Prior to my big move to New York City, I had only taken a handful of Pilates classes. I had never heard of GYROTONIC, and had no comprehension of the terms “reformer” or “cadillac.” Little did I know how NYC Pilates would change my life, in more ways than one.

In the Summer of 2009, I packed my bags and moved my post-college self from the tiny town of Ipswich, MA to the hustle and bustle of New York City. I spent months working as both a barker for Ripley’s Believe it Or Not Museum in Times Square and as a sales associate for Bloomingdales. Having just received a BA in dance from Connecticut College, I felt these first jobs were devoid of movement, of life, and of any passion. I took an internship with Parsons Dance, a renowned modern dance company in New York City. Soon after, I found a job at the Upper East Side Pilates studio Mind Your Body, where I am currently employed. FINALLY! A job that meant something to me, a job I could relate to. Day after day I am able to watch Mind Your Body’s instructors, all former dancers themselves, teach class and share their knowledge of the body with the studio’s clients. I feel at home here at MYB, and I have learned and observed how important Pilates is to an individual’s posture, flexibility, and strength. I have witnessed the beautiful, circular, swirling exercises of GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS. Watching classes has inspired me to participate in more dance classes, to challenge my body and never lose my creativity.

After a year of Pilates, I must bid adieu. I have been accepted into Smith College’s MFA program, where I will be teaching, choreographing, and studying dance in its analytical and physical forms. I thank Mind Your Body and New York City Pilates for keeping me invested and grounded in my body, my mind and my soul. I see many more Pilates classes in my future!

Signing off,
Rebecca Hite

While the utilization of props (balls, fitness circle, straps, blocks), can easily add a strength challenge to any mat exercise, can props improve flexibility and decrease tension as well? How about change your alignment and enable the core muscles to work more effectively and specifically? Can using a prop inhibit improper biomechanics? Can it reduce the chronic tightness in our hips and shoulders?

The answer to the above questions are YES. Using props in a Pilates mat class can work wonders for increasing flexibility and correcting improper biomechanics.

For example, a small ball between the knees engages the adductors and helps to stabilize the pelvis and engage the core. A yoga strap is a tool for deeper stretching, a theraball challenges balance and stability and a yoga block may be used to open the joints and is used as a stability tool when placed under the pelvis. The props PROP your bones up so you can feel the origin of the muscle, using a muscles full length when extending! It may sound Greek but it is easier performed than stated. We hope you will come to experience it yourself, as we believe it will literally CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

We do it all at Mind Your Body, and each class has something different to offer and is always a challenge. One can start with our Basic Tower/Mat class on Monday’s at 4:30 PM. For a full class schedule, please visit https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/asp/home.asp?studioid=3187.