My dog, Barış loves my Pilates lessons. He races into the studio and demands a bowl of water (he likes to keep hydrated as I work out!) and encourages me to start my lesson as soon as possible, with a few bossy barks.
He always leads the way into the studio and is keen for the lesson to start, as he knows he will soon be getting a ride on the machines! Throughout the session Barış is fussed, and when other clients bring their dogs too, he gets to play with them. Last year I had a significant birthday, the big 5-0!!! Rather than dread the day and feel negative about it, I decided to make a list of things to do throughout the year, to celebrate it as a fabulous milestone I had reached.
The big theme for the year was to get fit (Barış wasn’t fully supportive – he felt there would be less treats in my diet and by extension, in his too). As well as the plan to run a 10km race and eat healthier, I also wanted to get physically stronger by doing Pilates. I visited several studios in the Kadiköy area and chatted to their instructors, but simply couldn’t find one that I felt would keep my interest and motivate me to go regularly.
That is until I visited a new studio in Moda, Kadiköy called PilatesChi. It is a family-owned studio, fully reflected in the friendly and fun atmosphere they create. All the instructors are qualified Pilates specialists, and they also offer a range of other fitness services including functional training, yoga and injury rehabilitation.
I spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer and so pilates is the perfect way to build strength in my lower back and core, as well as helping my posture. Pilates is inspired by strength training, yoga and ballet. It lengthens and stretches all the major muscle groups, it improves flexibility, strength, balance and body awareness. A perfect combination for me!
The lessons are either one-on-one or in pairs, and the studio offers a complimentary trial session for beginners (or for dogs). Emre, one of the brothers, was my first-time instructor and was extremely patient and encouraging. About half-way through the lesson as I was lying on one of the benches trying to coordinate my movements as well as breathe properly, he asked me if I had a dog. My first thought was embarrassment as, indeed yes, I do have a cute Cocker Spaniel and I’m often (always) covered in dog hair, so I thought he was asking as I had dog hair on my t-shirt!
As it happens, he was asking because the owners love dogs and they invited me to bring along my fur baby to the next class. I was sold (it’s not hard if you have a pet)! To think I could bring Barış along to my exercise class was just brilliant.
Living in a city with no garden, being able to take my dog out to a venue and spend time together is so much more than I could have hoped for – we could be together and, of course, he would love all the additional attention.
So, as we set off to the room and I get started warming up, he has his usual sniff around, before settling down to watch. He has a check up on me from time to time (in particular when my heavy breathing starts, as I do the trickier exercises) and his little nose appears over the bench.
His favorite bit is when we move to the reformer, a Pilates machine very low to the ground. As soon as it looks like the instructor is taking me there, Barış runs over and sits on the machine – he knows he gets a ride when I exercise here and so he gets the best position! As I am laying on my back doing arm or leg stretches Barış leaps up and lays across me, adding another 15kg to the resistance, but giving kisses to encourage me to keep going (in the hope, I suspect, that I forget the extra effort I have to put in because of him). Working out like this with my dog means we are both getting out of the house, both getting healthy from the workout, and can spend more fun times together.
PilatesChi caters for everyone, from beginner to advanced, fitness fanatics to those wanting to manage their stress, concentration and learn relaxation breathing techniques. Exercises are performed using both resistance machines and your own body weight (plus your dogs’ weight!).
Barış and I have been going regularly to PilatesChi for about six months now and we both have noticed a difference in our overall well-being. My aching joints and my stiff back have disappeared, my flexibility and muscle tone has improved, and my posture is significantly better. For Barış his social life has increased, and he is loving the attention and fun he has during our classes.
Let’s start with the most important question… Why did you want to have dogs attend with their owners?
Well, PilatesChi is a family-run business and the family adores animals. When we first opened our studio in Moda, some of our members showed up with dogs; quite understandable I suppose since Kadıköy shares our enthusiasm for animals. We asked them to bring them back to their next session and our bond with these animals has grown. Now the pet owners leave them with us when they have some errands to run or have to be somewhere and don’t want to leave their pet alone –we even have some of them here all day with us.
Do you think there are any benefits to training with your pets around?
Well, I can think of many reasons why it’s good for the pets, instead of being left alone at home, they come to a place where they can socialize with people and with other animals; a place where they’re being loved and spoiled and get their chance at doing some Pilates.
On a more serious note, many studies have shown that the bond between people and animals increases human happiness, decreases stress and blood pressure, and has a significant calming effect on us people, plus, of course, you don’t have to worry about your pet chewing the carpet at home.
How many clients bring their dogs?
Close to ten dogs come regularly, including a Boxer, several Golden Retrievers, a Cocker, a Setter mix, a street dog and a Chihuahua – not that we are aiming for every breed just yet.
How do you handle a client who says they don’t like dogs?
Some of our members have allergies to dogs and some just say that they don’t like them. Of course, it’s okay, no one will think anything less of you in our studio for not liking dogs. While arranging the schedule, we always ask our members if they’re okay with dogs, some just want their lesson while their favorite dog is here [Barış!] and some just state that they want the “dog-free” slot in the schedule, and we do our best to cater to these needs. So far, no complaints, so we have no plans to change our “pets allowed” policy.
Why do you think clients like to bring their dogs?
I think the main reason is that our clients feel it is a safe and loving atmosphere for the dogs – we always have some water and pet food available for them and plenty of people to spoil them, but I also think our clients feel happier in themselves, try a bit harder and get results. This is rewarding for both the owner and the dog – also, where else would you get a chance to try Pilates with your dog?
What types of dogs enjoy participating with their owners?
We’ve noticed Cockers have a strong tendency to sit on the reformer [Maria: I wouldn’t have known!] and make the workout harder for their owners. [Laughter.] Boxers do not care much about the workout, they just want to drool and act menacing, the others mostly just attentively watch their owners do strange moves on strange contraptions and they get to doze happily.
To contact PilatesChi and schedule a training session (with or without a dog), be sure to check out their official site or contact them via info@pilateschi.com or at +90 (216) 553 03 52. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Images courtesy of Geumana Sabra.
