Club Pilates: A Club for EveryBODY
Stafford Marketplace will be the new home for Club Pilates Stafford. Pilates is a form of strength training but doesn't use traditional strength training exercises. The workout emphasizes improving muscle tone rather than building muscles, producing greater stability and endurance. Rather than bulking you up, Pilates is designed to cultivate a longer, leaner look. It leads to greater flexibility, functional movement, and may even reduce your likelihood of injury.
Suzy Thompson and her husband Mitchell are the owners of the new club. Suzy will hold the title of both owner and lead instructor. Since she has over 30 years of experience in the fitness industry, 17 of those specifically on Pilates, the members at Club Pilates are in great hands.
Prior to the pandemic, Suzy was an instructor at a classical Pilates studio in Fairfax. Finding work at Club Pilates after the lockdown showed her the potential of what can be done with an innovative take on a traditional Pilates studio. Club Pilates differs by making lessons more accessible and affordable than traditional studios. They have 12 reformers, while most traditional studios offer 5-6 reformers. They will also offer 50-60 classes from early mornings to late evenings, making a perfect fit for any schedule.
The reformer looks a little intimidating, but the instructors educate you on how to use it as a supportive piece of equipment for your workout. Typical mat exercises like planks and bridges become class favorites when applied on the reformer due to how well they activate your core and build strong, stable muscles. Pilates is hard to mass produce, which is why having a knowledgeable and trained instructor to guide you through the workouts will give you the best outcome for your fitness goals.
Upon completing a class at Club Pilates Suzy wants you to leave feeling like you worked out your whole body without exhausting any one muscle group. Members leave with better overall posture, mobility, balance, energy and maybe even relief from lower back pain and achy joints.
When joining Club Pilates, you become part of a community. This includes being part of special events, promotions, workshops and outings like wine tasting.
Club Pilates classes are never boring; with 7 different types of Pilates classes and 4 different levels, and instructors coming from different schools of Pilates, you will never have the same class twice. In addition to group classes, they also offer private 1:1 lessons.
Here are 4 Pilates terms to help you get ready for your first class:
Breath: Pilates emphasizes deep functional ribcage breathing which prepares the body to move well.
The Scoop: The deep recruitment of the transverse abdominus muscle between the naval and pubic bones also known as the “secret of flat abs.”
Power House: A fancy term for your core - a combination of abs, glutes, and inner thighs.
Healthy Spine: We move the spine in all directions, and Pilates allows the vertebrae a chance to decompress, helping relieve lower back pain.
For the latest information of membership and schedule please visit their website https://www.clubpilates.com/location/stafford
