From reFORM instructor Ash:

It goes without saying that since quarantine started our day-to-day lives have significantly changed. I was already accustomed to the idea of being home a lot with my toddler and working a second job from the comfort of my kitchen. But as a somatics teacher, being suddenly unable to work with bodies in the studio was a serious adjustment. Hands-on cueing is a large part of teaching and the way teachers are trained, and often makes a difference for clients who grasp information better with tactile instruction. Furthermore, the apparatus’ were unavailable (gasp!), and our community had to find new ways to connect.

When I first started my Pilates training I began with a Classical Mat certification at Power Pilates. I learned the mat order before any of the apparatus exercises. Teaching online has allowed me to return to and deepen my mat teaching practice. reFORM’s online Pilates and Gyrotonic classes offer our clients a break from the daily grind at home and have numerous benefits for the body and the mind. While the Pilates Reformer and the Chair, for example, are challenging in their own right, I find Mat classes the most challenging because the body has to move against gravity without the assistance of springs. Our clients have been rockstars on the mat before and after social distancing started, and I’m so proud of them.

reFORM’s Pilates and Gyrotonic online classes also allow me to continue to deepen my practice by taking classes with my colleagues on days and hours when I normally wouldn’t be able to. Additionally, we can connect with former clients who have moved out of state, and virtually meet new students who perhaps wouldn’t have found reFORM if it wasn’t for #QuarantineLife.

I also had to find alternative ways to get my cardio on because my gym is closed and I can’t use the Pilates Jumpboard, so I started running. I’m the worst runner ever. The last time I ran was to complete a 5k race I signed up for in 2015 to help me quit smoking. Give me a dance class, bike, or elliptical any day, but running, please no. Running is hard, I want to cry, I take a lot of walking breaks. That said, “runners high” is real and I definitely feel better post-run.

I love making lists. Here’s a list of a few other ways my day-to-day life has changed since we’ve been in #quar:

• Cooking more (I can’t wait to see you restaurants and coffee shops!). I use the NY TimesCooking app and Ina Garten’s Instagram for new, salivating recipes.
• Looking at my phone calendar less (Monday looks more like a Friday and Saturday is like Wednesday).
• I’ve had some more time to read. On my current reading list is Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby and The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. Let us know if you have an interest in starting a reFORM book club!