My Introduction to Pilates

Hi!  My name is Max.   One week ago, my new Mom and Dad picked me up and drove a long ways in the car to North Liberty.   I wasn’t sure about these people, but after hours and hours in the car, we got to North Liberty and I met my new brothers and my sister.  They only have 2 legs, but they seemed to like me a lot.   I think I have a pretty cool family.  My human Mom is a certified Pilates Instructor.   I’m not sure what that is but it must be a big deal because she goes to work every day and stays a long time.   My human brothers and sister go to school every day, but my Dad has been home with me most every day since I got here.

On Friday, my Mom told me that she would teach me what she does, and that I could be a Pilates Puppy.  I’m not sure I want to be a Pilates Puppy but I love my Mom and she gives good snuggles so I decided to go.  When I found out what time we had to leave to go to Mom’s studio (Rivercity Pilates) I wasn’t sure I wanted to go anymore.    Mom goes to work just after light comes thru the windows.   Usually she throws me back in bed with someone in my family when she goes to work, but today, I got in the car with her.    I’m not sure if I like the car either.   It makes my stomach do flip flops.

We didn’t have to go very far, and then we got to the studio.   What a place!!  First I saw the retail space.    There was a couch and a beanbag chair, I could learn to like them.

Mom had to turn on all the lights so we went in another room.  My feet slid all over the place in that room.   Mom told me to be careful, but my feet kept sliding out from under me.    I’m not sure I like wood floors.   Mom put my bed in that room.   There were a bunch of black things on the floor — Mom called them mats.   I jumped on one to see what would happen.   It was really soft.   I liked it.   I posed really pretty and Mom took my picture.    Maybe this won’t be so bad.

Then the door started opening and people started coming in.    They stared at me, and some of them petted me a little.    When they got on the things my Mom called reformers, I decided to take a little nap.  What they were doing didn’t look that fun to me.  On and on my day went.   It seemed like I would just get into a good sleep, and then people were moving around the studio and some would leave, and more would come in.  People who do Pilates seem to come in all shapes and sizes.  Some of them scared me when they wanted to hold me. Don’t they understand that I’m like 9 inches tall and they are like giants?   Sometimes I’m scared.    No two sessions were the same though, so I really haven’t figured out any of the Pilates exercises yet.   There were never more than 4-5 people there at a time, but they were doing some things that I have never seen humans do!  Mom had a few minutes of breaks to snuggle and take me outside, but since she was busy, I tried to catch up on sleep so I could go out in the back yard when we went home.

I try to have my naps taken by the time my human brothers and sister get home from school.   I started waking up, but Mom said we had one more student.  Really Mom???  I’ve been good all day! Pretty soon the person came.   She talked with me before she got on the Pilates machine, and I thought she seemed ok.    I had to stretch my legs, so I ran around the studio a bit.   I fell down a few times, and those black mats tripped me a couple of times too.   Mom put me on the mat with her student.    Wow, this lady lets me try to chew her hair!    She was laying on the mat, so I had to get a better look.   I walked around her, and on top of her and she sneaked some petting in.     I might learn to like Pilates.

I walked back to the end of the mat, and when I did I saw another dog in the mirror.   I have to find out about this dog.   I jumped down — and when I did, the dog went away! I stood on the black mat, and if I jumped a little I could see the dog.   I woofed and woofed, but it looked right back at me. I grrrrrrrd.  The dog wasn’t scared.  Mom came and got me and put me in my bed.   Doesn’t she know I slept all day?   I jumped around some more, and the lady on that mat figured out I wanted to go home! She told my Mom that she’d have to leave so Mom could take me home.   In my next blog, I’ll show you my favorite Pilates exercises!