Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Wilson.
Hi Laura, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I was born in Romania and immigrated to the US in 2002. Ever since I was a little girl, I was very competitive and goal oriented. I loved archery and was accepted on Romania’s National Archery Team, where I won two national titles.
When I came to the US, I had only $100 in my pocket. I trained at the Massage School in Santa Monica and became a Massage Therapist in 2004. I liked helping people feel better, but I realized the effects of massage were more temporary. Eventually, people’s pain would return. I heard about Pilates and decided that’s what I wanted to do. I did my Pilates training and got certified through STOTT Pilates in 2005. I bought a Reformer and Cadillac and began teaching private sessions in a small office in Beverly Hills across from The Peninsula Hotel. I called my studio Natural Pilates.
In 2007, I rented out more office space, bought more equipment, and added group classes to my growing number of private clients. Through Pilates, I was able to help people retrain their muscles, get out of pain, and become stronger. It was a great feeling for me to be able to help my clients, but it seemed like there were pieces of the puzzle missing, so I began to learn more modalities. I got certified in Gyrotonic in 2008, Vinyasa Yoga in 2011, and as a Resistance Training Specialist and Muscle Activation Technique Specialist in 2012.
Doing the resistance and muscle activation training courses connected the dots a bit more for me. I began using these concepts with my clients and applying them to Pilates principles and exercises. In 2016, I developed my own teacher training program for Mat, Reformer and Cadillac. I wanted to train instructors to use my methodology of looking at all the external forces acting on the body and to understand how they could either assist or challenge clients when applying this knowledge to the classical Pilates repertoire developed almost 100 years ago.
In 2017, I opened my Brentwood location, then West Hollywood followed in 2019. I continued offering my teacher training once per year. In 2020, when the world stopped for Covid-19, I used the time to take new photos for my training manuals and to start an online platform of Pilates classes called NPTV. Natural Pilates was also one of the first fitness studios in Los Angeles to open up outdoor classes during the summer of 2020. Our two outdoor studios (at the Luxe on Sunset and in West Hollywood) are still going strong and very popular with our clients.
In 2021, I offered my Comprehensive Teacher Training Program for the first time. This includes all Pilates equipment (Mat, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels), and is over 150 hours of lecture. I also created and began offering online continuing education workshops, many of which are accredited by the National Pilates Certification Program.
2022 is promising to be even more exciting as Natural Pilates continues to expand and become more recognized for our accomplishments. In May, our Mat and Reformer Teacher Training Programs received international accreditation through the Pilates Method Alliance’s International Teacher Trainer Accreditation for Pilates program. In September, we will be opening two new studio locations: Sherman Oaks and Soho in New York City. In October, I’ll be presenting for the first time at the Pilates Method Alliance Conference in Las Vegas. I’ve also received an invitation to present at a Pilates conference in Seoul, Korea, next year. I am very busy, but I love what I do!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not always been a smooth road. Until I was 8 years old, Romania was under Communist rule. I think these formative years made me tough and a hard worker. It also made me better at adapting and making the most out of situations, even bad ones.
After I gave birth to my second child – my daughter, Chloe – I developed rheumatoid arthritis. For someone who has been active all her life, and whose career is built on inspiring others in fitness, this was very challenging for me. Some days my joints hurt so much that it was hard for me to change the Reformer springs for my clients. But getting this disease also made me more empathetic and helped me to understand what many of my clients were going through.
When the pandemic forced everything to shut down, I was very worried. Not just for my business, but also for my staff. Los Angeles is an expensive place to live. So, I got creative. We put together a schedule of online Pilates Mat sessions, and I developed an online portal of both recorded and livestream classes. In our West Hollywood studio, we have an outdoor rooftop area that was used only occasionally. In the Summer of 2020, we moved all the Reformers outside and started doing outdoor classes. I opened another outdoor studio space in the fall of 2020 at The Luxe on Sunset in Brentwood.
I believe that every day is a new opportunity to improve. I try to live my life this way. It keeps me going, keeps me positive, and always trying harder to be my best.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I founded Natural Pilates right after I got certified as a Pilates Instructor through STOTT Pilates in 2005. I started in one small room in an office building in Beverly Hills, and we now have three large studios with two more opening in September.
Natural Pilates is known for offering an athletic, form-focused, functional style of Pilates training. The method I developed applies concepts from personal training to the classical Pilates repertoire. We want our clients to reach muscular fatigue while still maintaining proper form. To that end, I developed a formula for class programming that allows our clients to continue improving and getting stronger without plateauing. My method is different than traditional Pilates training in that it focuses less on choreography and more on single-joint motions and muscular recruitment. I also play with resistance profiles and the number of reps – this type of training sets our studio and instructors apart.
I’m very proud of my studios and staff for their commitment to both the Natural Pilates style of teaching and our outstanding customer service. Being in the Beverly Hills area is wonderful, but it does mean that we have some tough customers to please. I feel we do a great job with this task on a daily basis.
I’m also very proud of our Teacher Training Programs. I truly believe our graduates come out with a superior understanding – not just of the Pilates repertoire, but also of really how to teach and how to regress and progress exercises to tailor each session to the goals and needs of our clients. Our teacher training is very different than most Pilates courses, and this shows in the caliber of our instructors.
I would love if Voyage LA readers came to take a class – either in-person or online at https://www.naturalpilatestv.com. The Natural Pilates brand speaks for itself. They may curse my name on their 30th pulse, but I promise they will love the way they feel afterward!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Don’t be afraid to take risks. There is a saying that life begins at the end of your comfort zone, and I truly believe it. Also, don’t be afraid to work hard. I work very hard every day, but it is worth it. I am so proud of what I have built and my whole team. From a small town in Romania to a small Pilates empire in Los Angeles (and still expanding), I achieved the American dream. It is possible for everyone if you look at each day as an opportunity to improve.
Pricing:
- Group Class Memberships: $150-$360/month depending on number of classes per month
- Private Session: $115 ($1,100 for 10)
- Semi-Private Session: $80 ($750 for 10)
- Group Class: $45 ($700 for 20)
- NPTV All Access: $19.99/month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://naturalpilates.com/index.html
- Instagram: Instagram.com/NaturalPilates
- Facebook: Facebook.com/naturalpilatesLA
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClD6WfZbiIzYUoQ86dtBD7g
- Other: https://www.naturalpilatestv.com
Image Credits
Attila Iuhasz
