Located near Kitty Hollow Park, Scoop Pilates and Personal Training was one of the first businesses in that area, Tracey said.
“It’s the neighborhood we live in,” she said. “When we opened, there wasn’t a whole lot in the area, so we were just trying to bring more to the neighborhood.”
While Tracy works another job as a physical therapist, Phillip spends his week at the gym instructing classes. He was introduced to Pilates after injuring his back.
“When you’re doing heavy, intense workouts but you don’t have a strong core to go with it, that’s just a recipe for disaster,” Phillip said.
Pilates is about using the core and abdominal muscles when exercising, Tracey said.
“It consists of strengthening and stretching exercises,” she said. “It’s low impact, so it’s less stress on the joints, and you’re still getting the benefits of the strengthening and the stretching.”
A common misconception is lifting heavier weights and straining the muscles yields the best results—which is not necessarily true, Tracey said.
“You can get the same benefits from lifting lighter weights or even resistance-type [bands], which is also what Pilates includes, without doing heavy lifting,” she said.
Tracey said athletes often do Pilates exercises to improve performance and overall movement and function.
“All movements come from the core,” she said. “How strong your core is can determine how well you move.”
In addition to reducing stress and risk of injury, health benefits include improvements in circulation, mental health, posture and mobility, Tracey said. It is a viable option for people of all ages and abilities.
“We can change the exercises for those with limited mobility all the way to those who have been working out and have extensive amounts of experience,” she said. “We can have four different people in class at four different levels.”
Aside from eating a balanced diet, the key to a healthy lifestyle is working out consistently—at least two or three times per week—and sticking with the routine, even if it is unappealing, Phillip said.
“My main advice would be: Just get started,” Tracey said. “Don’t let the machines scare you. Don’t let a class scare you.”
Scoop Pilates and Personal Training
8817 Hwy. 6, Ste. 470, Missouri City
*Hours: Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 8:30 a.m.-noon, closed Sundays
*Appointments only
281-778-6801
www.scooppilateshouston.com
