Tomorrow marks the day for many to start fresh and new. Back to routine and full work weeks. Ambitions and resolutions for the new year in hand. Or at least lingering about in back of mind. The holidays are over.

No more excuses to eat two pieces of chocolate goodness before noon. The reasons to skip hitting the gym after work to have one too many glasses of festive cheer are null and void. The last minute Christmas shopping and  out-of-town friends will no longer stand in the way of that 7:00 yoga class.  I must say, it was fun while it lasted. Alas, it’s time to real it in.

Sir Edmund Percival Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer. On May 29th,1953, at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest.

Mount Everest is a pretty admirable feat. I’m just hoping to kick my fell-into-the-big-black-hole-of-holiday-cheer butt back into shape. But after reading this quote from the (remarkably rugged and probably pretty hot in his day) Sir Edmund, I’ve realized that my body doesn’t need conquering as much as the thing that tells my body what to do does.

LOVE this gym bag from Lululemon. Sturdy enough to carry all the gear I need to hit the club or the studio and cute enough for no one to know that my dirty socks are inside. But they may wonder why I am skipping.

I generally don’t like the practice of comparing myself to the air-brushed-perfect-pictures of the celebs, nor do I want to be BFFs with the likes of Paris Hilton, but I couldn’t help stopping at this one. Ill take these legs anyday. Word on the street is it’s a result of a healthy diet and pilates.

I’d also take her co-star status with Mr. Leo, but that’s a different story all together.

I just got done with my first Prana Stretch class and all I can say is, wow.

I was a bit unsure before attending this class. Prana Stretch? I’m not sure what that means, but I knew I needed a good stretch so I wanted to give it a try. I spend my days in front of the computer which brings an enormous amount of tension to my hips, shoulders and overall spirit. I crave a deep stretch much like many crave a piece of dark chocolate.

I was worried it would be intimidating to have “hands on assistance” in such a small setting especially since it has been awhile since I have attended a Pilates class. Exactly how dumb am I going to look? As I entered the studio room, my nerves were immediately put at ease. The environment was very serene and calming, with dimmed lighting and candles lit. The 6 mats were already placed out on the floor, each with ample personal space. The class began with the calming instruction given by Adrienne, asking us to take some time to put away the thoughts of today’s events. Any yogi can relate to the importance of the pre-class meditation time needed to bring oneself into the moment, focusing on intention while blocking out thoughts that may interrupt that focus. The soothing music playing was a wonderful aid in bringing me inward.

Adrienne  began her instruction for the stretch poses. Each pose rhythmically flowed into the next at a perfect pace. Some simple stretches, some yoga poses. With each pose, we were assisted by Mary or Adrienne, helping to deepen the stretch with a purposeful pull and tug. Their unspoken timing with each other as they each moved from client to client helped keep the class moving without anticipation of “what is she going to do to me next.”

Much of the assistance involves close personal contact with the instructors. My favorite is when they physically steamroll over your back with their bodies. They are as unobtrusive as they can be while using their own bodies to help you stretch your own, respecting your space and personal experience.  I never felt uncomfortable. I actually kind of wanted to hug Mary when she was done working on me.

I highly recommend this class to anybody who feels the slightest bit of tension anywhere in their body or mind. I guarantee you will walk away feeling refreshed and revived. And wanting to do it all over again.

Welcome to Align Pilates.

Through Pilates, Gyrotonic®, Yoga, and Massage, Align Pilates offers the safest and most effective forms of exercise and therapies to aide people in finding their own strength. This studio was created for people of all walks of life. Align Pilates welcomes casual fittness enthusiasts, as wells as those who are dedicated and experienced. It also benefits the individual who is in the rehabilitative process or who is dealing with chronic pain. Align Pilates is the ultimate haven where one can explore and discover ones own strength.

Our mission is to provide the most talented and experienced teachers and therapists in an atmosphere that stimulates students to stretch the boundaries of their body and mind.

All teachers and therapists at Align Pilates are certified through comprehensive programs that require a minimum of 500 hours of training.

Thanks for visiting!