I’ve taken Pilates classes and private sessions both locally and in several sites around the country, so I’ve been exposed to a variety of teaching styles. A couple teachers have been quite good, a few were absolutely ineffective and totally frustrating, and most are just “OK.”

Quite simply, Myra Pucci stands head & shoulders above the rest! She is the best Pilates instructor I’ve yet encountered. (I have a Masters in Education, and I’ve trained and evaluated employees in the private sector for years; I consider myself a credible judge of teaching skill.)

Her toolbox of Pilates techniques is huge and she adeptly assesses the student’s level and selects appropriate exercises and modifications. In every session she fine-tunes my form and challenges my strength, yet gives me permission to modify when I need it. With Myra I know I have the latitude to perform one rep more, or three reps less, as my body feels is right for a particular day.

She has highly effective, efficient communications skills so she is able to clearly explain what to do and give relevant imagery to help you figure out how to do it. Beyond her deep technical training and clear communication skills, Myra is genuinely heartfelt in her desire to spread the benefits of Pilates that she has enabled for herself, to the benefit of others. I have a genuinely good time every session, and as I’ve observed her clientele grow I see other students enjoying themselves as well. Definitely a positive energy fills the air in her Pilates studio.

I’ve observed Myra helping many others, but in my case some special circumstances exist, namely significant abdominal surgeries. What I’ve achieved through Pilates is truly remarkable. I had heard of Pilates years earlier in California; I observed that anyone who uttered the word looked firm and young and strong.. No way would I have the ability to do any “core” work. I barely had a “core” to work with. So, not to delve into the detail of every other Pilates session in the intervening two years, I’ll reflect a moment on my present experience with Pilates as a system and with Myra as a teacher.

My body is stronger, firmer, and more toned than ever in my life. I have way more stamina; I walk up stairs. I park far away from the store entrance. I have less shoulder & neck pain; I only see the chiropractor every three of four months now vs. weekly as I had done for many years before I started Pilates. For the first time in my life, I have embarked on a loving relationship with my body. I enjoy enhanced strength, stamina. When I look at how strong I feel now, it’s really hard for me to remember what it felt like to be so weak, so fatigued.

I hope to never feel that way again, and Pilates is a key part of strategy to keep my relationship with my body healthy.

-Shari Lauter