Blog

For the past few months I have been working at Delta Pilates as a Front Desk Coordinator. I started when the studio first opened its doors, and I have been honored to watch and help this studio blossom into a Scottsdale Pilates powerhouse. I was instantly drawn to the atmosphere of the studio and Alexis; she was so easy to talk to and I immediately knew that if I were given the opportunity to work here, I would love it.

Delta Pilates is located in a shopping center that is no stranger to fitness, gyms and healthy restaurants, but the moment you walk into this studio you can tell it is unique. I'll admit that, at first, I was very intimidated by the equipment. I finally understood the importance of the equipment after out first employee workout. It is amazing how many different ways each apparatus can be used and every work out is so different. After several workouts and classes, I am still being taught new ways to exercise on the Towers, Reformers and Chairs.

I am a very active person, and I exercise quite often, but the feeling you get after a Pilates class is like no other. It is tiring and soreness the next day is to be expected, but I felt so awake and aligned afterward. I never thought I could walk out of the building after an intense exercise session and actually feel energized and relieved. Pilates has shown me that it is possible.

The studio itself is so easy to enjoy. The clients that walk through the door are so friendly and excited to workout. They made me feel excited about what I was doing. It is hard to have a bad day when you are surrounded by calming meditation music and have access to equipment that can help you stretch your back if it is sore or tight that day. Delta Pilates has given me the opportunity to revisit an old hobby mine by helping Alexis create technique and tutorial videos for our social media. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed making videos, and I really hope the public benefits from all of the hard work and detail that Alexis puts into the tutorials!

It is a bittersweet time for me to say that I have to leave. I am continuing my education in my home state of Texas. I will take with me the knowledge I've acquired about Pilates, how to properly execute certain exercises, great memories of attempts and failures of trying difficult exercises, and most importantly, the comfort of knowing that I helped the studio the best that I could. My only regret is that I did not have more time to progress my Pilates knowledge and get to know the staff and clientele better.

To anyone that enjoys an active lifestyle, or to anyone who is looking for motivation to change their health habits, I highly recommend Delta Pilates. I've watched Alexis pay close attention to each and every person that walks in the door and treat him or her with the utmost care and respect to make sure they leave here feeling stronger and more refreshed.

For any person reading this that has never taken a Pilates Class, and is unsure about what to expect, I can tell you, you are not alone. I was unaware of what to expect when Alexis, the owner and instructor of Delta Pilates, invited her staff, myself included, to take an Apparatus Class. The class was not easy, however, it really showed me the different way my body can stretch and introduced me to hidden strength I was unaware I had. Overall, it was exciting and fulfilling.

It was a Friday, the three of us stood there watching Alexis finish up a lesson with a client, anxious and excited to learn how to use these unusual machines. All three of us were health conscious and accustomed to exercising, but none of us had ever taken a Pilates Class of any kind, and we were unbelievably curious. We filled up our water bottles and got to work. We spent a lot of time on a machine that is called a Reformer. After the second or third exercise that Alexis showed us how to do, I could really feel my abdominals and hamstrings feeling stretched and also tired. As I looked at my co-workers, I could tell I was not the only one feeling this way. Some exercised took much more concentration than the others. We learned the proper ways to transition the equipment, and how to do certain exercises in a more advanced manner, however, to be honest, the easier exercises had me sweating. We moved on to use the Ladder Barrel, the Towers, the Hi/Lo Wunda Chairs, and ended with the Pedipole. Each piece of equipment serves a certain purpose, and each is challenging in its own way. My favorite was the Wunda Chair, which I am pretty was the reason I was sore the next day. As we finished, I felt beat, but accomplished, similar to the feeling you get after a long run or a deep stretch.

The thing Alexis taught me about Pilates is that it is not just for your physical health, but also for your mental health. While I was exercising my body, and boy was it a work out, I was also exercising my mind. Learning to control your breathing throughout the class allows you to stay calm and relaxed. It really took me to a place where any stress or anger I had felt when I walked in the door disappeared. I was sore the next day, but I felt a sense of peace that I wanted to feel again. I cannot wait for my next opportunity to take a class with Alexis and learn even more about this fantastic form of fitness.

We are thrilled to announce that the studio will be up and ready for business on February 12th! Visit our scheduling link above to get started with your first booking for apparatus lessons, Reformer Bootcamp, Tower and Mat Classes. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on our Contact Page. We are very excited for the studio opening and we’re ready to help you make a change!

At Delta Pilates, we work a Classical System for our Private and Semi-Private clients where you work the entire room— Reformer, Tower and Cadillac, Barrels, Chairs, Ped-O-Pull, and all of the small apparatus like the Magic Circle, hand weights, straps... ok, you get it, we have a lot of equipment! We also know that some days, you just want to come in for a kick-butt workout specializing on one piece of equipment. After all, our Pilates method is founded upon maximizing flow. With this theory in mind, we have created the Reformer Bootcamp class. In this 55 minute class, you will work a rigorous Reformer and Small Prop workout. This means we will add variations you don't usually experience, utilize the Magic Circle in new ways, and even perform some of the Chair and Mat exercises up on the reformer.

What should you expect during this workout? First of all, we reserve this class for people who are already familiar with the Reformer so you will be with other participants on your skill level. We use the names of the exercises to help maximize your time and flow through the exercises as quickly as possible. This class is recommended for those of you who want to add another workout into your week with your budget and time constraints in mind. The class focuses on ALL of your Pilates principles while keeping in mind that your goal is to get in, get a hardcore workout, and get out! During your private or semi-private lessons your instructor will discuss specific things that you should be working on and your Bootcamp instructor will help guide you on how to best work those ideas.

Simply put, Reformer Bootcamp is a great compliment to your weekly Pilates practice while not breaking the bank— we know that sometimes there is no substitute for an hour where you sweat your face off, leave everything you have on the Reformer, and leave with a smile on your face. Log into your account or have a chat with our receptionist to book your class today— what do you have to lose?

We here at Delta Pilates are very excited for 2014 - not only is the brand-spanking new studio opening up, but we have the opportunity to start changing the lives of YOU, our new clients.

I think that most people enter the new year with a lot of hopes and promises - maybe you want to quit a bad habit and replace it with a new one; maybe you have some relationships in your life that need some work; maybe it's the omnipresent "I need to lose X pounds to be happy this year." All I'm asking for this new year is that you change your life. I hear ya, "Oh, that's it? Ha, nice try."

I'm here to tell you that it is easier than it sounds. Make one small change that you can fit into your life on an ongoing basis. It isn't reasonable to say that starting in the new year, you're going to run 15 miles a day, eat only clean foods, live in only healthy relationships, or completely give up your beloved chocolate/French fries/wine/whatever. What is an easy change for you? Is it taking the stairs instead of the elevator? Is it saving dessert for a special occasion? Maybe you haven't found a fitness routine that is working for you on a consistent basis.

While we can't take all of the sweets out of your house or suddenly make your co-workers more pleasant to deal with, we can provide you the support that you need to make these small positive changes lead into big ones. Once you gain the esteem boost that comes from keeping a regular exercise regime, I bet you will be able to look at some of those more monumental challenges in your life with a renewed sense of purpose and the knowledge that you CAN do it!

At Delta Pilates, we are committed to making your fitness plan as easy as it can be - we have all the teachers, class types and times that will make it a breeze for you to book, show up, and get started on that new you. I'm ready for the new year, how about you guys?