Photo by Jodie Brim Photography
Article by Julie Fritz
We all want to be healthy, and now more than ever, it is important to keep your immune system healthy, too. While there are many factors in healthy immune function, regular exercise plays a crucial role. If you are like most people, you may find it challenging to find an exercise program that fits your needs, schedule, and body. If you have not thought about Pilates before, you might be surprised to learn how it can improve your health and daily life. Pilates is an effective and sustainable workout for everyone, from elite athletes to those with limited mobility. The practice uses a wide variety of exercises and equipment to strengthen the whole body, from your lungs to your feet and everywhere in between. Pilates focuses primarily on core strength, posture, and pain-free movement, and it can provide the health benefits that you have been looking to incorporate into your life. Club Pilates Winston-Salem can open the door for anyone ready to feel better in their body and get the most out of life.
Club Pilates Winston-Salem
Kristin Henry opened Club Pilates in Winston-Salem in January 2020. Kristin is the studio owner, lead instructor, and master trainer, and it is her passion for Pilates that inspired her to open her studio. While teaching yoga in college, she was also studying Muay Thai, kickboxing, acrobatics, and massage. She then discovered Pilates and quickly saw that it pulled aspects from all of the forms of exercise that she already loved. “Pilates incorporates the flexibility of yoga, the strength and precision of martial arts, and the alignment of acrobatics,” said Kristin. “It approaches the body as an interconnected system of needs rather than focusing on just one or two aspects of health.”
An Exercise Designed During a Pandemic
The original Pilates equipment was designed as a response to the last great pandemic, the Spanish Flu of 1918. Joseph Pilates was a German acrobat living in England during World War I. When the war began, the British government interned him and his circus troupe, along with other Germans. The internment camp had terrible conditions, but he was determined to keep himself and those around him healthy. Joseph designed exercises that were completed by the group daily, but many were too weak to leave their beds. For those who were unable to stand, he used the bedsprings to create resistance exercises, which they could do without getting up. This opened up a whole world of exercise options for those with mobility limitations. Pilates lore states that no one in Joseph Pilates’ care died of the Spanish Flu while participating in his exercise programs. To this day, it serves as a testament to the power of Pilates and its ability to keep people healthy when it matters most.
A Perfect Exercise Plan for COVID-19
Because of its origins, Pilates is the perfect form of exercise during this pandemic. Much of the equipment used was developed specifically to help those with health challenges strengthen their bodies inside and out. While each person is different, Pilates is frequently one of the first forms of exercise approved by doctors during recovery or when a person is just starting to exercise. A regular Pilates routine can reduce many common health issues and chronic illness risk factors. Pilates is also recommended to many elite athletes by coaches and physical therapists to keep athletes performing at their best and to minimize the risk of injury. In today’s landscape, that means keeping people mobile while reducing pain, improving strength, regulating weight, and boosting immune and lung function.
Club Pilates Winston-Salem is Taking Safety Seriously
As national and state COVID-19 protocols continue to develop, Club Pilates Winston Salem has stayed ahead of the pack with the numerous cleaning and hygiene practices in place to keep their team and participants healthy and safe. Kristin said, “We are taking this very seriously and want to make sure we can keep everyone as safe as possible. We know that the health benefits of Pilates can reduce many risk factors for COVID-19, and we want to continue to be a place where people can improve their health with peace of mind.”
Upon entering the studio, you immediately feel the difference in the care that Kristin and her team take to keep their members safe. Before class, each person uses the touchless temperature check, then continues to the designated handwashing station. Each participant has a full set of equipment during class and is six feet from the next person to allow for easy social distancing. After every use, all equipment is cleaned using a safe and effective, hospital grade, virucide cleaning agent. Twice a day, they fog the studio with a disinfectant solution to ensure they have taken care of every nook and cranny.
You might think that is plenty, but their most impressive safety measures are the ones you can’t see! They have treated the entire studio with an EPA-registered solution called Monofoil D, which continues to kill viruses and bacteria on surfaces for three months! When professionals tested the studio, the equipment came back with a reading of zero, which means there is absolutely no bacteria, organisms, or viruses on the surface. Since the most significant risk for COVID-19 is the airborne particles, Club Pilates Winston-Salem did not stop there. “We even clean the air itself!” said Kristin. “In addition to running multiple UV air purifiers in the space, we also have three Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization systems in our studio air circulation. This air cleaning process is amazing as it actually breaks apart the virus and destroys it!”
Club Pilates is pulling out all the stops to keep participants safe and comfortable inside the studio, and the members can tell! One member wrote online, “I cannot give enough praise for the way Club Pilates Winston-Salem is handling opening in times of COVID-19. They have implemented safety/ cleaning measures that would make an infectious disease expert proud. If you are looking for a great place to work out with outstanding people that makes you feel safe, this is the place. They are keeping you healthy and giving you a great workout. Thank you, Kristin, Jennifer, and staff!!” -Angela L.
The Everyday Health Benefits of Pilates
Members of the studio are seeing stunningly quick results with the incredible benefits of Pilates. Kristin shared, “Our clients always have the intention of a healthier lifestyle, but they are often surprised by the additional health benefits. After about two months of classes, a member shared with me that she was not only stronger and more flexible, but that she had even grown an inch!” Beyond improved posture, strength, flexibility, and core control, Pilates has also been shown to improve balance, coordination, circulation, lung capacity, stress levels, and pain management. Pilates is the closest thing possible to a one-stop-shop in your workout.
A Positive Community Atmosphere
Club Pilates Winston-Salem does not just provide exceptional physical benefits; it also opens the door to a wonderful community of supportive and kind individuals. Kristin has been overwhelmed with the support that she has seen this community provide to each other during the last year. “During our closure, we got several kind messages from members who knew how much we missed and cared about them. Now that we are back together, it is such a delight to see everyone in the studio again, even if it is only from the eyes up,” Kristin added. “Every day in class, I see mothers and daughters working out alongside each other, neighbors laughing together over a difficult exercise, and new friends chatting after class. It is just such a wonderful environment.”
The Club Pilates Experience
At Club Pilates, there is something for everyone. The studio offers group and private classes for participants of all levels. The beginner classes give students the tools to quickly develop their strength and skills, while the higher-level classes continue to challenge more advanced practitioners. There is a free 30-minute introduction class available so that newcomers can try the equipment and feel the exercises for themselves. After your introductory class, you can choose to drop in for individual classes or purchase a monthly membership. Memberships are available in sets of four classes, eight classes, or unlimited monthly classes.
Pilates Teacher Training
In addition to being a great space to increase your health and wellbeing, Club Pilates Winston-Salem is also an amazing place to start a new and fulfilling career. Starting in late January, Kristin will begin a 500-hour comprehensive training program for individuals who are interested in becoming instructors. As a Master Trainer, Kristin has the expertise and experience to support and cultivate amazing new instructors. The program is incredibly successful, and many of the current instructors at Club Pilates have completed this training.
For more information about Club Pilates Winston-Salem, their classes, and teacher training program, you can call them at 336-717-1222 or visit their website clubpilates.com/winsonsalem. The club is located at 371 Lower Mall Drive in the Thruway Shopping Center. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram!
