When JoAnn Smith, 65, suffered an unimaginable loss, Pilates provided a lifeline.
I GREW UP IN PATERSON , NJ, BUT AFTER COLLEGE I MOVED TO OMAHA ,NE , FOR A TEACHING JOB . I’ve been here ever since. I taught special ed, married my husband John, gained two stepchildren and raised our two kids, Brian and Molly. After 15 years of teaching, I decided to switch careers and started working for a large hotel chain, first as a sales rep, and later in its group commmissions department, where I still work.
One constant in my life has been that, in addition to whatever job I’ve had, I’ve always taught fitness. Right out of college, I taught at Elaine Powers. Then it was water aerobics for the Arthritis Foundation, and later I taught folks with muscular dystrophy at the College of St. Mary. Exercise has always been how I centered myself and cleared my mind. I’d go stir-crazy if I couldn’t move.
DISCOVERING PILATES
In 2002, I did something to my back, and it just kept getting worse and worse. I felt enormous pain down the side of my leg. I was finally sent for an MRI, and the doctor told me I had the spine of an 80-yearold—even though I was only 45! I remember he said that some people just age differently and that I may never walk normally again. There was no way I was going to accept that!
Within a week, both my physical therapist and my physician’s assistant recommended Pilates to relieve my back pain. Clearly it was something I had to try. After one mat class at the local Y, I was hooked. I was intrigued by the deliberate movements instead of my usual flailing about trying to burn calories. I started going twice a week, and my back pain improved with every class. Within a year, after taking a weekend certification class, I became a mat teacher at the Y. It was the perfect balance to work and family, and it even helped get me through the empty-nest sadness when the kids headed off to college.
Denne historien er fra November - December 2017-utgaven av Pilates Style.
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Denne historien er fra November - December 2017-utgaven av Pilates Style.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Finding New Momentum
Overcoming obstacles caused by the pandemic, the virtual version of this popular festival still achieved its goals.
Carola Trier's Extraordinary Journey
In his authoritative biography of the first woman to open a studio, Reiner Grootenhuis delved into her personal papers to tell the harrowing story of her time in a prison camp during World War II.
Racism in the Pilates Industry
Incidents of police brutality and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests have shed a bright light on systemic racism in the U.S., including in the Pilates industry. Here, Black instructors share their experiences.
For Self-defense
Moves of the Month
Comfort Food Made Healthy
This fall, cozy up to tantalizing comfort food that’s also healthy. A new cookbook from Kristin Cavallari shows you how.
Pilates Postcard
A Pilates teacher shares how the method is making waves abroad.
The Ultimate Gift
One year ago, Kahley Schiller’s life was completely upended by an extreme health crisis. But thanks to her 20-year Pilates practice, the 40-year-old was able to recover quickly.
Revelations
For Sarita Allen, a star of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and a protégée of Kathleen Stanford Grant, Pilates was key to her decades-long career.
Meaning WITHIN THE Movement
The Five Elements of Chinese Medicine help you go deeper into your practice, promising plenty of play along the way.
PILATES IN THE HOOD
Though she’s trained many top stars, Kim Carruthers says she’s most proud of her work as the founder and director of a nonprofit bringing the method to underserved communities.
