Costco Connection - January 2011

Shane Williams Sporting Goods Buyer

Exercise your
right to choose
Suit the equipment
to your fitness needs

THE INVERTALIGN 4 inversion table is a natural form of traction that combines your body weight and gravity to decompress weight-bearing joints. While the body is rotated and suspended, gravity’s force applies traction, resulting in a customized stretch that elongates the spine by increasing the space between the verte-brae, which relieves the pressure on the discs and nerve roots.

Other benefits include improved posture, better circulation, increased oxygen to the brain, enhanced alignment and balance, and strengthened ligaments.

The InvertAlign 4, available at all Costco locations, is even better this year, with an improved, fully assembled ankle clamp that provides better comfort and easy entry/ exit. At $199, the cost is

STOTT PILATES® PHOTOGRAPHY ©MERRITHEW CORPORATION

60 percent less than comparable retail prices.

C

By Eric Butterman

DO YOU THINK first of weights or treadmills when considering exercise equipment? If so, Pilates may be a good alternative, since it offers a strong combination of the two in terms of benefits. Focused on the concept of controlling the body through its core, Pilates increases strength and improves cardiovascular health. It can be as simple as rolling like a ball or as intense as a workout on one of several Pilates machines.

There is a misconception that Pilates is for women only, but don’t tell that to Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick, who uses it as one of his key regimens and was able to get several members of his organization into it as well. Don Kirby, a Pilates trainer and owner of Downtown Dallas Pilates, says it improves coordination and is top-notch for athletes because it involves quick-reaction muscles.

“It hits the muscles closest to the bone structure,
not just the abs,” he notes. “It also teaches you that
you’re only as strong as you are flexible and vice
versa. At the same time, it’s rehabilitative.”
Kirby says you can stabilize your core through
Pilates by adjusting the equipment to provide resis-

The Costco Connection

Costco.com carries the STOTT PILATES® SPX™
Reformer package (currently a special offer),
which includes the SPX Reformer, platform
extender, roll-up pole and two DVDs. Costco.com
also offers the Stott Pilates Stability Chair™, the
Epic Power Set 100 SpaceSaver weight set, tread-
mills, elliptical machines and other exercise equip-
ment. Members should also check at their Costco
locations for exercise equipment availability.
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tance or to make you feel weightless. “The point is finding what you best respond to,” he says. “The endless amount of Pilates exercises makes that possible.” Among the machines, the Reformer is a standout. Utilizing a sled-like apparatus, shoulder blocks keep your head and neck in place for exercises in which you choose to lie down. “It’s unbelievable for stamina,” Kirby says. “You create a real flow to go through 70 exercises in 60 minutes—that takes endurance. You also get a whole-body workout.” The springs on the machine act as resistance, providing a greater amount the farther out you stretch. A further benefit of the Reformer is how easy it is to adjust the straps and the foot bar. If you want to work out the upper body more, Kirby says, you can always go with the Pilates chair, which is often box-shaped and has a resistance pad just below where you sit—it can be pushed from above or underneath in the lying position.

Kirby admits that while Pilates machines can make you strong, they promote longer, leaner muscles as opposed to bulkier muscles. For that, consider the SpaceSaver weights. Adjustable to hold up to 50 pounds of weight per dumbbell, they let you choose to go for toning or muscle building. Other advantages include how quickly you can change the weights and how little space they take up.

Pilates is helpful for cardiovascular exercise, but if that’s your main goal you should also look at treadmills. Many have hand-grip sensors that allow you to see whether you’re in the optimal training zone. A reading rack and MP3-ready jacks and speakers can help you forget you’re even exercising.