Where’s the silver lining? I keep asking myself. I’ve pivoted (oh, how that word makes me cringe), I’ve embraced the new normal (another word that makes my skin crawl), as I have taken on a new full-time job to make ends meet and help pay the bills, which has allowed me to stay at home with my four fur babies and maintain some kind of “normalcy.”  So you’re probably thinking, Where is she going with this? Why all the negativity? Well, for us at Pilates Style, among countless others, this year has been rough and downright sad at times. I think many people envision the magazine business as ..read more

by Gerrie Summers EVERYDAY INDIGNITIES Microaggressions has become a buzzword, but they are particularly injurious, being hard to prove. “Racism in Pilates is a rampant and insidious issue in our industry,” states Bridgette Duncan of Slam Duncan Wellness in New York City. “Nowadays, it’s frowned upon to wear your racism on your sleeve. It has turned into a subtle deep sigh under the breath, the constant questioning of our knowledge, the subtle comments about our hair and clothing choices.” LEFT TO RIGHT: DURING HER TEACHER TRAINING, RHEA PATTERSON CANO RECALLS AN INSTRUCTOR JOKING THAT THE REA ..read more

Out of the mouths of babes: That was the inspiration for Pilates Comics, a line of method-inspired illustrations by Terricka Thomas. “One of my Danish clients would always bring her 7-year-old daughter with her to class,” says Thomas, who’s the Denmark-based owner of Terricka Fitness Pilates Online Studio and the Pilates education specialist at Fokus Fitness. “One day her daughter showed up to class with a Barbie doll that looked like me and a gift for me: a picture of me teaching. She had never seen a black woman teach Pilates. Her mom later told me that her daughter kept saying, ‘I want a Ba ..read more

by Maddy Cullen Keeping fit and exercising has always played its part in my life including participating in team sports throughout junior and secondary school, and studying Sports Coaching and Physical Education at university. More recently, this followed with classes and endless gym memberships to work around my busy schedule as a Marketing and Events Manager in London. Little did I realise that exercise was about to form a new “part” in my life; a part much more powerful and meaningful than before! Pre Lockdown I thought if I didn’t over exhaust myself, I didn’t feel ..read more

By Michelle DuVall The Pilates principles can be applied to all aspects of life, but I especially love applying them to other fitness modalities. As founder and creator of my own method called Barre Variations, I’m heavily influenced by my years of teaching Pilates. Barre can feel intimidating, fast paced or even overwhelming. However, approaching the movement with the same mindfulness as Pilates can bring more freedom and ease to the movements. Here, I’ve broken down each Pilates principle and how to incorporate it into your barre workout.  1. BreathingJoseph Pilates said, “Breathing is ..read more

SURVIVABILITY OF AN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY. The newly formed Boutique Fitness Coalition (BFC) announces three initiatives to help hard-hit small business survive the COVID-19 crisis. The BFC founder Lisa Kuecker explains that “the Coalition has been formed to support struggling studio owners while also educating government officials who are in the midst of developing plans on when and how to reopen the economy. Our small studios can provide a safe, sanitary, and socially distanced setting for millions of people to obtain the exercise they need. As our clients know, bo ..read more

A little side story. Pilates Style is a small family, mom and pop shop—well, actually a husband-and-wife team. We have a handful of amazing freelance writers and designers but overall we are a small company that takes a great deal of pride in producing content and resources for our beloved Pilates community. After careful consideration, including a great deal of external factors that are beyond our control, we had to make the tough decision to delay the release of the May/June. Don’t get me wrong, we’ll be weathering this storm but in the meantime we kindly ask for your patience—our loyal read ..read more

By Michelle Duvall • Modeled and photos by Kristin Johnson  Classically speaking, a Pilates mat class begins with the students lying down on the mat. This is considered the most supportive place for the body to begin challenging the core.  On the other hand, barre classes typically start standing at the ballet barre, since it’s considered the place where the body can be most supported when standing. Working at the barre builds strength, balance and flexibility before heading to the center of the room with no support. Standing is also where we should be spending the majority of o ..read more

By Emma Kumley • Edited by Amanda Altman I have the privilege of owning The Movement Studio, located very near The Villages, Florida, which is the largest retirement community in the U.S. (if not the world). But before you get visions of white-haired ladies spending their days slowly rocking on front porches with bottomless lemonade, know that retirement here is anything but slow and boring. My clients are active! They play endless golf, hours of pickleball and walk miles upon miles of trails, dance nightly—all with zero intention of stopping anytime soon. They come to the studio to continue t ..read more

By Jessica Valant • Edited by Amanda Altman A sneak peak of the exercises… TEASER WHAT YOU’LL UNLOCK • The springs and bar provide gentle assistance and help to build the muscles and mobility necessary to perform Teaser on the mat. START Lie on your back with your legs in tabletop, feet toward the Tower, while holding onto the roll-down bar shoulder-width apart. https://www.pilatesstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Jessica-Teaser.mp4   MOVE Allow the springs to assist as you begin to roll up through your spine and straighten your legs into the full Teaser position. Roll back down, bring ..read more