STRENGTHEN, LENGTHEN & DE-STRESS WITH PILATES AT THE CORNER

If it seems like Pilates—the hundred-year-old discipline coined by Joseph Pilates and essentially the OG of boutique fitness—is making a comeback, that’s because it is. In the revolving door of fitness fads, 2021 is back to basics with an emphasis on restoration.

“Pilates is for everyone,” says Courtney Champagne, who teaches private sessions at The Corner, alongside fellow certified trainers Nancy Blake and Katie Zemenick. The super-fit trio brings decades of experience conditioning, correcting, and rehabilitating bodies through a slow-paced, low-impact, resistance-based workout that promotes balance, core strength, and flexibility.

“I’ve always been busy!” says Katie, who for the last twenty years has been “helping people live a better life” by instructing them to move their bodies in ways that prevent and rehab injuries, while promoting long-lasting results, through both mat and equipment Pilates. “For the aging population, or people who can’t do the high-impact workouts but still want to keep moving, the equipment is very supportive of the body,” she says.

Traditional Pilates equipment includes the Reformer, a flat, bed-like machine with muscle-strengthening springs; the Cadillac, a larger table apparatus that allows for working against gravity; and the Stability Chair, which facilitates movements done in seated and upright positions. Nancy explains, “The spring resistance not only tones your body, but strengthens the smaller muscles that are overlooked.”

So, how is it that a workout can change our bodies without necessarily leaving us sweat-soaked? Pilates can vary in intensity, but the challenge is mobilizing one part of the body while stabilizing another. Targeting and working the stabilizer muscles then enables us to mobilize larger muscles more efficiently. It’s no wonder why Pilates is favored by so many as a total fitness regimen, but also as a complementary exercise to weight and athletic training.

Nancy, Katie, and Courtney are all STOTT Pilates certified in mat and full equipment. They each offer a highly tailored approach to their client programs based on a variety of specifications, including postural analysis, existing injury, and body imbalances.

Courtney says, “Whether you’re new to Pilates or have been at it for years; a cardio queen or heavy lifter; need to regain strength after an injury or aid back pain; want to keep moving during pregnancy or improve your golf or tennis game—Pilates is a great all-encompassing workout.”

So: New Year, New You? We say, why not?! Add a fresh element to your fitness routine and reap not only the plentiful physical benefits, but also the internal reset we all need this year. Sign up for one-on-one or duet sessions with Nancy, Katie, or Courtney on The Corner Studio App.

Stay tuned for more details about our new Pilates studio in Grosse Pointe City, coming this spring!

See You at The Corner.