Improve Your Well-Being With Pilates

Practicing pilates is as a stellar way to gently improve upon your core strength and your fitness. It has similarities to yoga, but also some important and distinctive differences. Pilates is a newer form of exercise than yoga, developed by Joseph Pilates in 1920 for the purpose of physical rehabilitation. It’s a great method for building strength and flexibility. To learn more, we interviewed the owners of the locally renowned Pilates Studio, in Hadley, Massachusetts. The owners, Katrina and Laurie, generously shared why they are personally interested in pilates, and how the studio came about. We also learned more about the benefits of a regular practice and how to decide if pilates is right for you. As you read on, you will see that many of the tenets of pilates closely connect to the tenets of Mediterranean Diet and Lifestyle.

Here is our interview with The Pilates Studio:

Tell us a little bit about pilates and what it does for you personally.

Katrina: I’m a former dancer and after my dancing career was over, pilates seemed to take its place. Pilates is my “ibuprofen” and it keeps me feeling free.

Laurie: As a child I was not very active. I enjoy pilates because it is a more relaxing type of exercise. The principles in pilates are extraordinarily beneficial.

Pilates is often compared to yoga. Can you tell us some of the primary differences between pilates and yoga.

Katrina: Pilates is all about movement. The positions in pilates are points which you move through. Yoga focuses more on the places you go with your mind. In yoga, holding a position for an extended period of time is an essential component of the practice.

Laurie: Yoga and pilates can be structured similarly.  One of the special things about pilates is the equipment that is used exclusively for pilates. Pilates has no spiritual or religious aspect, which is a part of yoga practice. In performing pilates, the focus is primarily on breath and movement.

Pilates has several videos of typical pilates routines on their website. It’s a good place to start and get a feel for pilates. Stop by here to peruse their library.

What inspired you to pursue pilates personally and as a business?

Katrina: I come from a dance background. I graduated with a Bachelors degree in dance and needed a day job. I continue to go to dance workshops to satisfy my creative needs.

Laurie: I was training to be a yoga instructor and ended up at this studio by accident. I immediately fell in love with this type of exercise. I found that pilates was more of a fit for me than yoga.

Does pilates help with weight loss?

Katrina: We try to talk people out of using pilates as a way to lose weight. The primary purposes of pilates are to reduce stress and learn breath work. If I need to do cardio activity, I will hike or climb a mountain.

Laurie: Pilates isn’t directly for weight loss. Pilates will help to improve your overall wellness.

How long did it take you to see beneficial results from pilates?

Laurie and Katrina both agreed that the amount of time it takes to see results depends on why someone is beginning pilates.

Laurie: Our clients tend to come in one to two times a week depending on whether they are here because of an injury or simply to relax. It really depends on the clients’ purposes. What they learn here can be applied to other activities.

What is the interplay between pilates and healthy eating?

Katrina: They are related to an extent, but we do like to keep things realistic.

Laurie: If eating one piece of chocolate lowers your stress, then go for it, instead of holding yourself back. We believe in everything in moderation.

Do you have any exciting stories for our readers about a real life transformation of one of your clients through taking pilates?

Katrina: Yes. I worked with an 11 year old who had a spine condition for a few years. As a result of taking pilates, he hasn’t worn a back brace now for 3 years. It is very exciting! I also work with someone who has Alzheimer’s, and I can see that it helps his well being

Is there anything else you would like to add, that we should know about The Pilates Studio

Laurie & Katrina: Usually you will find a pilates teacher whose passion is pilates and the sessions are based on a one-on-one experience. Here, we have eight instructors, small group sessions, private sessions, and semi-private sessions. We work to develop a pilates community. The studio is a very friendly environment, we are laid back and we have ways that everyone can access our practice!

The Pilates Studio In A Nut Shell

The Pilates Studio is located in Hadley, Massachusetts. They offer sessions in their apparatus room, group mat sessions as well as special workshops and events. They also offer online WebMat classes and have YouTube videos of routines on their website. Owners Katrina and Laurie pride themselves in creating a community where people come to exercise, make friends, and have fun.

Here is a link to The Pilates Studio website. Stop by learn more about their offerings.

And here is a link to their Facebook page.