DISCOVERING PILATES FOR THE THIRD TIME

From the time I became certified as a Pilates instructor about 16 years ago, I felt a little disappointed.  I could see the benefits of Pilates, but there was something missing, it seemed too easy, too slow, too technical and not a very satisfying workout.  It didn’t help that the first studio I taught in had kind of a pinkish color scheme, including the reformers, and had a silhouette of a woman in tights as it’s logo.  So… I got certified by ACSM and became a trainer who also offered Pilates and went off on my own.

Several years later having signed up to do several triathlons I decided I needed a supplemental form of exercise besides the usual swimming, biking and running so I thought: why not Pilates?  I had been teaching it, why not actually try it? My body was kind of beat up from all the training so I thought I’d do a Pilates session then get a massage. The session was with Jay Grimes. He gave the same exercises as I gave but his way of explaining them had more sense and purpose.  After working hard and sweating for an hour I felt invigorated and decided to skip the massage, I didn’t need it. Jay said Pilates was a massage from the inside out.  It was. I took sessions with Jay over the next year or so when he could fit me in.  I became a better teacher and a better athlete. Then Jay moved, and then I moved to Montreal.  

When I moved back I looked Jay up and found him at Vintage Pilates with Karen Frischmann and Sandy Shimoda .  Jay was teaching a special series of seminars for teachers called THE WORK™.  He started the first seminar by having us go through a reformer workout at a fast continuous pace, the way he said, it was meant to be done. I looked around the room - we were all moving fast, sweating (even the women) and breathing heavily. It was then that I realized that this was the Pilates I had been waiting for all these years.

This was Pilates the way it was before it got turned pink.

Ken Krech