Divine Inspiration Fitness

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Divine Inspiration Fitness

In person, Zoom or FaceTime privates available! Also for your convenience, check out annettepilates.com But it is not easy to find this place.

It is my belief that the inner essence of every individual includes health and happiness. We are capable of existing in a place where body, mind , and spirit find balance, ready for all of life’s challenges. It is beautiful to be in rhythm with the universe and at peace. Forces of oppositional energy keep us together but also tear us apart. Understanding anatomy, physiology, and movement patterns allows correction of imbalances and maintains the body as a temple: this is the path to betterment. Learning to turn inward and listen requires the will to better oneself and the mental fortitude to stick with a program. The remainder is divine inspiration.

03/22/2026

The High Frog on the reformer doesn’t get taught much because it’s one of those exercises made unnecessarily complicated.
Yes, you need a strong connection to core, glutes, breath and everything Pilates. But no, you probably shouldn’t skip the set-up, or you end up using neck, low back and upper traps, imo.
Get up there however you feel is best, then place hands on hips propping on elbows. Open the hips by moving thighs away from your face until you arrive in what feels like shoulder bridge. From there the glutes are ready for action and the legs can extend/bend.
If that goes well, then work through those steps without the arm prop.
This should be done in the middle of the Level 4-5 reformer workout, not as a variation added to short spine when working at Level 1-3. The body needs to be completely warmed up to benefit from this.
Want to learn more? I’m here to help!
Reach out.

02/13/2026

The new barrel at our studio is divine! No more getting down there to adjust k***s, it’s got a foot pedal for that.
It’s inspired me to do 2 versions of swan:
🔹classical swan, taught to me many years ago
🔹archival swan, learned it
Both are complex, rewarding exercises that sadly, don’t get taught as much as they should.
Once you understand that shoulder bridge is in this, you’ll find the support your low back needs to make this doable.
It’s so much fun! Come try it with me! 🤩
Thanks Charlie 💗

01/30/2026

Change. It’s the only thing that’s constant. Fueled by conflict, change is the result of opposing forces going at it, again and again. Stagnation never brings change.
Tired of your nagging hip or shoulder pain? Change it. Got a habit that’s robbing you of energy? Do something about it. These internal conflicts exist to make us better people, stronger for having had the experience.
I choose to be grateful for the process.
And I can help with your hip & shoulder pain 😉. Message me.

11/18/2025

Instead of yet another ear bug 🐜 tune let us listen to the sound of the Reformer’s springs.
Especially as they close in this exercise, called Up Stretch from the Long Stretches series.
Closing the carriage as you come forward from plank requires trust in the strength that your wrists, shoulders and abs have, along with well planned spinal articulation from head to tail.
There’s a lot of fear you have to get over here - the feeling of toppling over the bar is real, so this is hardly ever taught in a group setting without modification.
It’s a personal journey worth taking; who doesn’t want to learn to trust their own strength?
I can help! Message me for info on lessons.

10/09/2025

What do I do with the toys my cat absolutely refuses to play with?
Make my clients use them as toe spacers, of course!
Also handy for challenging balance and toe functionality by having client pick up each individual toy with toes (while standing) and place it in a box. Then from box back to floor. Good times!!! 🤡

09/19/2025

The does just that.
It corrects the spine, reminding it that it that bending back should never be forgotten about but consistently worked on like an art project.
Without the ability to the spine eventually compresses under gravity’s load and we find ourselves immobile.
With proper training we all can enjoy the benefits of spinal extension throughout our lives. In a way it’s like opening a fountain of youth.
How’s your back feeling today? Think Pilates might do it some good?

08/06/2025

On a recent trip to Vancouver I was lucky to find
Just when I needed a Melt roller so bad from all the walking we did, I was treated to an invigorating lesson with Tracy Dekker.
The studio is inviting and beautiful & it was great to see 6 people in class on a Wednesday at 5pm.
I also checked out .ca , a lovely little place that left me inspired to come back.
Way to go Vancouver! Love the

06/17/2025

Hip Hip Hooray! Time to work your hips today.
I’m a person who needs extra strength in my outer hips. Glute medius especially. I also know that’s a muscle just not showing up for a lot of folks. It’s essential for balance. Standing on 1 leg, walking & running all need a strong glute medius or other muscles take over causing compensation patterns.
In this series based on the Pilates mat stomach series I use a band that I’m working hard to keep hip distance apart. My hands are behind the head & my head is lifted. Head down works too with legs higher.
🦶🏻1 . Alternate bringing a knee in while reaching other leg out. Exhale extra as you bring knee in as close as possible without lifting hip.
🦶🏻2. Feet and hips need to communicate. With band hip distance apart flex feet, extend legs (with a great ab connection), hold and point, then return to bent legs.
🦶🏻3. Point feet, extend legs, hold & flex, return.
🦶🏻4. Cross-Cross. Move slow enough to feel the spacing, the foot engagement and the cross body action.
10 sets each. Rest in between. And remember
What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. 💪

05/03/2025

There’s one day every year set aside for this Pilates teacher to be grateful that Pilates is a thing!
Thank you Joseph Pilates for being guided by your intuition, paving the way to health and resilience for all humanity.
Happy Pilates Day!

04/09/2025

Living with more of my Higher Self in charge is my goal.
Can you relate?

04/01/2025

The Reformer. Eve’s Lunge. Version 2.0
Back when this was I would stretch the heck out of my back hip in this.
Now I know better. No need to overdo it there. The real juice here is the work in the front leg. It’s so great that the reformer supports the back leg. That way endurance can be built by adding weight.
When all is going well holding a pair of weights while lunging and adding single arm bicep curls (cuz I’m a lady & don’t want to stress out my upper traps) for 5 sets is the ticket 🎫 (1st video)
Plenty of folks live with pelvic internal rotation. This might show up as knock knees or just knee rolling in during stair climbing. (Me 🙋🏽‍♀️) External rotators need strength in this case & holding 1 weight in outer arm helps that.
(2nd video)
Then there’s the folks whose pelvis is rotated externally. Legs are always in a turnout. Knees & feet point to the sides. This goes along with constant low back tightness due to too much work in the external rotators of the hip. Holding a weight with the inner arm and adding a small turn of the ribcage helps change the turned out pelvis.
(3rd video)
Change. It’s the only constant.

Address

Chicago, IL
60654

Telephone

+17739728118

Website

http://annettepilates.com/

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