Pilates Class Now Online!

Next week I am going to start offering my pilates class at 4pm on Monday and Thursday ONLINE! The “in real life” class will still be occurring at St. George’s, but if you can’t leave your house, you can join us via Google Hangouts. Here are the following things you need:

• A google account (or gmail account)
• Paypal Account
• $4
• 60 minutes of your day

Let me back up. As most of you know, I have fallen in love with yoga. I take ‘yoga classes’ online 4-5 times a week via yogaglo.com. I pay a monthly subscription and have access to some of the best yoga teachers in the world whenever I want. On my time. In my house. Where I can fall and no one sees me (except my family and they love me so they can’t laugh. Who am I kidding? They laugh.) Where I can pause and put the kids back in bed for the third time. Where I can rewind and watch/listen to the instructions again. I am in LOVE with this way of exercising. Would I like to join a yoga studio? Absolutely? Does it work at this time in my life? No. So I do what I can when I can.

When a friend and pilates client talked to me about offering my class on Google Hangout I was hesitant at first. Would this decrease my ‘in real life’ class size? Would people stop coming? I wouldn’t be able to correct people’s alignment if I couldn’t see them. I like have IRL classes so I can see clients reaction to the exercise. Are they bored? Is it too hard? Too easy?

But then it hit me. I can reach more people this way. This was the whole reason I started teaching pilates. When I found pilates it changed my view of exercise. My body responded so differently than it did with the normal ‘cardio’. I wanted to offer this form of exercise to people at a reasonable time of day at a reasonable price. I didn’t want to make it my full time job. I just wanted it to cover my childcare expenses for that hour. If it changed me, my body, my mood, etc, there might be another person out there it could help as well.

When I remembered that, I thought, this is a GREAT idea! More people can see if pilates is for them (because I am a realist - I know this form of exercise isn’t for everyone.) So I decided to jump in.

Now for the details:

Step One - Beginner Video

If you have NEVER taken pilates before I ask you to go through a beginner video I made. I have made it private on YouTube and Google Drive but will offer anyone the link who wants to try it. This video is about 50 minutes long explains postural alignment during the exercises. When doing pilates, it is very important to understand postural alignment. This video breaks it down completely for you. You must email me for this link. No text is even needed! Just put "pilates video" in the subject and I'll know what you mean.

Step Two - Signing a Waiver

If you would like to join a class virtually, I have to have a waiver on file. Click here to download the waiver. You'll need a witness when you sign the waiver, so grab your significant other, neighbor, work friend, etc. You and the witness sign the waiver and either scan it or take a picture of the document and email it back to me.

Step Three - Google Account

If you do not have a Google account (or gmail) you will need to sign up for a free google account. Once you sign up, please email me from that account. I will add you on Google Plus and be able to invite you to a hangout.

Step Four - PayPal Account

Classes are $4. Yup, you read that right. 4 bucks. You can pay one of two ways. 
1. You can buy a ‘punch card’ that gives you 10 classes for $40. I will keep up with your card and give you a punch for each class you virtually attend. The cards don’t expire. As long as I am teaching, you have the card. 
2. You can pay for each class individually. $4 each time you can attend.
If you see me during the week you don't have to use Paypal. This is just for those people who don't work at SG, live near me, or go to church with me. If you feel more comfortable using snail mail, let me know.

Step Five - Contact Me

Here is the only small minor problem with my plan. Google Hangouts only allows 15 people to ‘hangout’ together. You can reserve your spot with payment and and an email. If you buy a card you can have a standing invitation for 10 classes (unless more than 15 people buy a card. If that happens, I'll go to plan B). If you can’t make a class one day, just email me and tell me you can’t make it. If you want to pay for each individual class, you will need to email me and submit your payment by 3pm to reserve your spot.

Lastly, I will be recording each class. If you attend the class virtually or in real life you can have access to the video link. If 4pm doesn’t work with your schedule - don’t fret! I have a plan for you as well!

You still follow Steps 1-4. You can also buy a card that will give you 10 video links to practice at your own leisure. You will receive that week’s link the day after class. Uploading an hour long video has to happen overnight! If you would like to receive the video links one at a time, you can email me at any point, pay, and receive the latest class link.

I hope that makes everything clear! Please don’t hesitate to email me this week with any questions. I will start the virtual class on Monday, March 17.