I love Nancy Hughes, have I told you that? Nancy is my Pilates teacher. She used to be “the” Pilates teacher, but now she is mine. If you are a regular here you know how scared to death I was of any trainer, and how quickly Nancy changed me. She and her partner have a studio, Northstar Pilates at 2801 Wehrle Dr.
When I first started with Nancy, I really was afraid…. Afraid I would be in pain, scared I couldn’t do it, scared it would be intimidating. It has been none of those and as with everything, Dr. Jack knew best in selecting someone whose personality and mine would fit together as neatly as two puzzle pieces. I am all hyper, hurry up, let’s go!! And Nancy is all calm, peaceful and slowwwwww down. We fit together perfectly!
In the time I have been with her, things have totally changed for me. Exercise no longer seems a chore, it no longer feels like something I need to plan a week of recovery for, it is not the fearful part of my Hashimoto’s. Instead it is a time of day to breathe, to relax, to engage tired achy muscles, to relieve stress, to bring peace and calmness and to be totally at home in my ever changing body.
When I first started with her, I felt as though I wasn’t able to move very much. Muscles fought back. They didn’t want to go that way, but little by little my flexibility, my balance, my coordination, and my strength have been found. Am I great at it? I don’t think so but you would never know it from her. When she talks to me, it’s always in words of encouragement, “You can do it! That looks so much better! You have improved so much! Look at you!!” And the more she encourages, the more you want to do.
I love going to her studio! Yes, Dr. Jack, you read that correctly. The girl who pitched a fit, loves going to see Nancy Hughes. I go early. I lay on the mat. I close my eyes and start my breathing exercises. And suddenly, I am at peace inside myself. I don’t hear people and I don’t see anyone. I am alone in my little world. The exercises bring their own sense of calm. They are part of my everyday work at home.
Every week, I practice them faithfully, almost every day. I try to push my body just a little more in the direction the exercises go. Push just a little more each day and suddenly, I am twisting in ways I never thought I could! I take a semi private class with Nancy each week but Sometimes I take a private class so that we can evaluate the work I do at home. She refines it by explaining it further, “Push your right hip more forward. Move your left shoulder just a little. There! Do you feel it differently? Where do you feel it? Does it feel good?” It’s amazing at what an inch in any direction does, and how tweaking it just a little changes it.
Sometimes my partner and I do really different things with Nancy, things I would never see on a video or in a book, and those moves have the best benefits. We are a good match because we seem to be equally uncoordinated and sometimes we would try things, and not do great at them. Our silly nervous giggles as we move wrong, falling, wiggling and trying to get in just the right spot are simultaneous and contagious. But then suddenly we get quiet because we both have it down. We enjoy our accomplishments together and Nancy keeps encouraging us forward.
I think one of the best benefits besides core strength, flexibility and range of motion are that it changes the way your body looks. Even to myself I look different. Even through my loose skin I feel muscles that I didn’t before. And that is nothing compared to the mental benefits that come with it. Pilates is peace. It really is…. Peace inside your body.
I think my favorite thing about Nancy, though is that when you tell her you want to try something, she uses Pilates to help you. I told her how uncoordinated I am at Zumba, and when we do certain movements, she tells me how that will help me. I hear her voice in my head when I take Barre, telling me, “Keep your abs tight.”
When we hurt ourselves doing regular day to day things, Nancy helps us strengthen the part that got hurt. She teaches us exercises to help, that strengthen the muscles needed to do everyday activities.
Her approach is much different than the trainer at the YMCA. She teaches exercises that prepare you for more complicated things, and her approach is very methodical. She analyzes exactly what you don’t understand and keeps breaking it down until you can follow it. When I leave her, I can tell my body has been doing a lot, but I never feel any pain, I just feel like I really worked at it, and it truly helps me to sleep better that day.
Nancy does not believe the word, “can’t.” If you truly can’t do something, she modifies for you and teaches you how to move from can’t to CAN. By the time you master the modification, suddenly you can do what you thought was not possible. And when you tell her you want to try that which seems impossible, she finds exercises to get you there. I love going there, and I love working with her. It’s always a highlight of my week. And even though I have tried lots of exercise classes at the YMCA, and all kinds of different things there, I have to say, Pilates is still my favorite.