Sponser Spotlight: Pilates Northwest

Recently I got a chance to speak with a new sponsor partner, Louise Beckley, who is the founder of Pilates Northwest, LLP located at 20030 Ballinger Way NE #A-06, Shoreline, WA 98155.

What did you do before starting your business?

I worked as a Certified Advanced RolferⓇ. This is a type of hands-on workshop designed to help the body return to structural balance in movement and gravity. Most of my clients came to me with back and neck pain and/or poor posture and RolfingⓇ was beneficial for them.

What motivated you to start your business?

In my RolfingⓇ practice, my clients felt better but many lacked strength, especially through their core muscles, so their back and neck pain would commonly return. At the time, I was also working as a fitness professional, so I researched the most beneficial types of exercise for aligning posture while providing core and overall body strength and Pilates was the clear winner as being the absolute best to accomplish these goals.

When did you open your doors?

In the year 2000 - over 20 years ago! We just relocated to our beautiful new studio in Lake Forest Park/Ballinger in February 2021.

Is there anything you would've done differently knowing what you know now?

Yes. I would have relocated sooner. We love our new location!

How has Covid affected your business?

We have had two mandated extended shutdowns and many adjustments made to our capacity, our schedule, and how we do things. We are thankful to be here after some difficult times and look forward to offering Pilates to the Lake Forest Park community.

What type of Covid precautions are you undertaking?

We have safety in mind always. We have a mandatory mask requirement, we sanitize before and after sessions, and we follow all Covid-19 protocols required by the state and have socially distanced our equipment more than the required 6 feet. We installed a state-of-the-art ozone-free ionizer in our HVAC system and we follow all CDC guidelines. We are vigilant and conservative with our Covid-19 protocol. We want to provide an extremely clean, safe environment so folks feel comfortable here.

What is the main misconception about what you do?

Great question -- The main misconception is that Pilates is for younger, fit women. Actually, in our studio, most of us are over age 40 (including our clients) and most clients start here as beginners and often describe themselves as being out of shape and overweight. We have men here too -- and even have specialized longer equipment for those over 6'4". We welcome everyone.

What's been your biggest influence or motivator (book, person, etc)?

I would say Ida Rolf (1896–1979), founder of RolfingⓇ. She was a biochemist and the inventor of Structural Integration, a form of soft tissue manipulation that aligns the body with the forces of gravity while improving posture. Without RolfingⓇ, I would never have found Pilates nor would I realize how Pilates helps optimize body function by getting the connective tissues and muscles working together.

What would you like people to know about what you do?

I would like people to know that we take great care in helping people move better and feel better. We have many clients who start Pilates because they are in pain, not moving well, out of shape, and need a personal approach from a skilled practitioner. Taking a therapeutic approach, we focus on function, proper form, and alignment, not a "routine". Our instructors are all certified, highly skilled advanced practitioners. We teach private Pilates sessions and small group Pilates classes using Pilates equipment. Our goal is to provide exceptional Pilates sessions in an inviting environment.

Do you utilize your own services? If so, which one's and why?
Absolutely. I take sessions from one of our amazing instructors twice a week for private sessions. I've been certified in Pilates myself for 21 years and could do Pilates on my own, but having someone with a skilled eye and great movement ideas is what I need. My strength, posture, movement, and alignment are much better if I don't slack off on my Pilates so I schedule it into my week.

Thank you for chatting with me. We look forward to more articles from Pilates Northwest!