Adapting, Osteoporosis, and Another #WitchyWednesday

I believe that any movement is better than nothing (in most cases). I believe that any connection to your body is beneficial. Any attempt to build awareness is progress towards being more embodied.

Typically, I’ve been firmly planted in the opinion that with all this new tech being added to fitness - online classes, Peloton, posture gadgets and gizmos - my place was in the studio, working with people one on one. I thought nothing could replicate the amount of value that comes from working with someone in the same room. Having an expert eye on your every move, relying on hands-on corrections, and being in someone else’s caring energy just can’t happen virtually. In a lot of ways I still believe that, but earlier in 2020 I realized it makes me, our team, and this work inaccessible in a way. It’s a very hard line, black and white stance.

Enter coronavirus...

We as a business and I as an instructor are now forced to reexamine how our beliefs shape our actions. We must adapt if we want to find stability again.

I miss working in person and in my studio deeply, but opening up our studio virtually means we can be accessible to our clients in new ways. We are getting the chance to help our clients move through their homes more efficiently. We are giving them access to as much movement as possible within the perceived limitations of their space. We are getting creative with pillows, chairs, books, stairs, scarves, and cans of soup!

And while I wouldn’t have asked for any of this to happen, I feel deeply appreciative that so many of our clients are navigating this evolution with us, and I appreciate the lessons we're learning from this time of adaptation.

#KnowYourBody #KnowYourself

In a virtual session with a client recently, we got into a conversation that really stayed with me. We were talking about our movement habits, and how we develop “bad” or compensatory habits because of an injury or our environment. When we move more mindfully, we can have these moments of correcting our bad habit, and it just “feels right.” I said that the body is tricky and smart in that it is highly adaptable; even if the movement habits developed aren’t the most efficient, the body detours in order to stay as efficient as possible, based on extenuating circumstances. When we give ourselves a chance to course correct our movement, the body knows and feels that familiarity. It has that inherent intelligence.

It struck me when he, a psychotherapist, said: “The human mind does the same thing with behavior and emotion. We develop different types of perspectives or ways of talking to ourselves based on our experiences, trauma, environment, and those are generally habitual. They can be coping mechanisms to help be as functional as possible based on the extenuating circumstances, but it may not be our full potential. When we mindfully examine those habits, work to understand why we have them, and also look to find new ones, we can experience a similar feeling of knowing that’s better for us. It will also ‘feel right.’”

#OsteoporosisAwarenessMonth

Our team member Colleen was diagnosed with osteoporosis a little over a year ago after a routine bone density test. It came as quite a surprise as she’s always been active, weight trained, and had virtually no symptoms. To realize that your bones – the building blocks of stability – are unstable is emotionally and physically challenging, to say the least.

It’s been a test in her own approach to moving her body and how she teaches others to move. It also inspired her to bring more light to what is possible despite this diagnosis, which is why we are so excited that she’s co-leading our first osteoporosis workshop!

On Wednesday, May 27 at 6:30pm, you can join Colleen and long-time collaborator Andrea Moss from Moss Wellness to learn how movement and diet go hand in hand in preventing and slowing the progress of osteoporosis.

Andrea has years of experience guiding clients through a personalized program that provides them with better bone health, and she’ll share that valuable information in the first part of this workshop. Colleen will then share what has worked for her in terms of adapting her movement to protect and strengthen her bones.

This has been in the works for a while and we are very much looking forward to it! Stay tuned for more details on that soon, or email us if you want to be among the first to know.

Email Us to Learn More

#WitchyWednesday

After an enriching full moon circle last month, we’re excited to host another on #WitchyWednesday, May 6 at 7:30pm! In a time where just 6 feet can be felt on a deep level and health is on everyone’s mind, this event is meant to connect us.

For those of you new to a full moon or women’s circle, you can think of it as a group meditation class with a dash of collaborative experimentation. The circle will have some discussion about themes for this particular full moon, intention setting, a guided meditation, a brief journal prompt and reiki.

This donation-based women’s circle will send 100% of donations to Sanctuary for Families. During this quarantine, those in abusive relationships experience even more isolation. Sanctuary for Families serves NYC by providing counseling, legal support, and advocacy to these families, with a focus on undocumented women and families who receive less social assistance and underreport for fear of deportation.

If you are not able to make it or still not sure, but you know you would like Brittany to send reiki to you or a loved one in need, please reach out by replying to this email.

Learn More + Sign Up

Confidence, Control, and a Witchy Wednesday

Before diving into deeper meanings, silver linings, and our offers to help you out, let us first just say...

HOLY SHIT! THIS IS 12 KINDS OF BANANAS! WE ARE OK. ARE YOU OK?

Ok, now that’s out of the way.

The theme for this post was planned several months in advance. It’s a little ironic to look at it now in a whole new light from a whole new perspective.

Of course, we wanted to talk about spring!

We are getting to the best time of the year (in my opinion). A time of newness, rebirth, warmth, getting to spend more time outside. The minute I hear ‘springtime,’ I immediately think of this little moment in The Sound of Music. Turns out most of the lyrics are quite applicable to a lot of the conversations I’ve been having for the last two weeks. We have no choice, most of us, but to be confident in our ability to:

• Masterfully pivot

• Stay the course

• Be easy on ourselves

• Give ourselves grace to have our ups and downs

• Get resourceful and creative

We are digging deep for all those things for ourselves as a team and are here to support you finding the same for yourself. In our own creative endeavors, we have put together online classes, workshops, and women's circles to help you embody CONFIDENCE in these new uncertain times, which you'll learn more about below.

#lookbetter #feelbetter

Spring naturally births new things, and while our current environment is definitely not the “new” thing we anticipated, we are in a new state of being. This uncertainty can bring about a lot of fear and anxiety.

When our normal day to day has been turned on its head, how do we access the confidence to know and do what’s next?

We recommend looking within to your beautiful vagus nerve. It’s credited as being the anatomical structure that bridges the gap between brain and body. It’s responsible for connecting most of the digestive system, lungs, and heart to the brain, communicating sensory, motor, and parasympathetic information. When we slow and concentrate on our breath, we immediately tap into that nerve, triggering the “rest and digest” response and interrupting the physiological feelings that go along with fear and anxiety (the “flight or fight” response). Unchecked, fear and anxiety can disrupt our heart rate, breathing, and digestion.

There’s never been a better time to gain a little more perspective on how our worries and fears are tied into our physiology and how those physical responses loop back into our emotions. Frankly, a lot of us are being challenged to accept how much control we don’t have. One thing we do have control over is our response to the challenge.

Think of it this way: What if worry, anxiety, and fear are seeds planted in the earth or a caterpillar in its cocoon? Out of sight, whether in the ground or its protective cocoon, that seed or caterpillar is broken down and digested in its process of transformation. When we see it again, it’s in a beautiful, new, and repurposed form. That’s what the vagus nerve can do for us: turn the physical discomfort of our worries and fears into peace and calm.

Here are some more ideas on getting acquainted with your vagus nerve.

Online Classes

These are scary and weird times of fast change. To continue facilitating healing, movement, and connection, we're excited to offer new online classes. We would love for you to join us!

Intro to MELT: Always wondered about the MELT Method but never made it to a class? This workshop series is a great way to learn about it and what it can do for your mind and body.

Pilates for Better Sex (Women Only): This class brings awareness to the pelvis and core, provides clarity on pelvic floor dysfunction, and offers exercises to release tight muscles in the pelvic floor, hips, and low back.

Good Ol’ Mat Pilates: Following a standard Pilates mat format, this class includes real-time adjustments and modifications.

At-Home Ballet Barre: Traditionally, barre fitness is taught using a ballet barre, but guess what? You don't need one!

Pilates for Lower Back Pain: We are sitting more and walking less, and that often goes straight into our low backs. This class combines stretching and strengthening work.

Learn More + Sign Up

#witchywednesdays

In an effort to simultaneously give back and connect with each other, we are leading our first ever virtual women’s full moon circle on Wednesday, April 8th at 7:30pm.

This donation-based women’s circle will send 100% of donations to City Harvest to help some of our community’s most vulnerable stay nourished and supported.

You’ll need a relatively quiet and comfy place to settle in (seated and/or laying down) for 60-90 minutes and a journal to write down any insights. We will spend a little bit of time checking in and discussing full moon intentions and what they mean. We’ll then move to a guided meditation aimed at calming our nervous system to make way for our intentions to really settle in.

Learn More + Sign Up

Energy With Motion = E-motion

I recently read this idea: “Emotion is energy in motion.”

It’s so simple... and so brilliant.

If you’re not moving and connecting with your body, your energy can become stagnant. If you’re not moving through and connecting with your emotions, stagnation can also arise.

No wonder it feels so good to move when we feel angry or upset. No wonder I’ve witnessed so many emotional reactions to movement in my career.
“Every time we are done with a workout, I’m so angry about my divorce.”
“I came in here in such a sour mood and I feel so much better now. I’m not spiraling about the things I was so anxious about before I walked in.”
“I just realized I haven’t been kind to myself or been taking care of myself in a lot of ways. It feels good to be back in my body and connecting with myself.”
“For days, I’ve been thinking about generational family issues and realizing how much I need to change. I haven’t been able to figure out how to say it until now. It all just came spilling out.”

These are just a few examples of things I’ve heard from clients over the years. Let me just say, there’s a lot of heavy stuff here, and it’s way beyond my scope to go deep diving into these layers, which is why I often refer clients to several trusted mental health professionals (see their info below). Still, I bring it up now because this is at the core of why, as a movement professional, I do what I do.

Yes, it's important to be physically healthy and agile. Yes, it’s fun to feel fit and achieve goals. But there’s this other layer of benefit that comes with moving, connecting to your body, being embodied – and it’s processing emotion.

To not let yourself experience any emotions is to freeze yourself. For example, fear of pain when dealing with an injury will naturally “brace” the body near the injury to keep you from moving. That makes sense initially, but over an extended period of time, it can keep the experience of pain alive.

In other words: the key to getting over the fear of pain with movement is tapping into courage, experimentation, and trusting yourself to shift past fear and into moving again.

What a gloriously simple, yet mildly annoying, lesson!

Like most other things in life, this is a process. And sometimes it’s slow. It also requires getting creative with how you define progress, because it’s pretty much never a straight line up.

Move Your Body, Energy, Emotions

If you’d like to explore these ideas in your movement and your life, here are some resources for you.

For support in moving your body and getting the energy flowing, we're excited to share that we have a new team member, Molly! To celebrate her arrival at the studio, you can enjoy 20% off Intro Sessions and packages booked with Molly for a limited time.

Molly is an NYC-based performer and wellness professional. Certified in Pilates, Antigravity and The MELT Method, her classes utilize movement and breathwork to build strength, as well as body work and meditation techniques to create awareness. Her goal is to encourage people to treat their bodies mindfully by offering self care techniques designed to create space in the body and mind, allowing them to work as one unit. She strives to help others realize their potential for greatness.

Email us to take advantage of this special offer.

For support in processing emotions, you can check out these mental health professionals.

Dana Galante, LMFT
Specializes in working with women struggling with pre/postnatal emotions and related issues

Heather Edwards, LMHC, NCC, BCC
Specializes in working with trauma through EMDR

Evin Lawson, LCSW
Specializes in addiction and substance abuse

Ladies of New York! Please Yourself!

There were a lot of great takeaways from the first iteration of our workshop Pilates for Better Sex, and the inside joke “please yourself” (a la How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) is just one of them. We had lots of great questions asked, myths addressed, and food for thought dispersed. Email us to get on the list for our next workshop.

#lookbetter

We had a self-love challenge last month and to keep all those lovey dovey feels going, here are some seasonal tips to support your nourishment.

1. Hydrate: We are shifting closer and closer towards Spring. (Mark your calendars for the Spring Equinox on March 19th when the days finally start getting longer again.) In the meantime, the heat is still on and sucking all the moisture out of our bodies, so it’s important to keep your body hydrated. It’s also nice to use this time to reflect on the seeds you’re planting this year and keep those “hydrated” as well. What are some intentions related to goals you set for yourself back in January that you can focus on and water a little more right now?

2. Exfoliate: On the subject of dry heat, our skin really pays the price for this. Combine that with always being bundled up and not getting much sunlight and now becomes a great time to give our skin a little extra love. I really enjoy making my own simple salt scrub with olive oil, sea salt, and some freshly squeezed lemon juice. It’s a lovely little treat after a nice warm shower in the evening. Add some safe-for-skin essential oils to make it extra fancy!

A Self-Love Challenge for Valentine's Day

When we first moved into the studio we held off on getting mirrors for several reasons ranging from logistical to figuring out our preference. Are we one of those studios that have mirrors on every wall or a studio that has none?

They are definitely helpful in teaching movement, but often bring with them an equal amount of hindrance: it’s easy to become reliant on them to “know” if we are doing an exercise with as much accuracy as possible – so much so that we can’t feel effective in the exercise without them.

Mirrors can also become a judgmental distraction highlighting our perceived imperfections.

I was thinking about this when I considered self-love and self-care, with Valentine’s Day coming up. The discussion of self-love and self-care have become pretty trendy in the health and wellness industry, which overall I think is great. However, being the grumpy old lady I’ve been since infancy, I have the habit of being quick to roll my eyes when things get trendy…

and that got me thinking...

Me: “Why am I annoyed by it?”
Also Me: “Well, because it seems incessant.”
Me: “Hmm, why is it so incessant?”
Also Me: “I wonder if it is because for a lot of people our normal narrative more often includes self-criticism, judgment, and lack of self-worth?”
Me: “What if that wasn’t the case? What if we saw a decline in trendy self-love/ self-care posts because everyone’s baseline way of thinking was grounded in a place of self-acceptance? So much so that to converse with ourselves and each other from a place of self-love was just the day to day norm. I could get down with that for sure.”

#lookbetter

In an effort to be the change I’d like to see in the world, I’d like to plant the seed of a February challenge of sorts. A simple self-love challenge. No need to buy anything. Just take an extra minute (at most) each day to look in the mirror and practice saying something nice to yourself.

It could be an affirmation you’ve always liked, a compliment on the color shirt you chose to wear, noticing a good hair day, or practicing the lovely strangeness of saying “I love you” or “I appreciate you” to yourself in the mirror.

I know it sounds cheesy… I’ve seriously laughed at myself or rolled my eyes while trying this. It’s funny, though, because something did shift in me. It was both shocking and really nice to say that to myself. It made me think, why is this so strange and uncomfortable? It shouldn’t be.

I’m committed to doing this as well, and you better believe everyone in the studio is going to get a gentle push to try the same! I’m excited to hear and see what’s possible when we have an active appreciation and love for ourselves, so if you don’t follow us on Instagram or Facebook already, please do and share your insights!

Client Quote of the Month

"I was trying on dresses the other day and I thought to myself ‘ribs together, ribs together.’ I looked different in the dress; it fit better!" – Katherine L.

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Upcoming Event:
Pilates for Better Sex

We are so excited to be hosting our first event of the year! In an effort to promote this idea of self-love from every angle we can, we are taking up the tough topic of sex.

There can be so much mystery, confusion, and even shame when it comes to sex, especially as it pertains to pelvic floor dysfunction. If we are having pain with sex, there is some exploration to be done.

Some of that could be consulting a pelvic floor specialist, which is why we have the amazing Kristin Sapienza of FemFirstHealth co-leading the workshop. Some of that could be learning more about your body and gaining awareness of what you can do to create a more healthy, pain-free pelvic floor. Sign up below to be part of the exploration in a safe and supportive environment.

(Please note that due to the sensitive nature of this workshop, the first iteration of it will be women only. Stay tuned for more opportunities to learn about pelvic floor health despite gender or sex.)

Learn More + Sign Up

Look Better and Feel Better

If you’re on social media even the tiniest bit, you’ve likely seen many inspiring stories about the last decade. It’s been cool to see friends and family reflect the highs and lows of not just the last year, but the last decade. And then there is the fact that this is a Pilates studio newsletter and we’re obliged to encourage you to make good on your wellness or fitness resolution for this year. I in no way mean to be dismissive, I myself have a fitness goal this year, just a little different than usual.

When I had my knee surgery almost a year ago, I was resigned to the fact that it would be about a year before things were relatively back to normal. But I was mostly thinking about what that meant specifically for what I could do with my knee. I didn’t totally factor in what it meant for the rest of my body because of what my knee couldn’t do. Needless to say, not being able to be active the way I’m used to has left my pants tighter than usual, to put it delicately. It’s the first time I’ve been drastically out of my natural body composition range, and it’s not a great feeling to be honest.

Now that I’m fast approaching a year since the surgery, I’ve been reflecting on all the movements I couldn’t do last year that I can do this year. I’m reveling in how having an injury or experiencing pain can drastically change your perception of how to move in the world and in your body. Things you never thought twice about before that are now inaccessible become your nemesis. For me, it was the four steps to my front door, the lock on the studio door, and crawling into bed.

#lookbetter #feelbetter

I do have an exercise and nutrition goal I’ve been implementing to take me to a more desired body composition that’s healthier in general for me (check out my insta post about returning to my favorite workout class). You could consider that my New Year’s Rezzy for sure.

But interlaced in that is acceptance of where I was and where I am now. I’m practicing laying down judging myself or being overly critical – I’m looking at myself better, from a different perspective. What I’m discovering is that by giving myself grace in the process of achieving my goals, I’m already feeling better. In the end, isn’t that what we are all looking for as a result of a new goal for the new year? To feel better? Every session at the studio has that in mind.

Monthly Medicine

Despite the ups and downs in the weather and abnormally warm temperatures, don’t forget that we are still in winter with short days. Even in city life, it’s necessary to allow for more hibernation time. We are still recovering from our last year (and the holidays!), so we encourage you to treat yourself to all the bedtime rituals you can to get the most out of your sleep. Here are some of my favorite night time routines:

1. Lavender bed spray: My mom always does this for my sister and I when we come home. There’s nothing better than fresh sheets just gently spritzed with lavender. You can find this at many bath product stores or make your own with some distilled water and lavender essential oil!

2. Night time tea: I really enjoy tea at night in the winter just after dinner to help me digest and/or just before bed. I switch back and forth between peppermint, chamomile, rose, and Tulsi night time tea.

3. Lavender or rose essential oil: I sometimes put a little on my wrists and temples before bed to help aid in my relaxation and “down shifting” into a calmer sleep mode.

Client Quote of the Month

"Wow, it feels like I'm breathing for the first time."

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Upcoming Event:
Pilates for Better Sex

Pain with sex is not normal.

Do we have your attention? Good!

On February 12 at 6:30pm, I’m teaming up with pelvic floor physical therapist Kristin Sapienza of FemFirstHealth to talk about pelvic dysfunction, the ways in which it presents, and how Pilates can aid in bridging the gap between healing pain and getting back to functional exercise... and better sex!

Have you ever had pain with sex or do you often experience yeast infection or UTI symptoms after sex? You may likely be experiencing a form of pelvic floor dysfunction. The pelvic floor is made up of a variety of muscles that help with urination, digestion, core support, and sexual pleasure.

At our workshop, Kristin will facilitate a discussion exploring in more detail what the pelvic floor is, what dysfunction can look like and mean, and what healthy function looks and feels like. And because pelvic floor dysfunction is an imbalance of the muscles of the pelvic floor either being too tight or too loose, or maybe a combination of both, we will explore how Pilates can aid in a better awareness of how to both release and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. In addition, I will lead the group through exercises that can help manage pain and allow you to begin to return to the activities you love.

Learn More + Sign Up

What It Means to Be Embodied (& Why It Matters)

Here in the studio, there has been a lot of reflecting on 2019 as we wind down for the year. It’s something that naturally happens in December...

“Wow, this has been an intense year.”
“I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas. Where did the year go?”
“So much has happened, it’s kinda crazy.”

It is an interesting process – reflecting. Growth and goals accomplished, things learned, mistakes made. While it can be uncomfortable to reflect and examine, it seems to be an integral part of moving forward and evolving.

I find it fascinating that there is a parallel between that lesson and what we do at The Co Pilates:

We take time to reflect on how you’ve been moving and we use that information to help guide you and your body towards a more evolved version of yourself. A version that is perhaps in less pain, healed from an injury, stronger, more mobile, more connected to parts of your body that have felt out of control... In general, more fully embodied.

#knowyourbody

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be embodied. Why does it matter? Recently I read something that reminded me of what it means and why it matters:

“We are in this body from our first breath until our last.”

That pretty much says it all for me. Why not know your body? Why not find practices that create space or set the stage for you to feel your hands and feet, your muscles, your joints and bones, your heart beat?

For us, looking at the Pilates practice from this perspective has become a reminder that it’s important to move and connect with ourselves through movement every day – not from a place of outward messaging that says we should look a certain way, but from a place of getting to know ourselves better.

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Thanks so much to everyone who came to celebrate with us at our first annual holiday open house. It was so great to connect with old friends, clients, and colleagues!

Didn’t get to attend an event in 2019? You’re in luck! We’ve got an exciting line up of workshops and events percolating in 2020. Our first is a workshop we are pretty pumped about:

Pilates for Better Sex!

Whaaaaattt????? You didn’t misread that!

In February, I’m teaming up with pelvic floor physical therapist, Kristin Sapienza, to talk about pelvic floor pain and dysfunction that can get in the way of having better sex. We will also use Pilates principles to connect to our bodies, and to discuss what it means to be in your body during intimate moments, taking into consideration how past trauma can affect this. In addition, we will explore what exercises you can do to strengthen your pelvic floor, hips and low back.

Because this can be a loaded topic, we’re opening up this first iteration of the workshop to women/women-identifying only. (Know that a men’s version is on its way.) To reserve your spot now, send us an email and we’ll give you all the details.

Client Quote of the Week

"I'm really loving this. I’m so focused on my movement, it's like meditation."  - Maureen

Where's Your Focus? Time to Play Detective

As movement practitioners, we often try to play detective and connect the dots for our clients as to why they may have developed certain asymmetries over time.

“How do you sit at your desk? Have you ever noticed how you stand at the sink to brush your teeth? Do you sleep on your side or your back?” It’s always fun to hear a client come back into the studio and say, “oh my god, you’ll never believe what I caught myself doing without even realizing it!”

It’s a constant topic of conversation in this work. How do we help our clients build awareness of what they are doing and build more optimal movement patterns for them?

While having a version of this conversation with a client recently, something finally clicked for them in noticing just how often they stand with a posteriorly tilted pelvis.

Being an inquisitive person, they asked an intriguing question, “Am I the kind of person that has their tail tucked between their legs? Do I have that kind of personality?” My first impression of this particular client is… “no.” However, I do think it’s really important to look both to our external and internal environments and how they shape our posture and inform our movement. Are you just slouching because you’re tired? Have a bad desk set up? Or feeling so overwhelmed by work and family life that the weight of the world is pressing down on you?

It isn’t always the most fun thing to unpack, but pushing through our fears to look at all aspects of ourselves bravely, no matter what we may find, has enormous pay-offs in the end. Especially when we are looking to make long lasting change, we have to be ACTIVE participants in our own healing. Showing up in your body is a great way to start that process and feel better while doing that hard work.

That conversation reminds me of another one I recently had with a fellow instructor about what we are actually teaching? It’s not just fitness. We aren’t just burning calories or building muscles (don’t get me wrong, those things are really important). We concluded that we are teaching people how to connect with themselves; how to know themselves better. In a time where competing screens are vying for our attention, creating spaces where people can reconnect with themselves and honor their bodies is a mission we can behind - and have gotten behind!

With the theme of connection in mind, we are excited to announce our next workshop "Pilates for Better Sex!" We will be partnering with one of our valued pelvic floor physical therapists for this workshop to help inform our practice. You can expect this workshop to touch on:

• Myths around dysfunction during sex and pelvic floor pain

• Pelvic floor anatomy

• Pelvic floor awareness exercises you can do anywhere

Stay tuned for more details about this new workshop available specifically for women (in this first iteration) happening in February 2020!

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#lookup!

While working with one of my long-standing clients recently, it occurred to me: why do so many of my clients look down instead of out during exercises? I often have to cue to look out the window at the tops of buildings because they're generally looking at the floor. Sometimes they don't even move their heads along with their torsos.

These cues stuck out in a new way with a new meaning: Take your head with you... Watch where your body is going... Take your eyes with you.

In a session or in life, your focus will likely dictate where your body goes. If you're looking down, it's hard to go up.

Client Quote of the Week

Instructor: “Make your feet look like a little birdy perched on a branch on the foot bar.”
Client: “That’s not exactly my power image...”
Instructor: “Fine, make your feet look like eagle talons on the foot bar.”
Client: “THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!”

Honoring Our Motto + Mission

We are so excited to be included in another Pilates Style issue! Catch us in the September/October issue where we share our motivation to work with those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

It also talks about our first-ever Breast Cancer Workshop, which is free for anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer no matter where they are in their path to recovery. Click here for more information or to sign up.

We are really looking forward to hosting this workshop as it will be the first of many in our revamped space! Beyond that, it will be the beginning of satisfying a pull we’ve been feeling for a while now: to serve as a place to gather, share, laugh, learn, and heal.

Please excuse the cheesiness, but upon reflection of our motto and mission it just makes sense – movement is the best medicine.

So our intention with this workshop is to provide some more support and information for those who are looking to learn more about their bodies after breast cancer and provide an opportunity to connect with others who can relate to the process of recovery.

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#lookup!

Fall is really happening! The most beautiful part is on its way and it happens quick... FALL FOLIAGE! Even in the city, there are opportunities to take a moment, put your phone away, walk a little slower, and take in the beautiful colors coming out. It’s simple and I’m sure you’ve heard it a million times, but slowing down, taking in some nature, and taking a few deep breaths really can change your headspace and how you feel in your body. It’s the easiest gift you can grant yourself.

Client Spotlight

This month we want to celebrate our client, Joan, who came to us after treatment and physical therapy related to a breast cancer diagnosis. We have shared that story in detail in our past October newsletters. Since then, she has valiantly moved through another bout with cancer – this time lymphoma. Throughout another scary process and taxing treatment, she stayed positive, focused, and factored in her Pilates practice as much as she could. Just this week she let out a big sigh and said, “It’s so great to be back to this on a weekly basis. It’s so important to stay moving!”

We are honored to witness her process of healing and be a part of it. Thank you Joan!

From Summer Days to Harvest Moon

There’s still summer-like weather in September, but the days are getting shorter and fall is approaching. I personally cling to the idea of summer with each warm day that lingers, mildly in denial that fall and winter are coming.

Regardless, it’s back to reality for most of us. Summer vacations are over, meetings are filling our work schedules, kids are back at school, and the “to do” list is accumulating. It’s hard not to be overwhelmed, but I was reminded recently how good it feels to not take myself too seriously - to let loose and dance, like I did at a recent bachelorette party (we danced to 80s music all night!).

Since my knee surgery, I still haven’t gotten back to two things I love to do: running and dancing. Those things have always helped me when I’m feeling overwhelmed, so I’m having to get a little creative as I continue to move my way through physical therapy. In the meantime, I hope this newsletter serves as your reminder to dance (figuratively or literally) through stressful times and transitions.

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#lookup!

We spend so much time with our heads down, barreling through crowded streets and making sure we don’t step in anything suspicious. Beyond that, technology has us zoomed in and down more so than ever before. I find myself so often reminding clients to look up and out. Even as I write this, I’m reminding myself to take a minute to lift my chin out of my chest and make sure I’m not slouching so much that I compress all the room I have to breath out of my torso. With that thought in mind, we bring you a new addition to our blog and newsletter: #lookup!

This month’s motivation to bring your head back on top of your shoulders is the beautiful Harvest Full Moon coming up on Friday the 13th and 14th. Any time I catch a glimpse of the moon in the city, I am in awe. It feels like such a special treat to see it glowing in the sky despite all the city lights. This month’s full moon is also a reminder to recognize all the hard work you’ve been doing and “seeds planted” that are now ready to harvest and enjoy. We are enjoying the harvest in the studio by having monthly instructor “hangouts” and our first networking event! Using the space in new, more full, and creative ways is feeling good!

Client Spotlight

We have so many light bulb moments in the studio - when something clicks for clients or they come up with a clever way of describing how they feel after their session - that we just have to start sharing them more regularly. We also want to celebrate their successes as they come along! Our client quote for this month comes from a newer client getting back to a routine after having her first baby.

"I'm not good at traditional meditation, but this feels like I'm getting the benefits of meditation and a workout. And my spine feels more airy now!"
- Amy

Transition Comes to The Co

Transitions. Holy shit. They’re always a part of life, but it seems like they’ve been in the air a lot recently. For me personally, for the studio, for clients, and for instructors.

There are lots of people traveling and having new life experiences that are changing the way they look at the world:

An instructor starting a new graduate program and shifting her work schedule to make room for this new way of life and all the new information she’s attaining. Clients recovering from surgery and trying to find a grounded place on a bumpy road. Others preparing for surgery and having to be ok getting interrupted in new routines they were working on. Some deciding to move to new apartments, and new houses out of the city, which changes their day to day but also their identity a little - you don’t realize you identify with your neighborhood sometimes until you leave.

In all of this, there’s a lot of unknown. It can feel like everything is turned upside down.

Transition is asking me to step up to the plate with new shifts in the studio, too.

One shift is that as of August 1, The Co Pilates is fully operating the space. After lots of deliberation, this also meant truly focusing on making this the best space it could possibly be, which means ending our collaboration with our midtown space - another significant shift. It was a beautiful lesson in taking chances and collaborating, and we are so grateful to Integrative Sports and Spine for housing our satellite location and exploring the possibilities of collaborating to support each other’s businesses and the clients we serve.

Transition can be overwhelming for sure. In times like these, taking care of ourselves is often the first thing that drops off. I’ve been working on practicing what I preach in this sense and celebrating just moving. Any movement is better than nothing. I keep learning this lesson over and over again... I always feel better when I move. And when I feel better, I handle unknowns from a better place.

In celebration of both movement and these new phases at The Co Pilates, we are excited to be hosting new events and workshops in the studio!

Coming up in September is our first ever Community Event Open House as well as a joint industry networking event co-hosted with F Squared Physical Therapy. In October, look out for our first ever Breast Cancer Workshop – a free event for anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. We are really pumped to use our cozy space with majestic views not only as a place where lots of “work” gets done, but a place to connect with all the lovely people doing all the lovely work.

Summer Promo

Remember, this summer, first-time clients enjoy 20% off their intro session and 10-session package. Plus, all current clients get a free bonus session when you refer a new client and they sign up. Click here to book an introductory call.