Composition Wellness

Every session starts the same way: ‘How’s your body feeling today?’

The answer may change everything about what we do for the next hour.

“I’ve been training with Heather for a few months and already notice a huge difference in my posture and balance.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This review comes from a client who was entirely new to Pilates and started taking private lessons with me at the beginning of the year. After about 10 sessions, she was seeing real results. 💪 Thanks to K.M. for the thoughtful review!

Love the convenience of online Pilates? Me too! But even the best online workouts can benefit from a little one-on-one attention. 👀

Occasional private Pilates sessions can be the perfect complement to your digital practice. Think of it as getting a second opinion on your form!

A trained Pilates instructor can spot the more subtle misalignments you might miss at home, offer personalized corrections and deepen your understanding of the exercises.

Plus, it's a great way to ask questions and get feedback specific to your body.

Treating yourself to a private class every now and then is a surprisingly affordable way to get focused attention and advice to make sure you're getting the most out of your online routine.

How often? An in-person or online private lesson every month or so can be helpful to get some feedback, tune up form and learn a few tips to take back to your online practice.

Feeling tight after a long day? Try these simple shoulder stretches to relieve tension and feel refreshed! ✨

✅ Shoulder Rolls: Gently roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion, then reverse the direction. Repeat a few times to release built-up tension.
✅ Shoulder Shrugs: Lift your shoulders up toward your ears, hold for a second, then relax them down. This helps ease stress and stiffness.
✅ Pendulum Stretch: Hinge forward slightly at the hips, letting your arms dangle. Gently sway or circle your arms to loosen up tight muscles.

Take a deep breath and give your shoulders some love!

Ever wonder if those reformer springs are helping you or making things tougher? 🤔

Well… the answer is both. Reformer springs provide resistance and support depending on the exercise and your body position.

The resistance of pushing or pulling away from the springs challenges your muscles, building strength and endurance. Think arm work or knee stretch.

The springs also offer support, (like helping the abdominal muscles with plank exercises or aiding the hip flexors with leg circles) assisting with proper alignment and making exercises accessible.

This push-pull dynamic is what makes the Reformer so unique for a full-body workout that can be challenging at any level!

Why choose private Pilates? The benefits speak for themselves!

✅ Undivided attention to your form, questions, and body's unique needs.
✅ Personalized instruction that matches your learning style for a deeper connection to movement.
✅ A tailored, progressive program designed to help you advance and reach your goals.

Experience the difference of private Pilates! Contact me to book your session today.

As Pilates continues rising in popularity, 👀 watch out for these things to keep yourself safe 👇👇

The fitness industry and Pilates is not regulated, so anyone can teach Pilates (or teach ‘something’ and call it Pilates). Class sizes are getting larger and larger to meet demand.

🚩Large classes and under-qualified teachers can be a dangerous combination. 🚩

Here’s what to look for to stay safe:

🧐Is the class you are taking actually Pilates? This is especially important if you are referred to Pilates to rehab from an injury or if you are have a physical condition that requires caution with certain movements.

There are high-intensity classes that are branded as Pilates or Pilates-inspired, but are not low-intensity or controlled movement. Just because the exercise is performed on a reformer does not make it Pilates.

If you are being referred to Pilates by a health care professional, make sure you are getting the real deal.

🧐 Is your instructor trained in Pilates? Instructors who are trained to teach Pilates will have hundreds of hours of training, including in anatomy. They will be able to monitor form and provide corrections and modifications to keep participants safe.

If you have a condition (like osteoporosis or diastatis recti), is the instructor familiar with it? If an instructor is trained in Pilates, they will be familiar with these conditions and what to avoid or how to modify for you.

🧐 How big is the class? Pilates was not intended to be taught in huge group formats because of the focus on form and controlled movement. An instructor cannot meaningfully provide full attention and correction to every participant in a class of 10 or 15 people.

Look for smaller class sizes, with 6 or fewer participants. Or consider taking a couple private lessons to learn the essentials and modifications for your body before joining that large group class.

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/pilates-is-meant-to-be-gentle-how-did-it-become-such-a-hazard-nglk0z6tm

Pilates is meant to be gentle. How did it become such a hazard? The reformer trend and its spring-loaded machines can be dangerous without proper training — but classes seem to be getting bigger and bigger

Think Mat Pilates is easier than the Reformer? Not quite!

The Reformer was designed to build strength and control to help you progress toward mat exercises. While the Reformer provides extra support with its springs and moving platform, Mat Pilates challenges your core stability and body control every step of the way!

On the mat, you're working against your own body weight and gravity, requiring deeper muscle engagement and focus. Mastering both can help you track your progress and take your practice to the next level! 💪

Ready to put it to the test? Check out our mat classes at the studio!

Form is everything in Pilates!

When doing the Long Box Pulling Straps exercise, remember to keep your head and neck aligned with your spine.

Avoid leading with your chin to stay safe and maximize your results. Lift from the chest (instead of the head) to create a fluid back extension from head to tail.

See the photos to identify good form ✅ and bad form ❌ in this exercise!

Group classes or Privates? 🤔 If you’re craving the attention of a private session on a group class budget, read on 👇👇

I’ve paid for a lot of private lessons 💸 I’ve taken a lot of group classes 💪
and I’ve taught hundreds of classes of groups of 9 or more students. 🎓

What I have to say next might surprise you…

Pilates was not intended to be taught to large groups. 🙊 Pilates was originally taught in private sessions until students became independent enough to do the sequences on their own.

While the vibe of group classes is energizing, as an instructor in group classes, it’s usually not possible to give everyone the full support or hands-on correction they need to learn or advance without disrupting the class flow.

Then there are private sessions - where you will get personalized attention, tailored modifications and make faster progress. But it comes at a price tag that is cost-prohibitive to many. 💰

So… I opened a studio that comfortably fits 2-3 people. 😊 Come check out a small group mat or circuit class for group vibes with personal form corrections.