Options Studio

For a couple of years now, I’ve stuck to the same exercises: Bikram yoga, running/jogging, and walking my dog, Lily. I haven’t really been adventurous enough to try something new, which is why I am very thankful to my good friend Patty for inviting me to try out Pilates with her and our other friend Nicole. I really didn’t know what to expect–the only thing I knew about Pilates is that it involved machines. I haven’t even set foot in a Pilates studio prior to our first class! And I didn’t know about the little things–like, there are special non-slip socks you can wear for the exercises (these are optional though, but I prefer them).

In a lot of ways I was very lucky, because I had a great introduction to Pilates thanks to Options Studio, who had just opened a new branch at the Fort (they can be found at: 2201 NAC Tower Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, and they have 14 studios all over Asia: four in Manila, four in Singapore, two in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Korea). The studio offers private Pilates classes (we usually schedule our weekly classes one week in advance) which is great, because the instructors can teach you proper form, correct you right away, and push you to work hard. This is essential as you’re working with machines and different tools, and you really want to use them correctly to avoid injury.

At the opening of the Fort branch, I got to chat with Ole Eugenio, founder of Options Studio who assessed that I have some postural imbalances that I need to correct, and that I could use a little more toning. He was of course right with his analysis–this was exactly what I needed as I had just come from a long vacation and wasn’t back into shape yet. Also about my posture and balance, well, I still have problems with these and would like to correct them. Then Ole explained to me what they offer at Options, which still keeps with the principles of Joseph Pilates (the man who invented Pilates in 1900s) but also incorporates studies and new knowledge from doctors and physical therapists, making the approach more contemporary. “We’re basing it on the basic current knowledge of biomechanics–we correct your posture, at the same time we work you out so you really get the benefit of the exercise,” said Ole. At the same time, Options offers rehabilitation programs for those who have undergone injury, “what we do is we analyse their posture, then from there we design a program that customises their needs. Like after an injury, some parts get really tight, some parts get really weak, so neuromuscular reeducation is really good.” So really, there’s a whole science behind Pilates, which makes it such a good exercise to get into.

These are the machines we use–these can be adjusted to target specific body parts.

More machines.

My first time at Options Studio Fort was at its opening.

So, of course, Patty, Nicole and I have tried it. We did Pilates three times a week for a good month before Christmas (we took a break during the holidays but we resume on January 6) and wow, I know it really works because the next day, my muscles were hurting like crazy (don’t worry, its the good kind of pain). What I love about Pilates is that it really works on your core–in my case, my balance really improved and so did my posture. Being in front of the computer all day long can really ruin your posture, that and carrying my super heavy school bag/s for more than a decade (thanks a lot, school haha). But what really makes a world of difference is doing Pilates with your friends. Its so much more fun because you can all relate to the exercises and recovery, plus its double ab workout for everyone when you end up laughing (which happens A LOT with us)! Its a great way to exercise too because every session is different–there are so many ways to use the machines and exercise tools so you don’t get bored. And you really see your progress in a matter of weeks!