Getting to The Core

I am not what one would consider “in shape.” I mean, I get
my 40-something body to play tennis, walk and wrestle with my 7 year-old
daughter, but I am not fit. I have done an excellent job of weighing my “core” down with fat. The core, I’ve come to understand, is essential to my overall
wellness. I’ve learned this from watching shows like “The Biggest Loser”,
talking with various trainers at the gyms I’ve been a member of over the past
decade, and, most recently, from Allison Stone at The Core: A Pilates Studio in
Sweet Apple Village.

To look at Allison, you would never be able to accurately guess her age. She is the epitome of “fit” and credits Pilates with getting her there. Pilates is a physical fitness system built around intelligent and functional exercise. It works from the inside out by strengthening the body’s core. Joseph Pilates, the founder of this system, understood the importance of the core more than 60 years ago. (I thought this was a fairly recent phenomenon.) Pilates is a total body workout. “It utilizes multiple muscle groups simultaneously, creating a complete workout that  integrates the upper torso and lower body with the core,” says Allison.

She also says that with consistent practice (2-3 times per week), you can achieve many benefits from Pilates including:

-         Improve posture and flexibility

-         Develop longer, stronger and leaner muscles

-         Develop core strength and stability

-         Enhance mobility

-         Improve balance and coordination

-         Improve movement awareness and range of motion

-         Increase energy and vitality

-         Enhance self-awareness and self-confidence

Pilates is low impact and a “gentler way” to exercise. There are three versions of Pilates – Mat Pilates, Mat Tower, and Reformer. Personally, I do not like to exercise on the floor, so I opted to try the Reformer and the Cadillac, which is a very medical-looking machine that reminds me of a hospital bed for someone in
traction. Both types of apparatus are a system of pulleys and resistance coils
that transition into several positions to work various parts of the body.

The Core offers private lessons and small classes, which was important to me because I didn’t want to feel lost in a class of 20+ where the instructor can’t see what I’m doing in any detail. I also didn’t want to embarrass myself. And,
there is a right way and a wrong way to do Pilates – so I certainly didn’t want to
hurt myself. To start, I opted for a 50 minute private session with
Allison.

Allison stressed to me the importance of a mind and body connection in Pilates. She encouraged me to leave life at the door and dedicate 50 minutes to myself. That’s hard to do for a busy working mom and I appreciated the reminder. As Allison walked me through several exercises, I often found myself focusing so much on the physical requirements that I forgot to do things like breathe. However, breathing is essential to getting the most out of Pilates. The methodical inhaling and exhaling helps focus your body on what you’re asking it to do, which definitely doesn’t feel natural at first. My first session required great concentration and a lot of red face moments as I had to be reminded to breathe several times, but I was able to complete repetitions of exercises that I didn’t think I’d be able to the first time around.

I really liked Pilates – more than I thought I would. (I had tried yoga a few years ago and did not like it. I think it’s the floor thing. So, I was skeptical of Pilates. The Core also offers yoga, plus Bar Sculpt and Kettlebell for those who might be interested.) I felt really good after that first session – energized, healthier, “looser.” I was sure I’d pay for it in muscle pain the next day, but that wasn’t the case at all. I was aware of muscles I didn’t know I had, but it wasn’t the kind of discomfort I’d experienced after the first session with a “trainer” at the gym where their philosophy seems to be that if you are able to walk the next day, they didn’t
work you hard enough.

Allison says that The Core has several clients who claim that Pilates has improved their lives. She finds that most clients are between the ages of 40 and 70 and seeking fitness beyond cardio. Her husband is one of those people. He had a hip replacement in November and rebounded very quickly because his body was so strong as the result of seven years of Pilates. Another client has seen marked improvement in her osteoarthritis.

The Core is a very welcoming studio. When I have been in, it is quiet and private, allowing me to more successfully leave my worries outside. They haven’t changed their pricing in the 2 ½ years since opening, in an attempt to keep their classes and instruction attainable. The Core doesoffer a free ½ hour demonstration of their services.

Costs range from $65 for a one-on-one lesson to $15 for a single group session of yoga or Mat Pilates. Packages are also available, which offer a discount for purchasing multiple sessions at once. The Core offers a special introductory package that includes 2 private lessons and 10 apparatus classes for $280, a $70 savings if you bought each separately.

The Core is offering Roswell Patch readers 25 percent off any package for first time clients through April 7. Maybe I’ll see you there!