since i grew up as a competitive athlete life changed dramatically after i stopped playing competitive sports & it was really tough for me to find a new routine that worked for me. i was so used to having my days mapped out around my practices & the lifestyle change of not having a set routine scared the heck out of me.

after college, i tried everything. i did bodybuilding style workouts for a while, then crossfit, then in to more cross training workouts at the gym. with being so busy at work, i realized sometimes i need to sign up for a class to ensure i'll go. i tried a bunch of studios & this year i discovered reformer pilates classes at MNT Studios and MNTSTUDIO has changed the game for me. let me tell you why.

being a competitive athlete doesn't go without some battle wounds. i have sprained my ankle more times than i can count playing volleyball, injured my back running track (well, triple jumping) and have sprained my meniscus playing soccer. with injuries, as many of you know, we tend to overcompensate- leaving a lot of muscle imbalances. i heard from a friend that reformer pilates was really tough, was great for your core & helps improve any imbalances. i always thought pilates looked really easy and felt like it wouldn't be a good enough sweat for me. boy, was i in for a surprise. i found something that i love.

my experience:

i showed up to MNT (the cutest studio in San Francisco) and was immediately in awe of the beautiful design. it's so bright, beautiful and the decor is ON POINT. the check-in process was seamless and i was shown to the room. the instructor for the Power Reformer class, Carlie,  helped set me up on the reformer and asked me if i had any injuries. throughout the course of the class started she kept an eye on me and would ask me how things felt (one of the amazing benefits of a small class). this class was 50 minutes long and really worked my entire body. we did all sorts of lunges, planks, upper body exercises and i was really challenged. on a reformer there are springs which act as resistance, there are also hand straps to hit your upper body, and a ton of other adjustable features to ensure you are working every little muscle. i swear the reformer classes i've taken here have worked muscles i didn't even know existed. i've officially become a believer and have added MNT classes as a staple in to my new workout routine.

have you tried reformer pilates? if you haven't i'd definitely try adding it in to your routine- it's the best cross training out there!