Explore Pilates Insights for an Active, Balanced Life

Next up in my series on the Pilates apparatuses: the Pilates Tower and Cadillac. These “versions” of the more popular reformer (at least on social media) have a lot to offer and are pretty neat in their own right. They’ve even got photogenic exercises like the candlestick and walkover to impress your friends and family. […]

Have you ever wondered who does Pilates? When I started teaching Pilates in the mid-2000s, there were very few Pilates studios in my community and surrounding cities. There are more now, but still not as many as, say, yoga studios or cross-fit gyms. Many people haven’t even heard of Pilates! It’s almost a secret method […]

The reformer in Pilates is probably the most well-known of all the apparatus in a Pilates studio. It really is the centrepiece. It’s also a strange-looking contraption that can be intimidating when you first use it, which is why I do introductory sessions with new clients. So what is the reformer, exactly? Let’s find out.  […]

Are you planning the new year and a new you? I’d like to challenge you with a different approach. How about new year, evolving you? We’re constantly learning, changing and evolving – and it can happen all year long! Setting big goals for yourself is a great way to ensure you keep evolving, so set […]

If you want to get the most out of your workouts, you need to be dripping sweat, collapse on the floor, and have major muscle pain, right? I’ve seen those people many times at the gym, and I grimace thinking about how sore they’re going to be the next day. I’ve also seen the same […]

Sometimes, life gets crazy. Right now, it’s the holidays, but it’s not unusual to find yourself overwhelmed or out of routine at any time of year. Spring Break, summer holidays, or even a sick person at home can get you off-balance in life. It’s these times that fitness often falls to the side, but in […]

Back when I was in my early twenties teaching fitness, I didn’t pick up that people in my classes might feel anxious on their first day or that I was a new instructor to them. Looking back, it’s weird that I didn’t see it because I personally had experienced those feelings. I was young and […]

Have you ever thought of running a marathon? It takes a lot of training to run a successful marathon because it’s a long freaking distance! 42.2km (26.2 miles) is about the distance from my home to the edge of Vancouver, which can take almost an hour to drive. And despite telling everyone I’d never run […]

I’ve taught Pilates to hundreds of people across all ages and fitness levels. Often, they come to me because Pilates has been recommended to them by their doctor or specialists. Sometimes it’s because they are suffering from chronic pain that would benefit from improved strength, mobility, or flexibility. Other times, they come to Pilates for […]

Since I’m a runner myself, when I work with other runners I can predict exactly which exercises will make them say “this feels so good”, “this hurts so much”, or “this hurts so good”! The Pilates exercises runners love most pay attention to the tight spots in the lower body that are so common in […]

When people are first introduced to Pilates, it’s rarely the complete Pilates method of mat and apparatus work. Rather, they find one type of Pilates (mat or apparatus) and eventually discover the other form. Here’s a secret, though: they are actually meant to complement each other, and not be done in isolation.  Why Pilates Equipment […]

I love to run. That’s why when I was sidelined from a running-related injury, I was devastated! The injury was made worse because I hadn’t followed my own advice that runners should do Pilates. I let my practice slip, and I almost had to quit running. If you’re a runner, you get it. Running is […]

I’ve been getting inquiries about Pilates from my daughters’ friends, and it turns out that Pilates is trending on TikTok. Who knew? Not me, apparently. Thanks to the app, it seems people really want to try the Pilates reformer apparatus. Have you tried it yet? Depending on where you live, it might be difficult to […]

When it comes to your hobbies and interests, have you ever taken the time to figure out what it is, exactly, that you love so much about them? I’ve been thinking a lot about why I love Pilates and fitness, and the answer didn’t surprise me. It does, however, explain why I fell hard for […]

I think there might be some people out there who love putting themselves in new situations. That person is not me. I still get nervous to start something new, even when it’s fitness-related. Yes, the Pilates teacher gets nervous before going to a new class. If you feel the same way, you are far from […]