Pilates was in my subconscious, I had heard or read about the method a few times and found the philosophy interesting and logical. Shortly before my end of the year musings, an article on Pilates crossed my path and I caught a local news program's piece on a Pilates-like program in Bethesda. So one dreary afternoon in December, I went online and looked up Pilates and found the official site and a listing for Excel. One phone call and application later, I was enrolled in a January Beginning Mat Class.
To say that it has changed my life would be a bit over dramatic, but it has enhanced my physical and mental well-being. I am stronger and straighter. A chronic sloucher (tallest-girl-in-the-class syndrome), my husband commented early in my Pilates conversion that I was now sitting and standing taller. My Pilates training has also changed the way I run, fitness walk and weight train.
I also look at Pilates as an exercise for my memory skills. It takes concentrated effort to remember the order of the exercises, the movements of each, and willing my muscles to do those "controlled movements" I want them to do.
When I started that Beginning Mat Class in 1999, I never thought I would advance to the next level. There are so many layers to each exercise, so many muscles to train. But I did, and I recently was nudged into the Advanced/Intermediate Level. It's hard work, sometimes it hurts, I sweat and feel really good when I'm done. I don't plan to ever stop my "aerobic yoga" workouts.
