Pilates and YogaPilates

Mat Pilates

These focus on the classical “Contrology” exercises that Joseph Pilates invented. Modern choreography and adaptations are added to make the class a flowing interesting time to deeply explore the muscles at the very center of you. This class will help with your posture, your breathing, your bladder, and your sex life.

YogaPilates

These classes mix classic Pilates exercises with flowing yoga. The poses and movements are sequenced in a way to compliment each other. We will rotate our focus each class on different sets of muscles, working to elongate, relax and strengthen.

Private Pilates

Schedule a private mat class in your home or at The Body in Balance to work on any issues that you’d like to focus on.

Or take private equipment classes with me at Madison Pilates if you’d like to take your Pilates practice to the next level. See schedule page to find out how to start at Madison Pilates.

A word about Pilates and my experiences:

When I began my yoga teacher training, I had some experience of Pilates through dance classes and through gym memberships, however, I did not fully understand what Pilates was about. I knew the phrase "core strengthening" but my knowledge of what that referred to was anatomical rather that something that I felt in my own self.

I was fortunate to go through my yoga training with a woman who is a very fine Pilates instructor. Through my friendship with her and our later collaboration on a yoga/Pilates workshop, I gradually came to understand that yoga and Pilates, at least on the physical level, are working towards the same goals. Both seek to elongate and mobilize the spine, deepen breathing, and create healthy movement patterns. They both focus on the same deep, internal musculature next to the skeleton, and they both use breath to get there. Although the breathing patterns are not the same, they are complimentary.

Another goal of Ha'tha yoga is to balance the mind, body, and spirit, and Joe Pilates was very clear that his contrology exercises were for just that. In Joeseph's own words, "Contrology is the complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit."--from J. Pilates' book Return to Life Through Contrology.

Currently, I am going through the apprenticeship program at Madison Pilates. It is a comprehensive certification process where I am learning to teach people how to use the Pilates equipment: reformer, trapeze table, wunda chair, and spine corrector. While these sound like torture devices, they are a lot more pleasant and comfortable to use than most gym equipment. When I have 144 hours of student teaching, I will be qualified to take the exam, known as “testing out,” to obtain my full Pilates certification.