Welcome to the Surprise Pilates Blog! Together we will explore topics related to Pilates, Life, and all things Health, and Wellness. Subscribe to our blog so you will receive new posts emailed directly to you. Feel free to pass this along to friends and family or suggest a topic you would like to see featured here. Thanks so much for reading.
Like most women, I woke up early and watched the royal wedding this weekend. It was beautiful, inspiring, heartwarming, and felt so special. Why do we watch or why do we show up for weddings in general? We do it so support the Bride and Groom. We do it to help the couple on their special day and to support their decision to be married.
It's a wonderful thing to support our friends. It's a wonderful feeling to be supported.
Read MoreI find with Pilates our reasons for starting are often more than getting in shape. When I enrolled in my Pilates training, I was with a group of about 10 women from different walks of life. On our first day, we went around the room and said why we were there. I think we were all a little nervous. Pilates training is expensive and a big time commitment (months!) Having been an athlete in college and a spinning instructor for almost a decade at that point - I assumed everyone was there simply to teach fitness. Boy was I wrong!
Read MoreA couple questions usually come up with new PIlates students or those considering Pilates:
How many calories will I burn in a Pilates session?
I need to build my strength, is Pilates enough for that?
These are excellent questions and worth exploring!
Read MoreSome of you know, I left behind a successful studio in Nashville to move to Lexington and open a new studio. Starting again is exciting and full of opportunity. It has given me a chance to bring the best of 12South Pilates to my new studio Shine Pilates. It's also a chance to try some new things and look to grow the business. BUT starting again is also not always easy.
Read MoreIf you have taken a Pilates class with a PMA Certified Instructor, you've probably noticed we are a nit-picky crew! Evenly press across all five metatarsals, keep that knee lined up over the hip bone, press down with your hands, exhale on the return, and so on! Why are we so darn picky in Pilates?
Read MoreBefore I opened Shine Pilates earlier this year, I had the walls painted a fresh new color. I had a vision for what I wanted the studio to be and wanted to start with a blank canvas. Rather than trying to work with what was there, I began anew with a new color, new lights, and a few other changes, too!
New students are very much like that blank canvas - full of opportunity
Read MoreLast fall, I created a created a serious of videos called 'Television Arms'. That may not sound like a good thing but actually, it is! This is my simple, do while watching TV, arm series that will take you no more than about 10 minutes. In the videos, I don't do as many repetitions as you can do ... Instagram limits videos to 1 minute.
Read MoreYesterday while I was driving to the studio to teach, I heard Taylor Swift's song - Feeling 22. It's from a few years ago. The lyrics go something like "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22" and proceed to talk about how carefree and fun life is at 22. For about a second, I thought - Oh to be 22 again. That thought only last about a second! When I think about who I was and where I was when I was 22 versus today - no way would I trade places!
Read MoreI hope you fail. That sounds rather harsh and not like what you'd expect to hear from your supportive Pilates instructor, doesn't it? Shouldn't I want you to succeed? Shouldn't I want you to excel? Yes and yes but I also want you to struggle a bit, too. Let me explain ...
Read MoreI love March Madness! I look forward to it all year. I enter brackets, I wear my team's shirt and hat, and I watch a bunch of games. All of this is good but it can lead to a very sedentary month and some bad eating if you aren't careful. So today I am going to provide you with a March Madness Survival Guide!
Read More
