A "Classical" Start to the New Year!

Happy New Year!  Over a long 5-show weekend, wrapping up an insanely busy Holiday schedule, my body began to really ache from all the fatigue, repetitive movement, and travel… I decided it was time to get to a reformer… immediately!  As I searched for a Pilates Studio to visit, I found myself craving a good, old-fashioned, by-the-book, Classical Pilates Session.  My experience over the past 5 weeks with the LA Pilates scene has shown me that the “Pilates Purists”, while out there, are hard to find here, in a place where there is so many trendy, celebrity-endorsed, commercial fitness options.  There’s Pilates everywhere I turn, but each studio has it’s own sort of “twist” or “improvement” or “fusion” element… focused on giving your body multiple workouts at the same time, or giving your body the satisfaction of an immediate “burn” feeling while, in my opinion, sacrificing the brilliance of the method along the way.  

Perhaps that’s why IN & UP PILATES studio caught my eye, with it’s website featuring a picture of Gratz Reformers, Cadillacs, and a Barrel in a sunny, clean, simple, so-un-LA studio.  The opening line: “Discover Your Strength by incorporating the principles of Classical Pilates in your life”… YES!  As I was reading their awesome reviews on yelp.com I saw that they were running a Yelp Deal: $150 for 3 Private Sessions.  That amazing price sealed the deal!  I pulled out the Credit Card and started scheduling my privates!

The Studio

I was giddy with excitement as I drove the beautiful but short 8 miles to Silverlake, California in Los Angeles… anticipating my 1st Private Pilates Session of the New Year at IN & UP PILATES. 

The Studio is quaint & sunny and exactly as pictured on the website, full of Classical Apparatus.  Coming in on a weekday afternoon was perfect, as the studio was quite and peaceful.  My instructor was Dara, who was fantastic.  I told her I was craving a Classical Intermediate Session, and she definitely delivered!  We began with Matwork (Hundred-Saw), then hit the Reformer (Footwork-Pelvic Lift), and ended the session with Hanging on the Cadillac.   I left feeling energized, taller, more supported from my CORE, and completely mind-body invigorated… exactly the way you should feel after a great Pilates Session!  I can’t wait to come back!

Lesson Learned:  As a new teacher I always worry that my clients will get “bored” with the Classical Routine.  I often find myself introducing a prop, variation, or fancy new exercise too soon, in order to keep my clients stimulated, rather than trusting & relying on my teaching skills to help them connect deeper within the classical system.  After a few months away from Classical Pilates I was hit over the head with the realization that the Classical System not only works brilliantly, but it’s pretty darn perfect!  I had a total mind-body workout, felt balanced, strong, stretched, and toned.  Dara was there to give me great cues and corrections, and that was totally “enough”… trust the system, trust your teaching!

Favorites/Highlights: 

-- During Single Leg Stretch & Double Leg Stretch in the Ab Series, Dara cued me to stack my hands and press them firmly into the incoming bent leg just above the knee.  This immediately connected me even deeper into my abdominals, helped to perfectly place my shoulders, and physicalized the opposition of pulling the leg in while lengthening through the CORE (as opposed to “crunching” or “folding”).

-- During Footwork (Tendon Stretch), Dara cued me to “try not to move the carriage”.  I have definitely heard this cue before, but it really rang true today, and helped me focus less on the stretch in my legs, and more on my abdominals.  

-- Is there anything better than Hanging?  I wondered that the whole time I hung there, feeling my spine opening up, lengthening and stretching… Nope!  There’s nothing better :)