Erica the Coach

03/22/2026

Blog post- Why you shake during Pilates: A nervous system response, not a weakness

https://pilateswithericathecoach.com/2026/03/22/why-you-shake-during-pilates-a-nervous-system-response-not-a-weakness/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=jetpack_social

03/19/2026

It’s not about looking different…
it’s about feeling like yourself again. ✨

Brides don’t just want to look good.
They want to feel grounded, aligned, and present.

That’s the real glow.

03/14/2026

I asked ChatGPT to create an interpretive portrait of what my mental state would look like in a museum and what it means.

It said “the image reads — a mind that experiences things intensely:
• deep emotional processing
• intuition and insight
• periods of overwhelm
• but also resilience and transformation.

It’s essentially portraying a mind that feels deeply, thinks deeply, and turns that into growth.”

03/13/2026

😂😂😂

03/13/2026

Might as well join in the fun 🤷🏼‍♀️ 😅

03/03/2026

Not everything done on a Reformer (or a mat) is Pilates.
A lot of studios mix HIIT, sculpt, and random functional moves and call it Pilates because it’s on the equipment.

Here’s how to spot real Pilates:

✅ Real Pilates Looks Like This

• There’s a system.
Clear goal, progression, and intentional sequencing…. Not random moves.

• You learn connections.
Ribs, spine, pelvis, breath, and limbs working together… not just choreography.

• The equipment is used correctly.
Springs and pulleys assist, challenge, reveal imbalances, and build control, not HIIT circuits.

• Your instructor explains the WHY.
Not just “faster!” or “pulse!” but what the movement is training and how it connects and how this helps you.

• You leave feeling better.
Taller, aligned, connected, stronger, not smoked or destroyed.

❌ Knock-Off Pilates Looks Like This

• Bootcamp or sculpt on a Reformer
• Speed over skill
• Random exercises with no method
• No focus on breath, alignment, control, or precision
• Little correction or education

Fun? Maybe.
Pilates? No.

💬 Is the Studio Worth Your Money?

Ask:
✔️ Do they teach the method, not just the machine?
✔️ Can they modify for pain, trauma, mobility, fatigue, or autoimmune issues?
✔️ Are you learning skills you can feel like control, alignment, stability… Or just following choreography?

Anyone can put you on a Reformer. A Pilates instructor teaches you how to move with purpose. Know the difference… your body will.

03/02/2026

Strength isn’t about how big your muscles look. It’s about how efficiently your body can produce, control, and transfer force.

Watching a smaller guy outlift the large bodybuilders reminded me of the same misconception people have about Pilates:

➡️ ‘If it’s not heavy, it’s not strength.’
But that’s not how the human body works.

Pilates develops:
• neuromuscular strength
• deep stabilizer activation
• end-range control
• eccentric strength
• core-to-limb integration
• joint integrity and durability
• endurance

And those are the things that make you functionally strong for real life… Not just for the mirror.

Hypertrophy = size.
Strength = connection.

And anyone who’s ever done real Pilates knows just how strong you have to be to control springs through range, not just lift them once.

02/21/2026

Let’s be honest... some things in the Pilates world make me raise an eyebrow.

Not because I’m judgmental, but because I’m committed to teaching with integrity, staying current with biomechanics, and helping people move better for REAL.

It’s personal for me because I have so many past injuries that impact me still today, and autoimmune issues that contribute. It is my passion to help as many people as I can.

Pilates isn’t stuck in the past, it was meant to evolve.
Pilates isn’t “just core.”
And Pilates isn’t anything that happens to involve springs and straps. All movement is medicine, however just slapping the name Pilates on it does not make it Pilates.

If you want to build strength, stability, mobility, and better movement patterns... ✨ you’re in the right place.

What would you add to this? Drop it below 👇🏻

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02/01/2026

To everyone who came to Painting with a Twist for my birthday… Thank you. To the ones who drove an hour to get there… y’all are MVPs.

I don’t take that for granted. Time, gas, energy - you gave all of that just to spend the day with me, and that means something real.

I had the best time because of you. It was a gift to spend the afternoon with all of you 🤗❤️.

02/01/2026

01/07/2026

Today was a reminder that nourishment isn’t always food or movement.
Sometimes it’s art, sunshine, walking without rushing, deep conversations, and sitting beside someone who feels safe.

Research consistently shows that meaningful social connection lowers stress hormones, supports nervous system regulation, and improves overall mental health… and honestly, you can feel it when you slow down like this.

Grateful for days that fill the cup in quiet, lasting ways. 🤍

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, this is your sign to reach out to someone.

What helps you feel most grounded when life feels loud?

11/23/2025

Pilates isn’t magical anatomy—it’s biomechanics.

When we understand what’s actually supposed to fire, we stop demonizing muscles that are literally doing their job.

My goal is always to teach you what you should feel, where it should initiate, and how to stabilize the rest of the chain so the movement becomes intentional instead of confusing.