When it comes to getting in shape, there’s
nothing like a little
one-on-one attention, and
Customized Pilates in Austin offers just that.
Discovering that people tend to have better overall
workout experiences when they receive individual
attention, owner Rhea Willis decided to open a
home studio. Trading her living room furniture
for Pilates equipment, she offers mat sessions, as
well as work on the reformer, the Cadillac
and the wunda chair.
A former commercial make-up artist
who says regular exercise
wasn’t
always a part of her life, Willis first
tried Pilates after being diagnosed
with high cholesterol at the age of 40.
“The doctor told me: If you don’t get
this [cholesterol level] down, I’m going
to medicate you,” she remembered. “I just felt
that I was way too young for that.”
She started completing Pilates DVDs, then
moved to classes and soon found herself pursuing
the certifications necessary to become an instructor.
“After starting Pilates and changing my diet, my
cholesterol dropped from 256 to 145,” she said. “I
was really impressed.”
To date, all of Willis’ clients are women, ranging
from their mid-30s to mid-60s.
“There’s a special place in my heart for working with women because I think it’s a group that often
gets ignored,” she explained. “I like to be the person
who helps them find an exercise they enjoy.”