What does doubling the number of Pilates classes you take in one week do for your body? Lissa Edwards decided to find out – and shares the amazing outcome with us.
Committing to classes at Pure Pilates almost 15 years ago has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was about 45 years old when I started and had not done any type of physical workouts besides running for years. I think Jen and her team were slightly alarmed at how stiff, tight and weak I was everywhere but in my legs. Jen tells me now that I moved in sections rather than working as a body should—like an oiled machine. Yes, think the Tin Man.
For 15 years I averaged two classes a week and gradually my core got stronger and my tight, stiff body loosened up. Those classes kept me in the game.
Last summer I turned 60. Beyond thinking about my own aging, I am the primary caregiver for my 86-year-old mom. She is a wonderful, warm woman who has faced aging with grace, but she is of a generation that didn’t understand the crucial importance of staying fit. Consequently, her loss of strength, balance and flexibility has been way worse than I believe it would be had she committed years ago to a fitness routine.
It all got me thinking, and with Jen’s incredible encouragement and support, I doubled my Pilates workouts—making time in the evenings for the extra classes.
From that first week, the difference was exponential and stunned both Jen and me. Core workouts that I would have struggled with became easier—to the point that I almost enjoyed them! The flexibility in my tight lower back and hip flexors began increasing. Jen used the word “fluid” the other day to describe what she was seeing.
And how was I feeling? Fabulous. Instead of making me feel tired, the extra workouts gave me more energy. Additionally, my concentration and consequent productivity at work has increased. Instead of thinking about staving off aging, I realized I was actually feeling younger. I can’t wait for the next workout and to see how fit—even at my age—I can actually be.
The moral of the story? More Pilates has been not just better; it has been exponentially better. Being fit isn’t a luxury—it is an exhilarating necessity. I am so grateful to Jen and her team (Sahra, Kim, Jackie and Crystal) for their boundless, positive support.
My wish for 2019 is to up my schedule even more. Six classes a week?
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Top photo: Lissa holds her grandson Simon Chase Fisher while his older brother, Ethan Robert Fisher, plays nearby. Photo credit: Lissa’s niece Natasha Turak.
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