Erin Michalski holds a Pilates class in PAC Studio 1 every Friday at 4 p.m.
With the studio packed full of eager and seemingly returning students, the energy and range of ability levels were all present.
Instructor Michalski sets the tone of her Pilates classes with light, fun music, to which the exercises are intentionally paced in a seamless rhythm.
Just like other UW fitness classes, it starts with a light warmup, focusing on your body as you inhale and exhale.
At first, I thought the movements were too simple. From the lineup of movements Michalski called “Playful Pilates,” all we needed was the mat. However, with basic exercises like planks or scissor kicks, Michalski asks the class to make micropulses with targeted muscles while holding a position, allowing the tension and burn to be felt. She offers variations to either increase or decrease the difficulty. Adding the repetition of the micropulses made the simple movements increasingly effective and difficult.
In a more difficult move, Michalski instructed the class to perform seatbelt pushups, in which your arms are crossed with the top arm across your chest, using it to push your body up, and the other arm hugging your abs.
A more fun move to stretch your spine, she instructed students to roll up on their backs with legs in the air or snug to the body.
It was the first time Leah Greaves, a graduate student pursuing her master’s in sociology, attended Michalski’s Pilates class. “Amazing class. I think Erin [Michalski] is such a bright and energetic person. It made me want to try harder. It was very easy to follow and inviting for all levels. And I did feel the burn; it was great,” she said.
Though less strenuous than other classes, this class is a great way to get your mind off stressors and move your body with joyful instructions. It also provides a great repertoire of effective movements that can easily be done at home without any equipment. The movements feel more beginner-friendly, but if you have the time, repeated sets of the micromovements can definitely improve strength and overall conditioning.
Michalski has been teaching at UW since 2022, with experience as a Pilates instructor dating back to 2019. Her favourite part of teaching is the positivity and energy that comes with it. She instructs another Pilates class at 10 a.m. on Thursdays and a barre class at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.
