Member of the Month for April, Malari Swierenga, shares the benefits she has experienced from her newly found Pilates practice.
Malari began her journey at Vero Pilates in December 2022. She had been searching for a more holistic, gentle approach to exercise and something that emphasized a mind-body connection. "I'd been struggling with injuries and mental exhaustion from weight lifting and running. I'd also had two years of extra life stressors and needed a place to start to heal my body and mind." Having researched several studios in Long Beach, Malari settled on Vero Pilates because of the small class sizes and because the overall vibe of the studio was so welcoming, peaceful, and professional.
Malari began her practice by taking a few private sessions. As a newcomer to Pilates she wanted extra support to prepare herself before transitioning into semi-private training. "The instructors were so welcoming and helpful, I knew right away that the studio was a perfect fit for me.", Malari shares. When she came in, Malari's personal goals were to feel physically stronger, and to find a new tool for managing stress and anxiety. The benefits she has experienced have been both physical and mental. Pilates has improved her physical strength, muscle tone, and balance as well as becoming an amazing tool for helping her manage anxiety and stress. Malari was feeling so good from her consistent Pilates practice that she decided to increase her frequency of semi-private training from 2x to 3x a week. She shared that as her spouse and her were debating whether to budget for 3x a week, he commented that he could see how good Pilates was for her and noticed a difference in her overall mental wellbeing at home - that she was becoming more at peace and engaged at home. Malari says, "I've found a lot of mental healing through the mind-body work that we do in Pilates, particularly that I'm able to be more mindful and present." By day, Malari works in design for a tech company. Outside of work, she mentions, "I enjoy art museums, slow fashion, studying tarot, and hanging out at the beach with my family (spouse, two kids, and two Goldendoodles)." WE LOVE HAVING YOU IN OUR STUDIO COMMUNITY, MALARI!