"ALIVE" from Sia's new album THIS IS ACTING out January 29. Pre-order for instant downloads of this song & "Bird Set Free": http://smarturl.it/iThisIsActing?IQid=yt Get Sia's new single "ALIVE". Apple Music: http://smarturl.it/SiaAlive?IQid=yt Spotify:http://smarturl.it/spSiaAlive?IQid=yt Amazon: http://smarturl.it/amSiaAlive?IQid=yt Google Play: http://smarturl.it/gSiaAlive?IQid=yt SUBSCRIBE to Sia: http://bit.ly/1sudphS Website: http://siamusic.net Twitter: http://twitter.com/sia Facebook:http://facebook.com/siamusic YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/sia Spotify: http://spoti.fi/1fKpbS0 (C) 2015 Monkey Puzzle Records, under exclusive license to RCA Records.
Shorty Swan Misses You!
Shorty Swan misses you! It's time to revisit some Shorty Swan posts. We advocate reading and re-reading all things anatomy. As your practice, your relationship to your body, and your understanding of it change, so will what you take away from moments spent contemplating structure. Take note of which ones you missed, which ones you forgot and which ones affected the way you live in your body the most. More to come!
-Shorty
we are the swan - Autumn Songs
We asked around the studio to bring you this Autumn Songs playlist for your fall listening pleasure!
Celebrate the season with more sweet tunes and get to know your fellow Swans with more from our #wearetheswan series!
MAT CLASS SPECIAL
Coming to mat class at The Swan? We have a special just for you!
-On Sale November 9th through November 16th-
Mat Class SPECIAL
10 Pack for $195
Expires 6 months after date of purchase. Limit 1 per customer.
See our full list of classes here and here.
Why should you take group class?
Don't know our MHTN instructors? Get to know them here!
“In 10 sessions, you feel better, 20 sessions you look better, 30 sessions you have a completely new body” - Joseph Pilates”
Short on Time Pilates Exercises from Swan Instructor Katie!
The breakneck pace of fall in the city (or anywhere) can make it difficult to get in to the studio, let alone keep up a healthy at-home practice. We asked Swan Instructor Katie about some of her go to exercises when she is feeling the rush!
There are so many great at home Pilates exercises, it's hard to know where to start! I personally try to work from the ground up when I can, but when I am short on time I have a few that I consistently rely on.
Chest Curls with Squishy Ball aka Over Ball (can be done with out the ball too)
Lying on your back, knees bent, place a squishy ball under your bottom ribs. If you need support for your neck, you can place a block or pillow under your head (although not necessary). Place your hands behind your head and on an exhale nod your head into your chest and come into a chest curl. Lower back down. Keep your head heavy in your hands and move from the ribs. Repeat 8 times.
Add on these variations for additional core work:
Bring legs to table top, maintaining neutral pelvis. Keep legs in place and do 8 reps of chest curls. You can also add toe dips, doing 8 reps. Then add rotation in with the upper body, moving the ribs in to the ball, again doing 8 reps.
Extension
Flip over on to you stomach and place the ball under your diaphragm or where the ribs start to splay. Take a few full breaths, hands stacked under your forehead. Keeping the hands attached to your forehead, engage the abs and lengthen through the spine. Float the upper body up as if you were trying to draw the ball forward with your chest, coming in to a slight extension. Keep the back of the neck long throughout. Repeat 6 times.
Knee Lift in Quadruped
Come on to your hands and knees and find your neutral spine. Find width between the shoulder blades by pressing in to the palms, tuck your toes under and lift your knees an inch above the mat. Hold for 5 full breaths and lower. This can be done by adding serratus push ups (drawing shoulder blades towards each other and away, keeping arms long) as well. Repeat 8 times.
Glute Exercise with Rotation
I also love glute exercises, particularly this one as it incorporates rotation of the thoracic spine. Lying on your side, bend your knees and bring your heels in line with your sitzbones. Stretch your bottom arm out long in front of you, in line with your shoulder socket. Stack your top arm on top of your bottom arm and reach the top finger tips towards the wall in front of you, then up towards the ceiling. Pause and take a breath, then spiral open from the middle spine in to twist, keeping the hips stacked. Take a few full breaths in to the back and then reach the top arm back to meet the bottom. Now lift the top leg to hip height, foot in line with the knee and slightly rotate the knee open. Keep the leg in this position as you repeat the spiral of the upper body. Take a few breaths and then lower both arm and leg down. Repeat to the other side.
Fall Mat Class Schedule at Swan Manhattan
Sundays 11am Pre Brunch Mat w Emma
Tuesdays 11am Mat Class Challenge w Eleanor
Wednesday 11am Open Level w Johanna
Friday 130pm Fundamentals w Julia
Check out our Schedule page for class descriptions and email us with any questions! Group class is a great place to make sure your are incorporating all the deep work you do in your one-on-one sessions.
Musical #TBT - I Put A Spell on You
This week's #TBT is inspired by one of the greatest Halloween movies of all time...Hocus Pocus! This clip is going to make you really pumped and give you an overwhelming urge to leave work early, or call out sick, to watch the whole movie! So pull out your costume making supplies, whip up a batch of something spookily delicious and settle in for this seasonal treat!
Don't want the Halloween themed movie party to end? This list from Buzzfeed contains pretty much every Halloween movie I have ever loved, plus some. Note the list title: horror movies and Halloween movies are not mutually exclusive and I hate to be scared!! Watch these at your own risk.
Stretching....?
There are some current approaches and research coming out about stretching that have us contemplating order, sequencing, why we stretch, how we stretch, when we stretch, and what's actually stretching. Some of this information is new and some of it has been around for a long time but doesn't seem to make it to the forefront of the conversation quick enough.
Here are a few good reads to help you inform your practice!
You think you are stretching your muscles but perhaps you are stretching your mind. Check out this breaking muscle post from Brooke Thomas of The Liberated Body.
Staying with Brooke for a moment, she interviews Jules Mitchell here (check the show notes or listen to the whole podcast).
Just in case you don't believe it until it's written in the Times :) - Here is a recent Times article discussing two studies about static stretching.
Sometimes the sensation to need to stretch is leading you in the wrong direction. That longing to make length might mean you have a firing pattern that needs addressing or some group of muscles is already being stretched too much. Here is a clearly articulated example from Dr. Kathy Dooley of Dooley Noted.
Are tight muscles short muscles? This article by Yoga Dork breaks down misconceptions in strengthening vs stretching. Follow up the first read with another Yoga Dork post, Stretching Is In Your Brain.
This subject goes on and on and we love to share! Check out the #stretching tag for all related posts.
The Season of Soup
Fall is upon us. Fall will turn into winter and winter will turn into spring. All of these seasons have the cold weather that most people find necessary to eat soup on a regular basis. And fall is the start of it all. In honor of this most hallowed of seasons, and because soup might be one of the best things on the planet, here is a collection of soup recipes to keep you warm and happy over the next few months. (Love to try new soups to inspire your recipes? Check out the 6th Annual Smith Street Soup Festival, tomorrow October 24 from 1 to 4!)
You can find so many of our other favorite soup recipes here!!
Things to remember about soup making!
- Soup makes excellent leftovers. Sometimes it is even better the next day. So make the full recipe. Don't half it. You will be sorry later! In fact, go ahead and double it if you want to!
- The versatility of soup is one of it's most exciting characteristics. The recipe calls for white beans but all you have are kidneys...go for it. The recipe calls for spinach but you prefer kale...throw it in. It is suppose to have meat in it but you are a vegetarian...add more veggies, beans or something else to keep it hearty and animal free.
- Soup needs time to simmer. All those flavors melding together are what make soup awesome. So give the ingredients some time to get to know one another. Even if it is just 30 min because the smell is too amazing and you can't wait a second longer.
- The broth matters. There is nothing wrong with good ole' store bought broth or stock. It saves time and makes throwing together a soup easier than ever. But if you have the time and the inclination, try making your own broth. It is so good for you and so delicious. Here are some great recipes and tips for making stocks and broths!
Recipes!!
Potato Leek Soup in the crock pot
This soup is perfect to prep the night before and throw in the crock pot on your way to work. You can also make this in a regular soup pot. Just cook everything until the potatoes and leeks are tender and then continue with the blending step.
Ingredients
4 to 6 baking potatoes, peeled and diced
4 to 6 leeks
1 carton vegetable or chicken broth
cream
a mix of cheeses to taste, I love to use a sharp white cheddar and some shaved parm (cheese is optional)
salt and pepper
You can add other spices such as rosemary, thyme, marjoram and fresh parsley. In this simple soup, the spices will add a distinct flavor so only use ones that you love!
Chop the leeks and rinse thoroughly.
Place the leeks, peeled and diced potatoes, a pinch of salt and some pepper and enough broth to cover into the crock pot and set on the low setting for 8 hours.
When you come home, check on everything and make sure the potatoes are very tender. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency. You can leave it chunky or make it very smooth and creamy. You might need to add more broth if it looks a bit dry or two thick. Add cream to taste (I usually add less than 1/2 a cup) and cheese if using. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. This soup is so delicious to serve with a piece of crusty bread and a light salad for something fresh and bright to balance!
These are my three go to soup recipes as soon as the weather starts to cool. There are so so many more that we love and love to make. Stay tuned for more #soup recipes on the Swan Blog and let us know how these turn out for you. Add what you like, take out what you don't, and create your own favorite soup recipe today!
Easy Black Bean Soup
This soup is quick, easy and filling. I make it without meat because of the vegetarian in the house, but adding shredded chicken would be a great idea. Just make sure to cook and shred the chicken separately and add it just after you mix in the pureed beans!
Ingredients
3 cans black beans
1 can diced tomatos
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 red or yellow onion (medium), chopped
1 can of corn
jalapenos or green chilis to taste (I use one can of the green chilis and a few slices of jalapeno, diced)
vegetable or chicken broth
sour cream, cheese and fresh cilantro for garnish
You can add so much more to this soup if you would like. How about red and green peppers? That shredded chicken I mentioned. Kale or another hearty green. Serve it over brown rice. The options are endless!
Start by sauteing the onion in a little bit of olive oil until it becomes translucent and soft. Add in the garlic and saute for another minute or two. Add the peppers if using (jalapeno, green chili, red or green) and saute for another few minutes. Add the corn (drained) and the tomato (not drained) and cook on medium heat for a few minutes. While that is cooking, drain and rinse the beans. Add about half to the pot and continue to cook. At this point you can add a bit of broth to keep a little bit of liquid in the pot. Add a pinch of salt and some pepper and turn heat to low. The more broth you add, the thinner your soup will be. I do not add more than a cup to this soup.
While the soup is simmering, mash up or blend the rest of the black beans. I use an immersion blender, but you can do this by hand or in a food processor. You just want to create a bean paste to thicken your soup. Add this in after the soup has been simmering about 10 min. You will need to stir for awhile and mash up the paste so it dissolves into the soup liquids. At this point you can add chicken, greens, or anything other ingredients that are already cooked or do not take long to cook. Once all your ingredients are in, add more broth to bring the soup to the consistency you prefer. I do not add a lot of spices to this soup because the flavors are already great, but you can add things like garlic powder, chili powder and cumin if you like. Let simmer for at least another 20 to 30 minutes with the lid on and add seasoning to taste. Serve with whatever garnish you prefer!
Spicy Vegetable Beef Soup
This is an old classic of my mom's. The original recipe calls for mostly canned veggies and ground beef. You can also make this with mostly fresh veggies and/or boca crumbles. It is one of those "whatever you have on hand" kind of soups!
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (or one package of veggie crumbles)
1 container V8 juice
2 cans each of: french style green beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce
1 large yellow onion
2 backing potatoes, peeled and diced
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
5 beef bullion cubes (or vegetable bullion), you can skip this and use stock instead!
Brown the beef along with the chopped onions. Drain any grease and add the potatoes and the bullion. Add water to cover and simmer for 30 min or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Add all of the canned items (drain the green beans and the corn). Add the container of V8 Juice and the spices. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer with lid on for 30min to an hour. Taste and add seasoning if needed.
