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TESTIMONIALS

Destination Issaquah
Spring 2006
By Kelly Huffman 

Honest Movement Pilates works your muscles, and just might make you taller

Tucked away in an Issaquah office park, Pilates instructor Ki Lan Black is determinedly changing the way the world moves, one body at a time.  The Pilates exercise system is "all about working from the inside out," says Black, a former management consultant with eighteen years of dance experience.

Her office-sized space is dominated by a contraption that looks like something out of a medieval torture chamber, but proves far more benign.  It's a combination of two machines originally designed by Joseph Pilates to rehabilitate soldiers injured in World War I. With guidance from Black, private clients use the equipment to stabilize their joints, align their spines, and strengthen their muscles.

Honest Movement offers both group mat classes and one-on-one sessions utilizing the spring-loaded equipment.  Black's client base is roughly two-thirds women and one-third men.  They seek out Pilates for exercise, pain relief, treatment for osteoporosis and other systemic diseases, or even to grow taller.  (One 48-year old male client reports growing a full inch since beginning Pilates a year ago.)

Black's private lesson opened new frontiers in body awareness for me -- especially in the abdominal area, a region I usually prefer to ignore.  But don't expect to "feel the burn" on your first visit to Honest Movement.  Pilates starts slowly, moving through basic exercises, gradually adding complexity and challenge as you become accustomed to the techniques.  Done properly, the seemingly simple exercises will fully occupy your attention.  I had plenty to keep me busy as I attempted to breathe properly, engage my under-used abdominals, and move in tandem with Black's instructions.

Black provides a calm, intensely-focused presence.  She offers supportive encouragement without sounding like a cheerleader.  She's also a gifted educator.  In ninety minutes with Black and the Pilates equipment, I noticed more subtleties about my core body--and learned the names of more muscles--than I had in years of traditional gym classes.

Local demand for Pilates is growing.  After less than a year in business, Black plans to expand her studio into a larger space.  Soon she'll hire a second instructor.  The Pilates system provides ample room for growth and lifelong learning:  "It's always about refining," says Black.

Personal Testimonials

“Working one-on-one with Ki Lan is an incredible experience. She is a gifted instructor, providing just the right blend of helpful information and encouragement. Through my Pilates work with Ki Lan, I've become much more aware of my body and how it moves. After a Pilates session, I feel relaxed and energized at the same time. My body is becoming healthier and stronger every week, without the soreness you get from weights or even the pounding of some cardio like running.”
—Whitney, Marketing Executive

“The value of Pilates to me is a couple of things.  First, I believe it’s a terrific way of training my body to move and stand/sit in the ways it was intended.  Being a knowledge worker who spends too much of his time in sub-optimal ergonomic settings, this is important to me.  Secondly, it’s a valuable complement to my normal workout regimen; it exercises areas of the body that are important to keep strong, yet aren’t necessarily reached by other methods.  Ki Lan provides a great deal of information about all the muscles that are being exercised and strengthened.  She’s very patient, and it’s easy to work with her.” —Brad, Software Executive

“Ki Lan has a great talent for creating fun and challenging workouts that address the immediate needs of my body while also helping me progress to long term physical goals.  I look forward to each Pilates session because it's an opportunity to clear my mind and just focus on moving my body in the healthiest way possible.  Not only is this mentally refreshing, it has also given me increased body awareness that carries over into better movement and posture throughout the day.”
—Kären, Student

"Ki Lan is a wonderful coach, providing the perfect level of personalization to make you feel like you're getting the most from each session. Keenly observant, she's given me various pieces of guidance that have really helped me break through to new levels in my practice. I love that she is always applying new insights and methods from workshops and new industry developments, which makes each session so dynamic and fun. Typically a reluctant exerciser, I find myself enjoying the whole hour, rather than counting the minutes until the end of the workout! Combine that with the amazing benefits of toning and core strength building -- Ki Lan's sessions offer a fantastic, empowering workout. I definitely notice the difference after only a few sessions!"—Angie, Internet Professional

If you’d like to speak with a Pilates student for more information, please let us know and we’ll put you in contact with them.