![\"Straps\"](\"http:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Straps.png\")
<\/a>I am finishing off the\u00a0post, today, July 2, 2014, after Mercury has turned direct. \u00a0Communication was in fact tough over the past few weeks, and I wanted to be sure to have\u00a0the story told clearly without the twisting of one fact or detail.\u00a0\u00a0For as women, these three are not necessarily unique. But they are extraordinarily special. Their story is not unique in terms of the changes that Pilates and quality movement training can have on one’s life, presence and being. Yet, their story is particularly unique as it is about three women of gorgeous, beautiful color, each of whom is over 50 years of age.<\/p>\nAs a Pilates teacher, and a woman of color, with a few “enviable curves and angles” of my own, I am happy to write about Carolyn, Vernell and Alina, as like me, these three gorgeous women look nothing like the industry’s typical Pilates student, i.e., “pretty, young, thin white girls.” \u00a0These are phenomenally beautiful women of color, with shapes, form, curves and definitive bodies and strength.<\/p>\n
The other reason why I love these particular three women so much, is their energy and determination to “get it” for themselves. They each made a conscious choice to pursue an activity that was initially perceived by them to be outside of their reach. \u00a0All\u00a0came “blind, fresh and new” to a system and method where few role models exist for them. They embraced the work and are owning it for themselves in their own bodies. \u00a0 Along the process, each has\u00a0developed a trusting relationship with me, as a teacher, that speaks to them personally.<\/p>\n
Nothing could make me happier.<\/p>\n
Pilates Over 50<\/h2>\n
Everyone and everybody over the age of 40, 45, or 50 years of age has a deeper challenge. We carry a little more baggage. We hold on to a few more old habits a little longer. We have mastered the tricks of disguise and we have found a few more ways to reason why “we can’t” do what seems near impossible.<\/p>\n Enter the rigor and refinement of the Pilates method and another “tough” woman that won’t allow the use of the word, “can’t” to be used in a class session. I consider myself to be a babe<\/em> as a teacher. I know significantly more than my clients\/students, yet I know significantly less than my own teachers, mentors and many of my colleagues. \u00a0I have had the honor,\u00a0benefit and humbling experience of working with and learning from some of New York’s toughest teachers and we all admit our growth and joy is never ending in the work with the human body and Pilates.<\/p>\n Pilates is a system of continual and constant challenge and for that reason, it never ceases to excite me and permit me to help another find a joyful way to move, stretch and strengthen themselves using the principles of Pilates as the tool. I embraced the method at 45 years of age and know that it is one of the smartest, most comprehensive decisions and personal investments I have made. Each of the three women profiled here, has made a similar, conscientious choice and decision for themselves, using Pilates as a sole means of physical training<\/em><\/strong> through group classes and private session training.<\/p>\n They each expressed doubt that they could do anything that you will see them do – as a part of their own workout session – in each of the videos. Each struggled and worked hard at the specific exercise shown, and continue to work for perfection as\u00a0neither is satisfied with their current results.<\/p>\n They each bitched and moaned, some a little louder than others – sometimes upon entrance to the studio or\u00a0the start of the session, (as if to lay down a gauntlet I wasn’t supposed to cross) about how hard they worked, how hard the work was, or how much they hurt from the last session. \u00a0Each continued to return to master the next step, nonetheless.<\/p>\n Each listened intently and accepted the challenge personally, owned the work internally and got it done. \u00a0Pilates helped this process. The mental challenge of moving your body with control (and following the voice and guidance of a teacher) is the beauty of the system. Controlling your mind, thoughts and movements makes Pilates feels more like a dance than exercise. The movements become fluid, graceful and freeing to the body and as you watch the individual video’s of each of these phenomenal women you will see the ease with which they have learned to move through a sequence that others find much more challenging.<\/p>\n I share the special distinctions about each of them in separate\u00a0posts. \u00a0Afterall, each of them have their own individual physical challenges and deserve individual presentation of their work in progress and process.\u00a0\u00a0Follow the links to the story, details and video for:<\/p>\n Step 1<\/strong><\/em> – take a step to do something different. If you continue to do the same things continually, you can and should expect the same results. Challenge yourself by taking a divergent step in a different direction. Sure, it will be hard initially, but isn’t that the point of challenge?<\/p>\n Step 2<\/strong><\/em> – plan to get a little dirty. Allow yourself to feel a little uncomfortable. Shake up the “old you” just a tad. Bitch and moan but keep with it.<\/p>\n Step 3<\/strong><\/em> – expect to emerge powerfully lifted. Amazingly strong. Proud and newly centered in a way you may not have anticipated.<\/p>\n Pilates moves you. Movement heals you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I started\u00a0writing this three-part story on Friday, June 13th; a unique day. There was a\u00a0full moon. Mercury was in\u00a0retrograde for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,9],"tags":[69],"class_list":["post-4896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-progress","category-the-scoop","tag-pilates-over-50"],"featured_image_url":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/20140622_182959_20140622193210741-e1404232513320-200x200.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/20140622_182959_20140622193210741-e1404232513320-300x169.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/20140622_182959_20140622193210741-e1404232513320.jpg","large":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/20140622_182959_20140622193210741-e1404232513320-1024x578.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/20140622_182959_20140622193210741-e1404232513320.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/20140622_182959_20140622193210741-e1404232513320.jpg","uncode_woocommerce_nav_thumbnail_regular":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/20140622_182959_20140622193210741-e1404232513320.jpg","uncode_woocommerce_nav_thumbnail_crop":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/20140622_182959_20140622193210741-e1404232513320.jpg"},"post_author":"Gina Jackson","assigned_categories":"Progress, The Scoop","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4896","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4896"}],"version-history":[{"count":51,"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4896\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5036,"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4896\/revisions\/5036"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4896"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4896"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Universal Similarities<\/h4>\n
[su_icon icon=”icon: star” background=”#ffffff” color=”#cc122d” text_color=”#fcfcfc” size=”22″ margin=”1px 0px 0px 0px”] [\/su_icon]Expressed Doubt<\/h4>\n
[su_icon icon=”icon: star” background=”#ffffff” color=”#cc122d” text_color=”#fcfcfc” size=”22″ margin=”1px 0px 0px 0px”] [\/su_icon]\u201cBitched and Moaned\u201d<\/h4>\n
[su_icon icon=”icon: star” background=”#ffffff” color=”#cc122d” text_color=”#fcfcfc” size=”22″ margin=”1px 0px 0px 0px”] [\/su_icon]Personally Challenged<\/h4>\n
[su_icon icon=”icon: star” background=”#ffffff” color=”#cc122d” text_color=”#fcfcfc” size=”12″ shape_size=”12″ text_size=”8″ margin=”0px 0px 0px 0px” url=”http:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/pilates-over-5%E2%80%A6ectly-executed\/%20%E2%80%8E<\/a>“]Carolyn<\/a><\/span>, retired HR Executive, NJCU, 69 [\/su_icon]
\n[su_icon icon=”icon: star” background=”#ffffff” color=”#cc122d” text_color=”#fcfcfc” size=”12″ shape_size=”12″ text_size=”8″ margin=”0px 0px 0px 0px” url=”http:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/pilates-over-5%E2%80%A6trx-suspension<\/a>\/”]Vernell<\/a><\/span>, Executive Staff, Hugo Boss, 52 [\/su_icon]
\n[su_icon icon=”icon: star” background=”#ffffff” color=”#cc122d” text_color=”#fcfcfc” size=”12″ shape_size=”12″ text_size=”8″ margin=”0px 0px 0px 2px” url=”http:\/\/www.pilates4fitness.com\/site\/pilates-over-5%E2%80%A6trx-suspension<\/a>\/”]Alina<\/a>, Technical Manager, NBC Universal, 57[\/su_icon]<\/h6>\nHow to Begin for Yourself<\/h2>\n