Power Moves: Newbies and Pros Up Their Fitness Game with Pilates Body

There’s a reason Joseph Pilates originally dubbed his eponymous exercise technique “Contrology.” If you’ve ever watched someone on a piece of Pilates equipment, you’ll notice their movements are always slow and controlled—and so dang graceful! Why? To borrow a line from the man behind the method: “Your whole body is in it."

What good ol’ Joe meant was that the machines he created enabled your muscles to work against resistance, forcing your body to concentrate so intensely on the movement that no part was not working, even if some parts remained still. After all, Pilates exercises are all about stabilizing one part of the body while mobilizing another—and sometimes it’s more about the part that’s staying still.

We all know by now that Pilates is awesome and good for you—from improving balance and core strength to rehabbing the body and preventing injury—yet people still run for the hills at the thought of hopping on a machine. (Springs and cables and foot bars—oh my!) What’s more, Pilates equipment is expensive, so naturally private and duet training sessions aren’t cheap, and that can be a deterrent.

“We wanted to figure out a way to introduce people to traditional Pilates equipment while bringing down the cost of a class,” says certified Pilates instructor Katie Zemenick, who along with Courtney Champagne and Nancy Blake spun up a format at The Corner Studio Pilates & Lagree that provides the fundamentals of Pilates equipment in a group fitness setting.

Meet Pilates Body, your Pilates equipment starter kit that’s zero-parts scary and all-parts fun and effective. Not only is it a thoughtful introduction for newbies, but it also maintains the challenging—and downright humbling—experience for pros. Bonus: It’s way more affordable, too.

“No one is doing anything like this,” says Katie, referring to the circuit concept for which she and her fellow trainers design workouts. Eight stations comprise Reformer and Cadillac machines, stability chairs, and mat work. “You get a flavor of everything,” says Katie.

The overall focus of class is a healthy balance of arms, legs, and core with each station featuring a different exercise endured for 90 seconds, often with a quick change-up at the 45-second mark. The time interval is intentional and a selling point. “You go hard for 90 seconds,” says Katie, “then you’re onto the next exercise, which you know will be a different focus.” After three rounds and an ab kicker, like the classic Pilates Hundred, class has gone by in flash and you’re leaving feeling stronger, leaner, and totally in control. Sign us up!

See You at The Corner