Pilates for Everybody

I have been thinking a lot about self esteem and positive self image lately.  Of course, as someone who has spent a great deal of my life focused on being fit and helping others get and stay fit, I believe that exercise can be a key component to increasing one’s positive body image and self esteem.  My tagline, “Adore your body” comes from the heart.  I really want to encourage my clients, regardless of age or gender or physical fitness to adore and appreciate the body they have and to love it just a little bit more by giving it a bit of exercise.

I also realize that many people associate Pilates with women who are young, and fit to begin with.  People often think of ballet dancers when they think about Pilates.  I am here to tell you that Pilates can be so much more for so many more people!  For instance, Pilates can be a great workout for teenagers as well as senior citizens!  I currently have clients who range in age from 15 years old up to 80 years old.  I find Pilates can be great for my younger clients because while they may have a young body, they often don’t take the time to focus on their breathing and its correlation to exercise.  Also, learning good posture habits at this age can make a world of difference for the rest of their lives.  As for my older clients, it helps keep them from feeling frail and one of my oldest clients often tells me how much it has benefitted her and how strong she feels.  In fact, she is on her way to visit her adult Grandchildren and tour Washington D.C. by foot.  One of my 40 year old clients recently told me that she plans on maintaining her strength and balance with Pilates for the rest of her life to prevent those broken hips and falls that seem to happen so often as people get older.

Also, I often find that men tend to think of Pilates as a women’s exercise.  Did you know that approximately 25% of my clients are male and many come from sports backgrounds?  All of them have been quite surprised at how intense a Pilates workout can be.  One of my male clients recently mentioned how much he appreciates the deep muscle workout in Pilates.  He regularly works out with weights, but found it lacking somehow.  Now he has started working on muscles he could never quite get to with traditional workouts. 

Finally, don’t be discouraged to try Pilates because you feel you are overweight.  A lot of people hear about dancers or actresses who practice Pilates and assume you have to be already somewhat physically fit to start Pilates.  This is not true.  My clients come in all sizes and fitness levels.  No matter what your size, you can benefit from the strength and flexibility training of Pilates. 

Honestly, we strive to be exceptionally welcoming to all our clients at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit.  However I know how starting a new exercise routine can be intimidating if you don’t know what to expect.  I still feel awkward in aerobics classes because I don’t know all the moves.  In order to let you give it a try without feeling like you don’t know what you are doing, I do offer special introductory sessions for new clients at reduced rates, so if you would like to come in a try a private session to see what Pilates is all about, you can do so without making a huge financial commitment.  However, my male and female clients who participate in the classes at my studio come in all shapes, sizes, and ages.  The one thing we all have in common is we usually have a really great time during our workout.

For more information on setting up a private session or to join a class, contact the studio at http://www.15tofit.com/  or contact our Marketing Coordinator, Christina at cmorog@15tofit.com.