Quality over QUANTITY

When you eat at a fine restaurant, you’ll notice the portions are often smaller but more skillfully and artfully prepared than what you will find at a chain restaurant. Fine restaurants focus on quality over quantity. They also use better ingredients. - often local and organic, The cost to dine at these upscale restaurants general costs bit more, too. They are often smaller in size and focusing on creating a fabulous experience for a smaller crowded versus flipping tables and focusing on quantity of customers. I would venture to say the staff is also more in tune with customer service.

Does this sound like another business model as well? To me it’s the model of a small Pilates studio like Surprise Pilates!

Getting Hurt? That's not Pilates!

I have seen so many posts on social media lately showing people falling off Pilates equipment or getting hurt in Pilates classes. Truly I am shocked. Please don’t for a second think this is normal or acceptable in a Pilates class. I'm addressing this today because it seems to be expected at this point and it should not be at all.

Let’s start with why someone may fall off the equipment or become injured in a Pilates session.

Why Didn't I Franchise?

I had an interesting chat today with a good friend of mine who I've know for years and she was a Pilates student of mine in Tennessee. She asked me if I had ever considered going the franchise route when I opened my studios. I gave her probably a longer answer than she expected! I figured some of you may be interested in my answer as well.

Pilates Influencer

This visit I stayed with a friend and her family. We’ve all known each other for to many years to mention. I was chatting with her husband when he mentioned his nagging sciatica pain. It’s funny as a Pilates instructor people are more prone to tell you about their aches and pains. Of course, I told him Pilates would help and offered to send him a video with some do at home exercises.

New to Pilates - Trust the Process!

The other day I had a new client try Pilates for the first time. He came from a gym background and I can relate to that. When I started my Pilates practice, I had been lifting weights and doing lots of cardio. I had the mindset that faster, heavier, and more reps equaled better! Pilates is a different mindset and it takes some trust in the beginning to change your approach AND to get results.

Evolving

Those that know me through Surprise Pilates, have probably picked up on the fact that I like to eat healthy. I also like to cook and I share recipes I love in our Surprise Pilates Newsletter. Eating healthy is important to me.

What might surprise you is my version of a healthy diet when I was working full time in advertising and marketing about 15 years ago consisted mainly of Lean Cuisine, frozen vegetables, and a lot of canned soups.

healthLucie BecusJanuary 2, 2025Surprise Pilatesnutrition coach, IIN, new year

More than Fitness

This week I received a message from a former student of mine in Nashville letting me know she was training to be a Pilates Teacher! I was thrilled to hear this and honored that I had been her first experience with Pilates. To date I believe about a dozen of my former students are now Pilates Teachers! That really warms my Pilates heart.

Want vs Should

I was teaching a Pilates class this morning with a group of lovely regular clients. They know me and my personality and know I like to joke around a bit to encourage them. I also don’t mind their sarcasm in response! Fitness doesn’t have to be stoic and serious.

I made a comment along the lines of, “I know you are going to want to do that series again on the other leg!” My student quickly responded, “Want maybe not but should definitely!”

focus, Pilates ReformerLucie BecusSeptember 18, 2024Surprise Pilatesstay motivated, Surprise Pilates, pilates

Comparison

This weekend I enjoyed watching quite a bit of the US Open Tennis Tournament. I’ve been learning Tennis myself. It was impressive to see these high level athletes giving it their all.

One thing I have noticed is they make the court look so much smaller than it feels when I am playing on it! It’s hard to comprehend the speed and agility with which they are moving. Their instincts as so well honed they know where to be for the next shot which makes it look easier than it is.

Getting Back Up

This past Saturday, I ran an evening trail race at the White Tanks Mountains. The race began at 8pm well after the sun had gone down. This required the use a of headlamp to be able to see the trail. I tested mine out earlier in the day and it seemed to be working just fine. Once it was dark out however, I realized my headlamp while working was not very bright. I probably should have replaced the batteries.

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