PURE Pilates

Check out my new online Pilates program!

After many, many months of hard work, I am thrilled to announce the OFFICIAL LAUNCH of my new online Pilates program: MEMBERSHIP! 🎉 ⁣
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With MEMBERSHIP, you'll get access to over 40 of my Pilates videos, on-demand! I'll also add NEW classes every month so you can keep moving forward in your Pilates practice!⁣
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There are MONTHLY and ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP options! ⁣
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The coolest thing about this program is that it has really come FROM YOU! Since my first free challenge in October, I've been listening to your valuable feedback. I've been tweaking, re-working and fine-tuning the program (and of course keeping all the stuff you loved)!
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I kind of figured, who better to design a user-friendly Pilates program than the users themselves! ♥️⁣
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Go to the link in the comments for all of the details and to sign up!⁣
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Got questions about MEMBERSHIP? Ask away! I'm here to help! 👋 ⁣
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*Please note that MEMBERSHIP is the only program I will offer online. Registration CLOSES May 17th (and will stay closed for several months). The program BEGINS on May 18th. ⁣
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Don't miss it!

Have you signed up yet for my FREE 5-Day "Total Body" Pilates Challenge?

Tag a friend who won't want to miss this!

In this challenge, we're breaking it down by muscle group! Each day of the challenge, we’ll focus on strengthening a different area of the body. At the end of each class, we’ll experience how firing up these muscle groups helps us find more power in the Classical Pilates exercises!

Find out what five days of Pilates can do for you! TOTALLY FREE!

Go to the link in the comments!

Can't wait! ♥️

My online Pilates classes are available right now! Check it out!

These are unsettling times. ⁣
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My Pilates studio is suffering like so many other small businesses out there, and with 4 kids at home, I'm just trying to navigate and retain some semblance of sanity! We all are!⁣
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So, I'm offering you ANOTHER opportunity to get your ALL-ACCESS ONLINE PILATES PASS right now! ⁣
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With this pass, you'll get IMMEDIATE ACCESS (yes, right NOW) to my entire Pilates video library, through April 30th!⁣
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That's 22 at-home Pilates workouts ON DEMAND! Starting RIGHT NOW! With no commitment beyond that!⁣
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All for a SUPER REDUCED price!⁣
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These classes are suitable for ALL levels of physical fitness and no equipment is needed! Give it a try!⁣
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The Pass expires on April 30th no matter when you sign up so do it now to get the most out of the program!⁣ For more info, see the link in the comments!
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We're going to get through this unsettling time. ⁣
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But for now, let's keep breathing and let's keep moving - together! ♥️⁣
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Xoxo,⁣
Lisa⁣
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Hurry! Sale ends February 1st! Get your ALL-ACCESS PASS to my ENTIRE Online Pilates video library!

For February + March ONLY, you can have ALL of my Pilates workout videos ON DEMAND!⁣
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Sign up NOW and get your ALL-ACCESS PASS to my entire video library for 2-months! ⁣
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Q: Why am I doing this?⁣
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A: Well, for a few reasons:⁣
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☝️I need some time to revamp my Online Pilates Program so that it’ll be even bigger and better for YOU! So while you're enjoying your 2-month All-Access Pass to my program, I’ll be working on the website and creating new classes! ⁣
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✌️I’m actually curious to hear what you think about the all-access model. Do you like having everything all at once? Try it out and let me know!⁣
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👌You guys are awesome, and I want you to have it all! At the end of the day, for me, it’s all about making Pilates accessible to as many people as I can! It has done so much for me and I just want share it!⁣
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Check out the link in the comments for all the deets! Come join us! 🙌⁣
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Just in case you missed it on my IG and/or my Pilates•in•a•pencil•skirt post. ♥️

My big news!⁣
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Ok, so here's the thing. I never expected my Online Pilates Program to take off as quickly as it has. It's been absolutely incredible and so exciting! But I feel that in order to continue to provide you with a top quality at-home Pilates program, I need to take some time to re-vamp it a bit in order to adjust to the needs of our growing online community. ⁣
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So while I take some time to work on all that, I want to show you my appreciation for all of your 💗 and support by offering you something that I think is pretty AMAZING! ⁣
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For February and March ONLY, I'm offering an exclusive, 2-month ALL ACCESS PASS to my entire video library! ON DEMAND!!! And for only $20 a month!!⁣
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That's 22 classes in all (consisting of 10-min, 22-min, and 30-min classes) including 5 TOTALLY NEW classes! It ALL becomes available on February 1st!⁣
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AIl this for $40 TOTAL for 2 months! That's just $20 per month! Unbeatable! ⁣
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Also, because my favorite part of this whole thing has been getting to know you guys, I'll still continue to send out personal check-in emails as you go! So we can stay connected and you can get your Pilates questions answered! ⁣
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So sign up NOW (link in the comments) and get your all-access pass on February 1st. Tag a friend who won't want to miss this special offer!!!⁣
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Lots more details and class descriptions up on the website. Click the link in the first comment and check it out!!!⁣
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♥️,⁣
Lisa⁣
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Have you signed up yet?

Want to try my Online Pilates classes- that you can do anytime, anywhere? Sign up now and get SIX 30-minute videos in January! No equipment needed and no Pilates experience necessary! Join us! (See link in the comments for more info and to sign up).

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My message is simple: we feel better when we move more. ⁣
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And we should move in ways that we LOVE. In ways that make us feel good. ⁣
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Let's celebrate the way our bodies feel with joyful movement. Let's stretch, explore, engage, and challenge our bodies. In that order. ⁣
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And most of all, let's do it with gratitude and appreciation. Let's never take our ability to move for granted. ⁣
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Because, at least to me, it's not about will power or force. It's not about discipline or punishment or pain. ⁣
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It's a celebration. Movement should always be a celebration. A delicious discovery of what you are physically capable of. ⁣
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5 days left to sign up for my January Online Pilates Program. Let's move together. Link in the comments. Give it a try!

Want to know more about getting 5-days of FREE Pilates classes delivered right to your email inbox?

Click on the page below and “like” the page to stay in the know ♥️

Or go to pilatesinapencilskirt.com and sign up NOW!

About 6 months ago, I had a crazy idea. ⁣
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It was more of a dream than an idea, actually. ⁣
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I dreamed about creating a presence on social media and creating a space where I could gush about my love for Pilates while staying true to my convictions and my modest mode of dress. ⁣
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I dreamed about creating a website that I was proud of. ⁣
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I dreamed about Pilates photo-shoots in beautiful nature, of teaching Pilates to my dream clients (ummm, hello Jamie Geller ) and of offering a week of TOTALLY FREE Pilates to anyone in the world who wanted to try it. ⁣
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Was I crazy? ⁣
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Yes, yes I was. ⁣
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But sometimes you have to be a little crazy, you know? Sometimes, when you get that fire in your belly, you’ve got to run with it before it gets stomped out. ⁣
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So I did. I ran with it. Boy did I run. ⁣
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I poured my guts into it, and I did it. ⁣
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I absolutely cannot wait to share it all with you!⁣
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On October 23rd, go to my website (link in the comments- but it won’t be up and running until October 23rd) and sign up for my FREE 5-Day “Back to Basics” Pilates Challenge. It’s for all levels but especially geared towards total beginners. ⁣
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And thank you for the love, my friends. You have all kept that fire going in me. Truly, I thank you. ⁣

My most frequently asked question: “Is Pilates Like Yoga?”

Check out my answer:

Pilates•in•a•pencil•skirt

Is Pilates like Yoga?

Ahhh, if I had a shekel every time I heard that question!!

Short Answer: no

Longer (But Still Very Summarized) Answer:

From the outside in, a Pilates mat class might look similar to a Yoga class- well, at least until the class actually begins. In both classes, we use mats. We take off our shoes and socks. We wear the same kind of clothing. We start by centering, slowing down the breath, and turning our attention inward as both Yoga and Pilates are rooted in the mind-body connection.

But beyond all that, it’s actually totally different.

▫️PILATES is a 100 year old core-centered fitness modality which facilitates strengthening, flexibility and rehabilitation. In Pilates, the body is always moving from one repetition-based exercise to another. The movements coordinate with the breath in such a way that enables the core muscles to engage and supply power to the rest of the body.

▫️YOGA is a 5,000 year old practice which involves holding poses for a length of time and moving from pose to pose with smooth flowing transitions. Yoga is both a spiritual practice as well as a physical practice (Pilates, in contrast, is just straight up exercise). In Yoga, there are many more standing poses and lots of deep stretching to facilitate better balance, increased strength, and flexibility.

Got anything to add? 💜

Hi Friends!

Please check out my new FB business page,
Pilates•in•a•pencil•skirt
so you can stay connected to my all new ONLINE PILATES CLASSES! Woo hoo!!!

In just a few weeks, I’ll launch my website (yikes!) and kick things off by offering a TOTALLY FREE 5-Day “Back to Basics” Pilates Challenge for every level (yes even total beginners!).

So stay here for all of the local PURE Pilates studio news and check out my new page to find out more about the upcoming website launch, FREE Pilates 5-Day Challenge, and my Online Pilates Classes!

It’s all coming soon! Cant wait! 💜

Pilates•in•a•pencil•skirt

Hi, I’m Lisa!

So you know I love Pilates, and pencil skirts!

But here are 5 things that you might not know about me...

1️⃣ Nature feeds my soul. The beach. Forests. Mountains. Animals. The smell of lavender. I love a vigorous hike and I’m not afraid to get dirty.

2️⃣ I love a good prison break story. I know, it’s weird! I love documentaries and even TV shows and movies with this theme. It just pulls me in! Anyone else?

3️⃣ I have a crippling fear of heights. I constantly push myself to do the things that scare me (repelling, climbing, parasailing, crossing tall bridges, etc) but my legs still buckle and my body trembles when I’m up high. It’s a work in progress.

4️⃣ In order to function at my best, I need some completely ALONE time every day. Closing the door (even just for a few minutes!) to my husband and children used to make me feel really guilty. But now I know that I NEED that time to recharge- it just makes me a better human.

5️⃣ I fully subscribe to a KEEP IT SIMPLE philosophy. Simple doesn’t have to mean subpar! It just means that life is complicated and layered and messy enough- often we DO have the power to SIMPLIFY things without sacrificing style or integrity or professionalism or anything else! Simply simplify!

So tell me, do any of these resonate? 💜

The incredible Hana Bloch, at 39 weeks pregnant, taking a deep stretch after her Pilates session.

Nothing short of inspirational! ✨✨✨

The way we find balance on the mat might shed light on the way we find balance in life:⁣
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We get grounded and rooted. We become present and mindful. We stand tall, breathe deeply, stabilize what’s at our very core, and always keep looking ahead.
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Let’s talk about exercise and healthy aging. ⁣
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There’s a point in our adult lives when we stop marathon running. We stop participating in heavy contact sports. We stop bull riding at the rodeo. ⁣
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We stop because these activities are no longer doing good things for our bodies. But there is no clear cut age limit. No expiration date. It happens at different times for different people. But at some point as we age, we need to make changes in our physical activity. ⁣
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One of the things that I appreciate about Pilates is that it’s an exercise that not only can be done at any age, it actually HELPS you age BETTER (healthier joints, more flexible spine, stronger bones, etc). ⁣
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BUT, having said that, will I be doing the advanced “Control Balance” exercise (pictured here) if I have the privilege of reaching the age of, say, 99? Probably not. ⁣
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The take home message here? Know when it’s time to switch it up or scale back. ⁣
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How do we know?⁣
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By listening to our bodies (again!). Sure it’s vague and abstract. But it’s also simple and intuitive and we already know how to do it. We just need to CHOOSE to listen.⁣
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This information can’t be found in a book. It can’t be found in a medical journal. And it’s not on this page. ⁣
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It’s in you. ⁣
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Only, in you. ⁣
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What’s in a number anyway?

I always tell my group classes that the number of reps I have them do (5 push-ups, 10 chest lifts, 6 leg circles, for example) is pretty arbitrary. It’s a guess on my part- an attempt to find that magic number that keeps you challenged, but not so overworked that you lose your good form.

But that’s all it is. It’s a guess. My advice in any group exercise class is to feel free to choose your own number if you need to! Listen to your body and always prioritize good form over some over-generalized numeric goal.

People always ask me how long I can hold a plank for. The answer is, I don’t know! I hold a plank position until my body can’t hold it well anymore. Sometimes that’s several minutes, sometimes that’s 20 seconds. Does it matter? I really don’t think it does so I don’t time myself.

Sometimes less is more, sometimes more is more. Every BODY is different. And every body FEELS different each new day.

It’s been an awesome with and . I definitely got my fill of and , and here in . But I AM looking forward to getting back to tomorrow! I miss my !! Peace and love to all ✌️

Well if this isn’t the best recommendation EVER, then I don’t know what is! May your seders be joyous, may your matzah be crunchy, and may all the world break free from the bo***ge of back pain!!! AMEN!

This is one of my favorite pics from an awesome day two years ago. Israel had tried to break the record 🥇 for the largest class EVER 🧘🏻‍♀️- but came up short by a mere 300 participants 😩! Although new records were not made that day in beautiful Tel Aviv, lifelong memories were! 💜

I’m a 🐝 . Sometimes it’s hard for me to . Sometimes it’s hard to make time for . And it’s only when I take a step back that I realize that the breaks and the self care are not only good for ME, but will also help me do my job better. I know that’s not an earth shattering discovery, but sometimes some of us ( ) need the . 🧘🏻‍♀️

Woo hoo!! That’s a wrap, !! I must say, I really enjoyed going out of my comfort zone and finally participating in my own small way. Thank you to all of the beautiful movers out there who provided so much inspiration, motivation, and insights! Just lots and lots of moving forward! 💕💕

Stretching that pencil skirt to the limit 😬

I’m not into promoting perfection- and that’s exactly why I’m sharing this photo. It’s day 24 of MarchMATness, featuring the Leg Pull. I was struggling here to keep my left knee straight and my hips lifted high. I also don’t love the old sweater I’m wearing 🙄. I almost hit the delete button but then I thought about the ZILLIONS of Pilates pictures out there in the world that don’t get shared just because something is slightly off (or a bad sweater is being worn!). I don’t want to pretend that I’m perfectly awesome at everything in Pilates because I’m not! NO ONE IS. Let’s start showing up with our imperfections and make room for the flaws, for the challenges, for the “process.” Holler if you’re with me! 💜

Pelvic Curl/Open Leg Rocker/Roll Over:

The Pelvic Curl is the perfect prep for the Roll Over and the Open Leg Rocker in two main ways:

1.) The movement is initiated in each of these exercises by tucking the tailbone/pelvis under. We consciously move out of neutral pelvis and neutral spine by deepening the muscles of the low belly and pulling the public bone towards the navel.

▫️ In OLR, it doesn’t take much to start to roll back. People often think they need to flick their heads back or lift the chin, but a tiny simple pelvic tuck is all you need to get you rolling!

▫️ Same with the Roll Overs. You can get into your Roll Over in many different ways, but to actually roll OVER, the pelvis needs to roll back and lift up. Again, you’re coming out of neutral pelvis and recruiting a whole lot of low belly strength.

2.) With these 3 exercises, it’s all about spinal articulation- peeling the spine off the mat one bone at a time and landing back down the same way. We want to feel each notch of the vertebrae lifting one by one and landing one by one.

▫️ In OLR this articulation is less deliberate as there’s definitely more “swing,” but you’re still getting that bone by bone roll. And that’s what gives us that great feeling of a spine massage!

▫️ In the Roll Over, it’s the same slow peel off the mat and controlled landing as the Pelvic Curl. Again, each notch of the spine should peel up and land down separately.

So these exercises lend themselves to one another in a multitude of ways as each one helps the next!

Challenge: see if you can really feel each and every bone in these exercises. See what happens to your abdominal “scoop” when not a single bone of the spine is skipped over.

Enjoy! 🦋

So I’m going a little rogue with my posts! Just for fun though, let’s talk about the Series of Five:

Pilates Fun Fact: only the Single Leg Stretch and Double Leg Stretch were part of the original matwork. The other three exercises were added later by the Pilates Elders (the teachers who were trained by Pilates himself).

Ok so let’s dive in!

These five exercises demand quite a bit of work from the abdominals. In my personal practice though, the Series of Five allows me to check in with myself early on in my matwork and “test drive” my core muscles. Sometimes I can feel a bit draggy and disconnected, while other times I feel really strong and well-connected. Depending on how I’m feeling that day will determine my range of motion in each of these exercises and set the pace for the rest of my matwork.

So how do we know if we’re “connecting?”

Make sure you’re always able to pull your ribs in to avoid over-arching the spine. If your ribs are flaring out uncontrollably, try making the movement smaller. Also, is your belly doming during these exercises? Is your back pulling up away from your mat? Again, try making the exercise smaller and see if you can keep your abdominals zipped up at the midline. By minimizing your range of motion (or the “size” of the exercise), you can better focus your attention on that core connection.

Sometimes I can turn things around on a draggy day and sometimes I can’t. But as long as it feels like good, delicious, beautiful movement, who cares! 😊 move

Shavua tov!

Here we go!

Let’s get rolling with The Roll Up and Rolling Like a Ball:

With both of these rolling exercises, the slower you go, the more challenging they get. The round shape of the spine- and one’s ability to maintain that same precise spinal curve throughout the exercises- is also a really important element here. To round the spine, try pulling the navel back and tilting the chin towards the chest to create the curve, rather than just collapsing into yourself. Keep your shoulders low and think about staying long in the spine and lifted in the waist.

If you’re new to Pilates, try to just let your body go through the motions without overthinking it. Then once you know the exercises are physically possible, you can play around with speed and breath patterns. Maybe even challenge yourself to completely pause at different points in these exercises. Can you pause anywhere/everywhere in these exercises and still hold your shape?

See you next week with more pics and tips! 💜

Throughout the month of March, the world-wide Pilates community bands together to honor the legacy of Joseph Pilates and his original matwork through the social media campaign . For years, I’ve enjoyed following these posts and this year, I’ll be joining in on the fun! Every week this month, I’ll post pictures of myself performing some of the Classical Matwork, along with a short description/insights on the exercises.

Why follow these posts? Well, if you’re clueless about Pilates, it’s a great glimpse into what a Classical Pilates class can look like. And if you’re an old Pilates pro, I hope you’ll gain a little more information about the exercises so that the next time you hit the mat, you might approach your practice with a new awareness. And if you’re not interested in either of these things, at the very least, it’s kind of entertaining watching me struggle to carry out some of these exercises in a pencil skirt!

Please feel free to share so that more people can follow along and spread the Pilates love ❤️! You can also follow me on Instagram: pilatesinapencilskirt

Can’t wait! Hope you enjoy!! 🦋

And the WINNER of our February Pilates Challenge is... CARLA SPRUNG!!

It wasn’t easy for anyone to pull ahead this month as the race was neck and neck for the first two weeks. But between trash talking her competition (true story) and taking back to back classes, Carla persevered and claimed her title and prize!

Carla is a pillar in our Pilates community- she’s a cherished friend to all and the best studio-door-opener around (legend has it, she once managed to unlatch the door for a late-comer using only two toes, while doing the Boomerang)! Starting as a total beginner several years back, Carla has been consistent in her Pilates practice and her dedication shows in her flawless mat work!

Congratulations, Carla for this well deserved win! 😘

What’s next at PURE Pilates? Stay tuned for March Matness! Details soon!

In addition to our February Attendance Challenge (winner will be announced at the end of the month and the competition is seriously getting FIERCE!), we also have an ongoing “Who-Pulls-Out-The-Last-Mat-Wipe” contest. There are over 400 mat wipes in the dispenser so this contest can go on for a while. And it’s anyone’s game! Congratulations to the last mat wipe puller-outer, Tamar Cohen!!!

Tamar, who is also a front runner for the February attendance challenge, is one of those people who makes Pilates look easy. This girl is equal parts grace and strength and a real inspiration in our studio. Congratulations, Tamar and enjoy your STAR! ⭐️