Testimonials

By Peter Soukas - December 2003

Some time ago, I had a passing interest in Pilates; I purchased The Pilates Body, read some of it, but hadn't attempted any of the exercises (shameless plug: buy the Excel Practice Manual - it's a better reference, plus you support your local Pilates studio). Within the past few months, my interest was rekindled and I decided to try Pilates. After extensive research, I was enrolled in Beginning Mat class at Excel (another shameless plug: no other studio is as comprehensive, organized, and dedicated to authentic Pilates in the entire metro area).

For a few months before my class, I was engaged in a regular routine of cardiovascular/strength training. It took the staff at Excel two months to "reform" me. I stopped lifting weights entirely on August 4, 2003 (it does compress rather than lengthen, counterproductive to future Pilates progress). At this point, my exercise regime comprises of Pilates and cardio training. To some extent, I'm obsessed with learning more exercises and more about Pilates in general. As an example, I recently Googled "contrology" and spent a few hours reading as much as I could on Pilates for added depth and knowledge. I found that part of Jospeh Pilates' philosophy was based on his admiration of the ancient Greeks' "sound mind, sound body" principle. As a Greek-American, Pilates' panhellenic viewpoint is just one other small piece of the puzzle confirming for me that he was well ahead of his time in terms of an integrated philosophy of lifestyle and exercise.

Those who know me well have noticed obvious differences, such as dealing better with stress and I seem more relaxed, in addition to noticing a significant reduction in the abdominal adipose tissue (i.e. "spare tire") that I was carrying. Conversations with them usually end up with a short powerhouse poking and prodding session (30-40 sessions and you'll have a powerhouse to be envied.)

Here are my suggestions if you're just starting Pilates. 1. Keep a log - the increase in log entries will motivate you to continue and your progress will be plainly evident after a few sessions. 2. Set goals for yourself. One of my short-term goals is to master the beginning mat series in the next few months. 3. Have patience and persist. My long-term goal is to resolve my shoulder and tight hamstring issues. These issues won't stop me from making progress. 4. Last shameless plug: do a private session with one of the Excel staff - your performance will improve exponentially after only one session because your teacher will be able to diagnose any issues and in the process provide positive reinforcement, which will in turn increase your desire to continue Pilates.

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