Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Hicks. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Bridget has had a lifelong passion for movement. Bridget embraces the philosophy that the human body is never meant to be sedentary. While living this philosophy, Bridget discovered and fell in love with the Pilates Method while training for the Houston and Boston marathons.
Bridget is a 30-year veteran of the fitness industry and has worked with all types of clients from teens to seniors. Bridget has helped many clients with injuries and replacement for neurological conditions. It is her lifelong dream to be a studio owner and teach the benefits of the Pilates Method. Rachel’s passion for movement started when she was a very young girl living in Southern California. Her mom signed her up for dance lessons at a local studio. She continued her dance education for 10 years taking tap, jazz, and ballet classes. She was on the dance team in high school and took classes recreationally in college.
Rachel discovered Pilates after having the first two of her six boys. It was the only thing that helped her abdominals regain their pre-pregnancy strength. Her love of Pilates continued and really blossomed when she moved to Texas and was introduced to the STOTT Pilates method. She completed her mat certification and taught mat classes at a local gym. When Covid happened and gyms were closed, Rachel decided to pursue her full certification. The training on the equipment took her understanding to a whole new level.
Rachel loves working with people of all ages. She gets excited when a client can feel the difference Pilates makes in their life. Rachel has helped clients improve posture, come back from injuries, and become more body aware. Rachel has a joy for life and movement and wants to bring that to her clients. Rachel wants her clients to have a fun workout that benefits them long after they leave the studio.
Bridget and Rachel met during their training to become Pilates instructors through the STOTT Pilates method. They studied for their Pilates test together and quickly realized they worked really well together. At some point during their training, the space above Dr. Mazza’s medical practice opened up. They walked through and even though the building was needing a lot of love, could see the potential. Everything sort of just fell into place and their dream of owning a pilates studio soon became a reality. When the renovations were done it looked exactly as they had imagined. When you step inside their studio it feels like you are going upstairs into a pilates studio in New York City. Bridget and Rachel are both well-trained, have a good understanding of how the body works, and love helping their clients achieve their goals. Pilates has changed their lives for the better and they love sharing that passion with others.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been mostly smooth.
The biggest hurdles we have had mostly came in waiting for others to finish up their end of the deal. The longest wait we had was for our equipment. It came from Canada and took months to arrive. The day the reformers came was exciting! It meant we could finally share our passion with our clients.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Developed by Lindsay and Moira Merrithew and a team of professionals consisting of sports medicine, fitness professionals, and physical therapists, Stott Pilates is a Pilates exercise that was created to be more modern. It was first referred to as Stott Conditioning. The Stott Pilates method has the goal of restoring the spine’s natural curvature while promoting the rebalancing of the muscles around the joints. While it still follows the major principles set forth by regular Pilates such as breathing, fluidity of movement, and concentration, it focuses more on the alignment of your posture, using props, and engaging in sequential exercise.
The normal method of Pilates makes use of your flat back (imprinted spine) during exercises, but the Stott Pilates method favors a neutral spine: i.e., the natural curvature of the back.
In classes practicing Stott Pilates, the students maintain a neutral spine alignment with one foot on the ground.
When both feet are lifted, though, the stance reverts back to normal Pilates form and focuses on an imprinted alignment. With these differences in mind, Stott Pilates differs from Joseph Pilates mainly due to the alignment of posture.
Regardless of your age or gender identity, Stott Pilates helps develop flexibility, endurance, and posture, and it allows you to develop optimal strength without stressing your joints.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
At Barre Room Pilates we define success when we can improve the lives of our clients. When Kent first came to us he was suffering from lower back pain that would wake him up at night. After consistent pilates practices, the pain stopped and he could sleep through the night.
When Anita came to us, she could not get around very at all. After workouts tailored specifically to her imbalances, she is getting around better than she has in years. Angela started coming to our group classes after shoulder pain cause inactivity for 6 months. She learned she can still move and started to improve her shoulder mobility. We love seeing people improve, and we want to help as many people as we can.
Contact Info:
- Website: brpilatestx.com
- Instagram: @brpilatestx
