by Nick Capitano
What if I told you… I have something in common with LeBron James, Lady Gaga, David Beckham, Tiger Woods, Miley Cyrus, Sophia Vergara, Payton Manning, Dwayne Wade, Cristiano Ronoldo, Jake Arietta, Jason Kelce, the Kardashians and a local 84 year old business owner? We all do Pilates! Professional athletes swear by it, weekend warriors love it, and your next door neighbor may already be taking advantage of these amazing workouts.
If you’ve ever seen a Pilates reformer, it sort of looks like a medieval torture rack. However, it’s really something special. It’s a machine that works off of springs and uses your own body weight to get a workout that focuses on building up your core which is the core (pun intended) to your health, balance and strength. It’s the kind of workout that leaves you feeling rejuvenated, exhausted and ready for your next class, all at the same time. That’s me on the reformer, my name is Nick Capitano. My wife, Melissa, and I own Yin Yang Pilates & Yoga. Yes, I’m biased, but understand we bought the studio a year ago but I only started doing Pilates about three months ago. The first time I tried Pilates was about eight years ago and I really struggled. See, I had the same problem a lot of people have, I had weak core muscles. In my mind, a workout was lifting free weights and throwing around heavy weight and low reps to build mass. I played high school and college football, and having no neck and thick muscles was part of who I was when I was younger. So getting on the Reformer seemed like it would be a piece of cake. Um, nope. That first time eight years ago was incredibly humbling. Partly because I had no core, but partly because I didn’t understand the process, the benefit and the outcome. Now, I’m a believer.
When I started a few months ago, I had no idea I’d get this addicted. Not only does coming to the studio put me in a better mood, it allows me to leave all the stress of life (work, bills, kids, etc.) in the rear view mirror. I am able to focus that one hour on me, and only me. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life, my wife, my kids and my job, but it’s nice to focus on just me for an hour. It’s also good to know I’m doing something to make me healthier, stronger and will extend my life.
I see the people coming to the studio, and everyone leaves with a smile. The community here at Yin Yang is something special, and it’s all thanks to Melissa and the amazing instructors (Lori E, Lori S, Merry, Kiersten, Erin and don’t forget Jill, Gia and Tessa who work the front desk) They know all the clients by name. Remember that 84 year old local business owner I mentioned? He’s not the exception, he’s the rule. People of all ages come to the studio and are part of this amazing community.
