Have you ever felt stuck in your fitness routine, wondering if there’s something more out there?
As apersonal trainer and CrossFit coach, I’ve spent years chasing intense workouts andheavy weights.
But when a hip injury forced me to slow down, I discovered a whole new approach to movement.
Courtesy Laila Albernaz, ACE-CPT, PPSC, CF-L1, PN1
I’m passionate about helping others find joy in fitness and feel at home in their bodies.
Here’s what happened when I traded burpees for the reformer machineand why it might be worth trying yourself.
I quickly learned that while Pilates is low-impact, it’s far from just “light activity.”
Courtesy Laila Albernaz, ACE-CPT, PPSC, CF-L1, PN1
When I began teaching indoor cycling, I ran into overuse injuries, which led me tostrength training.
It has become a piece of who I am and a large part of my career.
While “listening to your body” is crucial, it’s also easier said than done.
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It’s a skill that takes consistent practice.
CrossFit reminded me that fitness doesn’t have to be so rigid.
While intensity is central to CrossFit, its philosophy also preaches consistency over sheer intensity.
Courtesy Laila Albernaz, ACE-CPT, PPSC, CF-L1, PN1
Fitness progress isn’t just about pushing ourselvesit’s about the right balance of challenge and recovery.
I’d had some smaller injuries in the months prior a sign that I was overworking and under-recovering.
But this injury was different.
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As any CrossFitter may have heard before, Brianna Wiest famously said, ‘Rest before rest chooses you.’
Safe to say, this time, rest chose me.
The injury made walking painful.
Courtesy Laila Albernaz, ACE-CPT, PPSC, CF-L1, PN1
With a job as active as personal training, I felt like it had knocked me down.
I knew I needed to take an honest look at how I was approaching my intense training regimen.
Though the gym wasn’t off-limits during my rehab, I was beginning to dread my workouts.
Strength training was vital to me, but I also knew the importance of enjoying my movement.
The “proceed with caution” nature of rehabbing an injury made it difficult for me to enjoy training.
In part, this apprehension in the gym was for the same reason I was still limping.
Even minor pain can trigger a neurological response to “guard” the affected area, like a limp.
Though I wasn’t enjoying my workouts, I was hesitant to step back from the gym.
One day, feeling particularly unmotivated, I decided to try a group Pilates class instead of lifting.
My Surprising Pilates Journey
In my first Pilates class, the instructor asked about injuries.
She gave me a few modifications, but surprisingly, I didn’t need them.
I went in with every intention to modify as needed, but my hip felt fine in every movement.
Walking still felt worse than Pilates.
The origin story fascinated me.
His method combined resistancefrom hospital bed springswith his knowledge of Zen Buddhism, yoga, and breathwork.
The goal was to strengthen the soldiers' limbs through mind-body movement.
I became curious about using Pilates as my main form of exercise for a month.
I wanted to see if it could improve my hip, and possibly reignite my passion for training.
I stayed consistent with my PT exercises and took two full rest days each week.
By the end of week one, I felt greatbetter than I had since far before the injury.
I felt like each class flew by, and always left feeling energized and excited for the next.
I’m still a firm believer in the importance of strength training.
My hip felt stronger and a lot more stable.
My pain had completely subsided.
Did I need to give up strength training in the gym entirely to focus on pilates for a month?
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Holy planks.
In one of my first classes, I swear we were in a plank for 5 minutes straight.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t a full five minutes, but it sure felt like it.
The slow, meticulous targeting of each muscle group was astounding.
These instructors and students are training to survive anything and everything.
I’ve become more aware that true strength comes from stability, resilience, and consistencynot just heavy weights.
This experiment was a reminder to trust the process and find enjoyment in learning new ways to move.
Movement is meant to feel good.
Focusing on one modality for a long time means you probably enjoy it, and that’s amazing.
Truly, that’s the goalfor fitness to be something we want to do, for life.
Expanding our view of what “counts” as a workout helps us build a more resilient approach.
