WELCOME TO THE LAB
I FOUND PILATES BECAUSE I WAS INJURED…
I STAYED WITH IT BECAUSE IT GAVE ME MY BODY BACK.
I'm Joe Body, owner and instructor at BODYS PILATES.
I didn't discover Pilates because I wanted to become a Pilates instructor.
I discovered it because I wanted to understand my own body.
I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PLAY WITH MY DAUGHTER.
After my injury, I wasn't satisfied with simply being told what was wrong with me.
I wanted to understand why my body wasn't working the way I wanted it to and what I could do about it.
But there was something even more important driving my recovery.
I wanted to be able to get down on the floor with my daughter, move with her, pick her up, chase her around and simply be an active dad without my injury getting in the way.
That became a huge part of my motivation during rehabilitation.
THEN I BECAME A LITTLE OBSESSED
So I started learning.
I read, studied and experimented. I bought equipment and turned a room above my garage into what I jokingly called my "lab."
I spent years trying to understand how the body moves, how posture affects movement and how small changes can make a meaningful difference.
Eventually, I discovered Pilates.
It changed the way I looked at movement, but I quickly realized that simply doing the traditional exercises didn't always work for me.
So I started breaking them down.
I wanted to understand what each movement was actually asking my body to do, what was getting in the way, and what I could change to make it work.
I started calling it reverse engineering Pilates.
Take the movement apart. Understand the pieces. Work on what is limiting you. Then build it back up.
DON'T FORCE THE PERSON INTO THE EXERCISE.
ADAPT THE EXERCISE TO BUILD THE PERSON.
THE REAL TEST WAS GETTING BACK TO LIVING
Over time, the work helped me rebuild my strength, improve my posture and understand my body in a way I hadn't before.
But the real test wasn't whether I could do Pilates exercises.
It was whether I could get back to living my life.
For me, that meant being an active dad and eventually returning to beach volleyball.
Those were the things that the work was for.
I DON'T DO PILATES BECAUSE I WANT TO SPEND MY LIFE DOING PILATES.
I DO PILATES BECAUSE I WANT TO KEEP DOING THE THINGS I LOVE!
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A COACH
Before Bodys Pilates, much of my career revolved around coaching and teaching movement.
I had the opportunity to coach the Canadian men's beach-volleyball team at the 2012 Olympic Games.
I TAUGHT BEACH VOLLEYBALL THE SAME WAY I EVENTUALLY LEARNED TO TEACH PILATES
I didn't expect people to simply copy a movement because it was the "right" technique.
I looked at what was stopping the movement.
We worked on the pieces that needed to change.
Then we put them back together.
GOOD COACHING ISN'T ABOUT MAKING SOMEONE COPY YOU
It's about helping someone understand what they're doing, why they're doing it and how they can improve.
I don't want you to simply follow along with an instructor.
I want you to understand your body.
That coaching philosophy became the foundation of Bodys Pilates.
THE EXERCISE IS THE TOOL. YOU ARE THE FOCUS.
The work we do in the studio should help you outside the studio.
Maybe that's getting back to golf, playing pickleball, hiking, skiing, travelling or playing with your family.
Maybe it's simply being able to move through everyday life without your body getting in the way.
The Reformer is where we do the work. Your life is where that work matters.
WHY I TEACH
I know what it's like to have your body stop doing what you expect it to do.
I know what it's like to want answers rather than simply being told what to do.
And I know what it feels like when movement starts coming back.
I'll pay attention to how you move.
I'll explain the why.
I'll make adjustments when they matter.
I'll challenge you when you're ready.
And I'll meet you where you are when you're not.
MY GOAL IS FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND YOUR BODY WELL ENOUGH TO TAKE THAT KNOWLEDGE WITH YOU INTO THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
READY TO MEET US?
Your first Reformer 101 is complimentary.
Come meet me, try the Reformer, ask questions and see whether BODYS PILATES is right for you.
No experience necessary. No pressure. Just come learn.
MY STUDIO
1224 KINGSTON ROAD
TORONTO, ON M1N 1P3
647-328-0237
