By Kerry De Vivo
The Student Shoutout goes to one of our newbies, Eddie. It’s fun to look at what has inspired someone who is relatively new to Pilates. Eddie started sessions at Excel Pilates Annapolis in July 2021. He has been attending very consistently on a weekly basis.
Eddie doing beginning level exercise Single Leg Stretch
My mentor, Romana Kryzanowska, protégé of Joe Pilates, always taught us to stay with the beginning level exercises for the first 10 sessions. This lays down the foundation upon which we build our repertoire to the higher levels. A firm foundation is key. After this foundation, it’s always so inspiring as teachers to see how our client’s soar. Especially when students practice between sessions, as Eddie does, each session with a teacher is maximized.
“To watch Eddie’s progression has been nothing short of amazing. Not only does he always attend his sessions with an open mind and positive attitude but his advancement in the work is proof that with time and consistency, strength and flexibility will come. Watching him become stronger and more competent in the execution of exercises truly brightens my day!” – Amanda Turner
Eddie doing Swan, an intermediate level exercise
I asked Eddie a few questions about his Pilates experience, and here is what he had to say…
What inspired you to start Pilates sessions?
I was 64 years old when I started Pilates this past July. Up to that point, I’d never been the least bit interested in any type of physical training. I attribute that to my childhood experience of always being the smallest boy and most unathletic kid in my class. “Who needs this physical stuff, anyway,” I said to myself back then, and I kept saying it all the way through adulthood, until last year. For a couple years before I started Pilates, I’d been noticing the inevitable aches and pains of aging, and I was beginning to realize it was time for a change in attitude if I wanted to give my body its best chance of aging gracefully. I was talking one day to a dear friend who is a long-time client of Excel Pilates. I liked what I heard from her about Pilates, and decided to give it a try.
How has your Pilates practice affected your life?
After all those years, my hang-ups about physical activity are finally gone! That’s because at Excel Pilates, working with Amanda, I have found a welcoming, affirming, encouraging and most importantly, a non-judgmental atmosphere. Those aches and pains are largely gone, too!
What is one of your favorite Pilates exercises?
I love any of the exercises that involve using the hanging bar on the Cadillac. I also love the shoulder rolls at the end of each session. I know what you’re thinking, but NO, it’s not because the session is ending! It’s because as I do the shoulder rolls, I feel such a sense of accomplishment. I feel like marching out the door and shouting to the world, “I DID IT!”
Eddie doing Going Up Front on the Electric Chair,
An exercise that requires advanced levels of
control and concentration
Indeed Eddie, YOU DID IT!! Thank you for sharing your Pilates experience with us and inspiring everyone!
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