Creative Classes That Inspire

Pilates Your Way in Madison, Wisconsin, combines Pilates principles with cardiovascular training in its Piladio class. “We have a number of combinations,” says owner Mike Head. “The two favorites are kickboxing and hip-hop. We also offer a boot camp option and basically any kind of cardio our clients want to mix with Pilates.” The cardio portion is performed before the Pilates moves.

A Body in Balance in Las Vegas teamed up with Bösendorfer Pianos to create an “intimate and rejuvenating program” called An Evening of Pilates and Pianos. Participants went through a Pilates flow accompanied by soothing sounds from a grand piano.

Roller Training uses foam rollers to help improve balance, stability, core strength and flexibility, all while keeping the body in proper alignment. Creator Lisa Wolfe from Howell, Michigan, also uses the foam roller as a “bench” for traditional strength training exercises.

IDEA member Adrianne Pelt, of Santa Monica, California, started Buddha Baby Fitness to help mothers with multiple aspects of their lives. The class is a “dynamic integration of yoga, Pilates, endurance and strength training.” “The diverse schedule has been created to give our members the ability to transform their bodies not just for aesthetic purposes, but to help them avoid pain and injury, to feel good about their bodies and to boost their overall well-being,” Pelt says on her website. “Our classes are mellow and judgment-free; we welcome all fitness levels. Our goal is to balance the whole system … and provide a fitness program that gives more energy than it takes.”

IDEA e-member Michael LaFlam from Decatur, Georgia, got more than he bargained for when he started taking Les Mills’s BODYFLOW^™ class. Not only did he lose a substantial amount of weight from being a participant, but he then became certified to teach the class to others. BODYFLOW combines traditional Eastern disciplines with dynamic techniques, according to the company’s
website. Generally, classes start with warm-ups, followed by sections with specific goals and target areas. For example, back and abdominal tracks work on midsection strength, and flexibility sections target computer-use problem areas like the neck and lower back.