{"id":82374,"date":"2026-03-26T07:11:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T07:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/?p=82374"},"modified":"2026-03-20T09:43:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T09:43:28","slug":"82374","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/2026\/03\/26\/82374\/","title":{"rendered":"Liekens and Howard: Classical Pilates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Turns out Bob has been in my life for a really long time.\u00a0 He, along with Susan Moran were my initial introduction to NY Classical Pilates.\u00a0 I was proud to spend a few hours with both Bob Liekens\u00a0 and Brett Howard in review of\u00a0 “Challenges on the Cadillac.”\u00a0 Bob is a true, master teacher<\/strong><\/em> of teachers.\u00a0 Having been in the presence of a few true master teachers, one will appreciate and understand why I do not throw that title around lightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bob was one of the teachers of my current teacher, Brett Howard, Director\/Owner Pilates Haus<\/a> and Principal Director, United States Pilates Association<\/a>.\u00a0 Brett introduced Bob to the group this particular day with great pride.\u00a0 As it was to be Bob’s last workshop in the NY\/NJ area before his permanent move to Italy where he will continue to teach, train and coach Pilates through his company, The Pilates Standard<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Bob Liekens | Single Arm Push Through Stretch | Pilates Haus, NJ<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It is through the likes of Bob and Brett that I find myself enveloped and connected to a community of teachers who exhibit consummate integrity for the method and the lifestyle of Pilates. Everyone I know and respect as a teacher and lover of the Pilates, knows Bob Liekens.\u00a0 Most have trained with him.\u00a0 Many still do (or want to.)\u00a0 It’s just now, we will all need to do so in Italy!<\/p>\n

Bob and Brett have an international name in Pilates Training, and a worldwide reputation as tough teachers; with a rather strict and commanding style that is crisp and clean in thought and delivery.\u00a0 Their style of instruction honors the integrity, precision, quality and history of teaching the Pilates Method, as Joseph Pilates created it and as Romana Kryzanowska instilled in all of her students.<\/p>\n

A specific, rigorous and authentic movement discipline.\u00a0 A method of “massaging the spine in all directions,<\/em>” building Strength, Stretch, Stability and Stamina.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Bob Liekens | Side Sit Ups with Roll Back Bar | Pilates Haus, NJ<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Their toughness is what I think drew me to them as teachers to emulate.\u00a0 Some of my favorite exercises are the ones I learned from them after they explained these were “not originally intended for women.” Yeah!? Oh really?\u00a0 Bring it.\u00a0 Let’s do that one! For example, Swakate, Fencing and Bicep Curls (on the Reformer or with the Roll Back bar setup low on the trap table.)<\/p>\n

The room was filled with 20+ teachers<\/a> and Bob was actually quite entertaining in his delivery.\u00a0 From the time I met him more than 10+ years ago, he has always stated, Pilates is “not a performance.”<\/p>\n

“It’s not a trophy-awarding discipline. It is a conscious practice.\u00a0 A disciplined approach to understanding and living in the body.”<\/h3>\n

Reading from notes in an old workshop notebook from the Summer of 2007<\/a> (perhaps with a little paraphrasing<\/em>):<\/p>\n

“Pilates is not a trophy-awarding discipline. It is a conscious practice. A disciplined approach to understanding and living in the body.<\/em>“<\/p>\n

Which is why then and today he admonished the group, “No clapping.\u00a0 No Pictures.\u00a0 Just Work.\u00a0 Just Practice.<\/em>“<\/p>\n

Although #RuleBreakerBadAss that I am; as you can see I captured a few gems to document the day. I remember reading an interview with Bob, in the Sept\/Oct 2006 issue of Pilates Style Magazine\u00a0and resonating with a comment in the last half of the interview when asked, what a Pilates lifestyle meant to him.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing aware of living in a body and enjoying the physicality of the life experience.\u00a0 It means being aware of the\u00a0responsibility\u00a0you have toward your body.\u00a0 Don\u2019t say \u201cI have back trouble\u201d or \u201d I have knee trouble\u201d and then just take medications or leave the responsibility to a doctor.\u00a0 Take care of your body and do what you can to prevent these issues.\u00a0 If you move you just feel better, which helps you deal with your mental and emotional balance.\u00a0 So just get out there and please enjoy life.\u00a0 The problem is too many people take their bodies for granted and then can do nothing but complain when something goes wrong.\u00a0 Be aware of what you\u2019re eating and how you\u2019re breathing, be aware of the steps you take, and choose quality over quantity.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

He goes on,<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, in America, it\u2019s quantity over quality.\u00a0 Of course, on the other hand, don\u2019t be a gym nut.\u00a0 That\u2019s not healthy either.\u00a0 After all, Joe Pilates liked his cigars and whiskey too.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

This workshop kept me smiling and laughing quite a bit in the back of the room….and once or twice from the cadillac with a wink or two to Brett on that side wall.\u00a0 I was aware of how deeply my body has absorbed this work over the years and how much I loved feeling that accomplishment.<\/p>\n

Thank you Brett.\u00a0 Thank you Bob.\u00a0 Thank you Joseph Pilates.<\/p>\n\n\n

***This post was originally published March 26 2018 on my original\u00a0 Pilates4Fitness Blog website.***<\/sub><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Turns out Bob has been in my life for a really long time.\u00a0 He, along with Susan Moran were my initial introduction to NY Classical Pilates.\u00a0 I was proud to spend a few hours with both Bob Liekens\u00a0 and Brett Howard in review of\u00a0 “Challenges on the Cadillac.”\u00a0 Bob is a true, master teacher of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":82377,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,12,28,20],"tags":[38,34,26],"class_list":["post-82374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-authentic-living","category-movement-therapy","category-the-scoop","category-truthspeak","tag-pilateslifestyle","tag-pilates-instructor","tag-pilates-movement"],"featured_image_url":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-8.58.10-AM.webp?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1","medium":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-8.58.10-AM.webp?fit=300%2C162&ssl=1","medium_large":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-8.58.10-AM.webp?fit=595%2C321&ssl=1","large":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-8.58.10-AM.webp?fit=595%2C321&ssl=1","1536x1536":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-8.58.10-AM.webp?fit=595%2C321&ssl=1","2048x2048":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-8.58.10-AM.webp?fit=595%2C321&ssl=1"},"post_author":"Gina Jackson","assigned_categories":"Authenticity, Movement Therapy, The Scoop, TruthSpeak","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-8.58.10-AM.webp?fit=595%2C321&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82374"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82388,"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82374\/revisions\/82388"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilates4fitness.com\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}