Hot Pilates at mind/body HAUS has been a source of joy and connection in the lives of Kristen, Alicia, and Khemba.
Kristen Saulsberry, 32, sought an alternative workout to the traditional gym environment. With a background in exercise science and kinesiology, she taught group fitness classes and trained throughout her undergraduate career. After stepping away from fitness for health reasons, Kristen found it challenging to get back into exercising until May 2023, when she found a new fitness home at mind/body HAUS. Since incorporating Barre and Pilates into her life, she has seen tremendous improvements in her health and well-being, and the two workouts complement one another.
“MBH helped me fall in love with fitness again. The environment was very welcoming and positive and reminded me of how I felt when I first found my love for fitness 15 years ago. Not only have I hit most of my fitness goals here, but I’ve found a whole new community. Making friends as an adult isn’t always easy, but I’ve met some of the kindest and most genuine women ever here. I can’t picture my life without them,” Kristen says.
She loves a slow class focusing on balance and particularly loves a “clam” hip abductor movement. In the future, she looks forward to teaching classes again, and working on her handstands and balance.
Alicia Ester, 34, a filmmaker and artist, initially began Pilates to strengthen her yoga practice and quickly fell in love with how fun Pilates classes could be. “MBH was the first studio I tried when I moved back to Memphis, and I have yet to find another studio that matches its energy. I absolutely love it!” She loves the diversity of classes each instructor offers, so she makes a point to visit as many different classes as possible each week. Alicia has a dance background, so she falls into the rhythm of Pilates easily. She hopes to further her education in yoga and Pilates, and perhaps become certified to teach in the future.
Khemba Poole, 39, is a stylist, executive assistant, and conflict analyst who also began Pilates as an extension of her yoga practice. “As a woman nearing her 40s, I notice subtle changes in my body. Pilates has helped me improve and offered me more body positivity, mood and energy enhancement, and stress relief,” Khemba says. Now, she looks forward to attending Pilates at MBH five days a week, and her favorite class is Hot Pilates with Bodyweight, which allows her to focus more on core engagement and full-body presence.
Khemba also loves the diversity of the instructors and the students. “I connect with someone new every day and always have positive encounters,” she says. She looks forward to continuing to build communities with others who are on a journey of changing for the better.
By Zoe Harrison
Photo by Tindall Stephens
