I thought i was at an intermediate Pilates level...

...until i took a class at The Pilates Room in Mclean. It's actually right down the street from my regular pilates studio, Pengu Studio.

First, let me just explain what I love about pilates (and yoga, for that matter). I love the body awareness I gain from it. Its amazing how a pose, stretch, or movement can feel completely different if you tilt your tailbone one way or the other, or pull your abs in or let them go, or move your head to one side. Yoga gives me this great sense of balance, Pilates gives me a sense of length and both make me feel so much more gracefull - and for a klutz like me that's a huge thing.

In a recent interview, Julia Roberts, talking about exercise said "I do love how I feel afterward: accomplishment, clarity, energy, strength, joy. These are all things I give myself through working out, and I can feel it in everything I do." Right on!

So, Pilates last night. Through the magic of Groupon, I've been able to try out a bunch of different pilates studios, especially since, unfortunately, Pengu doesn't offer a lot of evening pilates classes that fit my schedule. (and the one I used to take, Jumpus Ultimus... I think I need to be in better shape before I start taking it again). So I get a groupon for The Pilates Room and sign up for my first class right away. Class started at 6:00, and is less than 5 miles from work, so i left at 5:15.... and still got there late. Oh northern VA rush hour!

This was one of the most challenging (non jump board) pilates classes I've ever taken. The instructor, Janine, gave me so many corrections and I couldn't even do a lot of them. Aparently I've been doing neutral spine wrong (somehow I have to get my tailbone and my lower ribs on the mat without tilting my pelvis. when I crunch I lead with my head which throws off my position.) We did some work on the Wunda chair, which I've only ever done a few times in the past, and I couldn't get a lot of the movements.

After class, Janine suggested that if I could make it, to come to the 5:00 class which she said moves a little slower (it's still an intermediate class) but, no way I could do that with my work schedule. So she said "no problem, we'll work with what we've got!". She showed me a little more about why my posture is wrong, and told me I did a good job on the reformer, reminded me to use a pillow to help get my ribs down until I can do it on my own.

Today, I feel sore. Duh. But, I'm planning on going back and possibly becoming a regular.

On a side note, I weighed myself yesterday... 178. Down 5 lbs in less than a week. I'm pretty sure its just normal fluctuations, not that I've actually lost 5 lbs. still, I'll take what I can get!