Through the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning this unique trinity of a balanced body, mind and spirit can ever be attained. Self confidence follows

~ Joseph H. Pilates

Pilates takes time, effort and grit to do well. It requires dedication,  persistence, and mental and physical effort during every single session and class. It’s exhausting, not because you’re moving too much, but because for the first time you’re realizing that it is possible to get and stay fit by consciously benefiting your body, and mind without vigor. If I didn’t try Lili Viola‘s classical Pilates classes, all of this would sound too good to be true, and frankly, like a bunch of silliness. In this post, I’ll attempt to showcase that there isn’t much like it out there, in my opinion, like Lili’s classical Pilates training in Toronto.  From everyday women and men getting or staying in shape to pro and amateur athletes, would enjoy and reap the benefits of Lili’s lessons and classes.

LiliViolaPilates -BestofToronto-2015-008

Lili Viola, owner of the Pilates studio, traveled to New York City to apprentice under 2nd generation authentic Pilates teacher, celebrity trainer and best selling author, Brooke Siler.

 

Classical Pilates Done Right

Small Classes

There a lot of little things to remember during each class but because of the small class sizes of 4 to 6 people, and exceptional instructors, you’ll be reminded what muscle and part of your body needs to work.

Hands On Approach

Most fitness studios during classes and private lessons have a distant approach to teaching. It’s understandable for a number of legal and hygiene reasons but it does take away from the effectiveness of the work out. Because classical Pilates requires consistent physical and mental aptitude, it’s easy to slack off time to time. At Lili’s, the instructors understand and see this, so when it happens, they’re there to help keep you on track. This is beneficial because a specific movement or touch to a muscle that’s supposed to be engaged, will cause conscious effort to start working in. So, there’s no slacking in any of Lili’s classes, even for someone doing classical Pilates for the first time.

Private Lessons

Even if you think you’ve done Pilates before, like I did before coming in for a private session with Lili, you haven’t. Most Pilates studios and gyms offering Pilates classes in Toronto teach a variation of classical Pilates. Lili’s is the first classically trained studio in Toronto and I highly recommend doing a private lesson to truly understand how Pilates originated as well as the true value of it, as well as get your body tuned into this exercise as there truly isn’t much on the market like it out there. It’s strenuous exercise without being vigourous.

Atmosphere

It’s important to enjoy and feel comfortable in the space you’re working out. However, it can’t be too relaxing because you’re there to get in a work out and feel accomplished. No one likes to pay for an hour long work out session and have the instructor chat for 15 minutes. If you’re a fan of professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness in fitness studios, you will want to give Lili’s Pilates a try purely on those basis. They understand the value of time and they make it work!

Today, the space comfortably fits 4 individuals per class plus a private lesson. In the future, there are plans for expansion as well as other exciting updates, so I would certainly suggest signing up to Lili’s newsletter to stay up to date.

Lili Viola Classical Pilates

Benefits of Classical Pilates

  • Resistance
  • Abs of steel
  • Powerful exercise without the aggression

Lili Viola boutique Pilates studio is located north of Yonge and Lawrence St. For additional information and pricing, visit Lili Viola Pilates website.

Photos by Nick Lee

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Natalie Korol

Nat Korol likes helping metropolitan dwellers lead a healthy, active lifestyle & especially enjoy the outdoors! She's a competing trail runner and an avid yogi. Follow Nat on Twitter + Instagram (@NatYKorol)