Pilates with Mela

Pilates with Mela Online and On the Road Pilates Classes

It’s and we’ve officially arrived in Colorado for the summer! 🏔️This state never ceases to amaze me and we always seem...
05/26/2026

It’s and we’ve officially arrived in Colorado for the summer! 🏔️
This state never ceases to amaze me and we always seem to find something new to explore.

This is Lily Lake, situated on the edge of the Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park up at nearly 9000 ft elevation. As we walked around the lake and reached the ridge trail, the trees opened up to this breathtaking panoramic view of snow capped peaks.

As the view metaphorically “took my breath away” I was inspired to film an impromptu video of a breathing exercise - Breathing Recovery Sitting. This technique uses small, controlled breath holds to safely introduce tolerable air hunger.

Breathwork is deeply embedded into the Pilates system but since I became an Functional Breathwork Instructor it has completely deepened my understanding of how powerful and trainable our breath really is.

What else is this exercise good for?
⭐️Panic disorder
⭐️ Racing mind
⭐️ Asthma
⭐️ Long covid
⭐️ People with high stress
⭐️ Opening your airways
⭐️ Improving circulation and oxygen delivery

I’ll be sharing the full practice on YouTube, so stay tuned.

And honestly, as someone who has experienced anxiety firsthand, this has become one of my most effective tools. How cool is it to learn something as easy as breathing a certain way to rid you of anxiety?!

I’m bringing back and today we are balancing our tushies on the edge of cave dwellings at Walnut Canyon National Monum...
05/19/2026

I’m bringing back and today we are balancing our tushies on the edge of cave dwellings at Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona.

To reach these ancient homes, we went down 300 stairs into the canyon and then climbed 300 stairs back up to the visitor center at an elevation of 6,690 to 7,000 feet.

It’s a beautiful reminder of how much more physically active our ancestors were in their everyday lives (and they didn’t even have these nicely constructed stairs, they scrambled the mountain side) — not by choice, but by necessity.

Imagine climbing in and out of this canyon multiple times a day, carrying water or food, visiting friends or trading goods.

Imagining their reality makes modern exercise feel less like a chore and more like a return — a way of remembering what the body has always known.

Pilates brings that lesson home for me: breath, control, strength, balance, and the kind of movement that supports real life.

05/14/2026

✈️ Travel doesn’t have to mean a break from your Pilates practice.

This week’s video is all about My Top 5 Pilates Props for Travel: the small, lightweight tools I always pack so I can keep my practice alive no matter where I land.

A few clever props can make it possible to reset your posture after hours of plane, trains or cars and stay connected to your body, as Pilates is a practice and that means - consistency.

If you could only pack one Pilates prop for travel, what would you choose?

🔗You’ll find my latest video in the link in my bio and today’s story.

05/07/2026

Back extensions are such an important part of a balanced Pilates practice because they help build strength in the back body, improve posture, and create more mobility through the spine. They also teach you how to move with more length and support instead of collapsing into the lower back, which makes such a big difference in how the body feels and functions.

In this week’s new YouTube video, I’m breaking down Swan on my Spine Corrector and showing how this classic Pilates exercise challenges your balance, control, and two-way stretch in a really unique way. It’s one of my favorite ways to explore back extension because it asks you to stay connected to your center while lengthening in opposite directions.

🔗You’ll find my latest video in the link in my bio and today’s story.

Do you feel more connected in Swan on the Spine Corrector or on the mat? Let’s talk about it and why.

05/01/2026

There’s one Pilates exercise you’ve probably seen everywhere — in studio logos, photos, and websites — and that’s the iconic teaser.

But if the teaser has ever felt more like a battle than a graceful lift, or looked a little more like a wobbly spinning top than the beautiful shape you want, you are definitely not alone. This is exactly why Joe Pilates created apparatus like the Spine Corrector: to help support you as you work through challenging exercises like the teaser. Pilates should look effortless, but it always takes practice to get there.

This week’s video is all about using the Spine Corrector as a kind of training wheel for teaser, just like learning to ride a bicycle. I guide you through two variations on the barrel so you can discover where your body needs more strength, connection, and control. It’s a really smart way to train the muscles that support a strong, balanced teaser on the mat or reformer.

And once it clicks, it sticks!

🔗You’ll find my latest YouTube video in the link in my bio and today’s story.

💬 Have you tried the teaser on the spine corrector before?

💪 Build a stronger, more graceful teaser using the spine corrector.🔗 Link to watch in commentsIf your teaser feels frust...
04/29/2026

💪 Build a stronger, more graceful teaser using the spine corrector.

🔗 Link to watch in comments

If your teaser feels frustrating on the mat or reformer, this version on the spine corrector gives you the support your body needs to understand the movement. Think of the spine corrector like training wheels on a bicycle - it helps you strengthen the exact areas required for a controlled, lifted teaser.

In this video, I guide you through two different teaser variations on the spine corrector. Each one supports a different part of your body, and teaches those muscles how to activate during your teaser exercise.

Explore my Pilates Resources Page, including where to find classical apparatus like the spine corrector: https://www.pilateswithmela.com/resources

04/24/2026

Reformer or Matwork Pilates — which one is actually better for you? 👀

With the rise of Reformer class popularity, many people are asking this question, and the answer isn’t as simple as “one is better than the other.” Both have so much to offer, but they’re not the same, and understanding the difference can help you choose the right class for your body, your goals, and your practice.

This week’s video was inspired in part by a recent article in The Guardian about the rise in reformer injuries in the UK calling it a “Wild West Reformer Boom”. And while that article is talking about what’s happening there, the reality is that the same things are happening here in the US — and honestly, in many places around the world too. If it hasn’t reached your area yet, the reformer boom probably will.

In Classical Pilates, we do it all because the method is a whole system. Each piece of apparatus has a purpose, and together they help teach your body how to move better — not just on the equipment, but in everyday life too.

🔗You’ll find my latest video in the link in my bio and today’s story.

📖 Wanna read the full article? I’ll leave a link to it in today’s story and in the description on YouTube.

❓Are you seeing the reformer boom where you live too?
̇lates

04/17/2026

I always stay rooted in the Classical Pilates system, but once you understand the system you know how to adapt it!

Sometimes we just don’t have access to those magical springs on the apparatus (or the budget), so we must make the most of portable gems like the Theraband for home workouts or your travel days. As your Pilates practice shouldn’t stop just because you can’t get into a studio.

The Theraband can actually assist you in some exercises or the resistance adds an extra challenge in others.

💚 Join me for this advanced matwork This is your ticket to strength and mobility anywhere, anytime. 💚

🔗 You’ll find my latest video in the link in my bio and today’s story.

⬇️ Want help in creating your home studio or which props to get that can fit in your suitcase? Download my FREE GUIDE: Start Strong at Home [Link in bio]

💬 What do you like to pack in your suitcase when you travel to keep up with workouts?

Sometimes we just don't have access to those magical springs like on the reformer or cadillac (or the budget for it), so...
04/15/2026

Sometimes we just don't have access to those magical springs like on the reformer or cadillac (or the budget for it), so we make the most of what's portable and affordable, like the trusty Theraband. I am currently in South Africa and I packed mine! It’s so compact there’s no excuses.

This week’s new video just dropped: Advanced Matwork with the Theraband with a few of the standing arm spring exercises from the Cadillac to finish.

▶️ Link to video in comments

03/27/2026

Does a silent workout scare you? 😳

Okay this might be an unpopular opinion because music and workouts just go together right?!! But hear me out first.

We’re so used to constant stimulation wherever we go—podcasts, music, notifications, scrolling. But what happens when you let go of all that external noise and turn inward?

That’s the real Pilates magic I’ve been wanting to share and how Joseph Pilates designed his system. No music blasting. Just you, your breath, and your body talking to you. It might feel different if you are used to music in your workout (maybe even boring at first?). But watch my new video—you’ll get why you should NEVER listen to music during Pilates if you want to truly reap the full benefits of the method.

👉 [Link in bio]

Pilates is so much more than JUST a workout.

✨ When you follow the rhythm of your breath and have the space the just focus on your body, THAT’S where the true transformation happens and you get to reap the full benefits of the Pilates system. ✨

💬 What comes up for you in a silent workout? I love hearing your journey and discoveries.

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11570 N Oracle Rd
Tucson, AZ
85737

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