As I visit Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce members, I am always intrigued with the types of businesses that comprise our membership. I recently had the opportunity to visit Every Body’s Pilates and Fitness and visit with Jill Carlton, owner. This Out and About was significant for me, personally, as I knew very little about Pilates.
Entering Every Body’s Pilates, I felt welcomed. A former gas station, Jill has maintained the historic feel of the building, yet at the same time, inspirational quotes, beautiful plants and a spotless workout area make one feel very comfortable.
Jill explained that Joseph Hubertus Pilates was the founder of Pilates. Born in Monchengladbach Germany in 1883, Joe had asthma and other ailments as a child. He turned to exercise and athletics to battle these ailments and continually studied various exercise regimens to expand his knowledge base. He became enamored by the classical Greek ideal of a man balanced in body, mind, and spirit, and he began to develop his own exercise system based on this concept. Growing into adulthood, Joe was no longer the sickly child he had once been as he became an avid skier, diver, gymnast, and boxer.
Pilates is a functional movement system based on human anatomy. It is a system, rather than just a series of exercises since the mental aspect of conditioning is integrated. The ten principles are the foundation of this system and are what differentiate Pilates from other forms of exercise. The ten principles include awareness, breath, balance, concentration, control, center, efficiency, flow, precision and harmony.
“Pilates will truly have a positive impact on all aspects of an individual’s daily life. They will look, feel and perform better in everything they do, from sitting through meetings or picking up groceries to swinging a golf club or running a marathon. Whether it’s for work or pleasure, your body movements will be more efficient and effective, pain-free and with more endurance”, commented Carlton.
Every Body’s Pilates and Fitness is located on Cravens Ave., in Old Torrance and is open seven days a week. Class schedules include a variety of days and times. Offerings include reformer 1, reformer 2, Zumba, yoga and barre. Utilizing this facility are professional athletes and individuals from 9 to 90 years of age.
The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce extends appreciation to Every Body’s Piliates and Fitness for being a seven year member of the chamber.
by Donna Duperron
Donna is the President & CEO of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce. Do you have questions about or concerns for business in Torrance? Donna would like to know. Feel free to contact her at any time.