Pilates to Change Lives

Hello Pilates People,

I hope that you’ve all had a fun and safe Independence Day and are now enjoying a beautiful Sunday morning. It officially feels like the dog days of summer, where yard work needs to be done early, and a good book and an iced tea sound awfully inviting. Last week we had an amazing time in Breckenridge with family and friends. We went to a gorgeous wedding, biked over Vail Pass, hiked, and read by the pool; it was a lovely reprieve from the heat and a break from daily life. The flowers were beautiful, the temperatures perfect, and we saw mountain goats, a moose, and a bear. At the pool, I read Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy and absolutely loved it. I highly recommend if you're looking for your next summer read.  At the wedding, we reconnected with old friends, danced, and cried tears of joy. As it generally goes when meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends, the conversation often landed on what we do for work. I found myself repeatedly being asked what I do and feeling that “I teach Pilates” wasn’t what I wanted to say. Yes, I do teach Pilates, but I don’t feel that it entirely encompasses what we do.

So often I get feedback from clients that what they receive at The Pilates Center is so different than what they’ve experienced at other studios. Oftentimes, they recognize how wonderful their previous teachers have been, but that they’re just getting more at TPC. Between this client feedback and talking about it at the wedding, what sets this Pilates apart from other Pilates has been circling my mind.

While there are a myriad of things that set us, and other studios like us, apart, ultimately there seems to be one main difference. We recognize the power within the method to change lives and thus, use it to do so. Pilates, for us, is not just a workout, but a way to create a happier, healthier, more fulfilled life. Obviously, Pilates will give you a great workout, but it is meant to be so much more.

The word that keeps coming back to me is "deeper." The Pilates that we teach at TPC is deeper than exercise. By utilizing the entire method as it was designed and intended, we're able to go deeper. We’re able to understand the exercises and movement patterns on a deeper level, feel the movements more deeply in our bodies, and experience deeper change. We go deeper into discussion and exploration, deeper into anatomy, deeper into breathing, concentration, and the mind-body connection. We truly don’t just teach Pilates.

I don't necessarily believe that it is a "classical" versus "contemporary" discussion, as there are some great “contemporary” teachers and some not-so-great “classical” teachers. The difference is in the foundation, the education, the curiosity, the depth. The difference is a comprehensive understanding of the body and the method, and using that understanding to improve lives. It is being passionate about changing lives rather than simply teaching exercise. Using the classical system just allows us to help people as efficiently and effectively as possible. It provides a consistent baseline for both the teacher and the client, making space for us to go deeper. Using the method as Joe created truly makes it possible to grow wholly and uniformly as a person, body, mind, and spirit.