her experience, skills, and vision to Rolling Hills, an impressively multipurpose, family-oriented club set on a seven-acre campus. “Instead of recapitulating the model that prevailed in
the last decade, I intend to create a new model for a new decade—for 2012 and beyond,” she says. “There will def- initely be connections to the past, but the Rolling Hills center will be a hybrid environment that’s clearly evolved.” Tour the Core Concept Center, and you’ll see some of
the common trappings of a mind/body studio, e.g., yoga mats and Pilates reformers, but you’ll also encounter some unexpected elements—classes and equipment borrowed from the field of functional training. Among the pieces utilized: the TRX Suspension Training system, from TRX, in San Francisco; and CoreAlign and the EXO Chair, by Balanced Body, in Sacramento, California.
“I was at a conference, and the TRX team happened to be across from me,” Larkam explains. “I watched them, intrigued, and began thinking about what we could do.
58 Club Business Internat ional | DECEMBER 2011 |
ihrsa.org Trainer Lawrence Biscontini
We began collaborating and eventually brought TRX in here. Going forward, I think we’ll see functional training gain a stronger foothold. It’s effective at improving balance, coordination, strength, and bone density. It’s really an ideal fit for mind/body spaces.” Pilates equip- ment manufacturers have taken note of the development, she points out, introducing products, such as CoreAlign, that stress functionality. Larkam insists that openness to new ideas, followed by intelligent innovation, is critical to ongoing improvement. “Looking outside of your area of interest and learning from experts in other fields is critical to advancement,” she says. “Curiosity leads you to new ideas and tools, and, as a result, you’re able to open new doors, both for yourself and your clientele.”
It’s clear that she practices what she preaches. “For example, for Pilates, I’ve created a Pilates Mat at the Wall course. It’s a contemporary expression of traditional principles, but provides more accurate alignment and is particularly safe and effective for individuals with osteoporosis,” she describes. “I’ve also devised a Gyro- tonic group equipment class called Evolve Your Inner Dancer. It integrates the fundamentals of classical and contemporary dance within the Gyrotonic framework.”
Controlled fusion
Lawrence Biscontini, an internationally active trainer, consultant, and program developer, once studied Pilates with Larkam and, like her, champions the notion of truly holistic exercise offerings. “More mind/body-centric pro- gramming and studios will emerge in coming years,” he predicts. “This is truly the present and future of our industry. Mind/body ‘feel good’ options will spread like
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