What is Pilates?
Pilates is an exercise system developed by Joseph Pilates in the early part of the 20th century to strengthen muscles, increase flexibility and improve overall health. Exercises are performed on a mat and on specially designed equipment. The Pilates system includes exercises for every part of the body and applications for every kind of activity.
Pilates focuses on engaging the mind with the body to create exercises that involve the whole body. Every exercise is performed with attention to the breath, proper form and efficient movement patterns. Pilates strengthens the core, improves balance, increases coordination and decreases stress. The exercises are safe, low impact and appropriate for anyone. Pilates focuses on learning to move better so the benefits are felt in sports and every day life.
Pilates focuses on engaging the mind with the body to create exercises that involve the whole body. Every exercise is performed with attention to the breath, proper form and efficient movement patterns. Pilates strengthens the core, improves balance, increases coordination and decreases stress. The exercises are safe, low impact and appropriate for anyone. Pilates focuses on learning to move better so the benefits are felt in sports and every day life.
Benefits
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Owner/Instructor
Kellie Loomis grew up in South Florida and has always enjoyed an active lifestyle playing sports in school, running, swimming, and biking. After becoming a stay-at-home mom, she decided to explore Pilates on her own through online videos. She was instantly hooked on the method, but found she was looking for more. She began to take regular sessions at local studios and as the weeks passed she developed a better understanding of the method, felt better overall, and began to see remarkable changes in her own body—improved posture, flexibility, and balance; stronger core; leaner muscles; and decreased stress. As a former Certified National Athletic Trainer (care and prevention of athletic injuries), she saw how Pilates allowed clients to work therapeutically as well as for fitness and decided to become a Pilates instructor to share the benefits of Pilates with others. She is comprehensively trained on mat, Reformer, Cadillac, chair and barrels through Balanced Body. Kellie enjoys helping her clients improve strength and flexibility, increase mobility and reduce pain, and increase their overall quality and enjoyment of life through Pilates. She has experience helping clients with osteoporosis/osteopenia, total knee replacements, hip replacements, pre/post natal, diastasis recti, herniated or bulging discs, arthritis, scoliosis, sponydylolysis, spondylolisthesis, stenosis, and other spinal and orthopedic conditions.
Kellie was a scholarship tennis player at Indian River Community College and the University of Montana. Kellie obtained her B.S. in Health and Human Performance, with an emphasis in Athletic Training and continued working with student-athletes as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at Clemson while she earned her M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling Services. She went on to become the Head Athletic Trainer at Queens University in Charlotte, NC. She currently lives in Cary, NC with her husband Brett, their two active boys William and Jack, and their two rescue dogs Barley and Lexie.
Kellie was a scholarship tennis player at Indian River Community College and the University of Montana. Kellie obtained her B.S. in Health and Human Performance, with an emphasis in Athletic Training and continued working with student-athletes as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at Clemson while she earned her M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling Services. She went on to become the Head Athletic Trainer at Queens University in Charlotte, NC. She currently lives in Cary, NC with her husband Brett, their two active boys William and Jack, and their two rescue dogs Barley and Lexie.
INSTRUCTOR
“I sing the body electric!” Kim Smith could not agree more. Walt Whitman “praised the thrilling aspects of the human body,” precisely how Kim has felt for most of her life. She studied Communications, Theatre and Psychology in college, earning her tuition as a personal trainer and a surgical tech for orthopedic surgeons. Her passions have always been the stage, travel and great food. Years later, Kim returned to school to earn her Culinary Arts degree, which lead to more travel as a chef and caterer. She spent several years traveling through the US and Latin America, cooking in cities like Steamboat Springs, CO and Chicago, IL and living for years in Mexico, Venezuela and Honduras. During her time as a surgical technician, a debilitating, painful spinal injury kept her in and out of bed for nearly ten years, often interfering with work, travel and life despite her attempts to heal through conventional methods and exercise. Her travels finally landed her on Martha’s Vineyard, where fate would lead her to Pilates. Kim worked with a master trainer to learn Pilates as rehabilitation, and in less than a year she was amazed to realize that she was completely pain free! Her experience was so profound that she knew she had to pay it forward and dedicated the next several years to becoming an instructor and therapist. Studying with Stefan Knight on Martha’s Vineyard and The Pilates Center of Boulder, she received her Pilates certification in 2003, followed by her internationally recognized PMA certification in 2008. Kim continued her studies in a variety of bodywork techniques including Yoga, Feldenkrais, Swedish Massage, Reflexology, exercise anatomy, and nutrition.
Guided by the individual needs of her clients, Kim uses safe and effective training and proven goal coaching techniques to assist her clients in achieving their goals. She loves people, is forever fascinated by observing human movement, and has been touched by the profound results Pilates brings to peoples' lives. She has spent the last 20 years helping people with Osteoporosis/Osteopenia, knee/hip/shoulder replacements, spinal injuries/ fusions, bulging/ruptured discs, Osteoarthritis/Rheumatoid arthritis, Scoliosis, Spondylosis/Spondylolisthesis, Stenosis, Parkinson’s Disease, various heart conditions, Diabetes, amputees, children with Autism, adults with Aspergers and other various physical and neurological conditions.
Kim now resides in the beautiful town of Cary, NC with her husband and her two rowdy boys ages 14 and 9, who keep her busy with their athletic and musical talents. She loves to bake, cook and create gluten free recipes for her family, spend time outdoors, and volunteer.
“I sing the body electric!” Kim Smith could not agree more. Walt Whitman “praised the thrilling aspects of the human body,” precisely how Kim has felt for most of her life. She studied Communications, Theatre and Psychology in college, earning her tuition as a personal trainer and a surgical tech for orthopedic surgeons. Her passions have always been the stage, travel and great food. Years later, Kim returned to school to earn her Culinary Arts degree, which lead to more travel as a chef and caterer. She spent several years traveling through the US and Latin America, cooking in cities like Steamboat Springs, CO and Chicago, IL and living for years in Mexico, Venezuela and Honduras. During her time as a surgical technician, a debilitating, painful spinal injury kept her in and out of bed for nearly ten years, often interfering with work, travel and life despite her attempts to heal through conventional methods and exercise. Her travels finally landed her on Martha’s Vineyard, where fate would lead her to Pilates. Kim worked with a master trainer to learn Pilates as rehabilitation, and in less than a year she was amazed to realize that she was completely pain free! Her experience was so profound that she knew she had to pay it forward and dedicated the next several years to becoming an instructor and therapist. Studying with Stefan Knight on Martha’s Vineyard and The Pilates Center of Boulder, she received her Pilates certification in 2003, followed by her internationally recognized PMA certification in 2008. Kim continued her studies in a variety of bodywork techniques including Yoga, Feldenkrais, Swedish Massage, Reflexology, exercise anatomy, and nutrition.
Guided by the individual needs of her clients, Kim uses safe and effective training and proven goal coaching techniques to assist her clients in achieving their goals. She loves people, is forever fascinated by observing human movement, and has been touched by the profound results Pilates brings to peoples' lives. She has spent the last 20 years helping people with Osteoporosis/Osteopenia, knee/hip/shoulder replacements, spinal injuries/ fusions, bulging/ruptured discs, Osteoarthritis/Rheumatoid arthritis, Scoliosis, Spondylosis/Spondylolisthesis, Stenosis, Parkinson’s Disease, various heart conditions, Diabetes, amputees, children with Autism, adults with Aspergers and other various physical and neurological conditions.
Kim now resides in the beautiful town of Cary, NC with her husband and her two rowdy boys ages 14 and 9, who keep her busy with their athletic and musical talents. She loves to bake, cook and create gluten free recipes for her family, spend time outdoors, and volunteer.
INSTRUCTOR
Caroline Walters received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Gettysburg College and has been teaching Pilates since 2009. She is a STOTT® Pilates Certificated instructor with experience in teaching private, semi-private and group Pilates classes. Many of her clients are former physical therapy patients who enjoyed Pilates as a component of their treatment and wanted to continue this form of exercise on a regular basis. Caroline continues to gain more knowledge through course work including Zenga®, Barre, athletic conditioning/training, reformer for men, flex bands, sliding mobility disks and has additional training in Pilates for Scoliosis. She has worked with many clients during and after their journey through women’s health concerns. Caroline enjoys fitness and her background in synchronized swimming correlates well to the movements used in Pilates. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, skiing, traveling and time with her family.
Caroline Walters received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Gettysburg College and has been teaching Pilates since 2009. She is a STOTT® Pilates Certificated instructor with experience in teaching private, semi-private and group Pilates classes. Many of her clients are former physical therapy patients who enjoyed Pilates as a component of their treatment and wanted to continue this form of exercise on a regular basis. Caroline continues to gain more knowledge through course work including Zenga®, Barre, athletic conditioning/training, reformer for men, flex bands, sliding mobility disks and has additional training in Pilates for Scoliosis. She has worked with many clients during and after their journey through women’s health concerns. Caroline enjoys fitness and her background in synchronized swimming correlates well to the movements used in Pilates. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, skiing, traveling and time with her family.
INSTRUCTOR
Chamali Wickramasekara is a Pilates instructor who passionately believes that Pilates can help every single person live their best life. She first sought out Pilates several years ago in an attempt to find relief from ongoing neck, shoulder, and back pain. A consistent Pilates practice has made her stronger, improved her posture, and most importantly, resulted in long term pain relief.
Inspired by how Pilates improved her life, she decided to become a Pilates instructor, and is comprehensively certified by Balanced Body. Since becoming a certified instructor, Chamali has completed continuing education in pilates for postpartum restoration, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, shoulder impingement syndrome, spondylolisthesis, osteoporosis, osteopenia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke recovery.
Chamali obtained her Bachelor of Arts from Duke University, where she majored in psychology and physics. In her free time, Chamali enjoys cooking and trying new fitness classes.
Chamali Wickramasekara is a Pilates instructor who passionately believes that Pilates can help every single person live their best life. She first sought out Pilates several years ago in an attempt to find relief from ongoing neck, shoulder, and back pain. A consistent Pilates practice has made her stronger, improved her posture, and most importantly, resulted in long term pain relief.
Inspired by how Pilates improved her life, she decided to become a Pilates instructor, and is comprehensively certified by Balanced Body. Since becoming a certified instructor, Chamali has completed continuing education in pilates for postpartum restoration, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, shoulder impingement syndrome, spondylolisthesis, osteoporosis, osteopenia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke recovery.
Chamali obtained her Bachelor of Arts from Duke University, where she majored in psychology and physics. In her free time, Chamali enjoys cooking and trying new fitness classes.
Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.
Joseph Pilates
Blue Sky Pilates proudly uses Pilates (or CoreAlign) equipment by Balanced Body.