PILATES

What is Pilates and why should you do it?!

I’m so glad you asked! I am happy to share with you here - with zero hyperbole - that Pilates changed my life. That’s why I teach it.

A mindfulness practice disguised as a workout - there’s a reason it’s exploded in popularity.

A system of movement (read: exercises + philosophy) conceived by Joseph Pilates (1883-1967), Pilates can be done on a mat or on equipment, and is designed to strengthen and stretch the body while focusing the mind and invigorating the spirit. Is this exactly how Joseph Pilates would have described his workouts? Not quite… but in his words:

“Pilates…restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit.”

After discovering Pilates in 2008, I hoarded it. I avoided teaching it for a few years, wanting to stay the student for as long as possible. When I finally started instructing my own Pilates classes in 2011, I couldn’t believe my eyes: every class started with a group of crumpled up strangers and ended with a company of poised powerhouses ready to take on their lives. Teaching Pilates felt like a new way of being with people; introducing them to a different kind of strength they didn’t know they had. A workout that actually feels good, that reminds you to bend as much as it asks you to brace, to flow AND to focus, to concentrate and to center your attention on your breath, body, and mind.

As a teacher, I stay pretty close to Joe’s original recipe of the work. Not because it is perfect, but because it is a solid launching pad, an interesting litmus to see where we are moving and how we are stuck. From there, I take the lead from the body or bodies in front of me, I allow my movement history and education to inform my sessions and classes. Lots of people think of improvisation as making stuff up, but at the root of all great improv, is great listening. And so I listen, choosing the adventure for clients and students alike and trusting that the practice of Pilates will consistently teach us where and what to do next.