A client recently asked me how I got started in Pilates. After 15 years of teaching it’s such an integral part of my life, I had to really stop and think about what brought me to this passion. My first love is ballet. As a young professional dancer, I was introduced to Pilates and the reformer in particular after a groin injury.

Students often ask me about taking the Cadillac, Chair and Barrels courses and if it's a good idea. Of course my answer is YES, but I'd like to give some of the rationale behind my thoughts.

While Mat and Reformer give you a wonderful foundation and a great selection of exercises, they are a drop in the bucket of Pilates knowledge.

I started doing Pilates in 2003 after I had my second child. A few years later I found myself in the middle of a divorce. I no longer could be a stay at home mom and housewife. I wanted a career that could give me more purpose and afford me the opportunity to work and be a stay at home mom at the same time.

Congratulations! You have completed your first weekend of STOTT PILATES®  Intensive training with us at Equilibrium Studio. You love fitness and you entered this program at the top of your game, but this was different than you expected.  Perhaps you are exhausted, mentally and physically.

Working out as a Pilates client is often best enjoyed as a private so the instructor can give your body her undivided attention. The instructor can adjust your body alignment, make modifications to suit your needs and give you an ideal workout to suit your goals and body needs.

My story of a spinal injury and the benefits of rehabilitative Pilates is well known.  My passion for Pilates led me to leave the practice of law and bring STOTT PILATES training to the United States where I opened Equilibrium in 1996 as the first licensed training and certification center in Michigan.

So, you’ve decided that you want to be a Pilates instructor, and not just any Pilates instructor. You’ve tried Pilates and you loved how it made you feel, how your instructor inspired you, understood your movements, and challenged your mind and your body.

For the 7 people who have actually followed this blog over the past few years, I’m baaaack!!! My life has changed a bit since my last post.

I’m not totally lost when it comes to working out. Yes, some days my idea of a crunch is the one I get from a Lay’s potato chip. But I’m no stranger to fitness- I’ve been doing physical therapy pretty much since birth. Here’s the story: I was born with severely clubbed feet, which led to a whole plethora of orthopedic issues, and here I am, 10 surgeries later with a better walk!! but the osteoporosis and severe arthritis in my feet and ankles that come with the territory of being laid up, and in and out of wheelchairs during my youth.