Explore Pilates Insights for an Active, Balanced Life

When people ask me if they should do mat or apparatus Pilates, my answer is: ideally both! If you are healthy, active, and free of injuries, then both mat and apparatus Pilates are for you. However, before you jump right in to one or the other, you should do a beginner’s course, an assessment, or […]

The hip hinge is a foundational movement in fitness, and one that mimics the everyday activity of bending and lifting. Have you seen those pain-relief commercials? Where someone bends over to pick up a pencil and their back spasms? Learning how to do a hip hinge properly will help you strengthen key muscles and teach […]

Feet don’t seem to get much love in the fitness world. This is a shame, since they literally support all of our upright movements whether we are working out or not. As a whole body exercise, Pilates spends a lot of time focusing on the feet and how their “fitness” affects the other areas of […]

I am naturally curious, and love to understand the ins and outs of things. The same goes for my workouts! I want to know why I am doing what I am doing. Keep reading for eight interesting Pilates facts and history that you just might not know.  1. Pilates was Originally Called Contrology. When Joseph […]

Setting a Silent Example for Children with Fitness I started teaching aerobics and spin classes when I was in my early 20s. I haven’t stopped my fitness journey since then, even through raising my three daughters, who are now sixteen, eighteen, and twenty. In the early years as a mom, it didn’t occur to me […]

Last week I talked about what you need to bring to your first Pilates session. One of the things on that list was comfy, easy-to-move-in exercise clothing. Given my job, I pretty much live in this type of clothing, and I have tried many brands. I definitely have my favourites that I wear to Pilates, […]

New clients often ask me what they need for their first Pilates class, and it is a great question! Some activities come with all sorts of gear and special accessories, but Pilates is very low key in that regard. You probably have everything you need at home.  What to Wear to Pilates Class Wearing layers […]

Tight hips? Sore back and neck? I hear these complaints over and over again. The first questions that I ask is “What do you do for work?” Almost inevitably, the answer is a job that involves sitting for most of the day, either at a desk or in a vehicle. Not surprisingly, (to me, at […]

Are You Ready?  There is no doubt about it: life’s challenges create change within us when we meet them head-on. I mean, have you ever parented a toddler or met a twelve year old girl? I have always loved a good challenge (though the toddler years were rough), which is probably why I love working […]

What is it going to take for you to make time for yourself? For me, it took several stressful and grief-filled events to remind me how important self-care is. In my last blog post, I shared a list of the ways I am taking care of myself again. These things – relaxing, sleeping, eating healthier, […]

Life is nothing if not surprising. We can be cruising along happily immersed in our routines, and then out of nowhere – BAM! Life takes a dramatic twist. A dream-job might suddenly pop up, or a loved one might get very sick. Life’s curveballs knock us off-balance and demand our immediate attention, often causing great […]

Over the years, I have heard people say time and again that they can’t do Pilates because they aren’t flexible enough. They have seen the Instagram posts of graceful athletes performing Pilates – and can’t imagine being able to do the poses themselves. The truth? You can still take part in (and benefit from) Pilates, […]

Whether you are ready or not, September is right around the corner. With it comes regular routines, pumpkin-spice everything (love it or hate it), back-to-school, and homework. Like kids practicing their spelling words, doing ten minutes a day of Pilates homework can make all the difference when you get back to class.  I recently blogged […]

This past week, my family took a trip to Whistler, BC. In all of the craziness, we managed to catch the final races of Crankworx, which is a huge mountain-biking competition. We watched woman after woman knock their races out of the park – and they made it look SO EASY. With the live commentary […]

If I see you in class, I don’t care if you are slow, fast, in shape, out of shape, thick or thin. If you are in class, I am rooting for you. I read the above on Instagram the other day, and it stood out for me, because it is truly how I feel! When […]