When I was a professional dancer (many years ago) I slipped a disc during a performance. It was one of the most terrifying points of my life. For almost a year after my initial injury, I saw my physical therapist 3x a week and once I was 75% pain free, I added in Pilates to my routine. I couldn't focus on anything other than the following questions: "Would I dance again?" "Would I run again?" "Would I live without pain EVER again?". The short answer: YES, I returned to dance

It's our THIRD ANNIVERSARY! As I reflect over the last three years I realize one thing - we have come a long way from our original 900 sq ft studio. - We are now operating in 2000+ sq ft, have 30+ classes on our schedule and dozens of private clients each week. Our class offerings have grown from Barre7, Mat Pilates, and Pilates Equipment classes to include functional training with the addition of TRX Circuit and Big Ball. We have also incorporated balance exercises into ever

Many of our clients know that Becky's husband was working overseas earlier this year for 3 months; I have many mixed emotions as I announce that they are officially moving overseas in October. While this is an amazing opportunity for her husband and will be a wonderful adventure for their family, I'd be lying if I said that her presence at the studio [and in my life] won't be missed. Becky and I have been friends and worked closely with each other for over 7 years; I don't th

Earlier this year we welcomed Kirsten Gradinger, a fellow KC native and fitness blogger (check her out on WTFartlek.com), to our studio. She spent a month trying all of our classes and was able to get a good read on our studio and what we are about. Many people believe that when you take a Pilates class you don't sweat - we know that is exactly the opposite! I believe it's safe to say that you will sweat in all of our classes and and work your body head to toe. But don't take

​If you have recently starting running after a winter hiatus or are just starting to run for the first time, Pilates is the perfect complement to your training program. Since running is repetitive motion, runners tend to have overdeveloped muscles, usually the quadriceps. In Pilates we focus on training the posterior chain - your backside consisting of the glutes, hips, hamstrings, and the muscles of your lower back. A strong backside will offset the stress on your joints, sp

On April 1, 2014, I opened Studio 7 Pilates + Barre with the goal of providing premiere Pilates and Barre instruction in a friendly environment. We opened with a team of 3 - myself, Genevieve, and Shelby- then added Kris and Hannah. Since then we have had Becky, Callie, and Katie join us and wished Hannah and Genevieve goodbye as they moved out of state. As instructors we have always been a very tight group - we laugh together, support one another, and truly love what we do.

If you're like me, overhauling your diet can seem daunting. It actually causes me stress thinking about what I can or can't eat; when I completed the Whole30 last year it provided me the necessary guidelines to be successful with this journey. Gluten and dairy have been linked to pain, inflammation, and skin disorders; sugar has been linked to countless disorders and ailments. The Whole30 is a program that consists of 30 days sugar, grain, dairy, alcohol, and legume free. It

I am so blessed to have Shelby Lewer in my life; from the time we met five years ago I was instantly connected to her. We both danced in Las Vegas, turned to Pilates, and moved back to KC after retiring our dancing shoes. At the studio Shelby is grace; she is poised, elegant, and a no frills kind of girl. I would not describe Shelby is loud, energetic, or happy happy joy joy but rather authentic, genuine, real, and an amazing instructor. Shelby has the ability to string seque

After initially meeting her I was struck by her energy, charisma, and determination. Callie is a little ball of energy and loves, I mean LOVES to learn new exercises and challenge our clients. She really has embraced the instructor side of life--she kicks my butt at the barre every time! I am so proud to have watched her become an amazing instructor, motivating and inspiring her clients. She always has a smile on her face and is just happy; she's also just about the most laid

As an instructor we find that we do a GREAT job of inspiring our clients to get into classes, listen to their bodies, do what feels good, and so on. As an instructor we find that far too often our own bodies get neglected, our own workouts get put on the backburner, and pretty soon we are left in the same place that we helped pull our clients out of...that is the case for me. I'm not perfect (gasp, I know) and I am guilty of putting "me" in the closet under a pile of clothes