Pilates Does a Body Good
March signifies the start of spring here in Charleston, and with the wonderful temperatures we've been having and all of the flowers blooming, it's time to get in gear for swimsuit season! I first tried Pilates a few years ago and have always had a love for it. Luckily, we have one of the best Pilates studios right here in Charleston, Classical Pilates Studio. Owner and entrepreneur, Beth Sterne, was nice enough to sit down with us and share her expertise and the exciting plans she has in store...
How long have you been teaching and how did you get started?
I started practicing Pilates in 1998. I had played sports all my life and had some muscles that were tight and overdeveloped. Before I started Pilates, I was experiencing lower back pain, and when I was under a lot of stress, I felt extreme tightness and pain in my shoulders and neck. Pilates instantly relieved this pain. I was converted! I soon noticed improvement in my posture. My muscles were becoming more defined. The changes were subtle in terms of inches but dramatic in terms of overall appearance. I appeared taller, stronger and more confident. My strength, flexibility and muscle tone as well as overall body awareness and concentration started to dramatically increase. I wanted to learn more about this life-changing method.
I have been practicing ever since.
I've been teaching since 2001. I lived in New York City for several years to study with many of the most talented and renowned teacher trainers in the world. In 2004, I moved to Charleston, SC to open my studio
Classical Pilates Studio and can't believe I'm in my 8th year of business! Time flies!
What was the inspiration behind creating your new
I have a lot of very dedicated
baby boomer clients who have seen and felt great benefits from their Pilates practice with me. They come because they want to feel better and stay strong as they age. Their motivation is more constructive than wanting a firmer butt or a flatter stomach. They want to improve their quality of life.
Many of these clients relayed to me that they had told their spouse or friends about the benefits they enjoy from Pilates, but often get pushback from these people that are reluctant to try Pilates for various reasons...ranging from feeling intimidated to work out with others in the studio, to not wanting to pay for it, to being too busy to schedule and appointment. I wanted to reach these people who know they need a balanced workout, to stretch them out and strengthen their core as they age. I recruited my mother to be my model and we shot the video; which is a 20 minute, carefully thought out workout that is safe and effective enough for all beginners of all fitness levels.
If you had to pick a favorite piece of athletic wear, that you couldn't live without, what would it be?
The Lululemon Studio Crop pants are hands down my favorite pants. People ask me about them all the time. They have a great light fabric and are great to work out in or to wear running errands, lunch, etc. The drawbacks are that they are kind of pricey and often hard to find at
Lululemon.
Tell us how you fuel up in the morning...
My favorite meal of the day is breakfast. Since I hit the ground running with an active morning teaching schedule, I eat a hearty breakfast. I usually eat French toast made with two eggs and two pieces of sprouted wheat bread, which has a lot of fiber, nutrients and is easy to digest.
I can't live without my tea in the a.m. I have one cup of
Republic of Tea's coconut and vanilla white tea. White tea has slightly less caffeine than green tea and more antioxidants. White tea has a very mild taste so it is easy to enhance with subtle flavors, and I love the coconut vanilla combination.
I truly believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially if you have a very active job like I do.
I'm so excited about 2012 for a couple of reasons. One, is that I have clients that have been coming to me for seven years now, and I introducing new super advanced modifications to exercises that they have been working on for years. I tell people that you never stop learning. The day that you think you have mastered Pilates, is the day that I introduce something new. I am still learning and evolving every year myself.
Another reason that I am excited for 2012 is that I have a new piece of equipment that is rarely seen in studios -
the Gratz armchair; which is exactly what is sounds like - a chair that supports your posture as you work the arm springs. This chair will challenge the arms and the upper body in ways that my clients haven't exactly experienced on the other apparatus. It allows for more range of motion, which will encourage opening (stretching) of the chest and shoulders as well as strengthening and defining.
A HUGE thank you to Beth for sharing with us today! If you aren't in Charleston, pick up one of Beth's new DVDs - it is AMAZING!
