The future of spring resistance training
The Pilates Journal did an interview with Jill Harris, the inventor of FitSprings to understand more about this equipment and why it’s so effective.
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Speaking with Senior Pilates Instructor, Jill Harris you can see that creativity runs in her veins.
“All of this began with a workout on the Pilates Cadillac that I filmed and shared on YouTube back in 2012 where I put the leg springs on opposite sides of the table and place the straps above my knees for a ballet based “barre” workout,” said Jill.
“My clients were taking barre classes and other bootcamp style classes outside the studio and coming back complaining of pain in their back, hips and knees and I wanted to offer them a dynamic workout that would be safe and effective. I kept thinking about how could they use arms and legs in the straps at the same time to have full body resistance and that was the start of me researching how to do this.
“I began to think about how I could create something that would go overhead and have springs coming down. My inspiration initially came from a fashion show. I happened to notice an Alexander McQueen show at the time where he used honeycombs as a theme. I looked at this and saw the idea of using the points in the honeycomb as points to support resistance and drew some ideas from that.
“A friend introduced me to a person who was making metal sculptures for Burning Man and when I shared my idea with him he sketched out exactly what I was talking about and began to build out the structure,” she said.
In April of 2013 Jill installed the structure and got started on testing. “I ordered every kind of spring, band, and resistance tube I could think of to test it out. I had to find the right calibration. During this three-month period I brought in clients of all sizes, shapes and heights to test the different resistances and find the one most universal to all bodies,” said Jill.
“Not long after I began creating workouts with my trainers as well as personal trainers and a physiotherapist and launched what was then called ‘Informed Technique’ off the name of my studio which was Informed Body in July of 2013.
“It was evident quite early on that FitSprings as it’s now known benefits absolutely everyone. From clients who are elderly and need dynamic balance to the athlete who needs to work on their endurance to the average client who is not getting enough cardio to the injured client who requires offloading their joints while strengthening. I’ve used it in dancers who have had foot injuries and need to regain strength to jump and releve and for clients who have knee issues when squatting or lunging. It’s a great way to get them to learn to fire their muscles up in ways they aren’t able to without the feedback of the springs.
“The majority of the work is done standing which requires clients to balance more and stay connected from the top down. This is quite different to many current Pilates-based workouts that have you laying horizontally.
“There are similarities in that I do series with just the arms for core workouts and just the legs like side-lying leg springs, but the difference is the intensity and the way the set-up enables the body to feel more lifted and engage more effectively.
“Centering and control are two of the main principles at play here. The set-up is designed to keep the body aligned and to visually and physically cue you to know when one side is working harder than the other. Controlling resistance throughout the body is intense and requires total body awareness.
“The resistance is much more intense and it’s something people have to get used to.
“I would describe FitSprings as the secret weapon that is getting clients stronger fast. It is improving their cardiovascular strength, their balance and their general conditioning. Clients who use FitSprings are reporting they are stronger than ever and can do their other activities with greater ease. Athletes are improving their skills and my older clients are saying when they almost fall and were able to correct themselves before hitting the ground.
“I use the FitSprings for children as young as 10 to adults as old as 86.
“You can also get creative in how you use it. For instance, if you have an elderly client you might have them sitting in a chair and use the leg springs or arms to stay strong. There are so many ways you can use it,” said Jill.
Jill also shared her personal story. “In 2017 I was physically attacked with a gun and sustained severe injuries including a fractured skull, C6,7 Herniated onto a nerve which radiated down my arm, my rotator cuff was torn, labrum was damaged and my shoulder was fractured,” she explained.
“I couldn’t lie down on my reformer or lift my arms over my head. My legs still worked and I needed to keep moving so I adjusted the resistance of the arms and changed the placement of the straps to my elbows. From here I continued to work on strengthening my body every day and kept my workouts going because of this equipment.
“10 years on and a full recovery, I am proud to say that FitSprings is now in 12 locations including home studios and studios in California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and Kansas.
“Originally the structure allowed for just two people but now being modular it can be increased for semi-private training with 4-6 participants due to its modular design. In a semi-private environment studio owners can also charge more than a regular pilates or personal training session,” she said.
In Kansas at Pilates with Kahley it is being used to train NFL players and MMA fighters and dancers to be more competitive at their sport. Others are using it as a way to get more intense cardio.
“In short it provides a provides more dynamic experience that emphasises functional training in a low-impact manner. The goal is to use the springs as a training tool to make movements that may be challenging in everyday life more achievable. Over time we want to improve their movements off the springs. It’s a fantastic challenge and provides a new way for your clients to be challenged. What’s not to love!,” said Jill.
Jill Harris, the visionary behind FitSprings, crafted this innovative approach to strength and stability training after her personal journey overcoming injuries and physical constraints. FitSprings uniquely combines assistance and resistance, ensuring minimal joint impact while promoting functional movement for individuals of all abilities.
Connect with Jill on Instagram at @jillharrispilates and @fitsprings or reach out to her directly for further details. Learn more about FitSprings for your business at www.fitsprings.com
