Pilates for All

I’d never considered “Fitness Instructor” as a career. I have always done a lot of aerobics exercises in my life and I always danced disco music and samba until I was the last person in the dance floor. But ask me if I would consider to be a fitness instructor as a career, I would’ve said, “no”. I always visualized and dreamed about me working in a big company and pursuing a management position.

Yes, my dreams did come true and I was in management for a big and well-known high-tech company. But I was wrong when said “no” to become a fitness instructor. After so many years in a high stressful job, I started doing Pilates and that is when I fell in love with this workout.

I started taking classes in Pilates Mat and Yoga Fusion in June 2006 and since then I was hooked. I gave up on my job few years later and subsequently took my Group Fitness Instructor and Pilates Mat certification. I opened my own Pilates private studio at home using Pilates and Yoga as part of my main training. Pilates is the type of exercises that reduces your chances of injury, stretches muscles, and strengthens the core. I know, I know, you’ve heard this before, like it’s on repeat, but it’s repeated so much, because it works.

Being a Fitness Instructor and Pilates teacher didn’t come “easy” and I’m by no means the best Instructor in the world. But I was the best student in my class and the only one who opened a Pilates private studio and got a Pilates instructor job as soon as a finished my certification. During my fitness instructor training and certification, my hips started getting sore and tightening up, all this because before the training I was not moving as much since I used to sit for long periods of time at the computer, attending meetings, travelling, etc. The “TFL and ITB stretches” helped loosen my hips and doing the Pilates moves on a regular basis strengthened my hips and stretched out my back. The Pilates side-lying exercises got my hips more flexible, aligned them better and improved my gait.

Another benefit of regular Pilates is that your mind really connects to what’s going on in your body. I think about my breath, the way my feet land on the pavement, how I’m carrying my shoulders, how my hips are moving, my neck, and my forward bend. I can match my breath to my tempo, or vice versa, and get a more efficient pace. Basically, Pilates can enhance everything you learned and perform in any other type of workout.

That is why Pilates is for all: Pilates should be an important part of your workout or training routine. It’s easy to integrate the Pilates mat moves into your traditional post-workout stretching or cool down after any type of workout you choose.

Health – Love – Pilates