3 minute read
HEALTH
High-Powered Fitness
By Nicole Borgenicht
World-class trainer Andrea Speir, who has been teaching Pilates for 15 years and received her power Pilates certification in 2006, cofounded Speir Pilates with Liz Polk, a lawyer at Netflix. The celebrityfavorite Pilates studios have locations in Santa Monica and West Hollywood, and all Speir Pilates trainers have 600 or more hours in certifications. Speir’s signature style and method of teaching Pilates incorporates modern cardio aerobics with lengthening and sculpting movements to deliver fast and incredible results. “What we do at Speir is combine form-based reformer Pilates with some of the most effective approaches from other forms of training (ballet barre, high intensity interval training, Tabata, props) with a musically-driven approach,” Speir said. Speir Pilates clients achieve notable success with different body sculpting techniques, and male clients love the workouts as Pilates increases their energy and strengthens their muscles for sports. “I cannot tell you how many times I’ve gotten a client that told me they wished they had started this earlier, because they may have avoided injuries they now suffer or realize how much stronger, healthier and more capable they might have been,” Speir said. A specialist in prenatal and postnatal Pilates, Speir prides herself on understanding the physical, emotional and psychological aspects of pregnancy. “My training is almost exclusively on the reformer and the Cadillac,” Speir said. “These apparatuses help to guide and support women throughout their experience. In postnatal recovery, I work very frequently with women recovering from cesarean sections and have had two myself. There is a different approach to recovery here and everyone is unique in how their body heals. There is some incredible work we do in our approach to recovery for this, as well as the pelvic floor, postural muscles, glutes, circulation and so much more.”
Speir is known for her work with various celebrities, training them on set and helping them create specific plans and schedules to reach their fitness goals. She also works virtually with clients and they can choose from more than 150 workouts available from Speir on Demand, which can be streamed straight into one’s living room. The system keeps clientele consistent in their workouts while away and prepared to engage in classes upon their return.
Clients also love the smaller class sizes at Speir Pilates, which offer a more intimate and personalized workout experience. “Our style and vibe here is never to present something as a ‘modification’ that has a connotation of not being able to do what you are ‘supposed’ to be doing,” Speir said. “We lead by showing different approaches in which to find the form, which is really the goal at the end of the day. It’s not about powering through, it’s about completing something in a way that your body can connect, understand and strengthen.” Speir Pilates workouts are designed for all body types. The signature Power Reformer class continues to be the most popular, but another in-demand workout is Cardio Reformer, which fuses reformer sculpting exercises with modern cardio elements. “It targets the fast and slow twitch muscles alike, spikes the heart rate and then slows it down, bumps fun music and gets major results,” Speir said. Speir also offers private training sessions for her clientele as well. “My heart will forever have the softest spot for one-on-one, it’s what made me fall in love with Pilates and the teaching side,” Speir said. “You get to literally change someone’s body, and watching that transformation is unlike anything else.”
Speir Pilates
1427 7th Street, Santa Monica 310-260-4808 speirpilates.com
Speir Pilates is a celebrity-favorite Pilates studio with locations in Santa Monica and West Hollywood that fuse athletic Pilates with cardio, barre and circuit training
World-class trainer Andrea Speir has developed a signature style and method of teaching Pilates that incorporates modern cardio aerobics with lengthening and sculpting movements that deliver fast and amazing results.
