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Make no mistake, while Pilates may seem like an easy workout due to its popularity, it is anything but. It has a lot in common with yoga – they’re both low-impact workout options, and both feature precise poses and utilize breath control – but it’s a challenging workout that has countless benefits. From strengthening your core to improving flexibility, Pilates is all about improving your everyday movements. 

What is Pilates? 

Pilates is a type of mind-body exercise that was created by Joseph Pilates in the early-20th century as a method of injury recovery for dancers. Pilates uses a combination of moves including planks, leg circles, and bridges, among many others, to exert muscles. Pilates is a form of strength training that focuses on improving muscle tone and creating greater stability and endurance. 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, some of the guiding principles of Pilates include, “concentration on each movement, use of the abdomen and low back muscles, flowing, precise movement patterns, and controlled breathing.” 

Depending on the studio or class, Pilates can be performed either on a mat on the floor or on equipment known as reformers, which is a machine that looks like a bed frame but has a platform on wheels that rolls as you move. 

Is taking up Pilates a goal of yours for 2024? If so, Body Be Well Pilates might be the place for you. 

The start of Body Be Well

Chelsea Streifeneder, the owner of Body Be Well Pilates, and first started the business in 2009 when she moved back to the Hudson Valley from Los Angeles, CA. “I started with one piece of equipment and expanded from there,” Chelsea laughed. 

Since then, Body Be Well Pilates has expanded to three locations, with more potentially in the pipeline. They’ve been in operation at the Red Hook location for 15 years, open in Catskill for 13 years, and very recently expanded to the James Newbury Hotel in Coxsackie. 

Services offered 

Body Be Well Pilates offers group equipment classes in Red Hook and Catskill only, as well as private and semi-private sessions in all three locations. Equipment classes run with a maximum of eight people to ensure that each participant receives the attention they deserve. They also frequently teach classes and sessions at events like bachelorette parties and others. 

“You don’t have to be scared of Pilates, it can be modified and varied for anyone,” Chelsea explained. “You should feel good and strong at whatever you’re doing. Whatever kind of workout you do should make your lifestyle better, whether that’s playing with your grandchildren or carrying more than one grocery bag at a time.”

Body Be Well also has a boutique featuring merchandise and clothing that’s sold out of the studios as well. 

Additionally, Body Be Well Pilates also has their very own teacher training program that is accredited by the National Pilates Certification Program. The Body Be Well Pilates Teaching Training is a comprehensive program that is taught by Chelsea and one of her fellow Pilates teachers, Suzanne Hazelton and is designed to provide the next generation of Pilates teachers with the best that the industry has to offer. 

All Body Be Well Pilates instructors are trained in the techniques of Joseph Pilates, in addition to modern modalities. All instructors have completed their Body Be Well Pilates Teaching Training, and are CPR and First-Aid certified. 

Teamwork makes the dream work 

Naturally, she holds her team in the highest regard. “Each of our instructors brings dedication, wisdom, creativity, and enthusiasm to their teaching,” Chelsea said. “My team is incredible. We’re really a family. Everybody helps each other out and is so supportive both inside the studio and out.” 

“I have the best team ever,” she continued. “The team that I have is the reason that I can do what I do.” 

Chelsea said that one of the most rewarding parts of being in the business is being able to help people change their lives in a positive way. 

Looking ahead

Going forward, Chelsea plans to expand Body Be Well Pilates further. 

“We’re just getting started,” Chelsea laughed. “We’re working on getting affiliate studios that will run our program out of their studios, planning on opening another location, and employing more people. I usually say ‘yes’ to any opportunity that gets thrown my way.” 

To learn more about Body Be Well Pilates and Chelsea Streifeneder, visit the Body Be Well website here.