Tell me a bit about yourself?

The most important thing to know about me is I see my job as teaching, not instructing. That means I am dedicated to working with you, the person in front of me, not some idea of a body that we’re taught is the ideal. Can’t touch your toes? I don’t care. Tore your ACL in a ski race? Ugh, how painful - and I’m glad you’re ok! Haven’t exercised in ten years? That’s fine! Now, let’s address your aches and pains and get you moving.

As a teacher, I want you to be able to apply what we do in class to the rest of your life and feel better in and about your body. I like to think of it as teaching skills vs. teaching to the test.

Are you a strict teacher?

I’m definitely not going to tell you to keep doing something if it hurts in a bad way, but I will make you work hard. What’s important to me is what you get out of our sessions, not the illusion that sweat, blood and tears mean Fitness and Health are happening. I’ll ask you about things like your left big toe or your hips being a few centimeters out of line. Will that make class tough? Yeah, it will. But we’ll laugh a ton during our sessions, and there is no need to apologize if you're having a low-energy day. It happens to all of us and is a normal part of life.

Besides teaching, what do you do?

Prior to COVID, teaching Pilates was my full-time job. When the world went upside down in 2020, I went back to copywriting for my second company, Business of Sweat.

When I’m not working, I try to go outside as much as possible. I spend every weekend hiking or skiing and pretty much always end my mountain adventures with a slice of pie. Blueberry is my favorite.

What kind of training do you have?

I’m a certified Comprehensive Studio Pilates teacher and I have an honors post-graduate degree in experiential learning, focusing on adults, from the University of Cumbria (UK). My undergraduate degree is in art history, which taught me how to look closely at details and ask questions, something I use every day in my work. I began coaching adults in 2004, and I've been teaching fitness and movement full-time since 2016. I am always taking continuing education courses with Pilates specialists and physical therapists, including Maria Earle, Brooke Bergdahl, and Blossom Leilani Crawford and Dr. Marshall Hagins.

Alex L. Phillips has been featured in Courier Magazine, 20 Minuten, and BuzzFeed News