Beginners Pilates...

Pilates was formed by Joseph Pilates during the First World War with the proposal to improve the rehabilitation program for the many returning veterans. Joseph Pilates believed mental and physical health are essential to one another. He recommended a few, precise movements emphasizing control and form to aid injured soldiers in regaining their health by strengthening, stretching,and stabilizing key muscles. Pilates created "The Pilates Principles" to condition the entire body: proper alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement. - Wikipedia

Last night I went to my first ever Pilates class. It was only 45 minutes. The instructor is a wonderful "little" man named Barry. Just a side note, he felt it necessary to let my girlfriend and I know that while he is a Pilates instructor - he is straight. Anywho, the only equipment necessary for Pilates is a mat. My friend and I were excited because we have grown not very fond of weights. Boy were we in for a surprise. Once we began the floor exercise portion and had to keep our legs in the air at various points for various durations of time... life began to get tough. This very nice, straight instructor began looking an awful lot like Hitler, Musselini and Stalin all rolled into a 5 foot something man named Barry. It did not help that he kept reminding us - as he heard our moans of anguish - that this is the beginners - beginners class.

Then after I made it home, I made the mistake of getting the purple dinosaur out and playing tug-of-war with Millie. I had forgotten that the purple dinosaur is laced with doggie crack. Toby and me both tried hiding for 30 minutes before she finally gave up and went to sleep.

Go then there are other worlds than these...