WELCOME TO THE LAB
Before Pilates
After Pilates
CAN YOU RELATE?
My name is Joe Body. I am owner of Bodys Pilates. The pictures you see are of me. Just after my life altering injury. Just look how misaligned my upper back muscles and spine are in the first picture and then look at the second picture. Pretty big difference don’t you think? Pilates literally changed my life. For me, it has been the cure to my physical ailments. Pilates wasn’t the first thing I read about or tried, I didn’t pick it because it was the new fad. I spent countless hours at the library reading up on different health modalities purchasing all types of equipment and trying different theories at home in a room above my garage. I called the room my lab. This is where I would apply their theory and test their thoughts. One day I stumbled upon pilates. Then I purchased some books. Then I bought some equipment. Then I began to correct my spine. Over time I had zero pain, a long neck and close to ideal posture. This is where my pilates story began…
WE ALL HAVE A REASON… WHAT’S YOURS?
HERE’S MINE:
I had just spent the better part of four years teaching adult weekend warriors how to fix their beach volleyball technique. I was so confident in my abilities that I flew across the world to proclaim to our top national team that I could get them to the Olympics. Although we lost in London I believed I was destined. I was going to get back there all by myself. I hired a nutritionist, a personal trainer and was surrounded by the top players in our country. Nothing could stop me now….
….POP, POP, POP…..
….the day before I was deadlifting, now I laid lifelessly in bed. My ribs had popped out, I could barely breathe. Drifting in and out, immobilized with pain I finally realized what the past four years was about. It had zero to do with the Olympics or about Beach volleyball in general. It was about what it took to overcome adversity. It was to strengthen my mental muscle for the work up ahead.
I just needed a big enough reason.
I thought playing professionally was the reason but it wasn’t. The Olympics made me feel empty inside. It was an empty goal, just a moment in time, that no one would remember. When I came home I knew I wanted a family because deep down that felt right.
So as I tried to breathe through the pain with my ribs popping in and out, I imagined what my daughters life was going to be like with a father who couldn’t move. A father who was stuck in bed, in a wheelchair, in constant pain stuck on pain medication. Then I pictured her future without me.
I had my reason, my motivation and it was finally time to get to work!
As I laid in bed I knew I could overcome this injury. Although I could’t breathe or walk, I knew I could fix my spine. After reading a ton of books on pilates there were two things that were of utmost importance to a therapeutic approach. A highly qualified instructor and apparatus. Both were very costly so I would have to make a decision, invest in the unknown or invest in myself. …
I am glad I took the road not taken…
Understand your body by learning bony landmarks, pelvic tilts, proper breathing techniques, how to engage your powerhouse, and how to feel your body.
MY APPROACH
BOOK IT
Book a complimentary Reformer 101 session to experience our approach and familiarize yourself with the Reformer. We focus on safety, powerhouse engagement, and helping you get comfortable with the equipment.
Seeing is believing! Once you see where you’ll train, what you’ll train on, and who will guide you, make your choice. Whether it's becoming a member, dropping in, or exploring other studios, we look forward to meeting you.
MAKE DECISION
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
JOE BODY
STUDIO OWNER
2012 CANADIAN MENS OLYMPIC BEACH VOLLEYBALL COACH
2016 BASI MAT CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR
2024 BASI COMPREHENSIVE TRAINED INSTRUCTOR
As a coach in my past life my main focus was on technique. The problem was that you could never really change a players technique. You could increase their IQ and understanding of the game but the way a persons body was made up could never be changed in a few simple drills or so I thought. What I began to comprehend over time was that in the gym a person’s biomechanics could change depending on which exercises they performed. With this change a person’s technique could also change. I began to believe that posture equals technique.
When I was injured I read 65 books in a year and 200 over two years and found pilates. I bought a bunch of books, all the equipment, and fixed my spine. This changed my technique which has prolonged my ability to play beach volleyball.
My approach is very simple. Be consistent and be specific in the exercises you choose to restore your posture. I love to teach others what I have learnt on how to move pain free and to enjoy themselves at any age.
MY STUDIO
1234 KINGSTON ROAD, TORONTO,ON
289-980-0870
