The gym or a class can be a jungle. Have you ever walked into a fitness class and felt overwhelmed and overlooked? I have. I felt like I was just a number once my card was swiped. I was tired of being in a loud room of with twelve plus reformers while an instructor yelled out the next move. She didn’t offer guidance because she dancing to the beat and giving thumbs up and shouts out to her girls. Was I squeezing the right muscles? It’s not like I could stop the class and ask the teacher for personal instruction. Plus, I never felt comfortable sticking around the class to ask. By that time, I felt like I was dying and I just wanted to go home. I felt hopeless and ridiculous. I knew this wasn’t for me. I was in the fitness jungle.

Fitness is important for me. I have found that it helps me mentally and physically. But going to the jungle every day was not helping me. I knew there had to be a better way and I started investigating.

My research led me to Mindful Movement-Pilates studio. It’s a cozy authentic Pilates private studio in the heart of Dallas. It’s nestled between Oaklawn and Lemmon on Rawlins Street. Those are busy streets in the Turtle Creek neighborhood but Mindful Movement is not. It’s an oasis of calm. Plus, it’s across the street from Starbucks and Eatzi’s so after my workout, I can grab a healthy green drink. They also have a private shower and amenities to get ready if I have a meeting after my session,

I signed up for the new client introductory package because I had never done a Reformer Pilates class before. Kylene, the owner and Pilates instructor, teaches a mixture of classical and contemporary Pilates method. I was really intrigued by this because this means the instructor can adjust the moves you do to meet the needs of your body. Her theories are method were certainly not cookie cutter.She said, “I train for the body that is in front of me. I offer modifications that make sense because no two bodies are the same. Why would I train them as if they were?” That made so much sense to me because I never felt like I was feeling the burn where I was supposed to in other classes.

I admit I was pretty nervous before I came to my first private Pilates session, but Kylene was incredibly nice and helpful. We started on the Balanced Body Reformer, which is a big Pilates machine that looks very intimidating. It has a carriage that you can lay, sit or stand on to complete exercises. Most of my exercises were down laying down and it was very low impact. However, I was sweating just as much as I did during a normal fitness class. The great thing was that I knew exactly what to do and Kylene told me when I needed to adjust my form and she lowered the resistance when I needed it. She studio is gorgeous. It’s a fully equipped Balanced Body studio. The studio has three reformers, two towers Balanced Body Cadillac and one Wunda Chair.

I really enjoyed our session and I left feeling stronger and taller. It was a full body workout and it was over much quicker than when I go to other fitness classes. This was a big change from the normal “I may die” feeling I usually felt after a gym session. The cool thing about Mindful Movements Pilates studio is that I can do group classes if I want, but the largest the group can be is three. The trio class offers the same benefits as a private session. Kylene can still tailor the approach and the class makes the call on what exercises to do. You do have to make your own equipment changes when you do a trio class, so everyone in the class has to do the private intro session with Kylene first. This is perfect because it ensures we are all going to be safe but it also lets you get more comfortable with the studio before you come to a “real” class. Privates Pilates lessons are for learning and small group reformer classes are for practicing what you learned.

So if you are like me and tired of living in the fitness jungle, check out Mindful Movement-Pilates studio. You will not feel overwhelmed or intimidated. You’ll get a great workout and a unique experience. I highly recommend it.