What Clients Say
Pilates relieved all those pains
Deborah: Kinesis Pilates is by far the best pilates studio, and the teachers are extraordinary! I came in last year with ski injuries, years post surgery pain, plantar fasciitis, rib muscle strain and general aging stuff. In the past year, pilates has changed my body and awareness of my body and miraculously relieved all those pains. I am grateful for all of you.
Stronger than Ever
Becky: Stephanie is an amazing teacher. She gives incredibly helpful cues. With her guidance, I feel I am getting closer to properly using my core and my shoulders have more movement than ever before. Her humor and positive attitude motivate everyone in the class. I feel stronger than ever. Thank you for running an amazing studio!
My heart is filled with gratitude
Brenda: Pilates has made me a stronger person in mind, spirit, and body. I feel muscles I thought were just not there anymore. I believe in my body again; I am connected to it; Pilates has done that for me. I have made considerable improvements in my balance when I walk, in my arm range, in my nerves returning & less numbness, I feel my hips working to support me, and in my back shoulder blades, I think of them & activate them to help me with movement. I started hiking on the weekends because of the strength & confidence I gained in Pilates. Each time I walk into a class & leave, my heart is filled with gratitude and amazement that I did yet another type of body movement I never thought possible.
Fountain of Youth
Jeff: I haven’t felt this healthy since I was in my 20’s. I used to think rock’n’roll was the fountain of youth but now I think it’s Pilates.
Exceeded my expectations
Paige: Working from home during the worst of the pandemic, and recovering from major surgery, I had reached the lowest freedom of movement level in my body ever. I had worked for a while in the Stanley Marketplace, and had seen Kinesis but thought that I wasn't confident enough to try Pilates there. After reading the testimonials on the website and learning a bit more about the studio, I decided to proceed with weekly private lessons. That is a decision I am really glad I made. Jennifer C has been my instructor for over a year, and she has never once pressured me, made me feel like I couldn't do something, or let me off easy when I needed a challenge.
I had been worried about a "one-size-fits-all" approach but these classes couldn't have been more personalized. I had also been worried about using the equipment but learned over time that it is brilliantly designed to make things easier on the body, especially helping the nervous system. My body is not only recovering and remembering strengths and flexibilities from my youth, but finding new ways to stretch and strengthen that feel great. The instructors have all received excellent training, and they collaborate with one another. There is a real culture of lifelong learning and knowledge sharing at this studio that I love.
I've been a Vedic devotional nun for over 20 years, and I am most grateful for the way my instructor has treated me as more than my body, but with so much helpful knowledge and kind assistance to find ease in my body for my spiritual practices. My experience with Kinesis Pilates has far exceeded my expectations and hopes.
Life-changing
Christine: Kinesis Pilates has been life-changing for me. It is one of the best health investments I’ve ever made. I’ve healed so much through Pilates and become much stronger and more flexible. Sophia is an innovator and amazing to be around.
Integral part of my wellness routine
Nancy: I started at Kinesis Pilates 1.5 years ago after a recommendation from a friend and have been coming weekly since then. The instructors and their personalized attention are outstanding. It has helped me overcome chronic ailments and made me stronger. It has been one of the few types of exercise I have wanted to stick with. I am so thankful I have found Kinesis Pilates. It is an integral part of my wellness regimen and I would feel a void now without it. I continue to refer friends in hopes it will improve their lives also.
Noticeable results
Kristen: I started with Kinesis six months ago and have been thrilled with all aspects of the experience! As a 55 year old, I knew I needed to add something to my physical routine…but I wasn’t sure what. Strength and flexibility have always been an issue, so I figured Pilates was a good option. I train with Sophia once a week privately, and she has also helped me add a few Pilates-based exercises to my home routine. Sophia is very good at what she does! She is observant and thoughtful and immediately figured out some of my long term habits and has been helping me both understand and change them. The results are noticeable in both my daily life and when participating in other activities. Great studio and staff!
I do Pilates so I can do other things pain and injury free
Dan: Before starting Pilates, I was an avid runner. And while I was never truly injured, in my 30’s I started to notice that I was having low back pain while running. This limited the distance and the speed that I could run. My wife was avidly practicing Pilates 2-3 days per week and convinced me that I should give it a try. After my first lesson, I was hooked. I was sore in places that I didn’t even know had muscles and before long I had built enough core strength that the pain with running started to ease. Eventually the pain disappeared and now I practice Pilates so that I can run, bike, hike, cross-country ski, down-hill ski, and mountain bike—all pain and injury free! I now know with every ache or pain that I develop, and for me it’s usually heel pain, the Joseph Pilates method will heal me through building strength, flexibility, and core control.
Simply the best
Richard: I’ve been taking weekly privates for over a year now and can’t speak more highly of my experience. Sophia is always positive and is an extremely good Pilates teacher. Her interest in her clients goes well beyond teaching Pilates. In my case, I was experiencing joint and muscular pain in my hips, and doing Pilates weekly significantly improved my movement and improved my pain. About four months ago, I had bi-lateral hip replacement. Leading up to the surgery, Sophia targeted movements and exercises for me that helped significantly in my post recovery. I’ve started up weekly privates again now for the past month and the work I’m doing is accelerating my recovery. I strongly recommend Kinesis Pilates and I think that Sophia and her staff are simply the best!
Wonderful instruction
Celeste: I love all the teachers. Thanks to their wonderful instruction, I've made progress in the year I've been going to the studio. I learn something new and am challenged anew every time I take a class.
No more pain
Rachele: For the past couple of years, I’ve experienced tingly, nervy sensations down my left leg into the foot. I thought it was sciatica and did PT for many months with minimal success. Later x-rays revealed lower back issues (spinal stenosis, a shifted L3 vertebra, and slight scoliosis). My doctor suggested core strengthening exercises, so I booked a New Client Starter package at Kinesis Pilates. The combination of classes with various teachers and individual private lessons with Sophia have resulted in significant changes for me. Sophia has given me new knowledge and awareness of my body that make my exercise more intentional and effective. Five months later, I can now sleep thru the night with no leg pain. I highly recommend Kinesis Pilates and the excellent teachers who can help you build strength and work your entire body.
Like a massage
Krista: After years of chronic pain in my joints and lower back, I tried privates with Sophia at Kinesis Pilates. Sophia is very diligent in observing and correcting my alignment during our private lessons. Her instruction had an immediate effect—increasing flexibility in my joints while improving strength and muscle tone. The pain in my lower back diminished after just the first couple lessons. My posture improved to the point where I actually regained a half inch of my height! After each lesson, I feel like I've had a deep tissue massage while also building muscle. With Pilates, I've built more muscle than any other exercise routine I've tried.
Stronger core
Trish: I suffer from chronic pain due to bilateral torn hip labrum. My pain can change from day to day. One day it’s in my shoulder and neck and the next, it’s in my lower back and knees. Sophia has addressed my individual pain issues and has helped me work through them not only at the studio but with videos and routines to do at home. My core is the strongest it’s ever been with just a couple months practicing Pilates! I’m so excited to keep working with Sophia and taking group classes. Yay Pilates!
Pushing my strength and flexibility to new levels
Victor: When I started Pilates, I was just two months into healing some nerve damage throughout my right leg and foot. At the time, the numbness down the back of my leg and foot had dissipated, but I still had pain, stiffness, and weakness. Through my private sessions with Sophia and then Amy, I learned how to support my lower back - the source of my nerve damage - by creating new behaviors in how I use my body. More importantly, they showed me that as long as my movements were thoughtful, I did not need to fear using my lower back. I've since gone on to enjoy Jennifer's beginner mat/tower and intermediate mixed equipment classes, building on what I learned in my private sessions and pushing my strength and flexibility to new levels. I'm grateful to Sophia and her team for the movements I've learned, which I'll always use both in and out of the studio.
I trust my body again
Lori: "I hope we can help you trust your body again." At my second private, Sophia said this to me. It was profound, as I hadn't realized that I no longer did. As someone who suffers from multiple auto-immune disorders (including a chronic form of arthritis that is leading to spinal fusion) and who's gone through 5 surgeries in the past 7 years, I HAD stopped trusting my body. I've been working with Amy, Jennifer, Kim and Sophia since January of 2018. In the past 9 months, I've started to regain physical strength, have had a reduction in pain, but most importantly, am now trusting my body again. I can't say enough good things about the team at Kinesis... for me, they're now an integral part of my overall healthcare strategy!
Helped my pain more than anything else
Dave: One year ago, doctors found a cancerous tumor in my vertebrae that was causing incredible pain. Chemotherapy and radiation addressed the cancer, but did little to alleviate the pain. My doctors encouraged me to try Pilates and luckily, I came across the Kinesis Pilates studio while visiting The Stanley Marketplace. Over email, I explained to Sophia what I'd been through, how I hadn't been able to work out in over a year, and that I'd never tried Pilates before. When I received her reply, it put me immediately at ease and I knew I had found the right place. In the time I've been her student, Sophia has helped my posture, increased my core strength, and taught me more about my muscles and body than I ever knew! Best of all, after many months of taking pain killers for my back, I finally do not need any! Pilates has helped my back pain more than any other treatment or therapy. Pilates makes me feel in charge of my health and more energetic, and I look forward to learning more.
The driving force for where I am today
Leigh: I injured my back in Crossfit and needed a microdiscectomy. After doing PT for 6 months, I was still having symptoms post-surgery (sciatica and cramps in my calves). My doctors advised me to start Pilates to take the next step of building strength, learn how to utilize my core to carry myself, and eventually become athletic again. I had never done Pilates before and candidly, wasn't interested in it. But it was something I had to do for my health, overall happiness, and to be able to be active again. I chose to work with Sophia because I loved her background in sports medicine, neuroscience, strength and conditioning, and advanced training in Pilates. I wanted to work with someone that knew how the body moved, would teach me as an individual, and focus on my specific needs. I wanted someone who was technical and interested in problem solving for my body.
Sophia was awesome! She was patient and understanding. She knew when to push me and when to back off. She checked in on me outside of our sessions and even in class, was able to advise me to tweak this, adjust that, and compliment me when I was doing it right. That's really important to me. Within 5 months, I totally transformed to having no symptoms post-surgery, feeling normal enough to carry groceries (that's a big deal), and ultimately doing Crossfit again. Unfortunately, I have since moved to Austin and have had a hard time finding someone as special as Sophia. But she even helped me find the best instructors to work with in Austin. I am so grateful for her time and attention. She is the driving force for where I am today.
The right decision
Leslie: I started Pilates six months ago due to lower back/sciatica problems. I’d been practicing yoga regularly for more than ten years and working with a personal trainer for the past five, but returning to my workout regimen after recovering from a total hip replacement wasn’t going well, so I decided to try Pilates. Choosing Kinesis Pilates was absolutely the right decision! Combining classes and private sessions, I’ve learned so much about alignment and what to do to achieve it. Pain is gone, as long as I am mindful and bring what I’m learning into my everyday activities. Sophia and the team at Kinesis are extremely skilled and knowledgeable, and every interaction with them reconfirms my sense that they are tuned in to everyone who comes to the studio.
My body is greatly enhanced by Pilates
Stephanie: Sophia is brilliant!! The instructors she brings in are equally as amazing. I've been doing Pilates on and off for several years...Kinesis is a wonderful place for a starting point, or if you've practiced in the past. My body, my posture and just overall well being continues to be GREATLY enhanced by doing Pilates. If you are even just thinking about trying Pilates or getting more serious about your practice, this is the place to be.
I always feel relief
Ann: I've been an athlete my whole life, playing competitive soccer and other sports as well. Now as a 37 year old mom of two, I'm proud to say I am still an athlete. I play indoor soccer and took up Crossfit over six years ago. Both of these sports are a great way for me to feed my competitive spirit and stay fit, but recently it all caught up with me. I started having pain in my lower back that was preventing me from Crossfitting or playing soccer. I knew if the pain continued, I'd need to see a doc. I've always had really tight hamstrings (so tight I can't touch my toes), which often leads to lower back tightness. So I thought it was worth a shot to try Pilates (yoga actually aggravated my back). From the minute I met with Sophia, I was hopeful she could help! Her knowledge of the human anatomy was amazing and my first private session with her immediately relieved some of the pain. I finished the six private sessions, then committed to taking weekly group classes. After every class, I always felt relief... I felt the space we had made in my back and it was great! Now three months later, I've been able to return to soccer and Crossfit with little to no pain. I have worked Pilates into my regular exercise regimen and know that with time, I will easily be able to touch my toes and continue to participate in the other sports I love!
I can’t believe how Pilates has helped me
Tina: My lower back began to bother me about a year ago. For several months, it was an ache with flare ups from time to time, but I could manage them. Then I had a flare up that didn't respond to my usual helps, like chiropractic care. My chiropractor recommended Kinesis Pilates. I realized that most of my PT had been Pilates exercises and so it made sense to try. I hated being as such a low capacity compared to my typical abilities, but Sophia had a lot of new insights about my body. She helped get to the root of my issues by connecting my trouble all the way back to my scoliosis in childhood. Slowly but surely she helped me tease out all of my little compensations that had collected over time. She was relentless (in a kind but firm way :) ) about my form to help me undo the years of issues. I can't believe how Pilates has helped me- I stand taller, my back naturally adjusts itself, I have incredible core strength supporting me (and I thought I had a strong core before!) and my spine has new, increased flexion. I am so grateful for Sophia's great instruction and insights and for Pilates. I am on my way to being stronger than ever!
Regain core strength and stability
Bobby: Kinesis Pilates is the answer to my search for a Pilates Studio with great knowledgeable instructors. I have been athletic all my life and maintained that lifestyle until breast cancer. Having previously been a Pilates student for 15 years, I missed it. It took a little time, but I found Kinesis Pilates, and now am starting to regain my core strength and overall stability. Pilates is good for all ages. I am a "senior citizen" and even with chemotherapy, radiation and post cancer meds, I have maintained my bone density.
It is important with any exercise to practice it properly to avoid injury and accomplish goals. Pilates requires an instructor with working knowledge of the body and the ability to pass that knowledge to students appropriately. I have a medical background and Sophia knows every tendon and ligament in the body and how it functions! I always feel I am in good hands and look forward to every class. Sophia and her staff are enthusiastic and their love of Pilates is infectious.
Improved quality of life
Jen: I was injured while working with a personal trainer (the irony!) and was in pain for a year and a half before my MD essentially gave up and as a last ditch effort told me to try Pilates. I found Kinesis and started a long but ultimately successful healing process in conjunction with a fantastic PT. I was wearing a back brace daily when we started, and was in constant agony. I worked one on one with Sophia for months, since I needed so many accommodations. But within two months, I was no longer needing to wear my brace and at nine months I am no longer in constant pain, I can bend forward easily, and I can perform daily tasks without having to load up on painkillers. I'm stronger than I have been in years and have a much better understanding of my body and what kind of movement it needs in order to stay healthy and out of pain. Thank you--you have dramatically improved my quality of life.
Completely changed the way I move
Amy: As a physical therapist, I find Sophia's knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics to be beyond impressive. She understands the human body and movement patterns in a way that I haven't encountered before. Originally looking for rehabilitation from a disc bulge, I knew that Pilates would be the most "appropriate" first step. But after just 6 private sessions with Sophia, I have completely changed the way I move my body. Not only have I noticed improved posture and habits that have prevented exacerbation of my original injury, but I have also experienced improvement with my chronic hip pain associated with a labral tear. Sophia is gifted in her ability to use both verbal and tactile cues in order to facilitate appropriate movement. I cannot say enough about what Pilates has done for my body!
Discover your true movement potential
Celia: I am a practicing therapeutic bodyworker and certified Pilates instructor. Sophia is by far one of the best instructors I have worked with in the fifteen years I have studied Pilates. She is innovative and insatiably curious, which means she is always bringing new considerations to make my practice more successful. I highly recommend her to anyone who is serious about discovering their true movement potential.
Changed my life
Lynsey: Sophia and Kinesis Pilates have changed my life! Before Sophia, I was in near constant pain and had to see an occupational therapist, chiropractor and massage therapist regularly and my quality of life was suffering. In the 6 months since I've been going to Kinesis Pilates, I'm pain free and feel better than I have in years. I no longer have to see an OT and massage therapist. My visits to the chiropractor have significantly decreased. I'm stronger than I've been in years and it has totally been worth the investment. I can't thank Sophia enough for all that she had done to move my life forward.
Amazing teachers
Angi: I was ready to change my exercise routine to get some relief from exhausting, high-impact, heart rate monitoring classes to a lower impact option that would strengthen my body and leave me invigorated. I started doing Pilates with Sophia four months ago and I absolutely love it. I love how I feel after taking a class. Thanks to Sophia, I have a new awareness of my posture and what muscles I employ for movement, and I'm able to move in a healthier and more efficient way. Sophia is tremendously knowledgeable, and has been ever so patient and encouraging as I begin my Pilates journey. The studio is gorgeous, and very clean with high quality equipment. If you love classical Pilates, top-of-the-line equipment, and amazing teachers, this is the studio for you!
Understand the sources of pain
Laura: With Pilates, and Sophia specifically, I am finally understanding the sources of my chronic back pain. My sciatica pain has been often debilitating for more than half my life. I am so grateful to finally understand how my improper posture and alignment created my back pain. I now feel I have a plan to finally strengthen the correct muscles and realign my hips to cure this problem. Moreover, Sophia is a joy to work with! Her enthusiasm, encouragement, and insane knowledge of the human body make Pilates something that I look very forward to every week.
Stay strong during pregnancy
Jessica: Sophia is a gifted teacher and she has such a deep knowledge of the human body. I quickly found out I was pregnant- with twins- shortly after signing up for private Pilates sessions with Sophia and I know for a fact that I would not have had as smooth a pregnancy without her help. I'm still running after my 2 year old at 35 weeks pregnant! I've gained 57 pounds so far during this pregnancy and I'm so grateful that, with Sophia's help, I've stayed strong and relatively pain free. I'm excited to continue working with her postpartum!
Taller, stronger, all-around healthier
Stephanie: I was a fairly athletic, fit person, and an experienced yogi. I even taught yoga for years and had a regular personal practice. Over the past year, my lower back had been bothering me, with muscle spasms and chronic discomfort. Yoga was no longer helping, and in fact, sometimes was making it worse. I tried massage, chiropractic, dry needling, and nothing was helping. Finally (thankfully!), I started taking private sessions with Sophia and almost immediately I noticed a huge improvement. She was able to quickly identify unconscious postural habits that could be to blame, and every session was custom tailored to help my body re-learn correct ways to move, walk, and stand, using my musculature in the way it was intended. Voila! Now my back is not overworking, and my core, while already strong from exercise, now activates at the right time to handle the load it was meant to. I feel stronger, taller, leaner and all-around healthier. I’m so happy I discovered Pilates through Sophia (I recommend her to everyone!), and I plan to continue Pilates for life!
Like magic on my body
Nicole: My experience of working with Sophia exceeds all my experiences with past Pilates instructors. She is just wonderful and I can’t believe how much I have improved in our short time together. She is very smart, extremely approachable, cares deeply for others and can tell me exactly what I need to do to engage my core, pelvic floor, etc. and take an exercise out of my neck and back. She has worked magic on my body.
Feel invigorated after every session
Sherena: As an advanced Pilates practitioner, I absolutely love working with Sophia. I always learn something new and feel invigorated, mind and body, after every session. She can see so much detail in your body and pinpoint areas that can give your movement its maximum depth and potential. She’s very thoughtful and focused in her approach, and her energy and commitment to helping you change and improve your body is incredibly rewarding.
Aches and pains have dissipated
Christina: Sophia has taught me that how you move your body, not just during Pilates but at all times, really does make a difference in how you feel. I’ve been surprised at how what I considered age-related minor aches and pains have completely dissipated despite not actually working on the specific problem. A known problem we have been focusing on is my diastasis that I developed since having 2 kids. Sophia has done a great job at guiding me through exercises to prevent more serious injury and how to heal it! It’s only been two months and there is great improvement. She’s great at showing me how to take what we’ve done in our session and transfer it into everyday life. Sophia is an attentive Pilates instructor and is never just teaching the exercises to get through them, but rather is reminding me to focus on a particular muscle or challenging me when the time is right. She has kept Pilates fun and challenging and I’m always eager for what our next session will entail.
Changed the way I carry myself
Sarah: As a Pilates novice, everything was new to me - the equipment, the movements, and the philosophy. Sophia is very knowledgeable and has introduced Pilates with enthusiasm and plenty of patience. She provides great visualizations and physical cues to help me engage muscles I've never used. And she tailors workouts to my preferences and keeps it challenging with lots of variation. Working with Sophia has changed the way I carry myself and has improved my strength, posture, and flexibility.
Changed the shape of my body
Jen: I decided to try Pilates because I was looking to find a new way to strengthen my core. While I like yoga, integrating variety into my exercise routine keeps me motivated. I took Barre classes for about a year, but I found it to be more harmful than beneficial. The barre exercises seemed to be throwing off my posture and pelvis, which I was offsetting with yoga and chiropractic adjustments. At the end of that year, my posture and pelvis were more unstable than before I started Barre.
Since doing Pilates, I've been able to extend my chiropractic adjustments by about 7-10 days longer between sessions. I feel more narrow and tighter in my core. I probably haven't lost any weight, but I definitely think that Pilates has changed the shape of my body. I've also noticed that my diastasis has gotten smaller. It has been a gradual progression, but when I reflect back on when I first started versus now, I am amazed at how much strength I've gained and how much better I feel about my posture.
More balanced
Josh: I started Pilates to help me cross train as I prepare for a 120-mile bike ride. I've noticed that doing Pilates 2-3 times a week helps me to be more limber and apply more power evenly when cycling. I've also found that standing at my desk is more comfortable, I feel more balanced, and I'm less stiff when I wake up in the mornings.
Regained strength and confidence
Stuart: In addition to her mastery of the Pilates principles, Sophia is a joy to work with and her enthusiasm infectious. She tailored her teaching approach to me, returning each session with enthusiasm as she shared her new ideas and as my ability changed. I really felt like she was working hard in my specific interest and we both enjoyed the resulting success.
I am a brain cancer survivor who received treatment that resulted in sensation loss and neuropathy on my right side of my body, as well as Homonymous Hemianopsia, which means right visual field loss. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, I am determined not to let this stop me from continuing to enjoy exercise and the outdoors.
Sophia introduced me to the Pilates principles and I have since regained strength and enough confidence to train for and enter several races this summer, including a Triathlon. Now that I live out East, I only wish that I had more time with Sophia as my teacher and will forever be grateful for what I learned from our time together.
*The names of some clients have been changed to protect privacy.
What clients say about our virtual Lessons
These sessions really are a bright point in our otherwise cooped-up routine. The exercise always feels rejuvenating physically, but it also has a powerful psychological effect in brightening our outlook.
I'm focused during class and it's a nice break from my constant mind chatter, and then I feel so content and peaceful and just plain good after.
This shelter-in-place has shown me how important my Pilates practice has become. I often look forward to my Pilates workouts during the days. It has become a time to focus on something besides the craziness of the world right now!
I’ve been running, biking, moving and stretching, but there is nothing like Pilates.
This has been the best hour of my past month!
I loved the class and felt better physically and emotionally after it.
What a gift - having these workouts whenever I can do them. The first one I ordered is just wonderful.
I have been meaning to write to tell how much I have been enjoying the online lessons. I feel like I have been able to explore a whole new side to Pilates practice with the body brushing/tension release and immunity workouts. The leg flexibility video I do almost every day. It may change my life!
I love Pilates. It makes my body and mind feel better than anything else I’ve ever experienced.
For more, see our Google Reviews too!