A Love Story With Club Pilates Tulsa
I hope you all have been having a great time following along with my newest fitness journey over on my Insta Stories. I have been taking reformer Pilates classes at Club Pilates here in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the last three weeks. And I am having the best time, even better than expected! I had always been so intimidated with the thought of pilates and now I am just kicking myself because I wish I had been doing it my whole life. I was desperately looking for a workout like this....and am now a die-hard pilate enthusiast.
Switching UP My ROUTINE-was the best thing I could do for my body and mind.
To re-cap from last few weeks, I’ve been experiencing:
Less back pain
Better posture
Stronger core
Toned Thighs
Flexibility
No knee pain (which is huge for me since a severe knee injury. ) Pilates' slow and controlled movements puts minimal impact on your joints. The padding on a Pilates reformer is as thick as 10 yoga mats completely taking the the pressure off of your back and knees.
Improved sports performance---when you start focusing on your core, you realize that all of your muscles are connected through your core. Try doing lunges without your abdominals. You'll crumble over. With a stronger core, you can run faster, your yoga is on point, and overall, the rest of your workouts improve. Plus, by working in small groups or one-on-one with a Pilates instructor, you can learn moves that mimic and improve performance in your sport of choice. It has changed my posture and form on the spin bike too and has allowed me to work neglected muscles there where I was not seeing any changes in my legs and glutes even though I was working on the bike 4 days a week. Gasp.
For the mind..Pilates demands my focus like no other workout I have ever done. Pilates urges you to focus on 1) your breath, 2) your body, and 3) how they move together. It takes a lot of concentration. You can't just zone out.That means you're forced to forget about work, bills, boyfriends, and other drama for a full hour. Ahh. It is proven to boost your brainpower. Joseph Pilates called his workout method "the thinking man's exercise." It could very well be. When Chinese researchers measured changes in women's brain activity after 10 weeks of Pilates training, they found an increase in the brain's alpha peak power, which is related to neural network activity, memory performance, and other cognitive functions. Researchers believe Pilates may even hold potential as a treatment option for people with brain-degenerative diseases and cognitive dysfunctions. I think so much clearer now even after just three weeks where I was seriously forgetting everything and thought I was losing my mind.
Two weeks ago I moved from reformer Pilates level 1 to 1.5, and am now feeling ready to move on to level 2 some days, to further challenge myself. Something I love about this Club Pilates studio, is that there is never a repetitive workout. The workouts fly by, as you are always doing something different, and no two sessions have been the same. Since I get bored easily with my workout routines, this is something essential for me!
Normally with workouts I did prior to reformer Pilates, I felt my arms never got much of a workout. With Pilates, my whole body feels worked every single time I go. And I love that I know the workouts are effective, not only because I can physically see differences, but because I’m sore after most classes (but the good kind of sore) in the areas I need changes. (hamstrings, inner thighs, triceps, biceps, lower and upper abs)
So a lot of you have had a few reoccurring question for me..
Have I lost weight?
I have lost three pounds in three weeks and have lost inches. I have lost a total of three inches from my waist alone. The weight loss has stemmed from a dry January though with no alcohol. The pilates were responsible for the inches.
Why do I love Pilates?
Pilates organizes my body the way nothing else does. It creates alignment, giving me a sense of spaciousness in my bones, protects my joints and significantly tones the muscles that makes me feel strong, centered and ready for any physical challenge. Pilates helps you become aware of your body, and gives you an intense workout even if you don’t feel like you’re working hard and sweating. And I needed a super challenging workout that did not require a shower after. My days are long and busy and sometimes I need to get to a meeting right after class.
Why do I love Club Pilates?
The instructors at Club Pilates are so talented and so fun, it’s contagious! They really have a great team. Plus the studios are gorgeous, its amazing to take a feel-good fitness class in a feel-good environment, I think those should go hand in hand. Flow and fluidity in class are also important to me. I love the vibe in my studio out south, so much that I don't mind the thirty minute drive there and back home. The classes are fun and innovative with lots of fun transitions and choreography. I also love the variety offered. It’s more than just Reformers. They teach classes using TRX, Barre, Exo-Chair, Bosu ball, mats, rollers, and more. I have missed barre and TRX work so much so I really get the best bang for my buck here. And the cardio classes they offer......WHOA! One of my fave classes is CP Cardio Sculpt which is Energetic cardio Pilates. This high energy, low-impact class is perfect for the cardio junkie like myself. We use the Pilates jumpboard (the jumpboard is the funnest thing ever) to facilitate plyometric movement against spring tension (rather than gravity) and experience an aerobic workout that won’t stress my joints. Quick transitions incorporate multiple fitness modalities and take your practice to a new level. I sweat and get my heart rate way up here! I also look forward to a CP Restore class every Friday which is a Pilates massage. You will experience the benefits of foam rolling and myofascial release in this class. CP Restore repairs muscles and joints with a combination of Reformer movements and functionally programmed TriggerPoint™ Therapy myofascial release. This signature class is proven to reduce cellulite and muscle soreness as well as increase performance and reduce the risk of injury.
In a nut shell, Club Pilates is a boutique, contemporary Pilates studio focused on small group fitness and private training. Fifty minutes is all it takes to transform the way you look and feel. Club Pilates offers high-quality, life-changing training at a surprisingly affordable price. I am not able to quote exact pricing because they really want to talk to each person about the options and packages they offer to suit individual needs. I have a friend that did Pilates at another studio in midtown and found pricing at Club Pilates to be incredibly reasonable and on point with the market, especially if you are doing multiple classes a week. She paid $70 a week for two shared sessions and at Club Pilates she can go everyday for about $43 a week with her unlimited membership.
They have the most fab apparel available too! I have now started collecting toe socks!
Club Pilates doesn’t just challenge bodies, it changes lives. With intelligent instructors, modern spaces, and badass tunes, we can just focus on making meaningful body and mind connections that we can apply to all aspects of our beautiful lives ladies and gents. (Yes, Pilates is for men--ask any football player) They sculpt long, lean bodies that are stable and strong to the core.
And PS..their new facility in Jenks Landing just opened and you can still grab 20% off the life of your membership this week.
I work out at the South Tulsa location so come do a class with me! Here's a link for free class.
And rumor has it Club Pilates midtown will be coming soon!!!
I really hope to see you soon and for my readers who are not local in Tulsa, check out the other locations here. They are all over the place!
I will be writing another post at the end of February to share my new results and also at the end of March !! I cannot wait to see the changes that happen with my body and mind!!!
https://www.clubpilates.com/southtulsa/
9136 S. Sheridan Rd., Ste. C, Tulsa, OK 74133
Special thanks to Krista and Ginger (Ginger will give you a major ass kick so take her class) for being my models and special thanks to Jeff and Curt with Club Pilates Tulsa for sponsoring my post and getting me out of my comfort zone. I love pilates and am so thrilled to be apart of the Club Pilates Revolution.
Enjoy this amazing playlist for your at home Pilates session from New York Pilates!