A few years ago, I made an appointment at a full-service store for a bra fitting. It had been several decades since the last time I’d done it, and my body was quite a bit different, including having given birth to two kids and gaining a few extra pounds. It was also shortly after Covid, a time when I practically burned all my old, uncomfortable bras. Since I was no longer willing to wear an underwire every day, I asked the woman helping me to focus on wireless bras. It was a long, difficult process.
At one point, she complained (and I wish I were making this up) that my torso was too straight up and down without enough curve to hold a bra band in place. She also asked if I was planning to lose weight, “since you’re wearing workout clothes.” I had come from a Pilates class earlier in the day. And yes, of course I’d like to lose 20 pounds, but it wasn’t going to happen in the time it took me to find a new bra.
It’s hard enough being human without being asked to also fit some perfect hourglass ideal that my body will never achieve. And here’s the thing: I had come from Pilates, where I wouldn’t be a poster child for the stereotypical client. But you can be sure that I felt comfortable and confident in the Pilates in Holland studio in a way I absolutely did not in the bra store. Even so, it occurred to me recently that my experience at PIH may not be the standard.
I started my Pilates journey with Mandy back in 2005, when she was still teaching at Avalon School of the Arts. I had never heard of Pilates, I just saw signs for it when my kids were taking classes during the day. As a stay-at-home mom with two littles, I also desperately needed an adult outlet, and getting some fitness in seemed like a great bonus. I figured it was worth a try. So you can see the whole thing was really well thought out. ;)
When I started taking Pilates with Mandy, I just liked how it made my body feel. It was also so different every week; I never got bored, unlike with past exercise experiences (yes, I used to do step aerobics!). I knew I was getting in better shape, physically, but it was also fun, never onerous or preachy. It was just good.
Mandy kept me challenged, but also motivated. There’s a fine line between “not hard enough” and “too much!” and she always kept us on the line. It was never about “getting in shape” or “making more gains” but about being healthy, functional, and vital. Mandy never talked down to us or our bodies, but instead said things like, “The body is so smart,” when other muscles would try to compensate for the ones intended to be working. I learned to engage my mind and body together, to get my brain to help those muscles turn on.
And I never did Pilates anywhere else. Ok, for many years there really weren’t many other options in Holland, but it also never crossed my mind to try anywhere else. It was only when travelling in the last few years that I tried other Pilates studios. And then I began to truly understand just how lucky I was to have found Mandy.
Pilates is a fantastic method, and I encourage everyone to try it, no matter where you are. But in my opinion, not all studios are created equal, and Pilates in Holland is the standard I measure all other studios against.
When you think of Pilates in an ad or portrayed in a show, a very specific body type probably comes to mind, and, as I said above, I don’t fit it. But it doesn’t matter because that’s not what you see at Pilates in Holland. EVERY. BODY. BELONGS. isn’t just a slogan, it’s an intention that is lived out every day in the studio.
Let’s start with the studio itself. It is a beautiful, serene space, kept meticulously clean. The lights are dimmed to a comfortable level for when you’re lying on your back looking at the ceiling, without being too dark. Though each instructor has their favorite genre, the music is kept intentionally low. Our nervous system receives input from light and sound, just as our muscles receive input from the work being done. We’re already asking a lot of our brains and bodies, so keeping the other stimuli to a minimum helps keep clients’ threat buckets from overflowing.
PIH has a particular brilliance in meeting the needs of all movers. A significant fraction of our clients have osteo issues and need both modifications to avoid bending or twisting the spine and specific class plans to strengthen bone health, both of which our team is skilled at. I’ve seen our teachers remind clients who are recovering from a surgery to lessen the resistance used and to teach an entire class with full modifications for 1 client who was 7 months pregnant. Just this week, a client recovering from hand surgery came in for a private session before resuming group classes, and she and the instructor determined that a handle would better suit her for certain exercises than a small strap. So a set of handles was put in the studio, and all the teachers know who they’re for and why.
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(Our teachers are so good, it seems effortless to me, but it takes a lot of work!)
There were seasons over the last 20 years where I lapsed for a bit, but I always came back. I’ve now been in the studio consistently for 12 years, first once a week, then twice, even 3 times a week (!) for a stint, and now back to two. It’s kept me strong through many ups and downs and is an integral part of my week, even though my class days and times sometimes shift. It goes on my calendar first and everything else must fit around it, not because I want to reshape my body into an ideal (though more power to you if that’s your goal), but because I see clients in their 70s and 80s who have been coming to PIH for as long as I have and I want to grow up to be just like them. Sure, there have been surgeries and injuries, and life that has caused pauses or changed exactly how they do Pilates, but they’re going to keep doing this to the finish line, together, in a community that meets them where they are.
My original goal in 2005 of just wanting an adult activity with a nice side benefit of physical activity has changed. Now I want to stay active, in my mind and my body, until I cross that finish line.
As we celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Pilates in Holland studio, I want to reflect on this uniqueness, because we’re not like most other studios. Mandy has said that she started PIH because she has always felt most comfortable moving in community. At a recent staff meeting, she added that she loves how we’re a warm, wonderful place for people to land, no matter their story. We’re here to age with people, and honestly, this is the future of Pilates. Our dynamic team is ahead of the curve.
I’m so glad to have found the practice of Pilates because it is my preferred form of movement, no matter what studio I’m in. I credit my strong foundation from my time at PIH instruction, which allows me to make the workout what I need, no matter where I am or who is teaching. But I am profoundly grateful to have stumbled into this exact place that has met me exactly where I was and continues to grow with me.
