The Virtual Wellness Way — v i c k i h a l l

Hello! I am so happy to be a part of this community and I’m excited to share insight about fitness and wellness over the coming months. Transitioning from an in-person to a virtual fitness routine has been a focus of mine over the past year, both personally and professionally. If you’re anything like me, you may have found that process to be a bit of a challenge. At Studio 22 Pilates (my pilates studio), my clients and I were accustomed to working together in a shared space and on equipment that’s specific to pilates. Neither of those were easy to replicate with the move to Zoom classes.

When I first approached the idea of virtual pilates classes with clients, friends, and family, I heard a lot of the same hesitations. Many I spoke with couldn’t imagine replacing their in-person equipment sessions with yet another online meeting, and some debated whether the workouts would be worthwhile.

Here are some of the things that I’ve been asked over the past few months. Maybe you have similar questions. (And in all honesty, even I asked myself some of these!) Hopefully hearing the flip-side to some frequent concerns will give you the nudge you need to start, or grow, your virtual fitness routine.

Q: The gym or studio where I was exercising isn’t offering virtual classes. Will it be strange or hard to start over not knowing an instructor or the other clients?

A: We’ve all been there (myself included) … the dread of walking into a new fitness class, not knowing anyone, and wondering how we’ll fit in. Every instructor I know, and those who’s online classes I’ve recently joined, share in your apprehension and want to put your fears to rest. Send a quick email or text to the instructor. Let them put you at ease by sharing their approach to welcoming a new client into the group. Many of us offer a reduced cost or free intro class, so you can give it a try with no commitment. You can even ask to have your camera off during the first class so you can feel it out. Which leads me to my second most commonly asked question …

Q: Will everyone be watching me?!

A: In our small group sessions (2-6 clients), we spend a few minutes before the workout with our camera views in gallery mode and our mics on so we can say a quick hello. During the class I ask everyone to mute their mics and use speaker view. That way, every client hears and sees only me. After class, we all enjoy a few minutes together back in gallery mode with our mics on, whether we’re looking at the pets/kids who have shown up, discussing any questions, or commiserating over a hard workout. On that note …

Q: How will pilates over Zoom be anything like what I’m used to after working in your studio for months/years? Will the class lack the connection we had during in-person sessions together?

A: Though classes may look and feel very different than they did pre-covid, the principles are still the same — make time for yourself, move your body, and connect with others. It may come as a surprise that we can do all of those through an online class. One of the many benefits of exercise that I frequently discuss is the emotional lift we experience. The boost in our mood comes not only from the release of endorphins through movement, but from the interactions we have with those around us. Seeing one another’s smiling faces on the screen, moving together in unison, and knowing that the time is carved out in our calendars really make the classes fun and something to forward to!

Now that 2020 is in our rear-view mirror, I invite you to join me in a conversation about the shifts we’ve had to make for our physical well-being over the past 12 months and how we can keep moving virtually until we can be together again.