Sandra’s Saga: Chapter 6

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose… - Ecclesiastes.

I Am Sandra: Chapter Six – Discovering Strength with Pilates

When I first heard about Pilates, I thought it was just another trendy workout—something for the young, flexible, and impossibly fit. Not someone like me, a 60-something retiree with stiff knees and questionable core strength. But curiosity got the better of me. Dilma had tried it a few years back and swore by its benefits. “You’ll love it, Sandra,” she said with a grin. “It’s all about gentle, controlled movement and building strength from the inside out.”

Gentle? Controlled? That sounded like exactly what I needed.

So, I gave it a shot. The first class wasn’t exactly pretty. I’ll admit it—half the time I felt like an uncoordinated pretzel. Stretching, breathing, and holding positions felt foreign, and my knees groaned in protest. But something clicked when the instructor said, “Pilates is about strength and alignment, not speed or perfection.”

Strength and alignment. That resonated with me.

Pilates focuses on slow, deliberate movements that engage your deep core muscles—those hidden stabilizers I didn’t even know I had. It’s not about lifting heavy weights or sweating buckets; it’s about connecting your mind to your body, focusing on form, and building strength where it truly matters.

Within a few weeks of regular sessions, I noticed subtle changes. My posture—something I’ve been working on since I started walking—improved dramatically. I caught my reflection one day in a store window and realized I was standing taller, shoulders back, spine straight. For years, I’d been hunching forward, as if the weight of life’s stress had pressed me down. Pilates taught me how to realign my body, lifting me up in more ways than one.

The best part? My core. I used to hear fitness experts talk about the “core” and roll my eyes, thinking it was all hype. It’s not. Strengthening my core changed everything. My balance improved, my back pain eased, and—best of all—those stubborn urinary issues I’ve been battling became less frequent. I learned that a strong core supports the pelvic floor, and Pilates quietly worked its magic.

And then there’s my knees. I won’t pretend they’re perfect, but they feel stronger, more stable. The controlled stretches and gentle resistance in Pilates have given me strength without punishing my joints. For the first time in ages, I’ve been able to get back to some basic yoga poses without wincing.

Pilates hasn’t just made me physically stronger; it’s given me confidence in my body again. I don’t feel fragile or limited—I feel capable. I can bend, stretch, and move with more freedom than I thought possible.

When I left class last week, I couldn’t help but smile. I’m becoming stronger, steadier, and—dare I say—more graceful. Pilates has shown me that strength doesn’t have to mean force or strain. It can be quiet, steady, and transformative.

I am Sandra. I’m finding my strength—one breath, one stretch, one movement at a time.