[00:00:00] Hello, and welcome to Pilates Students' Manual, a podcast helping you get the most out of your Pilates classes. I'm Olivia and I'll be your host. Join the conversation and share your thoughts on Instagram at @pilatesstudentsmanual. You can support the podcast by visiting buymeacoffee. com/OliviaPodcasts.

[00:00:29] Let's learn something new.

[00:00:46] Hello. Hello, everybody. Welcome back to the podcast. Today we're talking about things to do in the new year because surprisingly the new year is right around the [00:01:00] corner. This is the time where we all start making really big plans and writing down resolutions and buying new planners and setting goals for all the things that we want to achieve in the following year.

[00:01:10] And I love that energy. I would love to add that energy and make the case that you should try Pilates in 2025. If you are already doing Pilates, which given the name of this podcast, it is likely that you are, I'm going to encourage you to invite your friends, your family, your co workers, your colleagues, people who live in your building to try Pilates with you this year.

[00:01:40] It's a win for you, the person who's recommending the new friend to do some Pilates, and it's also a win for them, the person who's trying Pilates maybe for the first time. 

[00:01:51] When you ask your friend or your colleague or your mom or your dad to come to a Pilates class with you, you get a built in accountability [00:02:00] partner. There is so much that we want to do in life, and it doesn't get done because no one's holding us accountable to the thing, right? So, it's cold and it's dark in the Northern Hemisphere in the winter, and there are a hundred things I'd rather do that are not going outside, right? But when you know that you have someone counting on you who specifically signed up for that class, maybe because you were going to take it together, it is much easier to put your coat on, bundle up and brave the elements so that you can get to your Pilates class.

[00:02:36] It's very motivating for me. I know that I have a friend that we take yoga classes together or, you know, when I'm working at the studio that I have teacher trainees and I have other instructors counting on me to be at the classes that I say that I'm going to be at. Like that is a complete game changer for me. Suddenly I don't have that resistance about getting dressed to go outside. Like I'm looking [00:03:00] forward to it because I like the people I work with and I like doing yoga and I like hanging out with my friends. Right? 

[00:03:05] Adult friendships, especially, are really difficult to maintain. And I know that now that I am an adult officially, you know, like everyone's life is so busy and so. It's really like a cherished moment to get to see your friend and having this shared interest means you're going to get to see them a lot more. You can talk with them before class. You can talk with them after class. Your teacher would probably prefer that you do not talk to them during class, but just having them next to you, like working together on this shared thing like is really powerful, really fun and really rewarding.

[00:03:41] A lot of times also you can often get referral bonuses from your Pilates studio. A lot of studios offer perks, of course this depends on the studio, but they might give you retail credit or money off of your membership or something as a thank you to you for referring your friend. So [00:04:00] if you needed another incentive to refer someone to your studio that you obviously already like because you're going there, like, um, it's really great. And a lot of times businesses as well, like really appreciate that business so that you enjoy yourself at their studio so much that you want someone else to take class with you is like a really flattering thing. So there's often a reward associated with that. 

[00:04:24] Now, if you're the friend who's trying Pilates, maybe you're listening to this episode because your friend, uh, Sent it to you because they want to do Pilates with you.

[00:04:33] You'll get all of those above rewards of having an accountability partner, which really is makes it so much more likely that the thing is going to happen when you have that accountability partner, getting to develop a friendship and stay in touch with someone, maybe getting referral bonuses when you refer your friends as well. So you get all of those rewards. Plus, all the physical and mental benefits that come from doing Pilates regularly. 

[00:04:58] I've shared about this in other [00:05:00] episodes on the podcast, but the Cliff Notes version is you get stronger, you get more flexible, you can improve the quality of your sleep, you can decrease your stress level, improve your mood, keep your bones and muscles strong. And fun fact, those are benefits of doing all types of exercise and Pilates is just a flavor of exercise. Um, but there are a couple of things that I think may not be a hundred percent unique to Pilates, I don't want to say that no other place of exercise would have these same things, but I do think of these things in particular when I think about Pilates. 

[00:05:42] And that is that there's a really low barrier to entry. So regardless of your age, your ability, your mobility, you know, your prior exercise history, Pilates is so customizable to the [00:06:00] person who's doing it, whether you're working on the mat and maybe you're using props or whether you're working on the reformer or another apparatus that has springs. Pilates can support you where you need support and challenge you where you need challenge.

[00:06:15] And this is why I think it's great not only for like young, super strong, super flexible folks, but also for older folks, for parents and grandparents because it can meet you where you are. You know, if getting down onto the ground is difficult, like there's ways to do exercises where you're off the ground, you know. If doing a squat with a hundred percent of your body weight is not in the cards for you at this moment, we can change your relation to gravity and then adjust how much weight you're pushing when you're doing that squat. You know, you don't have to be super strong or super flexible to start doing Pilates and because it is so adaptable to the bodies that are doing [00:07:00] it.

[00:07:00] I think that it is a really great place for people to start who maybe don't have a ton of exercise experience or familiarity or body awareness .Like Pilates is a really good place to start because we can lower the bar to a level that you can reach and then we can raise that bar as you get stronger.

[00:07:20] Because the flip side of that is that the sky is the limit when you do Pilates. As soon as you grow, you evolve, your needs change, and that exercise that you've been working on or that choreography or that series that was once impossible is now something that you're able to do with confidence, your instructor will show you another mountain to climb, another twist on the thing.

[00:07:44] Great. You can do it like this, but can you do it like this? Can you do it over here? So we call that a fitness reward. That's like great. You did something hard. So now you get to do something harder. So if you are motivated by reaching [00:08:00] goals and getting better and improving and you know moving forward all the time, Pilates can also be a really good fit for that. 

[00:08:09] Pilates is also very mentally stimulating. Because if you're at all like me and you like to watch a movie while you answer emails while you listen to music on your phone, um, Pilates is something that can occupy your mind because there's so much nuance. Because your arms are doing something, your legs are doing something, your breath is doing something, there's a choreography, like, there's steps, there's so much to think about when you do Pilates that all you can think about is Pilates. And as someone who's very type A, and just has a lot of thoughts being able to really focus in on what I'm doing because so much is going on at the same time. It also requires like so much concentration because of all these things going on, like it is very mentally engaging. 

[00:08:59] Now, [00:09:00] if someone shared this episode with you and Pilates is not your jam for whatever reason. That is also okay. If another type of exercise is calling your name, by all means, do that. A consistent movement practice, whether it's Pilates or dancing or lifting weights or running or hiking, any consistent movement practice is a gift that you give yourself. It will improve your longevity and your quality of life. Exercise is like the best thing that we can do for ourselves, honestly, and whatever type of exercise you choose to explore is great. 

[00:09:39] Another thing that's really motivating is doing the thing that you like. So if you are in a movement practice that is just a struggle and a strain, like there are so many movement practices. Let's find one that you look forward to doing instead of one that you dread doing. 

[00:09:57] I also want to say that doing Pilates is amazing, [00:10:00] but it doesn't guarantee that you'll never get injured, but it does put you in a really good position to rise, to meet the challenges of life head on, whether that's improving your balance or getting stronger or having more muscle tone so that if something happened and you weren't able to exercise for a bit, you are starting from a really strong point. A consistent Pilates practice is going to give you the best ability to be ready for all of the uncertainty that life throws at you. You'll also likely be standing taller because you'll feel more confident and feel better about yourself because you feel good about what your body can do. 

[00:10:48] If you're listening to this and you think, well, that sounds really nice, but I don't know a Pilates studio. I don't know a Pilates class that I could take. If you're in the Chicago area- Absolutely [00:11:00] shameless plug, but I teach a free intro class on Monday nights at South Loop at Club Pilates. And if you live nearby and you want to come try a class, you can take one with me and it's absolutely free. You do need grip socks though. Those are available for purchase or you can bring your own. 

[00:11:19] But if you live in another neighborhood in Chicago, there are Club Pilates locations all over the place. In Ravenswood, in North Center, in Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, West Loop, River North, South Loop, and now Logan Square. Like how awesome is that? All of those locations offer free intro classes multiple times a week so that you could come in and try a class and just see how you feel and how you feel about Pilates. 

[00:11:47] Studios across the country and across the world will be offering end of year specials and kick off the new year with a bang specials [00:12:00] and, you know, intro specials, try your first week of classes for such and such dollars. There are so many ways to start, and I know that the first step is the hardest one, but if there's a studio that you've driven by, or you've seen on your commute, or it's really close to that restaurant you like, poke your head in. And I say that as a person who really does not like trying new things, and especially talking to people, so also do your research online, that's great, but try the thing, you know, you might absolutely love the thing, and, um, we only get comfortable through familiarity and you only get familiar by doing it more than one time.

[00:12:41] So come take a class somewhere, meet a teacher, make a friend, bring a friend, see what you think about it. You know, we all think it's pretty cool, but we want you to feel that for yourself. What I do know is that doing Pilates improves the quality of people's [00:13:00] lives. And I want everyone who listens to this podcast and beyond to have the best year ever in 2025.

[00:13:08] Huge thank you to all of my supporters on buy me a coffee. I know December can be crazy busy, but I would love to connect with you for a coffee chat. I hope you have a great couple of weeks and I'll talk to you again in 2025.

[00:13:34] Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode of Pilates Students' Manual, a podcast helping you get the most out of your Pilates classes. Be sure to check out the podcast Instagram at @PilatesStudentsManual and subscribe wherever you're listening. Interested in teaching Pilates too? Check out Pilates Teachers' Manual, available everywhere you listen to podcasts.

[00:13:57] I hope to see you next episode. [00:14:00] Until next time.

[00:14:16] Au revoir!