I found my own personal fountain of youth in 2022. And I stumbled onto it unexpectedly, right here in Los Altos.
Let me back up a bit: By late 2021, after 60 some odd years of wear and tear from running, basketball, skiing, tennis, etc., my body was feeling rough. I needed PT on five or six different joints at any given moment. An array of orthopedic specialists gave me unwelcome advice: “Cut out most of your running. Let’s immobilize your wrist.” And the killer: “Stop playing basketball.”
So, I knew I needed to find new ways to exercise when fate (a Bubbly Stroll!) led me into the classical studio Empowered Body Pilates on State Street. I asked what the heck is Pilates, and isn’t it mostly for women? I learned it is a form of resistance training exercise that works by balancing and stabilizing the body, for any age, fitness level, or gender, building strength and mobility without jarring, stressful workouts.
Enticed by a new client intro package I gave it a whirl. I noticed immediately that with every “workout” I feel better AFTER I’m done than at the start. I’m not sore, and I feel more agile and energetic. I literally feel younger.
For the last four years, I’ve averaged two to three times per week. The teachers and clients at Empowered Body make up a fun and lively community. My body works much better today than it did five years ago. I even found that my tennis and golf games improved more from an hour of Pilates than an hour of practice.
Pilates is also my hedge against the future, an investment in balance and stability that I expect to pay comfort and safety dividends in the decades to come.
So, that’s my fountain of youth. Could it be yours too?
