PILATES EMPOWERMENT
June 2013 Scoop
by Kerry De Vivo
IT’S YOUR LUCKY DAY
It was 27 years ago this month that I had the good fortune to accidentally discover Pilates. While attending a summer dance program at SUNY Purchase, I was told I could also sign up for Pilates. “Pilates? Never heard of it - sign me up!” was my response. For the 6 week duration of the program, I did Pilates sessions 3 times a week. The sessions included full Pilates, meaning both the mat and apparatus exercises. Much like I ask of my clients, in addition to exploring the exercises themselves, my teachers guided me in incorporating the concepts of Pilates into my daily actions. For example, my teachers, Steve Giordano and a woman named Nancy who had an amazing smile, told me to train myself to sleep on my back as I had a very arched lower back which front sleeping did not help.
So, fast forward- here I am having been a Pilates practitioner for almost 3 decades, and a studio owner for almost 15 years. I write this sitting on an Amtrak train returning from a Pilates conference with my co-worker. And what I take from all of this is that I consider myself one of the lucky ones. Lucky enough to stumble into the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning at a young age. Lucky enough to study and train directly with first generation teachers who worked directly with Joe Pilates and who generously shared every detail about Joe’s exercises as well as the spirit of his work. Lucky enough to experience Pilates prior to having to quantify it as “Classical” Pilates. Lucky enough to have the comradery with other colleagues dedicated to preserving and sharing classical Pilates. Lucky enough to own a classical Pilates studio with the best the industry has to offer in apparatus and teachers trained in the direct lineage of Joseph Pilates. And lucky enough to share this wonderful form of exercise with clients who are so dedicated to Joe’s work and to Excel Pilates Annapolis. Every time I start my own workout at the studio I think, “ah, I made it back to my next workout”.
So, as you come into the studio, remember, you’re of the lucky ones who gets to do this fabulous method of exercise and you’re of the lucky ones doing the true Pilates work! Each time you come to the studio, consider it your lucky day!
IT’S YOUR LUCKY DAY
It was 27 years ago this month that I had the good fortune to accidentally discover Pilates. While attending a summer dance program at SUNY Purchase, I was told I could also sign up for Pilates. “Pilates? Never heard of it - sign me up!” was my response. For the 6 week duration of the program, I did Pilates sessions 3 times a week. The sessions included full Pilates, meaning both the mat and apparatus exercises. Much like I ask of my clients, in addition to exploring the exercises themselves, my teachers guided me in incorporating the concepts of Pilates into my daily actions. For example, my teachers, Steve Giordano and a woman named Nancy who had an amazing smile, told me to train myself to sleep on my back as I had a very arched lower back which front sleeping did not help.
So, fast forward- here I am having been a Pilates practitioner for almost 3 decades, and a studio owner for almost 15 years. I write this sitting on an Amtrak train returning from a Pilates conference with my co-worker. And what I take from all of this is that I consider myself one of the lucky ones. Lucky enough to stumble into the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning at a young age. Lucky enough to study and train directly with first generation teachers who worked directly with Joe Pilates and who generously shared every detail about Joe’s exercises as well as the spirit of his work. Lucky enough to experience Pilates prior to having to quantify it as “Classical” Pilates. Lucky enough to have the comradery with other colleagues dedicated to preserving and sharing classical Pilates. Lucky enough to own a classical Pilates studio with the best the industry has to offer in apparatus and teachers trained in the direct lineage of Joseph Pilates. And lucky enough to share this wonderful form of exercise with clients who are so dedicated to Joe’s work and to Excel Pilates Annapolis. Every time I start my own workout at the studio I think, “ah, I made it back to my next workout”.
So, as you come into the studio, remember, you’re of the lucky ones who gets to do this fabulous method of exercise and you’re of the lucky ones doing the true Pilates work! Each time you come to the studio, consider it your lucky day!
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