Life & Work with Andrea Brody

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Brody.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started? 
My story starts with back pain. I was working in corporate graphic design. I sat at a desk all day, and my body, especially my lower back, was in constant pain. I searched for a solution and heard Pilates helps with back pain. Sure enough, I got stronger, and the tension was released. I fell in love with this form of exercise as it helped me feel less stressed, too. 

I loved Pilates so much that I traded my desk for a Pilates Reformer and became a Private Pilates Instructor. I help people get stronger and alleviate stress in their bodies and minds with Pilates so they can live balanced lives. 

I love guiding people with Pilates so they feel stronger, more flexible, and feel less pain. I love seeing the difference in their stress levels after a session when they walk out the door with a smile on their face. 

Whether you need to rehabilitate after surgery or injury, have chronic pain or imbalance in your body, or just want to get stronger and improve your athletic performance, I can support your goals. Pilates is an exercise method that works your full body and builds up your strength and stamina without overdoing it. The exercises are easily adjusted to make things easier or more challenging to support all your fitness goals. Pilates can relieve your pain but also increase your endurance and help you avoid injury in other types of exercise. When you add Pilates to your exercise routine, it makes all movements better. 

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?
Like many entrepreneurs, I had a successful in-person business before Covid. During lockdown, I was fortunate to move most of my business online. I’m grateful for the clients who transitioned through that time with me. They were willing to try something different. They found online Pilates works very well, and they really enjoy the convenience of working out from wherever they are. Now, I have a hybrid business model of online and in-person clients. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work remotely with people from around the world. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Pilates is a low-impact exercise that focuses on quality movement. 

This means you do movement that protects your joints and strengthens while you exercise instead of overdoing it or wearing down your joints. You work your whole body every session. From your feet to your head and neck. You gain strength while creating flexibility, so you avoid injury and recover quickly. 

I had a new Pilates client recently with tight hip flexors. I could tell she wasn’t using the back of her body to move. Her posture was a little rounded forward because the tightness in her hips was pulling her upper spine forward. This posture can cause some muscles to overwork and others to underwork. 

In order to work on finding balance in her movement and reducing pain, I had her do Footwork on the Reformer. I taught her how to start connecting her movement to the back of her body so she could stretch through her hips more and stand taller. She was amazed at the difference. 

I have a 91-year-old client that does Pilates twice a week. We work on her strength, balance, and flexibility. Consistent Pilates has maintained her mobility and keeps her active. She still drives, is in a book club, travels to Europe, takes Spanish classes, and walks to do errands. 

I have a golfer client who came consistently and had less pain. He decided to save time and not come so often. Had stuff going on and had to miss three weeks. Instead of saving time his Plantar Fasciatis came back, he didn’t feel well, and his posture wasn’t great. When he did return, I could see the difference in his body. He was standing the way he used to stand before he would come to Pilates, and he didn’t look the same. 

After one session, he could feel the difference and stood taller. He decided to go back to his consistent sessions after realizing skipping Pilates only created more issues. 

Pilates can be the glue that holds you together. 

I teach people of all ages with different goals. 

When you take Pilates with me, I give you detailed, individualized instruction. You work at your pace in a one-on-one environment. I teach you how to work with any movement challenges so you can heal and get stronger. This type of one-on-one instruction helps you understand the movement, why you do it, and how it helps you connect to your body. You get the results you need, whether it’s better posture, less pain, or to feel better in your body. I teach mostly private sessions, so the work I do is very specific to your needs. 

When you take Pilates with me, I’ll teach you to move in a way that you feel safe and know you won’t get injured. You’ll instead gain strength and confidence in your movement because you’ll know what movements work for your body and what to avoid. You’ll learn exercises that strengthen and stretch your back while working your whole body. This is a movement that translates to all other things. You’ll find you sit at your desk with better posture without thinking about it. You’ll run faster and longer. You’ll have a better balance when surfing or stand-up paddle boarding. If you have a creative career, Pilates will help you focus better and increase your creativity. 

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’ve combined my love of Pilates and graphic design with online workshops for graphic designers. Since I understand the challenges they’re faced with, and how important it is to take care of themselves, I can directly address their needs. I’ve taught workshops for The Graphic Artists Guild and The Creatives Roundtable. Participants got a workout in their office and were more focused and creative to return to work after. 

Pilates is a powerful movement practice that’s often overlooked. If you give Pilates a try for three months, three times a week, you’ll see and feel how transformative it is. If you’re ready to get started on a transformative journey with me, set up your free consultation in the link below. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://brightlybalanced.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightly.balanced/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreabrody12/
• Other: https://calendly.com/andrea-234/free-client-assessment-call?month=2024-05