Sandra‘s Closet

Many of you have been asking me lately how I stay fit and in shape. First of all, part of it is eating a healthy diet, so I make sure I am consuming plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. I eat everything in moderation and listen very carefully to my body. However, I also indulge in my guilty pleasures, which means for me a piece of cake or a glass of bubbly.

The other part of staying fit is exercising on a regular base. As I used to dance ballet professionally many years ago, my body still has memory how to maintain a good posture. My so-called powerhouse is engaged subconsciously, which burns calories. In case that you are not familiar with this term. Created by Joseph Pilates, the powerhouse is the center of the body and comprised of a group of muscles; abdominals (upper an lower), lower back, buttocks and the hip. It is the core of pilates. For him, the extremities, such as arms, legs and shoulders, is a muscular network that extends from this powerhouse.

What distinguishes pilates from most other exercise modalities is strength in movement is achieved through interconnectivity versus isolation, thereby the body is strengthened with more control and stability. Learning how to breathe correctly while exercising, also helps to calm your mind. Breath is a very important part of pilates. My avid readers already know that I love pilates.  I work out at least twice a week at PILATESwiss – premium, ecologically responsible studios for pilates and yoga. After my summer travels, I am so happy to be back to train.

In 2004 the first studio opened right on Lake Zurich, in Seefeld, which was doubled the size in 2011. This May, in the «vineyard of Zurich», sunny Höngg, a new studio opened its doors and I was curious to explore the new space that also offers wall classes with patented and locally produced PILATESwiss Boards.

The owner of PILATESwiss, Canadian-born Karolina Schmid, who is in my opinion definitely the best in business, designed the wall boards to further underscore her personal commitment to providing her clients with innovation and quality. I love to train with her and I can also recommend the whole PILATESwiss team of 25 quality-conscious trainers who are constantly perfecting their teaching skills.

In fact, PILATESwiss is the only company in German speaking Europe to achieve both PILATES Method Alliance accreditation (PSI) for its teacher training program and at same time YOGA alliance (YA) accreditation for its teacher training program. Globally, there is no higher independent, non-fiduciary test of quality available.

Today, personal training in environmentally «clean» spaces is something truly amazing. Besides their line of low carbon footprint machines that are made in Switzerland, PILATESwiss uses toxin-free or vegan cleaning products, and trains on ecologically conscious surfaces and textiles.

My outfit is by CASALL, a brand that is exclusively available at PILATESwiss. The tights consists of 78% recycled Polyamide and 22% Lycra. This sustainable fabric is made of 100% regenerated Polyamide fiber from post-consumer materials like old fishnets and others. It is super stretchy with a high Lycra®XtraLife percentage making it extra durable and flexible.

The crossback tank is made of 100% Tencel® fabric that is very soft and fluid. This fabric comes with natural antibacterial features and has good moisture absorption properties. Made of cellulosa fibres from sustainable tree farms, it is biodegradable. A conscious choice!

Shop my look: Iconic sports bra in black, Ease cross back tank in focus beige, and Better high waist tights in belonging beige, all by CASALL.

PILATESwiss
Studio Seefeld, Seefeldstrasse 225, 8008 Zürich
Studio Höngg, Ackersteinstrasse 207, 8049 Zürich
E-mail:
Phone: +41 78 891 03 17

See you there!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Karolina Schmid
The photos were taken at Studio Höngg.

I love being active and try to do lots of workouts at home during quarantine to stay fit. I truly miss my weekly pilates class with Karolina Schmid and cannot wait until her studio opens again. Great news for my Zurich based readers: she will be opening another studio in Höngg with PILATESwiss wall boards and classes in June.

Whatever your favorite workout might be, the right activewear makes it even more fun. Hit the gym in Versace’s Greek key-infused pieces that elevate your casual look.

My look: Zip-up tech-jersey hooded sweatshirt, logo-jacquard low-impact sports bra, and logo-jacquard technical jersey leggings, all by Versace, Portugaba tote by Christian Louboutin, Run away sneaker in blue by Louis Vuitton, Love bracelets by Cartier, Royal Oak 37mm 18-karat frosted rose gold watch by Audemars Piguet and FF-print round acetate sunglasses by Fendi.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.

My avid readers know that I am a big pilates fan. Therefore I was eager to try the new PILATES WALL class at Studio PILATESwiss by Karolina Schmid in Zurich.

I have been training with Karolina for many years. Her studio is the oldest personal training pilates and yoga studio in Zurich. There are 20 people working with her to make it the success it is today and she is supported by an international advisory board of medical and specific experts. I even do my physiotherapy there and love the touch of Simone’s magic hands after an intense training session.

Karolina’s brand PILATESwiss of pilates and yoga is based on the visceral approach, created by her. Furthermore she teaches teachers to teach. Her intense PILATESwiss teacher training programs are completely bilingual in language course notes and exams. Personally speaking, I enjoy training with teachers as the classes are much more intense as you can imagine.

«Studio PILATESwiss is where your pilates teachers come to do PILATES.»

Being Canadian, service and access to your trainer, is Karolina’s unique selling point. In her 15 year of business her studio has never closed for a single day. You can train 365 day at any time of day or night, and she accompanies you to your holiday home, on your business trip, or on your family vacation.

Although Karolina does personal training only, she has developed a new so-called luxury light service in the way of wall classes, a novel blend of pilates, yoga and function fitness. The reason why I am also showing you this is that it is a perfect way to get into the pilates training, in terms of cost and convenience of bookings.

Key points:
Booking online only here.
Single entry CHF 42 / Pass of 10 classes CHF 400

In small groups of maximum 8 people, you climb the PILATES WALL in a 60 min session. An absolute sensation of price to service.

The PILATES WALL classes offer:
– PILATES REFORMER work on wheel carriages
– PILATES CADILLAC work in the way of wall springs
– You work with special apparatus like gynmastic rings, weight balls and the ballet barre.
– You climb the wall on yoga inversion straps and add asanas to flowing funcitonal sequences.
– You do inversions, central to the visceral approach to core muscle recruitment.

I usually train in a quartet session with three other participants on the reformer or cadillac. Therefore I asked Karolina, what is different from those quartets to the wall classes offered at PILATESwiss Studio?

«Aside from privates and duettes the beloved quartetts remain popular because a client enjoys the «right of way» onto to their reserved machine and time slot each week with their friends and never have to cue up on a waiting list. Business people or busy mums find this fabulous. In addition clients can use their quartett pass on any other quartett in our schedule as well space permitting on the classical studio machines topics like chair, cadillac, swing silks, or reformers.»

I think that the wall classes are a great way to get access to Karolina’s gorgeous top quality studio for a fraction of the cost of her personal training services.

If you are interested, check out her website PILATESwiss or give her a call under +41 78 891 03 17. The studio is located at Seefeldstrasse 225 in Zurich .

See you hopefully there. Summer is here and it is time to get back in shape…
My clothes in the photos are all by CASALL.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Stay slim at Christmas: here is an idea to stop you turning into a pudding this festive season.
X-mas may traditionally be seen as a time for overindulgence but my simple advice can help you prevent gaining pounds. Exercise is the single best way to keep your weight stable over this tempting period and here is what I like to suggest. Get a great new look for training, one that makes you feel good and that you like to look at in the mirror. Further down you can find two options that I got from CASALL. You will see that it can motivate you a lot and this easy little trick might help you to start the New Year in great shape without missing out on the cookie treats.

With Karolina Schmid in her studio where we shot these photos.

I love to do yoga and pilates. After years of ballet, I love these workouts to lengthen and strengthen the body. If you are living in the Zurich area, I recommend KAROLINA SCHMID‘s studio that offers high end pilates and yoga classes in private lessons or trainings in small groups.
Pilates Karolina Schmid – Seefeldstrasse 225, 8008 Zurich / Switzerland – Phone: +41 78 891 03 17

Get the look of training session 1: Mint green sports bra, side slit pants, and berry glam strap tank, all by CASALL.

Get the look of training session 2: Black spiral long sleeve top and matching tights, both by CASALL.

Working out and fashion belong together, don’t you think?! So no excuses, put on the right workout gear, feel great and enjoy this beautiful Christmas season!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

I get often asked how I am staying fit. And the answer is I love doing sports. After years of ballet, I am more in the mind-body wellness and adore pilates and yoga. Both workouts lengthen and strengthen the body. They both focus on breath, alignment, balance, strength, flexibility and are done barefoot. Some moves and poses even overlap.

Strengthening your core in pilates class will give you better balance in yoga; increasing your flexibility in yoga class will enable you to move deeper in pilates. Both sports are highly effective as they use your whole body and different muscle groups.

Yoga Wheel Training with Karolina Schmid

In Zurich I train with Karolina Schmid who runs a studio for high end pilates and yoga personal training, with private lessons or trainings in small groups. Her team of 10 people consists of physical therapists, midwives and personal trainers all working with the PILATESwiss® method for viszeral core that Karolina has developed herself. The Canadian born also offers teacher training so that PILATESwiss® is now globally represented. For more information, please visit the website.

Pilates Karolina Schmid – Seefeldstrasse 225, 8008 Zurich / Switzerland – Phone: +41 78 891 03 17

In all of the photos we took at Karolina’s studio, I wear CASALL clothes, a brand I truly like for their quality and design. For more than 30 years, the Swedish label has created high end training wear and equipment using for example innovative and sustainable bio polyamide fabrics. To find out more, you can visit the website HERE.

Working out and fashion belong together, don’t you think?! I like to look and feel great during my whole training session because IT MATTERS!

So excuses don’t burn calories, put on the right workout gear and see what happens…
and by the way I am not getting paid for this post – I show it because I am loving it!

LoL, Sandra

YOGA WHEEL

REFORMER / CADILLAC

FLYING YOGA / PILATES

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
A huge thank you to my daughter for taking them!

Recently I was featured in Schweizer Illustrierte (N°44-2013) doing pilates with my little girl. Being a working mum, I love to incorporate my workout into the my daughter’s schedule from time to time. Karolina Schmid, who has been my pilates teacher in Zurich for many years, offers an amazing training concept, so-called Mom and Me Personal Training (of course Dads are welcome, too).

You work in a group of four parents and four children. Instead of  bringing your kid to class and desperately killing time waiting for the it to finish, you enjoy some bonding moments with your little one while getting the perfect physically demanding workout. In Karolina’s very private and luxurious environment, I like to schedule my session with a top specially qualified trainer together with three other be-friended mums and their girls.

The class is a mixure of yoga and pilates that takes both parent and child onto the mat and into the air. It combines athletic -acrobatics, pilates flying and uses each other’s weight to get a core and postural workout. Because it includes partner shiatsu and trust excercises it nurtures the bond between parent and child.

Age groups are either 5-8 years or 9-13 years. It costs CHF 60.00 per parent and child team with a maximum of 4  teams per personal training session. Sessions are 60 min.

Great news for my Swiss readers: This upcoming Saturday, November 8, 2013, there is an Open Day at Studio Karolina Schmid. The class starts at 5pm.

If you like to become a teacher for this type of training, you will find more information under www.PilateSwiss.ch.

The clothes that I am wearing on the photos are all by Casall. The jewelry by Piaget.

Studio Karolina Schmid . Pilates & Yoga 
PMA certified Pilates Teacher
Seefeldstrasse 225 . 8008 Zürich . T +41 44 380 79 59 . M +41 78 891 03 17
www.karolinaschmid.ch

Strike a pose!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Schweizer Illustrierte and © Sandra Bauknecht

New Year, New You! Have you lived up to your new year’s resolution? I am sure that most of you have, after four weeks have passed, already forgotten about their good intentions. But time flies and summer is approaching fast. So better start now getting in shape.

How to get started:

1. Get a stylish outfit to exercise that makes you feel good so that you want to work out.

Two-tone cotton-jersey hooded top, mesh-trimmed animal-print stretch tank, run mesh-trimmed animal-print stretch leggings, embossed yoga mat, all by Adidas by Stella McCartney and leather wedge sneakers by Pierre Hardy.

2. Find a sport or a studio that suits your personal needs best.

I try to work out at least 4-5 times a week when I am at home. When I am travelling, I exercise less in general. My favourite places in Zurich:
BALLET: Jeannette Steiner Ballettschule Küsnacht
PILATES: Karolina Schmid Pilates Personal Training
YOGA: Vasili Vlachos Iyengar Yoga Center

3. For toned thighs and skin, it is best to complement your workout with the right body care: Celluli Eraser by Biotherm.

This slimming gel works efficiently on two levels to visibly reduce cellulite from 14 days and deliver long-lasting results with the help of marine-derived active ingredients, red Coralline algae extract and pure caffeine, providing a double-effect against cellulite and fat formation. The formula’s refreshing frozen film texture gives skin a feeling of fresh vitality. Apply daily in circular movements on targeted areas. Available in Switzerland from February 2013 for CHF 58.00.

4. It goes without saying that a healthy lifestyle is essential to look your best.

Healthy nutrition helps you to maintain the natural balance and energy flow throughout our physical and mental body. Purelosophy drinks are designed to engage your senses, offering different blends of fresh natural fruit and gentle herbal tastes. A welcome change, a great and healthy treat.

Purelosophy is totally natural. The drinks are not carbonated, which is easier on digestion. Refined sweeteners are avoided that could lead to metabolic (“calorie counting”) and gastrointestinal disturbances. The sweetness comes naturally from fruit juices and fruit sugars. Purelosophy drinks are gently pasteurised to preserve taste and freshness for a long time.

Purelosophy is available online for CHF 3.00 (250 ml) and around the world, including famous places such as Confiserie Sprüngli Zürich, Badrutt’s Palace St.Moritz, Le Byblos St. Tropez, Shangri-La Paris, Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Los Angeles and Mandarin Oriental Singapore, among many others.

5. Cleanse, purify, detox your body from time to time!

Women want to have a perfect body, and therefore maintain constant pursuit of all kinds of light. Detoxification is always a very effective process to eliminate all the negative effects on our body from the environment, such as industrial chemicals, pesticides, additives in our foods, secondary smoke, pollutants, or heavy metals. Nowadays, internal detoxification should be adopted to keep your body systems in pristine condition.

Christina van der Schaar, founder of Holistic Health in Zurich, helps you find simple ways to eliminate toxins from your body with different sorts of detox programs, short-term or long-term, from 24-hour juice fasting for a radiance boost to long-term nutrition counseling. During the program, she comes home to you and delivers you what you need on a daily basis. I have to admit that I have never done such a detox program but I feel that it is time. Holistic Health has convinced me and once I get started, I will journalize my experiences here.

To a New You and Me!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the brands