Back to Life, Back to Reality I’ve got the end of summer blues, friends. From the minute the CNE opened, I’ve been feeling the impending end to cottage weekends and fruit salads and sweaty outdoor workouts. That first morning I felt a chill in the air, my heart sank a little. Back to school […]
Read MoreDid you know that knees are one of the most stressed joints in your body? For every pound you weigh, your knees receive four times the amount of stress! Knees absorb a lot of shock on a daily basis, from walking to taking the stairs, to jumping and running. Knees are also the largest and […]
Read MoreI know this might seem counterintuitive, considering I’m writing on behalf of a Pilates studio, which is decidedly indoors, but you all need to get outside. For real. It’s summer! School is out, and typically life slows down just a fraction during the month of July. Toronto is a lush, green city full of parks […]
Read MoreHow many of you out there started Pilates because an injury was preventing you from enjoying something else? Of course, there are plenty of people who are drawn to Pilates because of what they see or hear, but I’m sure there are a number of you who tried your first Pilates class at the recommendation […]
Read MoreI was on the bike, climbing the last big hill near the end of spin class, and my legs felt like lead, so heavy as I tried to push through to the end of the song. Every 15 seconds the instructor called out for us to add a little more resistance, to shift our hips […]
Read MorePilates will… Change your Life for the Better. As the snow melts and hopefully disappears until next winter, many of us eagerly welcome longer days, sunshine, the first tulips pushing through the dirt, and other signs of spring. It’s much easier to find the motivation to move when you don’t require several layers, heavy boots, […]
Read MorePilates will… Help Reduce Back Pain Your lower back regularly aches after a long day at work, so after a month or so you visit a physiotherapist and the recommendation is? Try Pilates. You have two young kids and your days are spent chasing after them, picking up toys, playing on the floor, and […]
Read More… and I am going to tell you How! Honestly! People often share the benefits of Pilates in terms that might feel vague to the uninitiated: You’ll strengthen your core! You’ll develop long, lean muscles! But real talk here? Pilates WILL help improve your balance. Pilates WILL help increase your agility. and I am going […]
Read MoreI want to get started with Pilates but…. Sound familiar? It’s hard to get started with a new exercise program. But every barrier has a solution! 1. I don’t have time One of the most common reasons cited for not starting a new fitness program is a lack of time. If that sounds familiar, try […]
Read MoreI confess that a lot of my time is spent checking things off an ever growing To Do List. That doesn’t change when it comes to the end of the year and the holidays. Coordinating visits with family and friends, planning meals–both the everyday and the very special variety, sending mail and packages, baking cookies […]
Read MoreRelationships take work. Including the relationship between me and my wellness. Like a long marriage, it’s important to take stock and renew my vows from time to time. When my library books are about to expire, they kindly send me a note, but when it comes to my personal fitness, I’m the one who has […]
Read MoreBy the time you read this post, I will be halfway across the world. As I write this, it sure doesn’t feel like the ideal time to be traveling, but I hope that Future Pam is able to hit the pause button on stress and anxiety, and be present for the once in a lifetime […]
Read MoreOctober is Active Aging month. I love the expression active aging! It brings to mind vivid images of a life of activity, adventure and freedom. It celebrates the idea that as we age, we can continue to enjoy and participate in life to our fullest. This is not the same idea as anti-aging. Let’s face […]
Read MoreNo matter how many years go by, for me, the end of summer is clearly marked by Labour Day. After the long weekend, I can practically smell the chalkboards and new shoes of Back to School. But it’s a mental shift, more than anything, that gets me back into routine, back into certain habits. While […]
Read MoreI’m writing this blog post after a long weekend in Muskoka. A break that feels at once too short, and also a privilege and an indulgence. I consciously watched the sun set three evenings in a row. I happily played in the water, but I didn’t do a workout or count strokes. I went zip […]
Read MoreAre there days when working out feels like a slog to you? When you have to drag yourself to the gym or the Pilates studio? Do your sneakers waiting at the door taunt you each time you pass by? As much as we know that staying active and strong is good for us, and generally […]
Read MoreIn many areas of my life, it has been emphasized repeatedly: Strive for progress, not perfection. Focus on the journey, not the destination. Which makes good sense, but how exactly do we measure progress? Or maybe the better question is: how do we CHOOSE to measure progress? In the first summer of the pandemic (yikes…are […]
Read MoreWe’re hitting our stride, friends! Spring training got us through those April showers, and it’s been great to see so many of you in the studio–again and for the first time! We’re looking at offering a few hybrid mat classes soon so those of you online can enjoy the energy of a studio class, even […]
Read MoreSpring Training vs. Opening Day The Major League Season officially opened on March 31, 2022, and the first home game for the Toronto Blue Jays is scheduled for Friday, April 8th. Things are looking good for the Jays, a young and talented team of heavy hitters from around the globe that has approached each season […]
Read More21 days…let the countdown begin! This winter has felt particularly challenging–we’ve weathered cold and ice, more closures and contagions, and a challenging national conversation, but it feels like we might just be turning the corner. So here’s to springing into spring! Joining me Blogside this month are Barbara Czyzowski and Joanna Webb, to talk about […]
Read MoreThe blank page feels daunting this month. What do we say after almost two years of pandemic living? What do we write, with so much uncertainty still in the air? Cycling through every emotion, I want to settle on feeling hopeful. Generous. Optimistic about the future. Everyone in the Retrofit community has so much to […]
Read MoreYou don’t need no resolutions–we love you just the way you are. Unmade bed and all! Move away from the toxicity of the fitness industry, it really enables you to live a fuller life. The wellness industry is changing, and to quote Martha Stewart, “it’s a good thing.” More than ever before, we’re seeing an […]
Read MoreDecember is upon us, and while some of us are welcoming a slightly busier season, with more social gatherings and time to connect with friends and family, many of us are still keeping our circles small, limiting travel, or staying close to home. If you’re a person who’s always shown your gratitude through the things […]
Read MoreLast month, we talked about motivation, habits, and lifestyles when it comes to our collective Pilates practice. As we write this blog, It’s been about 21 days since the newsletter came out…just when it would be pretty easy to drop that habit in favour of sleeping in a little later on those dark, rainy mornings, […]
Read MoreFor some of us, it’s been almost nineteen months since we set foot in a gym, or a pool, or a Pilates studio. We’ve walked. Oh, how we’ve walked. And we’ve tried the online thing. We’ve curled up on the couch to watch Mare of Easttown and Ted Lasso, and we’ve spent a lot more […]
Read MoreI’m going to start this post the way I typically start my online Pilates classes, by way of introduction: Welcome! If we haven’t met before, I’m Pam. Even though I’ve been an instructor at Retrofit for almost seven years, this summer feels like a rebirth. It’s not just that I’ve assumed a different role at […]
Read MoreSummer is short in Canada and this year it’s been a long time coming. Now that it has finally arrived, you can feel the energy of people gearing up to savour its sweetness. We know we’ve got to get it before its gone! Ontario summers, both urban and rural, favour the great outdoors: hiking, biking, […]
Read MoreSelf-care is a trending idea, but truly it’s something many health and fitness professionals have been speaking about for decades. We know exercise is part of self -care. As Joseph Pilates said, “movement heals.” Everyone is recognizing how much movement and exercise contributes to our mental health. But what else contributes? What does self-care mean to you? I […]
Read MoreBecause of the miracle of modern science and my home address, I received my first dose of the Covid vaccine last month, as did my husband. The only reaction I experienced was a profound sense of relief and gratitude. I hadn’t realized how much fear and anxiety I had been carrying about my loved ones […]
Read MoreThe sun is shining. Spring is here. Vaccines are rolling out. New projects are beginning. Plans are unfolding. There is promise in the air. … and then bam, we are right back where we started. Another spring, another lockdown. Since we’ve been essentially locked -down for the past year, what’s another 28 days? Déjà vu. […]
Read MoreJACKIE PARDY Hello fellow pilates enthusiasts. Many of you know me at Retrofit as a client, a student, an instructor and as a familiar face in their promotional materials. I’d like to share my experience and thoughts about pilates with you. My very first class at Retrofit was in 2009 and from that point on, […]
Read MoreI’m a little bit worried. I don’t feel so great. This quarantine is going on and on and on. It feels harder to handle this time. I’m worried about my kids. I’m worried about my business. Even though my parents are no longer living, I’m worried about all the elderly people in care homes – […]
Read MoreIt is that time of year again when we are compelled to change. Be better! Do better! Become the person we are meant to be, unencumbered by doubt and fear! Rada- rada -rada. The exhortations to get fit, build better habits or find our true calling are often not -so -thinly- veiled messages to implore […]
Read MoreCompliments are so easy to give. And so powerful. They are almost guaranteed to engender a smile. Compliments are little acts of kindness wrapped up in sparkly tissue paper tied with a bow! They are as good to give as they are to receive. You look fantastic! I love your outfit! I came […]
Read MoreGuest Blog by Master Instructor, Ana Cukic “Will my pain go away? Please make it go away!” I have made this desperate plea to health professionals over the years. I would be overwhelmed with both the pain and fear of not being able to do the things I love, as well as what I have […]
Read MoreMy Dearest Reformer, It feels like ages since I gazed upon you, lunged alongside you or sat longbox upon my sits bones lengthening my spine and the crown of my head up to the sky. I miss your long sleek carriage, your movable bits, and the endless positions we navigated together. From long to short, […]
Read MoreThere have been three things that have kept me sane and helped me keep fear and anxiety at bay over the past several months of quarantine, closure, political and economic upheaval and racial tension. Firstly, the love of and caring for and by my family has been paramount. There is nothing like a global crisis […]
Read MoreIt’s the dog days of summer. This year, more than any other, we need to rest, reflect and prepare for what lies ahead. The stress, change, and uncertainty of the last five months has been exhausting. For more than 20 years, Retrofit has helped change people’s lives for the better by providing a safe, compassionate, […]
Read MoreWATCH MINAQU’AS WRIST & FINGER RELEASE STRETCHES Hello to everyone in the Retrofit community! I miss you all. As many people have in these pandemic times, I’ve turned to cooking and baking as an outlet. My partner Max and I started baking bread together when we were first dating as a way to get to […]
Read MoreWatch Isabella’s Shoulder Opener Exercise! After being a dedicated student of Pilates for many years, I completed the Teacher Training program at Retrofit Pilates and have been teaching here ever since. By day, I am an itinerant Music Teacher for the TDSB. But my true passion is music and movement…and Argentina! Typically I spend my […]
Read MoreWatch Barbara’s Hip & Glute Exercise! This time of quarantine and isolation has offered many of us time for self-reflection. This coupled with the tragic events of the last few weeks have given me the chance to really appreciate how lucky I am. For the things I don’t worry about. For that which I do […]
Read MoreSo, life is beginning to return to normal. Except that everything has changed. Stores are open and we can finally get our hair done, but customers and staff are wearing masks. Patios are open, but diners are sitting far apart and cutlery is sterilized like surgical equipment. We now add extra time to tasks to […]
Read MoreBlack Lives Matter – My story with feeling uncomfortable, listening and being a better support for my son Mazin. When I got pregnant, I knew my child would be half black but it wasn’t even a flicker of a thought in my head that race would affect my baby. I was naive to think there would […]
Read MoreTOUCHING BASE WITH FELICIA! The pandemic quarantine created two realities for all of us: to guarantee life safety, we had to be responsible citizens! At the beginning, I did not believe it was happening. Then I woke up and read a text from Barbara insisting I must stay home. “Do not come to work. We […]
Read MoreThis pandemic has impacted everyone. Maybe you can’t pay your rent, your business has closed or you have lost a loved one. We are all experiencing many kinds of losses – and many kinds of grief. Last September, I was on track to nearly double my previous years’ income. I felt like I was “making […]
Read MoreWATCH BARBARA’S CLASS CLIP: ROTATION AND SIDE BEND FOR HIP STRENGTH & MOBILITY I am very excited to be participating in the 30 -class challenge. I am on course to complete seven classes this week and I feel great. I am also on course to eat 30 desserts in 30 days – one per day. […]
Read MoreHow do we create community in the absence of communing? Since we have moved online, Retrofit members have expressed gratitude that they can stay part of the community. It has made me think about what makes a community. Before the pandemic, we belonged to many different communities – family, neighbourhood, work, clubs, teams, faith communities, […]
Read MoreWATCH ANA’S AB SERIES WITH SHOULDER STABILITY! I learned Thomas Reid’s ‘weak link’ concept 30 years ago, in my competitive synchro days. The team members were of different levels. So our success as a team depended on our weakest swimmer – the weakest link. This is also true of your body: you are only as […]
Read MoreSee Carrie’s short demonstration of a PNF stretch (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) performed in a chair. Touching base with Carrie So here we are, two months since the province enforced emergency measures due to SARS-COV-2. It’s all starting to feel more like routine, is it not? Staying home for days on end, meeting each other over […]
Read MoreMy Quarantine Journal: Pandemics, Procrastination and Pilates By Joanna Webb So far this Pandemic my days are filled with Pilates and procrastination and a few other things I’ll leave out because they don’t start with the letter “P”. Yes it’s true. I’m a terrible procrastinator. Pandemics don’t help this particular proclivity. I haven’t mopped the floors. […]
Read MoreIt feels like we’ve been at this a long time. We are getting used to it, but it’s tiresome. What’s next? No one knows? How do we make plans? We can’t. My mom used to tell me that when she was raising her family, as soon as a special event ended or after they returned […]
Read MoreWatch Ruth’s Home Studio Set-Up Bloopers! Setting up a Pilates Home Studio. Just about everything has gone online now. It’s the new normal, but it’s far from what we’re used to doing! In my recent experiences teaching online, there’s one thing that has made some of these experiences better than others – being prepared! […]
Read MoreWatch Shawn’s Video Hello! Oh, the places you’ll go! On this day last year, I was in California. I had just driven down from San Fransisco to Los Angeles and spent my first couple of days exploring the quintessential LA sites, such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame and took a bus tour of […]
Read MoreHello friends! It’s been a while. I haven’t seen most of you in person since the first few days of March. Just a month ago, I was on an incredible journey in Peru, hiking the Lares Trek, visiting Lake Humantay, exploring Machu Picchu, and spending every day outside, trekking through the Andes and breathing in […]
Read MoreWow! What a difference a month makes. This time last month we were planning all sorts of spring events at Retrofit and looking forward to travelling and attending international conferences and training. But as Judy Blume said, “That was then. This is now.” And now of course is something completely unprecedented, unexpected and uncertain. Now […]
Read MoreThis month, the Pilates community celebrates March Matness – an opportunity to practice and preach on the beauty and benefits of the Pilates Mat work. Mat Pilates remains tremendously popular around the world and this month your IG and Facebook feed will be full of images of fabulously fit people doing Mat exercises in stunning […]
Read MoreRemember back a few short weeks ago when you decided it was finally time to make a change? Maybe it was that day you felt exhausted just trying to keep up with your grandkids or the dread you felt when you thought about wearing a bathing suit on your winter vacation. You decided you had […]
Read MoreAhh… the New Year. Everything seems ripe with possibility. This will be the year – the decade – where we really start to take our health seriously and Get in Shape! Lose the weight. Get the body we want! Print and social media will be promoting every diet plan and exercise scheme under the sun. […]
Read MoreIt’s almost time to switch from our regular anxiety to our fancy Christmas anxiety. A friend of mine posted this the other day. It’s funny because it’s true. It’s so easy to get caught up in the stress of creating perfect holiday moments. But as we have learned from all the Whos down in Whoville, […]
Read MoreTWENTY YEARS WENT BY. The year was 1999 and Pilates was pretty new in Toronto. There were less than a handful of studios, mostly downtown. I had recently completed one of the city’s first comprehensive Pilates teacher training programs. I was teaching private clients out of my west-end apartment and had started a Pilates program […]
Read MoreMost people admit they feel great after Pilates class. No matter how reluctant we may feel about getting to the studio, completing our workout leaves us feeling satisfied, mentally alert and physically at ease. Movement – as long as it’s appropriate to our needs – does make us feel better, often immediately, always in the […]
Read MoreAre you taking care of yourself? I mean, really taking care of your “self?” Are you dedicating enough time to self-care? Are you meditating daily, eating clean, getting enough protein (but not too much animal protein), doing adequate strength training plus flexibility training plus 10,000 step per day? Are you getting enough sleep, taking time […]
Read MoreIt’s the dog days of summer and hopefully you are getting a well-deserved break from your usual routine. Whether your enjoying long weekends at the cottage, summer holidays away from home or evenings and weekends wandering the city streets and festivals, the long days and hot weather invite us to slow down and savour this […]
Read MoreThere is only one thing most of us fear more than change: when things stay the same. Change is inevitable. We know this. We long for it. We imagine how our lives will be better when things change; when we get a new job, find a new mate, lose 10 pounds or renovate the […]
Read MorePilates to GO! Don’t let it go while you’re on the go! One of the hardest things to do is keep up your Pilates practice while on holidays! “Rest and Relaxation” is the name of the game, but at what cost? If you’re like me, it doesn’t take long to start feeling stiff, weak or […]
Read MoreMindfulness is trending. We are encouraged to be mindful in our day- to -day life to ease our stress, anxiety, and even depression. The concept is regularly used to describe typical human activities such as mindful parenting, mindful eating, and mindful exercise. But what exactly does it mean to be mindful? And what does […]
Read MoreSummer is short in Canada and this year it’s been a long time coming. Now that it has finally arrived, you can feel the energy of people gearing up to savour its sweetness. We know we’ve got to get it before its gone! Ontario summers, both urban and rural, favour the great outdoors: hiking, biking, […]
Read MoreSO, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN USING MY “CORE” AND USING MY “ABS”? Sometimes you hear an instructor asking you to “engage/ use your core” other times you may hear “use your abdominals/ scoop your abs”. But what are you truly being asked to do?! To understand this better, let’s make sure we know the difference between your “core” and you “abs”.
Read MorePilates teachers are more than exercise instructors. We create exercise programs based in sound, scientific methodology using specific equipment to address the whole body’s response to injury. We train our clients to move better, with freedom, ease, strength and joy.
Read MoreThere is not one quick fix to gut health, unfortunately. These tips all work together to create a more harmonious environment to promote healthy digestive and colon function.
Read MoreHow do we gain and maintain these qualities of mind and body to enable us to continue to live fully?
Read MoreThe Holiday Season is upon us and suddenly the tension is mounting as lists get longer and time gets shorter. The rush is on. How about we all just take a breath. And pay attention.
Read MoreKeep moving. Purposeful, productive movement is necessary if we want to live joyous, active lives. Find something you love to do and do it every day.
Read MoreOctober is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Everyone knows someone whose life has been impacted by breast cancer.
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