Divine Inspiration Fitness

Home
United States
Chicago, IL
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.

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.

02/09/2025

Exciting News! 🎉

My page, Psoas Centered Living, is evolving into Divine Inspiration Fitness! 💫

For years, I’ve loved focusing on the psoas, exploring how it influences movement, posture, and overall well-being. But movement is more than just one muscle—it’s about the whole body working in harmony. This evolution reflects my growing appreciation for balanced, whole-body movement and the power it has to transform lives.

🌟 Why “Divine Inspiration Fitness”?
✔️ Because we are all divine beings, and movement is a way to honor that.
✔️ Because breath is life—and the “inspiration” in my name reflects my deep focus on quality breathing.
✔️ Because fitness is about more than strength—it’s about moving with purpose, awareness, and vitality.

This is still the same space, with the same commitment to helping you move better, feel better, and breathe better—just with a new name and an expanded vision! No need to follow a new page—just a fresh name and an even deeper focus on whole-body wellness!

I’d love to hear from you—what aspects of movement and wellness are most important in your journey? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

🖼️ Valedol

08/20/2024

I used to think it was great diaphragmatic breathing when my belly rose & fell with each breath. I could definitely feel my diaphragm contracting downward creating intra-abdominal pressure & that assured me I wasn’t overusing neck muscles to inhale, a habit a lot of people have. Good enough, right?
It turns out I was short-changing my intercostals (the muscles between the ribs). Over time my lateral rib movement decreased resulting in a stiff upper back. Either my breath pooched my belly or stayed up high in my chest & neck, not a whole lot happened in the actual place it should: the sides & back of the body.
So I’m learning to breathe 360. It’s a tricky thing, reprogramming the breath pattern, especially when you think you’ve had it down. IMO you can’t be exercising while exploring this. It’s best to be lying in constructive rest pose, which facilitates a calm state & provides feedback from the ground. Then it actually takes practice.
Things that are helpful:
🔹a band tied around the ribs to feel expansion there.
🔹placing your hand on the neck to monitor incorrect breath.
🔹a sandbag on abdomen to discourage all belly breathing.
While you should never ever hold your abs in on the inhale that should not be the main place you feel breath in your body.

Address

Chicago, IL
60654

Telephone

+17739728118

Website

http://annettepilates.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Divine Inspiration Fitness posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Divine Inspiration Fitness:

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Chicago?