“You will never have to do a sit up again.” Heard that one before, right? The CoreAlign machine might just be the answer to your prayers once and for all.
The Lift Pilates (383 W. Brown Deer Rd.) just celebrated the grand opening of its new studio last Saturday, and unveiled its new CoreAlign program. The studio has 12 CoreAlign machines, made up of two tracks and carts, which move independently and are anchored by springs and elastic tubes of varying resistance. Best of all, they can be set up to perform hundreds of different exercises while standing up to improve your strength and flexibility. The Lift is the first studio in Wisconsin to use this dream machine.
I can attest to the fact that it’s a workout you feel instantly. Patty McNichols, owner and teacher, led me in a few basic exercises and I felt like I was learning Greek. There were so many little tweaks and instructions to remember just so I could feel the maximum result. Posture is everything when performing the slow and controlled movements. It may seem like you aren’t doing much, but as she promised, I left standing taller and feeling a deeper strength in my body.
McNichols has as been a fitness professional since 1984 and has quite an impressive list of athletic accomplishments, including Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. She completed her Pilates training at the Pilates Center in Boulder, Col. because she was tired of gyms and exercise beating up on her body. “Pilates is the best and most complete system of exercise I have found. It works on every body to improve strength and flexibility,” she says.
At The Lift, her primary focus is to ensure clients achieve their goals and experience life-changing results. That’s a big promise, but after one class I could definitely see how it could complement my lifestyle, physically and aesthetically. McNichols remarks, “Pilates is the great equalizer. It allows you to practice your favorite sports for longer without injury and lead a healthier more active lifestyle.”
CoreAlign classes are taught in group or individual sessions for all levels and is broken up into three, five-week sessions. For two, 55-minute classes a week, you can achieve lasting and deep strength that never goes away, like the temporary effects of weight lifting and running. The Lift also offers private sessions, duet sessions, mat classes and classes on the Reformer machines.
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