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Welcome To
Pilates
Place,
Birmingham's First Pilates Studio
core strength . .
stretching . . postural alignment . . long muscles . . breathing
Empower your body , focus your mind!
First in the state of Alabama. Pilates Place is a fully equipped studio offering
Pilates mat and equipment
classes by certified instructors. We offer the highest level of
expertise with exceptionally trained and experienced
instructors. The open and bright space is
inviting. Our classes are tailored to help our students get the
maximum benefits of the method while personalizing them to meet your
needs and expectations.
Whatever your individual
goals - soothing and strengthening an aching back, knee or shoulder; cross training
for golf or tennis; or just increasing your strength and flexibility
- we can meet your needs. Group equipment classes for 2 - 5
people on the Cadillac, Reformer, and Chair, as well as group mat classes
and one-on-one private sessions are all available. Our variety of classes on the mat and with equipment will
challenge you and help you to reconnect with your body and to focus your
mind. We will help you find the
level best suited for you. For details about our classes click
here.
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Our students have
said . . .
Teri Weksler, a world class Modern Dancer
residing in Birmingham:
"So here I am in my 30th year of Pilates. I have had a variety of
amazing teachers and I have to say Lelie and Carolyn have done a great
job staying true to the technique as I know it; working with each
individual, watching like hawks to insure that things are done properly;
being creative in terms of individual limitations and needs. And, of
course, enjoying and bringing joy to every session, exactly how it
should be." Kathy DeLucas,
trainer of one of the top five agility Brittanys in the U.S.:
"Pilates is the one venue that has helped me strengthen my core and
work the small support muscles. I have a passion for dog
performance events and Pilates has helped me with the balance and
movement I need to compete in these timed events."
Ena-Faye Bennett, an English Hunter Jumper
horseback rider:
"Pilates' way of exercise has increased my awareness of proper
posture and position of the spine. The strength, balance, and
flexibility acquired are all very important components of being able to
ride my horse with coordination and supple secure contact." |
 Joseph Pilates,
A Man With A Vision
Joseph Pilates was born in
Germany in 1880. A sickly child, he used physical exercise to turn
himself into a fit adult. In 1912 Pilates moved to the UK and held a
variety of occupations, including boxer and self-defense trainer.
During World War I, while imprisoned in a camp for German nationals, he
taught his fitness exercises to other prisoners. Upon returning to
Germany after the war, he gave exercise classes to police and military
personnel and interacted with members of the avant-garde dance community,
such as Rudolf von Laban and Hanya Holm. In 1926 he moved to New
York City and soon opened an exercise studio with his wife Clara.
Pilates wrote a slender volume (Return to Life, 1934) outlining his
system of Contrology, which he described as a set of healthful lifestyle
changes and corrective exercises. His methods and specialized
fitness equipment achieved popularity with dance professionals such as
George Balanchine and Martha Graham, but were largely unknown to the
general public. Pilates died in 1967. A handful of students
have carried on his teachings and influenced numerous other individuals to
learn and teach his exercises.
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