This video is me doing a pretty advanced Pilates exercise. Don’t worry, you won’t be expected to try this in your first session! I’ve got almost 30 years experience practicing Pilates, a gymnastics background and slightly long arms which all make this exercise possible for me. At age 46 I’m pretty proud that I can still do this! Yet when I watch it I’m bombarded by my own critical voice. It’s not perfect. And my body doesn’t look like all the 25 year old bikini clad sculpted bodies you see doing Pilates. I’m in decent shape but I’m not the picture of what a Pilates teacher looks like. I’ve posted it anyway. I’m trying to embrace my self as I am.
There’s a lot of talk about “body positivity” yet if you look for Pilates you’re not gonna see much of it represented. I wanted to use some of my clients for photos but they didn’t feel comfortable due to their weight so I’ve got photos of a fit woman, which is great but I’m trying to show that Pilates is for all bodies. People have said “ I’ll start once I’m in better shape” but how does one get in shape to exercise without exercising? There’s no shape you need to be to start Pilates. You don’t need to wear tight expensive yoga clothes to do Pilates. And you don’t need to get in shape before you try it.
I’ve seen other teachers give a new client a way-too-intense first session, leaving them visibly overwhelmed and scared to come back. That’s not my style. I will work with you whenever you are and give you challenges that you will succeed at. Fitness is a process and overdoing it doesn’t make it go faster, quite the opposite usually.
Consistent work over time is how you make progress. Your body will begin to feel and move better before anything looks different. But that is “results”. Results that you can feel and make your quality of life better have more impact than toning this or slimming that. Those things will happen too, but not overnight. And many of those sculpted people are not feeling and moving well, they over work, under eat and live in pain for pretty pictures on Instagram. And if that’s what you want, that’s fine. But I’m here for everyone else, the ones who want to get out pain, move well and keep moving year after year.
If pilates has been too intimidating to try I encourage you to try again. I’m here to encourage you and support you and give you a workout that will be effective and leave you feeling better instead of beat up. We need these bodies to last us our lives and taking care of them requires thoughtfulness and kindness.
I’m here to help you exercise in a way that supports your well being. No body is not a Pilates body, all you need to do is book a session and show up.
Solara Pilates 