On With Training

For the past four days I have been involved in my much anticipated Pilates teacher certification classes and I just had to drop a line to say how utterly excited and overwhelmed I am.  There is so much I have to study, practice, and learn before returning April 30 for another four days of intense education. Don't get me wrong..........I'm not complaining.........I've been looking forward to this day for more than eleven years. I don't recall just exactly how I came into learning about Pilates, but I've been wanting to get certified for what seems like an eternity.

In the 1990's, I think I stumbled onto something online about it and ate up every little morsel of information I could get my hands on from going on sites that sell the equipment to learning about Joseph Pilates and about his lifes work in fitness and exercise rehabilitation. 

I've wanted to meet Romana, one of the "elders" of the work of Pilates who actually studied under Joseph when he was alive.  She is still alive today in New York.  My dream was to be trained from her or someone else who got their education from "Joe" himself, and Romana would have been my choice, but as I am not going to New York any time soon I had to start my education here in Colorado.  The owner of the studio that I am taking my lessons from was actually trained by Romana, so I am very close to that hopeful goal as I will be taking lessons from her too soon.

I would be considered a 4th generation student as my instructor, Kristi Cooper, was trained by Rael, who was trained by one of the "elders"  that was trained by Joseph Pilates himself. I can't remember the way to spell Rael's last name, and don't remember who he was directly trained by but I'll fill in those blanks later.  The heart of this blog is that I am so very happy to be where I am now, to have started this wonderful journey and can't wait to continue on with my work.

I am currently deciding between Balanced Body and Peak Pilates equipment.  I need to purchase my reformer ASAP so that I can practice as much as possible at home.  Lessons can add up in cost, and I thought that I had invested enough with just the classes for certification, but I was wrong.  I will be spending much more before I'm through.  But it will all be worth it.  

I'm looking forward to the post that I will write that will contain a picture of myself on my brand new reformer.  That will be an emotional day for me because I've looked forward to owning my own studio since what seems like forever, and the day I purchase my first piece of equipment will be the day I actually started my own Pilates business. 

I was a gymnast, dancer and cheerleader in high school and have suffered from pain, arthritis and dysfunction from old injuries acquired therein.  Gymnastics was a very big part of my life in school and the gym was my second home.  Since leaving high school, I have been looking for that second home and found it when I became a fitness and aerobics instructor in my new job at Spa La Fem in West Jordan Utah.  From there I had to quit my job when I got married and moved to Logan Utah where I majored in Modern Dance at Utah State University.  I became pregnant with my first baby and both Nate and  I lost our jobs working for Pepperidge Farms so we had to move back to Salt Lake.  I became a full time mom and had too more children but decided I needed something more.  Nate convinced me I should get a degree in nursing instead of computers so I became an RN, and still didn't feel like I was in the right place as my gym home had not been found.  I decided to complete my degree in Exercise Sport Science at the University of Utah in exercise physiology with the idea that I would get my Pilates certification afterwords.  I have been looking to Pilates for assistance in healing and recovering those old high school injuries and after beginning my Pilates classes I believe I will be able to work through all my old injuries.  I can also say  I've found my new niche, my peaceful place, my place of sanity, serenity and joy.......................I found my new gym home.