What Is a Pilatini® Hangout? The Story Behind Our Pilates Community
Hey, there. You may have heard me talk about a Pilatini hangout and probably wondered, like, what it is, where that word even comes from? Well, I want to talk about why Pilatini hangouts came about and why you want to be part of them.
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Today, I’m Lesley Logan, co-founder of Online Pilates Classes (OPC), and I’ve been teaching Pilates since 2008 and practicing Pilates since 2005. What I love so much about doing Pilates is that the community sees the same people at the same classes. But as life got busier, as my schedule got crazier, as travel picked up, as things had to be a balance of online and in-person, I really craved a community hangout, something that we could do. I had a client who literally said, “You’re like the original Pilatini”, and I thought, ” Wouldn’t it be fun to have something called a Pilatini Hangout? And so it was really important to me, when I was creating an accessible way to do Pilates with Online Pilates Classes, to also make sure we have Pilatini Hangouts. Let’s get into why you want to be part of them and what they are.
How Did Pilates Originate, and Who Is It For?
So what exactly is a Pilatini hangout? Well, it is a relaxed hangout that is usually combined with a Pilates class that is designed to allow you to show up, be present, do the thing that you love, Pilates, but also in a relaxed environment, you could hang out and be in community. It’s often done online, and while it’s often done online, the goal is that we can create a community aspect, a community energy, vibes, and the feelings that you get, while also still being able to do it from anywhere that you are.
So who is it for? Well, it’s for Pilates lovers of all levels. To be honest, when you’re starting off doing a new workout modality, it can feel overwhelming. You might wonder if you’re doing it right. And just having some time outside of a workout to ask questions about your Pilates practice, or even be quiet and listen to others ask questions. You know, I think it’s really important to know that in a community, there are people who like to talk and like to ask questions, and other people who love to listen. And so, as I said, it’s a relaxed environment. You can listen, be there, ask questions, get form recommendations, get prop recommendations, and also hear what other people are saying. It’s also for Pilates lovers of all levels, including teachers, like I said. Because teachers, you have to be your number one client.
So when you have a community Hangout, like a Pilatini Hangout, it becomes all about your practice, and when you hear other people ask questions about their practice, it inspires your teaching. So it’s one of those things where everyone wins, and many people come to our Online Pilates Classes hangouts after our live class every single month, our Pilatini hangout after our live filming, to just listen and hear what other people have questions about, or aha moments that they have, or share what’s going on. Also, they get to see that there are other members in their area, and they can connect offline, which means the Pilatini hangout can go from online, where it’s super accessible, to offline, where you live. If you’re already an OPC member, go jump into the community. We have an amazing vibe going on there, and we also have a special place where you can submit a video of yourself doing a Pilates exercise you might be unsure of or struggling with. There’s no reason to struggle alone, so go ahead and submit it to the FFF (Forum Feedback Fridays). If you’re not a member yet and you’re curious about what we do at OPC, whether it’s for you, and how it’s different from other companies out there, we’d love for you to check us out. Check it out in this video here.
Why Pilatini® Hangouts Were Created
So why were Pilatini hangouts created? Well, the truth is, after many years of teaching in person and online, I’ve noticed that many Pilates students come and go, and they don’t actually connect with the people they’re doing Pilates with. And we wanted to change that. You may even have felt that you’re going to a class, everyone comes in, and they leave, or if you’re doing classes online, you log in, you log off, and there’s just not really any connection with the people that you’re doing this with. That’s why, in Online Pilates Classes on YouTube, we not only have the community and the app, but also the Pilatini Hangouts, so you have a special place to hang out in real time with people wherever you are. Pilatini hangouts were created to make space for human connection. Help people feel supported in their practice and in their life. Make Pilates something you can really enjoy returning to. Alright, so if you’re already a member of Online Live Pilates Classes, I want you to go into the community, see you in the next live Mat class, join the Pilatini Hangout, and put it on your calendar. We have one every single month. We do change the time during the day so we can hit all the different time zones of people from all over the world. So hopefully you can make it even if it’s just for the Hangout part, even if it’s on your lunch break. People have done that. If you’re not a member yet, I want you to go to fullbodyinfifteen.com. It’s a free series of mini-workshops where I break down some of the most foundational Pilates Mat exercises, and there’s also a 15-minute Mat Workout you can do.
The Origin Story of Pilatini®
So, as I mentioned, early on in my teaching career, I had a client who was like, “You know, there are, like, yoginis for yoga?” Well, you’re like the original Pilatini. And I just thought that was so fun. And I mean, I’ve been a baby instructor, but I really did take that to heart. Like, what does that mean? What does a Pilatini mean? And I started creating reasons for people who took my Pilates classes to get together in person during busy times. When I would travel around the country and the world to teach, I would always have a Pilatini Hangout as part of that experience. Because I didn’t want people to just come to the class or come to the workshop. I wanted to create a reason for people to connect and get together. There’s something that’s so special about that. When the pandemic happened, and everything moved online, of course, OPC was already there, but we hadn’t done intentional hangouts after a live Mat filming. So we added this 45 minute long class into the membership, usually they’re just 30 minutes. And then we add the Pilatini hangout around it. And of course, in the pandemic, it was so key and necessary because people missed that in-person interaction. But even after people went back to work, back to studios, back to their life and their busy schedules, it was still something that we wanted to keep at OPC, because it allows those of you, those of us who do do our Pilates online, because it is easier for us to get our Pilates in more often, or supplement it with the things that we’re doing, to have a way to get together and just hang out a special place, a third space, where it’s not really about anything, but it can be about whatever you want. And yes, of course, we share the common interest in Pilates, but the conversation can go all over the place. We’ve had people share the new places they’ve moved to, their children’s life experiences, something fun they’re doing, a vacation they’ve taken, an exercise they struggled with, or an exercise they finally got. We’ve had some very vulnerable conversations that I can’t share here. It’s something I promise you: when you come to these events, even if you’re someone who prefers to be a wallflower, it’s often easier to do that in an online hangout. You still get to have the community energy, and you’ll know that, oh, I have all these people who like the same thing I like, and wow, look what they’re doing, look what I’m doing, and look at all the support that we’re getting from each other.
What Makes OPC Pilatini® Hangouts Different
And let’s get into an OPC, Pilatini hangout. Why is it different? Because honestly, you probably could hang out with people after your own Pilates class, wherever you are, but it’s important that you know that our Pilates hangouts happen during a live taping of an OPC class. Yes, you as a member get to come. You get to join me in the flow. Don’t worry, you’re not filmed. So you get to be in the privacy room at home. But there’s no pressure to perform. No one is actually watching you in what you’re doing, so you actually get to do the Pilates practice that’s the best for you. And then after that, we hang out together as a group, answering questions, celebrating each other, and celebrating each other’s wins and aha moments. It’s quite fun. It’s something that’s really special to us. And when we are on the road, we get to invite our OPC members to hang out and have that Pilatini hangout in person. And so it makes it really unique, because you’re just getting to continue to meet OPC members wherever you are.
How Community Supports Longevity
So, how does community support long-term wellness? I mean, does it even matter? Because you could just do this stuff by yourself, but let’s be honest, it’s often easier to have the accountability and help from some loving friends, right? So what is nice about having access to on demand workouts is it means you can do it when it’s convenient for you, yes, but then it’s also easy for us to push it off till tomorrow or push through it, which is something we don’t want to do, but having the community accountability, knowing that they are going to be there to support you, to cheer you on, to celebrate what you can do, to chat about what you got that you understood, and also go, oh, I struggle with that too. Having that camaraderie really does make Pilates a practice that supports your long-term wellness goals, and that’s what we need. Pilates doesn’t give you the best benefits if you stop doing it. We need a consistent practice to get all the benefits we want from our Pilates practice. And so when you have a community heart in your wellness routine, doing your Pilates routine, it means that you’re going to have so much more fun and have more consistency. And Pilates will be something you look forward to doing. OPC members, go into your dashboard, log in to the app, and you’ll see our strong foundations bundle includes several great things, including our finishing is optional workshop. Then I want you to also look in your welcome emails, because we do have a recommended workout schedule, like, when should you do Pilates? It’s gonna make it a lot easier for you, so you don’t get overwhelmed. And don’t worry. My non-OPC members, I’ve got something for you as well. If you are struggling to hit your fitness goals, I want to check out this video on how to set and achieve them.
Thank you so much for joining me today. I love doing these videos, and I hope this gave you a better idea of what a Pilatini hangout is, why community is so important, and why we want to see you there. So if you’re an OPC member. I can’t wait to see it the next Pilatini Hangout at one of our live classes. And if you’re not yet and you want to experience it, you can go to onlinepilatesclasses.com/youtube and I hope to see you at the next one.