Have you tried Pilates? Like a legit Pilates class mat class taught by a powerhouse Pilates instructor. I have.
Yoga is my exercise poison… but in honor of National Pilates Day (it’s Saturday), I decided to ditch the downward dog for The Hundred, The Roll Up, The Roll Over and One Leg Circle – all traditional Pilates moves taught by Lisa, owner/instructor of The Pilates Body in Arcadia, a bright, open studio just off Indian School.
As soon as I met Lisa, I knew I was in store for a wicked workout. She’s been teaching Pilates for 10+ years and she’s been in the health industry even longer – and it shows. She has the butt of a 20-year-old and near perfect posture. She’s a walking billboard.
Lisa is also a Pilates purist. Before you even make it to the mat, you need 1-3 private lessons, including a postural evaluation. Lisa is a body reader and can instantly tell you how to correct alignment and postural imbalances – which will only make your mat class that much more effective. From there, mat classes are small and intimate – 6 people tops – so you can make a real difference in your posture, muscle imbalances and fitness level. This is not the In-N-Out Burger of Pilates.
In my class there were four of us – all regulars plus me. Lisa worked us to the core –and more! When I started to slack, she’d give me a slight form tweak or elongate my legs and I’d somehow muster the motivation to finish out the set – and boy was I glad I did. I walked away with a little more spring in my better-aligned step.
I chatted with my Pilates co-pilots after class and they all had rave reviews. Pilates cured Bob’s running injury and overhauled another gal’s posture – and none of the three had been injured or sidelined since starting Pilates. Can’t argue with that!
