Here’s a little history on Darcy. We met in law school. She was in my husband’s class, and I remember immediately noticing that she had this quality about her that is so special (and I don’t think she even realizes this about herself). She’s intelligent and kind and has a very funny, dry, quirky sense of humor. But more than that, she is 100% herself, and that is refreshing in a place like law school where everyone else is trying to be just like – only slightly better than – the person sitting on either side of them.

Flash forward a few years (okay, a decade) and we are both in Ankeny raising young kids. We’ve reconnected through running and Pilates. I’ll let her take over the story from here.

Cassie: Hi, Darcy.

Darcy: Hi, Cassie.

Cassie: Alright, so before the pandemic began, you were taking private sessions here at the studio, and then once the pandemic started you switched over to virtual sessions. How have those been going for you?

Darcy: They’ve been going great. You know, as the pandemic started and we were all figuring out how we were gonna do things, you know I certainly thought I would miss the studio because I love the equipment that you have there, and had really been enjoying my sessions there. But the virtual sessions have been so convenient, and with the props that you dropped off early in the pandemic, there’s been a lot of variety with the different moves and exercises that we’re able to do virtually. And it’s just been really nice to be able to, most nights when I have my session, I put kids to bed, and then all I have to do is step downstairs, and you know, sweep some toys off the living room floor, and then I’m ready to go. So, it’s been a very good option.

Cassie: Wonderful. And what benefits do you get from your regular Pilates practice?

Darcy: Well, the main one for me, and the reason that I started doing Pilates regularly has been improvement in my back. I used to have, pretty regularly, some issues with my lower back. So, I have a pretty sedentary job, and then also have two kids and had them pretty close together. So, you know with all the sitting and with the two pregnancies, would just have a lot of tightness and soreness in my lower back. Since my second child was born and I started doing Pilates weekly, I just, I have not had a single incident where, you know, my back has gone out and I have been out of commission for several days, which is good because that’s very frustrating when you want to be able to be keeping up around the house and be playing with your kids the way you want to be. So that’s been the biggest benefit. I think the other one for me, especially since the pandemic started has been just sort of the mental health boost of having, you know, at least one regular thing, one regular physical activity that I do every week. I get to see somebody else, from outside my house. And just do something that feels like it’s very kind to myself, you know, once a week.

Cassie: Wonderful. Do you have any advice for anyone who is considering Pilates, especially virtual Pilates?

Darcy: Yeah, I would say definitely give it a try. You know it’s, as I said, it’s so convenient. So it’s, you know there’s not a lot of investment in terms of getting somewhere, feeling awkward in a big group setting or something like that and you know I guess I would also say just give it maybe several sessions, give it time. The first time I did a session I thought well that felt great, but it does take a while before you start to really feel the benefits kind of spillover just into your everyday life. So, yeah, I’d say give it a try and keep at it for a while. I think if you do you will feel glad that you are taking that time to do something that is, it’s good for you, but it’s different from any other exercise that I’ve done before, in that it just like feels good. You know, it doesn’t feel like, oh, man, I gotta grit my teeth and get through this. It’s enjoyable while you’re doing it, and it makes you feel better for the rest of the week too.

Cassie: Awesome. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Darcy: I don’t think so. I guess, just, if you’re watching this I’ll hope to see you in a group class sometime.

Cassie: That sounds perfect! Thank you so much.

Darcy: Yeah.

Here’s a little history on Darcy. We met in law school. She was in my husband’s class, and I remember immediately noticing that she had this quality about her that is so special (and I don’t think she even realizes this about herself). She’s intelligent and kind and has a very funny, dry, quirky sense of humor. But more than that, she is 100% herself, and that is refreshing in a place like law school where everyone else is trying to be just like – only slightly better than – the person sitting on either side of them.

Flash forward a few years (okay, a decade) and we are both in Ankeny raising young kids. We’ve reconnected through running and Pilates. I’ll let her take over the story from here.

Cassie: Hi, Darcy.

Darcy: Hi, Cassie.

Cassie: Alright, so before the pandemic began, you were taking private sessions here at the studio, and then once the pandemic started you switched over to virtual sessions. How have those been going for you?

Darcy: They’ve been going great. You know, as the pandemic started and we were all figuring out how we were gonna do things, you know I certainly thought I would miss the studio because I love the equipment that you have there, and had really been enjoying my sessions there. But the virtual sessions have been so convenient, and with the props that you dropped off early in the pandemic, there’s been a lot of variety with the different moves and exercises that we’re able to do virtually. And it’s just been really nice to be able to, most nights when I have my session, I put kids to bed, and then all I have to do is step downstairs, and you know, sweep some toys off the living room floor, and then I’m ready to go. So, it’s been a very good option.

Cassie: Wonderful. And what benefits do you get from your regular Pilates practice?

Darcy: Well, the main one for me, and the reason that I started doing Pilates regularly has been improvement in my back. I used to have, pretty regularly, some issues with my lower back. So, I have a pretty sedentary job, and then also have two kids and had them pretty close together. So, you know with all the sitting and with the two pregnancies, would just have a lot of tightness and soreness in my lower back. Since my second child was born and I started doing Pilates weekly, I just, I have not had a single incident where, you know, my back has gone out and I have been out of commission for several days, which is good because that’s very frustrating when you want to be able to be keeping up around the house and be playing with your kids the way you want to be. So that’s been the biggest benefit. I think the other one for me, especially since the pandemic started has been just sort of the mental health boost of having, you know, at least one regular thing, one regular physical activity that I do every week. I get to see somebody else, from outside my house. And just do something that feels like it’s very kind to myself, you know, once a week.

Cassie: Wonderful. Do you have any advice for anyone who is considering Pilates, especially virtual Pilates?

Darcy: Yeah, I would say definitely give it a try. You know it’s, as I said, it’s so convenient. So it’s, you know there’s not a lot of investment in terms of getting somewhere, feeling awkward in a big group setting or something like that and you know I guess I would also say just give it maybe several sessions, give it time. The first time I did a session I thought well that felt great, but it does take a while before you start to really feel the benefits kind of spillover just into your everyday life. So, yeah, I’d say give it a try and keep at it for a while. I think if you do you will feel glad that you are taking that time to do something that is, it’s good for you, but it’s different from any other exercise that I’ve done before, in that it just like feels good. You know, it doesn’t feel like, oh, man, I gotta grit my teeth and get through this. It’s enjoyable while you’re doing it, and it makes you feel better for the rest of the week too.

Cassie: Awesome. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Darcy: I don’t think so. I guess, just, if you’re watching this I’ll hope to see you in a group class sometime.

Cassie: That sounds perfect! Thank you so much.

Darcy: Yeah.

Here’s a little history on Darcy. We met in law school. She was in my husband’s class, and I remember immediately noticing that she had this quality about her that is so special (and I don’t think she even realizes this about herself). She’s intelligent and kind and has a very funny, dry, quirky sense of humor. But more than that, she is 100% herself, and that is refreshing in a place like law school where everyone else is trying to be just like – only slightly better than – the person sitting on either side of them.

Flash forward a few years (okay, a decade) and we are both in Ankeny raising young kids. We’ve reconnected through running and Pilates. I’ll let her take over the story from here.

Cassie: Hi, Darcy.

Darcy: Hi, Cassie.

Cassie: Alright, so before the pandemic began, you were taking private sessions here at the studio, and then once the pandemic started you switched over to virtual sessions. How have those been going for you?

Darcy: They’ve been going great. You know, as the pandemic started and we were all figuring out how we were gonna do things, you know I certainly thought I would miss the studio because I love the equipment that you have there, and had really been enjoying my sessions there. But the virtual sessions have been so convenient, and with the props that you dropped off early in the pandemic, there’s been a lot of variety with the different moves and exercises that we’re able to do virtually. And it’s just been really nice to be able to, most nights when I have my session, I put kids to bed, and then all I have to do is step downstairs, and you know, sweep some toys off the living room floor, and then I’m ready to go. So, it’s been a very good option.

Cassie: Wonderful. And what benefits do you get from your regular Pilates practice?

Darcy: Well, the main one for me, and the reason that I started doing Pilates regularly has been improvement in my back. I used to have, pretty regularly, some issues with my lower back. So, I have a pretty sedentary job, and then also have two kids and had them pretty close together. So, you know with all the sitting and with the two pregnancies, would just have a lot of tightness and soreness in my lower back. Since my second child was born and I started doing Pilates weekly, I just, I have not had a single incident where, you know, my back has gone out and I have been out of commission for several days, which is good because that’s very frustrating when you want to be able to be keeping up around the house and be playing with your kids the way you want to be. So that’s been the biggest benefit. I think the other one for me, especially since the pandemic started has been just sort of the mental health boost of having, you know, at least one regular thing, one regular physical activity that I do every week. I get to see somebody else, from outside my house. And just do something that feels like it’s very kind to myself, you know, once a week.

Cassie: Wonderful. Do you have any advice for anyone who is considering Pilates, especially virtual Pilates?

Darcy: Yeah, I would say definitely give it a try. You know it’s, as I said, it’s so convenient. So it’s, you know there’s not a lot of investment in terms of getting somewhere, feeling awkward in a big group setting or something like that and you know I guess I would also say just give it maybe several sessions, give it time. The first time I did a session I thought well that felt great, but it does take a while before you start to really feel the benefits kind of spillover just into your everyday life. So, yeah, I’d say give it a try and keep at it for a while. I think if you do you will feel glad that you are taking that time to do something that is, it’s good for you, but it’s different from any other exercise that I’ve done before, in that it just like feels good. You know, it doesn’t feel like, oh, man, I gotta grit my teeth and get through this. It’s enjoyable while you’re doing it, and it makes you feel better for the rest of the week too.

Cassie: Awesome. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Darcy: I don’t think so. I guess, just, if you’re watching this I’ll hope to see you in a group class sometime.

Cassie: That sounds perfect! Thank you so much.

Darcy: Yeah.