Pilates Q and A with Owner Lucie Becus

I recently met up with Shine Pilates Studio owner, Lucie Bécus to ask her some questions on Pilates. She began discussing with me what Pilates is and what makes her Pilates studio so unique compared to other studios. Some of the questions I asked could be useful to you and maybe something you never even knew! So, let’s see what Lucie had to say.

Savanna: What is Pilates?

Lucie: Pilates is a method of movement that uses the whole body. It’s focused on our core and moving the smaller muscles, not just the large muscles. So we are looking for balance, control, and stabilization and building that nice symmetrical stable body that helps protect you from injuries and better prepares you to do just about any other sport.

Savanna: What muscles are you using during Pilates?

Lucie: All of them. A lot of the smaller muscles though. We target the little stabilizers in their shoulders, hips, and core and that can be surprising because that can be something they may have never used before.

Savanna: Can Pilates be used as a therapy?

Lucie: Absolutely! A lot of the things that we do are similar to what a physical therapist would prescribe to their patients. Sometimes we are that next step after physical therapy before you go back to something else and sometimes we are that forever step and sometimes we are what you do now so you never have to end up in physical therapy.

Savanna: What got you so interested in Pilates?

Lucie: I was an athlete. I ran in high school and college and then I started teaching spinning. I realized I really loved teaching, but I wanted to teach something else. I didn’t know what and I started trying various different things. For me it needed to be something I saw a benefit in and that I wanted to do myself. My friend convinced me to try Pilates and I realized I couldn’t do a lot of it. After about a month of taking mat Pilates classes, I noticed major changes in myself that I had kind of given up on. It was only about a month after trying Pilates that I knew I wanted to teach it because there was something magical here.

Savanna: Are there different kinds of Pilates?

Lucie: There are different kinds of training. Some people are trained classical and that would be really true to what Joseph Pilates taught. Then there is contemporary which is more how I was trained and that is kind of taking the classical work and modifying it to make some changes so it’s appropriate for all bodies. Contemporary makes it more approachable for bodies so that you’ll be able to do an exercise that we modify for you.

Savanna: Explain what a reformer is.

Lucie: This was invented by Joseph Pilates and originally he was working with injured soldiers lying in hospital beds. He put springs and hooks on the corners so they could move their arms and legs and rehabilitate them. Part of the reason we lay down is from that and the way the footboard is positioned is the same angle you would have your knees at to come from sitting to standing so it helps you practice your foot alignment for walking. We can work your whole body on a reformer.

Savanna: What is the difference between Pilates and yoga and why would someone take a Pilates class over a yoga class?

Lucie: Yoga was originally developed to prepare the body for meditation where Pilates is more about finding balance, symmetry, control, and stability in the body, so they are seeking different purposes. A lot of times yoga is a static or stationary movement and Pilates is a dynamic movement where we are going in and out and not staying or holding a position. We get our flexibility from moving in and out of it so that each time you may go a little bit farther. You do not have to have a certain beginner level of flexibility to be successful in Pilates.

Savanna: Are there other types of machines used in Pilates?

Lucie: Yes! In this studio, we have an arm chair, an EXO chair, a spine correcter, a tower and we have a ped -a-pul. We have certain classes where we move around and use other equipment. They all use the same principles and similar springs, it is just different ways of doing the same work.

Savanna: What do you wear to a Pilates class?

Lucie: Whatever you would wear to exercise. I always caution the guys to not where their baggy shorts because your feet are going to be up in the air!

Savanna: What can one expect when coming to take your class?

Lucie: It will be about an hour and we will introduce you to the equipment and ask you anything about your body that I need to know about so we can make any modifications. Then we are going to do a full-body workout. We are going to work from head to toe and you are going to get some flexibility, balance, and strength. Each class is going to be different, but I try to customize for the people that are there, so if you need an extra challenge, we are going to make it more challenging and if you are just starting, we can make it more basic.

Savanna: What makes Shine Pilates Studio so unique compared to other Pilates studios?

Lucie: We take a more personalized approach to our clients. We look at the bodies in front of us and always ask for request and we can modify on the fly when you walk in. We get to know our people so we know who has what or who needs what and what their goals are. Everyone can be working on a different goal in a group class because we can accommodate that. I don’t ever want someone to come to a class and do something that maybe is not right for them or they have to sit that exercise out. We plan ahead of time on how to keep you involved and safe. It’s a community here.

Savanna: Can anyone do Pilates?

Lucie: I think so! Unless you have been told by your doctor not to do anything, but most folks can. We take direction from physical therapists, too. We have young, old, elders, and children here. All ages, male and female. I think it is an exercise that you can do for the entirety of your life, whereas you might age out of certain exercises that might get too hard on your joints or just require too much for you. Pilates you can continue to do and it can continue to keep you safe and strong.