CoreAlign - A Marvelous Machine that Fixes Your Body!

CoreAlign is pilates, but not just any pilates. I didn't really know that when I bought a coupon for some classes. I didn't even know that when I actually went to my first class… I went to EHS Pilates studio in the mission. It's only a couple blocks from the 24th St Bart station, so very easy to get to. The people there were friendly. They have one bathroom you can change in, if needed, and some little cubbies within sight of the front desk where you can leave your stuff, or you can bring it upstairs with you. There is a studio downstairs, then upstairs, another studio, which you can walk through to get to the CoreAlign room where I went. Each CoreAlign class is no more than 3 or 4 people.  Actually the couple times I went, it was just two people. Semi private class!! I walked into that room and was in for a surprise. No mats here - you have this weird looking machine to use, one per student. My teacher was really patient and attentive. What you're doing with this exercise is just what it says - aligning your core. Using small movements to slide your body and legs back and forth on the machine, you're realigning your whole entire body. It's very hard to explain, so I found a video on youtube to show you. This isn't the studio I went to, but it looks to be the same. For those that can't watch the video, here is a blurb from the website:

The CoreAlign method stimulates the core stability muscles to fire in perfect timing while performing challenging exercises, very deep stretches and core controlled aerobic training. This method is used for musculoskeletal rehabilitation, performance enhancement and as a regular sport for a healthy lifestyle.

"People just can't get enough of the new CoreAlign; designed by Jonathan Hoffman and produced by Balanced Body, The response has been amazing! From someone in the rehabilitation setting all the way to the professional athlete, this machine is changing the way we think about exercise. Talk about functional movement!! After using the CoreAlign, people are feeling the difference and walking out of the studio with better posture and body mechanics."
— Nancy Myers, Owner EHS Pilates, Foot and Gait Therapist, Pilates Instructor

For a whole hour, the teacher showed me and my classmate how to move ourselves in these little movements, which didn't seem like very much exercise. It went really fast, and I didn't have time to get bored, because I had constant attention. At the end of the hour, I walked away feeling GREAT! I was in a super happy mood, and my whole body felt in such alignment as I walked and climbed the hills back home. There's no big moving/jumping, etc,  to this, yet it yields the same results! Probably lining up things gets your body transmitting whatever it transmits, more efficently. I was hooked. I looked to see how much these classes are..but alas, they're $30 each class, which I really can't afford. It's totally worth it, given the amount of time you get with the instructor, and the awesome results. If you CAN afford it, DO IT. Sadly, right before I went to take my last class, the studio's schedule changes. Most of their classes are different other pilates or yoga classes, and their previous Monday evening class was perfect for me. But then it changed to some times I would never be able to make. So the last one expired without me getting to take advantage of it. I'm always jealous of people who make their own schedules and work from wherever, whenever, because they get to go to more awesome classes. Even at this steep price, this is something you should try at least once. Have you ever done CoreAlign? What did you think?