Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrienne Albertine Cohen.
Hi Adrienne Albertine, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Sports and staying active has always been a fixture and happy place throughout my life. I found Pilates in my early 20’s at a studio in Memphis, Core Collective Broad, where I went through training and quickly fell in love with the method. Pilates is everything my mind and body craves- a workout that I look forward to rather than feel obligated to check off the list. The method helps me focus, balance, strengthen, stretch, and achieve my body’s goal for longevity and my mind’s goal for presence. For several years now, I have taught out of my own home studio. I have four Balanced Body Reformer machines and other equipment that allows for small group classes. Now, with two additional teachers in the studio (Kirsten Scheel and Lauren Vestal) we each have standing group classes and love learning from each other, too, as students. This set up, being out of my home and shared with other teachers that feel like family, has been a huge blessing. I love having flexibility with my schedule based off the season of life I am in, which, right now, is more focused on raising my toddlers. I go from my coffee pot to my Pilates studio (in a few steps!) for teaching, then, back inside to my family. As a homebody by heart, this is truly a dream come true for me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
With any major decision, like opening your own business, there comes a little friction and fear. The decision to go on my own to open a studio scared me. It’s not cheap! Would I be lonely?! Would I be annoyed having people in my personal home and space? How do I run my own business, track clientele and manage pricing? I sought advice from several people that inspired me with their own small business experience. If I had one piece of advice for anyone else that wants to make a leap like this, reach out to people a stage ahead of you and ask them what they would do in your shoes! I love seeing people light up when they can use their own experiences to help others grow. I worked hard and taught a heavy class load the first couple years to make this studio work for our family, and, looking back, I am so glad that I made the leap.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Pilates (home) studio owner and instructor. I am certified to teach mat Pilates, Reformer, Cadillac, Exo Chair, etc… basically all the Pilates equipment! I also am a certified yoga instructor, but I completed that certification to complement my Pilates method. My specialty is athletic style classes. I took my background and strength as an athlete and merged it with my Pilates training to get the best of both. What makes me and my space unique is the small group size. It’s maximum of four people, so I can accommodate each person’s unique exercise goals. For example, I might have a class of four: one woman that is 7 months pregnant, one man that is a professional athlete, one that is a grandmother hoping to stay mobile and active, and another just there for a good burn! Everyone can do the same exact exercise, but I provide modifications, tension changes in springs, and challenges so that nobody feels they are behind or plateauing during session. Pilates truly is for every body.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Connection. A Pilates session, to me, is all about connection. The hour gives you a chance to connect to yourself- mind and body. Our human mind (monkey mind as yogis sometimes refer to!) is pulled so many directions, and we can be in a trance without even realizing it because of our phones, to-do lists, and unexpected stressors that come up any given day. Connecting back to yourself is everything. Pilates almost demands an intentional focus and attentiveness where many other types of exercise can be done on autopilot. I am so encouraged by my clients who say Pilates is their favorite hour of the week because I know I am the facilitator of such a prioritized time. Pilates is time to take care of you, and I find positive ripple effects in the participant’s mood, work-life, relationships, and overall energy. We also have a lot of fun in our space to connect with each other during sessions- often laughing at how impossibly hard an exercise suddenly feels, supporting one another through different life stages and events, and simply building relationships and friendships. The connection goes so far beyond the muscles and inspires strength and presence in and out of the studio.
Pricing:
- We are currently on a waitlist for new clients. If you would like to inquire about entry, please e-mail pilatesadrienne901@gmail.com.
- (No website or address listed to protect owner’s home address)
Contact Info:
- Instagram: pilates.adrienne901
- Other: pilatesadrienne901@gmail.com
