Fitness has always been a big part of my life. Over the years, I’ve tried all kinds of workouts and ways of staying active. I even began pursuing my personal training license because I knew fitness was something I wanted to explore more seriously.
Then life took me in a different direction.
About 10 years ago, my husband, an architect, and I, a drafter, started working together. My plans to pursue personal training took a back seat, and working together became the focus of the next chapter of my life.
And that meant spending a lot of time in front of a computer.
Not long after, I began feeling the effects of sitting for so many hours. My posture wasn’t great, my back was constantly bothering me, and I was dealing with frequent migraines.
I had actually been introduced to Pilates in my late teens and remembered loving it, so I decided to come back to it.
This time, I experienced it very differently.
As Pilates became a more consistent part of my life, I began noticing changes in the way my body felt and moved. I felt stronger and more balanced. I became more aware of my posture and how I was carrying my body throughout the day. I also noticed that, over time, my migraines became less frequent.
But the impact wasn’t only physical.
I’ve also dealt with a lot of anxiety throughout my life, and Pilates has given me something I didn’t expect: a reason to pause and be present.
When I’m practicing, I have to pay attention to my breathing, my movement and what my body is doing in that moment. For me, that focus creates a pause from everything else going on in my head. Learning to slow down, concentrate and be more present in my body has had such a positive impact on my life.
It’s become one of the things I value most about Pilates.
I’ve always enjoyed being active, from different styles of fitness to mountain biking and other outdoor activities. After experiencing a car accident and other physical setbacks along the way, I came to appreciate even more the strength, balance, control and body awareness I had developed through Pilates.
And that’s one of the things I love most about it.
The work you do on the mat comes with you when you step off of it.
Whether you love running, mountain biking, pickleball, hiking, traveling or simply want to feel stronger and more comfortable in everyday life, Pilates can be an incredible foundation for movement.
My husband and I are originally from the United States. Our journey took us to Canada and eventually to our current home in beautiful Costa Rica.
Moving here marked the beginning of a new chapter for me. It gave me the opportunity to return to something I had put on the back burner years earlier and pursue what I’ve always loved: fitness, movement and teaching.
Teaching has actually been part of my story for a long time. Years ago, I taught drafting, and I loved taking something I understood and helping someone else understand it too. There’s something incredibly rewarding about seeing that moment when something finally clicks.
I feel the same way teaching Pilates.
I love seeing someone become stronger. I love watching their confidence grow. And I especially love when someone discovers that their body is capable of more than they thought.
That’s why I created MAKIKA Pilates.
I wanted to share a practice that has meant so much to me and make it accessible to people wherever they happen to be. With live online classes, you can roll out your mat at home, log in and practice with me from wherever you are.
And I’m still a student too.
I continue to expand my education in Pilates, movement and fitness because I genuinely love learning. There is always something more to understand about movement and the body. As my knowledge grows, I want my classes to grow with it and share what I learn with the people who practice with me.
Pilates has been part of my life for about a decade now, and it’s the one form of movement I continue to come back to.
Now, I get to share it with you.
