Carolyn is one of my absolute favorite people to work with. She claims she “hates to exercise” but she approaches every activity she has pursued with me through the years, with full attention and absolutely perfect execution. She is one of the strongest, most beautifully women I know. She is also one of the feistiest women I have ever had the pleasure of laughing and working with as a teacher.
Our history together, goes back many years. Our energy clicked from the outset and her initial introduction to me was with a Pilates Mat class I was running in a local gym, more than ten years ago. I think I told her when we first met, as I pushed her to go a little deeper on an exercise (after the scowling eye she gave me) “it takes one to know one.”
Carolyn hates to exercise. Or so she says. She does however, want the benefit and the result of the work, yet she “hates the process” of making it happen. Over the years, she has joined my bootcamps, my hiking excursions, special event programs; she has worked privately, semi-privately and made new friends with women 30-40 years younger than her, as well as a few that are older than her 69 years of age and wisdom. She and her husband travel annually and she returns each year to start fresh with another reminder that her husband is “going to have a few words with me about how badly I made her body feel after her workout.”
It is this ongoing play we have with each other, I push, she pulls; I laugh, she pouts; I say yes, she says, “how many more?” that makes the wonder and enjoyment of the training so special with Carolyn.
love the challenge and relish the fight to get there
She knows I don’t give her “moaning and groaning” much attention. In fact, I find that I usually get the best, precise movement from her when she is frowning, groaning and moaning. You will understand this clearly by watching her in action in the video below. All this notwithstanding the fact that Carolyn absolutely rocks everything she does with such admirable grace and fluidity (along with the unceasing moans and groans) makes her my teaching joy and inspiration.
Gracefully Executed Movements
She said she hated the reformer, and referred to it as the “torture machine.” Yet, she is enjoying the mastery of movement using the equipment. Once exclaimed she couldn’t use the Pilates Orbit, as she would “fall on my face on those wheely things,” still she executes a multiple series plank-pike movement with absolutely control.
The TRX was “too much and makes my body tired,” yet her standing arabesque (shown above) is a movement many would die to accomplish for themselves!
You name the excuse or complaint, and Carolyn could find a reason — if given the chance – to defer, deflect and distract – the unwitting from the opportunity to help her find and move from her center. Yet her lines are the longest. Her legs the straightest. Her oppositional movement and coordinated balance the best. She loves the challenge and relishes the fight to get there. The surprise to her was that I do as well – again, it takes one to know one.
Enjoy the images below and watch her attempt to debate the whole way through the Tree exercise on the Short Box. My favorite expression is the last image of the series.
If you are inspired by this story or the images, please take a moment and say so. Carolyn’s work is still in progress and encouragement is always welcome and appreciated.
Gina Jackson, is a classically trained Pilates Teacher and has been teaching along the Gold Coast of Hudson and Bergen County, NJ for the past fifteen+ years.
Certified by Power Pilates of New York, Gina has trained with Master Teachers Bob Liekens, Susan Moran and Brett Howard; loved workshop training with Cary Regan and Blossom Leilani-Crawford and has particularly enjoyed listening to the personal stories as told by Pilates Elders, Kathy Grant and Lolita San Miguel.
An active teacher and blogger, Gina manages a private personal training business supporting a myriad of clients, teaching all to honor their health, strength and life with the principles of Pilates at its core.