By Drew Denny
From the minute I walked into Agathe Fay’s private Pilates studio- Peninsula Pilates- I felt right at home. Forget the stuffy, elitist or awkward vibes of all the Pilates studios you’ve visited before. Agathe is a laid back lady with a great laugh and great taste. She walked me through her beautiful Marina del Rey home to the curtained off studio in the back. I immediately appreciated Agathe’s music- I’ve always wondered why Pilates classes have to be so boring, I mean, quiet… We warmed up with a series of mat exercises – Agathe incorporated a foam roller, toning balls, and a ‘magic circle’ among other toys into a series of moves that tested my core and my inner thighs and managed to keep me on my toes while I was laying flat on my back! Even as Agathe eased me into the workout, I felt instantly challenged. Then we moved to the Reformer. It had been a while since I’d mounted one of those machines, and I couldn’t help but remember how I thought it was some sort of sexy torture device the first time I saw one. Luckily for me, Agathe is extremely patient and has a good sense of humor. We started with legwork then moved on to the most amazing Hundreds I’ve ever done – I used to think of the Hundred as the nap in the middle of Pilates class… Apparently, I wasn’t doing them right. Agathe has a keen eye for form and gives excellent direction. She got into Pilates several years ago to deal with posture problems caused by her scoliosis. For this reason, perhaps, Agathe has an intense and intuitive understanding of the human body – what it means to feel pain or discomfort and how to really communicate with a body to address those issues. Pilates helped her so much, she was hooked and wanted to share the love. If you’re looking for some positive vibes and a workout that leaves you feeling both challenged and healed, head to Agathe Fay’s Peninsula Pilates studio.
