Real Stories of Core Strength

So there I was, in a sea kayak for the first time, blissfully at peace on the sunny surface of Lake Winnepasaukee. The only problem was, my arms were starting to feel like spaghetti and my shoulders were making a nice pair of earrings. I was holding my paddle so high to compensate that my back was starting to hurt. Apparently using my periphery to paddle wasn’t a good long- term strategy. Then I recalled Monday night Reformer Class. I started twisting a little and paddling from my core. I pushed my shoulders down a few inches and back. The next day, I was surprisingly pain-free. I can’t wait for my next kayaking adventure! (I wish I could say the same for my next set of ‘Evil Mermaids.’)
-Kristen P.

I agreed to go rock climbing with friends one afternoon—as their photographer. On other climbing attempts, my limbs usually gave out before I reached an elevation of two feet. At first, they agreed to my condition, but once everyone had clambered up the rock face, circumstances changed. We discovered that my friend Ryan and I shared the same shoe size, and I quickly ran out of excuses—I was going up. It took me way longer than anyone else, but I miraculously managed to reach the top. When I got stuck, I would stop and catch my breath, tighten my core, reach a little higher and just go for it. My hands were raw and all my muscles were sore for the next few days, but I felt incredibly proud and even more shocked. I was surprised to discover that my body had changed that much since starting pilates at Rock City Body eight months ago. When I reached the top of the rock I remember hearing Sean, the climbing veteran of the group, say to Kirsten and Ryan, "Maybe I should try pilates." That was when I realized that Rock City Body had changed my life. I am no longer a slave to the chiropractor and to the defeating mentality of "my body can't do that."