Inspiring Life from the Core

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Up Close and Personal: Alison Mathis

written by Alison Mathis, Pure Pilates Instructor

Please welcome Alison Mathis, our newest teacher at the studio. She is finishing up her comprehensive Pilates training at Gramercy Pilates in NYC and we are excited to welcome her to the Pure Pilates community.  Alison kicks off our latest blog series, Up Close and Personal. This feature allows our staff to share a few things about themselves to the community.  Enjoy.

What’s your story?  I am from Berkeley Heights, New Jersey and went to college at the University of Alabama where I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Bachelor of Science in Marketing with a communication studies minor. I have an extreme passion for dance and the arts industry and am hoping to one day pursue a career as a professional dancer. I have always done Pilates, but really got into it after I tore my meniscus in October of 2019. Aside from pilates I also enjoy yoga, running, swimming, and spin! My favorite things to do are read, travel, go to the beach and spend time with friends and family!

What makes you smile when you get up in the morning? My morning routine. I love my morning routine of getting up in the morning, making my bed, washing my face and having my morning coffee with a good book in hand!

What is one book that has influenced you the most? Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb. I really loved this book because the author gives great life advice and is very relatable! It is about a therapist and her therapist. It is a memoir, where the author portrays a difficult time in her professional and personal life. The vulnerability in her writing is very inspiring and I highly recommend this book!

What absolutely excites you right now? The future! I am in a place in my life right now where I am figuring things out and trying to follow my passions while doing so. Although these times are unprecedented, I look forward to what the future brings and the continuous growth that will happen!

Favorite quote or book? One of my favorite quotes are “If you stay ready, then you never have to get ready”  – My college dance professor

Rapid Fire:

Morning or night person? MORNING

Tidy or Messy?- TIDY

Extrovert or Introvert? EXTROVERT

Coffee or Tea? COFFEE

Bath or Shower? SHOWER

Dogs or Cats? DOGS

Sweet or Savory? SAVORY

Beach or Mountains? BEACH

Summer or Winter? SUMMER

Vanilla or Chocolate? VANILLA

Favorite Pilates apparatus or Pilates exercise?

My favorite Pilates apparatus is the Reformer. I love this piece of equipment because it challenges balance and stability while creating strength in the muscles of the body! I also love the Reformer because it is never the same workout. There are always ways to increase or decrease the intensity of an exercise by changing the spring weight- so it allows for a full body, dynamic workout. As pilates teachers we have the classical and contemporary repertoire to pull our choreography from, but I love getting creative and coming up with new ways to use the Pilates Reformer for myself and clients!!

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Katie is a passionate mover who was brought to Pilates through dance. After a professional dance career, Katie discovered her love of teaching-connecting the mind and body, and working with students of all ages and levels. Her appreciation and understanding of everyone’s ever changing body and needs only became greater as her own body went through pre and post natal stages, an experience which has helped Katie navigate problem solving, and bring a freshness to each session making them feel personal and specific to each body’s needs. Her sessions are full of flow and aim to challenge clients with a sense of comfort, and often a little humor, all of which she has brought to Pure Pilates since 2016. Katie thinks the gift of movement and self care is one of the best things one can do for overall wellness, and is thrilled to seek and fulfill milestones and goals with each of her clients. When she’s not at the studio, Katie is taking care of her three little humans- another job that also makes her smile, laugh, and challenges her on the daily.
Eighteen years ago I discovered my love for Pilates. After having my two children, I felt the need to move my body again. At the time I was living in North Carolina, and worked through many different exercise and training programs. I discovered Pilates, and instantly knew it was right for me. Forteen years later, and a move to New Jersey, I decided to share my love of Pilates with other people looking for some way to move their bodies. Pilates has also been a way for me to keep me strong and flexible to continue many activities. My family loves to be active, and I often find when we are all together (mostly vacations) our days consist of activity and movement such as hiking, kayaking, or skiing(more on this later). As I have gotten older I find it even more imperative now that I keep my body strong. Recently I was in a skiing accident that left me with many knee injuries and ultimately having to go into surgery. I found being able to do light Pilates a few weeks after surgery kept me sane and ultimately helped with recovery time. Pilates has not only helped me be able to keep up with my children, but has also provided me with a body that is able to function at peak performance. My approach to Pilates can be described in one, simple word: movement. Movement can help you, both physically and mentally. Movement, and Pilates, is ultimately about self care. Having a built in time to focus on your body and movement can help relieve yourself of feeling tired, anxious, and stressed. Movement awakens you. Even after one session you can leave feeling calmer and energized.
Enjoyment of life through movement is a vital part of Kathy’s philosophy. When not in the studio she leads an active lifestyle trail running, cycling, skiing and hiking. She also loves connecting with people while traveling with family and friends. One of her favorite cycling trips was riding along the coast of northern California. Learning new things and sharing knowledge is also important to Kathy. She has a passion for food, likes to cook for her family and experiment with new recipes. She is currently trying to achieve the perfect pizza. She is also an avid reader of historical fiction and biographies. Her latest endeavor is learning to play golf.
Carol M. Crincoli, owner Pure Pilates studio, has been in the fitness industry since 1990, with experience in corporate and commercial fitness, recreational programming and teaching as an adjunct professor. She began practicing Pilates in 2003 and received Pilates training through the PhysicalMind Institute in New York, NY. She holds certifications from the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a group exercise instructor, personal trainer and lifestyle and weight management consultant. She was also accepted into the IDEA-PFT Recognition System as an Elite Level Personal Fitness Trainer. She is the only trainer in the NY-metro area for Trent McEntire’s Arcus equipment. Carol graduated from the Boston Conservatory of Music with a BFA in musical theater and a minor in dance. Opening Pure Pilates is the culmination of a lifetime dream, and her mission to "inspire life from the core" is a holistic approach to health and wellness—from exercise and nutrition, to stress management and self-care. Carol is also the inventor of 8th Avenue Rail, an organizing solution for Tower springs.