testimonials

I decided to try Pilates for the first time at the age of 58 after an undiagnosed stiffness and soreness in most of my joints prevented me from taking my daily 3-mile walks. I tried yoga...swimming and nothing seemed to help. I was hesitant because I was very self-conscious about
Being the oldest person in a group; I feared that I couldn't keep up and didn't know if I could find a teacher sensitive to all ages and situations.

After the first class with Peter, I knew that I could trust him – that he was committed to teaching people of all ages, sizes and shapes. I have since learned that he has an acute sense of what each individual body needs and is eager to guide people to feel better and grow stronger. I do believe he is one of the lucky people who've found the perfect career for himself -- I'm grateful to have found him!
Jody Sorkin, AMB Property Corporation

Dear Peter,

I would like to take this time to THANK YOU for being such an important and inspirational part of my life. When I first met you, I had spent five years in pain, despite years of physical therapy. When we met just over a year ago, I had a difficult time with beginning-level Pilates, but your patience and persistence paid off. You began by talking to my doctor to create a plan for rehabilitation. If it had not been for your understanding of problems such as mine, I probably would have given up, just as I had given up with other types of exercise that I could not do or that further aggravated my problems. Instead, it's a year later, and my body, although not yet symptom free, has improved tremendously. I no longer feel completely inhibited by my physical limitations, and as a result, my attitude has also become more positive. I feel better than I have in years!

Thank you, again, Peter. I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without you in it!
Dawn Isaacson, FDIC

Peter Lakis...a man...a myth...an 'engager of cores'. This guy is amazing; I started taking this class with the intention of checking out this whole 'Pilate' thing. Is it for real? A fad? A cult? Well, all of my answers flowed to me as seamlessly as the brief one-hour instructor led session…. He could not be a better instructor for those new and feeling awkward. He gets excited about corrections and nails his stance down while belting out 'Nice Adjustment!' I mean, I sense his sincerity! He gets excited about this stuff...he has passion. Also, he conveys the theory and spirit of the movement with useful imagery. Example, stretch your head from your shoulders as if you're Katherine Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's'. I've never seen the movie, but rather, I know Katherine and boy, she could turtle that neck waaayyy out!
Scott H. (taken from Yelp.com)

Discovering Pilates has been a great experience for me. Before I met Peter, I saw limited progress from conventional physical therapy and exercise in recovering from a minor knee injury that developed into a chronic problem. I had heard of Pilates, but I didn’t know how I could benefit from it. After a few mat classes, I began to learn how Pilates has the refinement to build muscle balance and strength in a low impact way. This was just what I needed. Peter’s thorough instruction and enthusiasm also made the class enjoyable. It was an easy decision to continue with private sessions, which allowed me to try other things and gain focus. Not only has Pilates helped me resume cycling consistently again, but my overall fitness is better. I know Pilates will be with me for a long time, and I credit Peter for showing me the way.
Tom McIntire

I wanted to let you know how much I've benefited in just a few short months from incorporating Pilates into my fitness routine. As an adult competitive figure skater, I not only have to work at mastering skating skills but also fix 43 years' worth of habits (rolling shoulders, misaligned spinal column, errant hips, etc.). I have found your classes to be incredibly valuable in learning how to control all my body parts as well as develop additional core strength. The proof is in the pudding, as they say: at the U.S. Figure Skating Adult National Championships month, I focused on all my newfound Pilates skills, which enabled me to stay upright at times when I previously might not have been able to! I was able to turn in three outstanding performances to take third in my qualifying round and fifth overall — way better than I expected to do. And, for the first time ever, my "presentation mark" (that all-important "second mark") was the higher mark — all because of improved posture and control. All of my friends and coaches noticed the change! For anyone who engages in other sports, I would highly recommend your Pilates class as a performance enhancer: I lift weights, run, bike, take ballet and yoga, and play many different sports, and I can tell you that this has been the key to lifting my abilities to new levels! THANK YOU!!
Elizabeth Risberg