Inspiration of the Month Amber O’Rourke

When did you start coming to Rivercity Pilates and what inspired you to start?

I started coming to Rivercity about a year ago, shortly after the birth of my third child. Though I lost the baby weight rather quickly, I definitely didn’t feel in shape and had heard many great things about Pilates. Specifically, I knew Carey from when my son attended preschool with her daughter so it felt less intimidating to start Pilates having known her outside of the studio.

How often do you take classes and what type of classes have you been doing?

It’s not easy getting to class on a regular schedule with three young children and a physician husband who works long hours, but I grab any chance I can to get to the studio! You’ll often find me at a Sunday evening Yoga or Barre class, but I also try to get to Tower and Mat classes once a week.

What benefits or improvements have you noticed in your body and life from doing Yoga and Pilates?

The biggest benefit for me has been the mental release of being a stay at home mom. For that hour I am in class my only job is to focus on myself. It’s often a challenge to leave “it” at the door, but Pilates and Yoga both require a physical and mental presence that force me to be in the moment. I’ve noticed a desire to take better care of myself all around since starting Pilates and getting back in to Yoga. I’m eating better and am slowly getting back in to running.

Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?

I really enjoy the Tower. Though it’s an intimidating piece of equipment to those new to Pilates, I quickly discovered that after each Tower class I felt as refreshed and rejuvenated as I do after a massage! I also like the challenge of doing “Seal” correctly. It appears easy but it’s actually quite difficult to rely more on the strength of your core rather than the momentum of the movement. Not to mention, it’s hard to take myself too seriously when moving like a seal!

What would you say to someone who is thinking about coming to Rivercity Pilates?

I would encourage anyone to try out a few private sessions at Rivercity. I was very intimidated to start Pilates but the individual attention at my initial private sessions gave me all the confidence I needed to start taking classes. The atmosphere at Rivercity is unique, I think, in that the instructors and members are very welcoming and helpful toward “newbies” and they do a great job of challenging you as an individual while also recognizing that each body has its own limits and capabilities that may even change from class to class.