At The Pilates Studios

Signed up with two pilates studios in Bellevue and Seattle. It's always such a relaxing thing to hang out at the studio, work the core and stretch out the body. This trip, I've got a ton of cardio done reluctantly, and pumped the arms and quads hard. To be honest, matwork is easily done in the hotel room or its gym. I want those pilates machines.

At the studios, I requested to work on the back. While I don't mind warming up on the reformer, I specifically want to get on the Cadillac for at least 30 minutes out of each 55-minute session because my arm strength is at a three-month peak now. I'd be able to hang off the bars properly without falling off, and can easily concentrate on getting form and posture correct for each movement.

Very happy the studios' instructors accommodated me. I had two instructors over the first five sessions at each studio. All four spotted my weaker left side, and the tendency to have 'dead feet' and not keeping the hips squared. :P Although the instructors here seem fixated on telling me (and others) to "scoop scoop scoop" and do those hundreds. As a result, the abs curled much more than usual for every movement because my muscles kept scooping, even when climbing up a rock face and running on the trails. Hahaha.

One instructor is such a hoot. She's turning 40 (my age), and she's serious when she says she's "coming into psychic powers" and is strongly attuned to the energy and aura from humans around her. I don't doubt her words, but I certainly can't feel what she can. I let her talk while I stretch. Quite calming. :P She's a good instructor though. She "loves working with the body". She could tell straightaway if I was 'cheating' or forgot to use the correct muscles and compensate with others.