Find Your Center with Erika Bloom

Courtesy of Erika Bloom

I woke up this morning to the soft pitter patter of rain hitting the windowsill and a thick darkness, the kind that makes getting out of bed quite difficult. After lying there for some time, resisting the thought of pulling back the covers, I finally drew open the curtains and peered out into a dark, dreary and overcast day.

I wanted to match the somber weather with a restorative workout full of gentle movements, so I rolled out my yoga mat and decided to try a class from Erika Bloom.

The former professional dancer and celebrity Pilates mogul is a knowledgable and experienced talent in the health and wellness space. With certifications in Pilates, therapeutic yoga, holistic nutrition, sports conditioning and more, she focuses on injury prevention, posture improvement and body functionality to heal the body holistically, so you can operate at your fullest potential. She takes her classes to the next level by personalizing her Pilates workouts for each client while incorporating the latest information on anatomy and biomechanics.

Courtesy of Erika Bloom

From virtual private sessions to an online subscription program to in-person classes in Los Angeles, New York City, The Hamptons and Turks and Caicos, Erika's method is accessible and available to anyone who is looking to lengthen and strengthen their bodies.

I went with a 30-minute, intermediate, full-body pilates flow that Erika created for Goop for some morning movement.

After pressing play, I immediately felt at ease as Erika's soft and gentle voice welcomed me to the workout.

Erika prefaced the class by recommending 2- to 3-pound weights to accompany the exercises, but she also provided at-home friendly alternatives like water bottles, cans, other household items or no weights at all.

From there, we got right into the workout. Her class incorporated a series of slow and controlled movements that emphasized mind-to-muscle connection through breathing, moving in alignment and tuning into the body.

We started on our knees for a quick warmup before heading into a series of glute bridge variations and core stabilization exercises. Then, we moved onto our sides to complete a combination of lying, kneeling and suspended leg lifts with other compound movements that targeted the entire body. To make it a well-rounded flow that hit every plane and angle, we completed a challenging sequence of movements on our stomachs. We ended on our knees for a cool-down that brought the workout full circle.

Throughout the workout, Erika used in-depth descriptions of each exercise to explain why you're doing that movement, how you can best complete that movement to hit the right muscles and what exact muscles you're targeting. It was an eye-opening learning experience for my mind as well as a physical workout for my body.

The workout was incredibly effective, not because I was sweating, panting or aching but because I experienced the exact opposite. There was no jumping, no pushing your body to the extreme, no tightening or overworking the muscles, no killing yourself to see results. Instead of forcing the exercises or tensing through a difficult sequence, Erika's workout was all about moving in the flow through grounding and restorative movements. And, as a result, I felt calm and centered like I just completed a moving meditation.

Courtesy of Erika Bloom

I honestly felt like a completely new person. A feeling of calm washed over me and drowned out any nagging anxiety or worry. I felt restored and rejuvenated and ready to tackle the day ahead.