When I found Bum Pilates on Instagram I was all about the aesthetic. Between the millennial pink, the butt puns and the general imagery, I was all in. It's what a few big workout chains do with their imagery and advertising, but when you go to a class or meet the owners you discover it's all a shtick. As soon as you meet Cait Kolibas, the owner, it becomes abundantly clear how authentic it all is. Cait has long blonde messy hair, she's covered in the coolest tattoos, and did I mention she has the body we all wish we had? This place SCREAMS Cait, and it's cool AF.
I had never done a pilates reformer class before. Sure, I've tried some floor pilates classes at the gym, where women are essentially piled on top of each other, while Techno played, but this was different. Between my gym experience, and the image I had in my mind of Gwyneth Paltrow in an overpriced perfectly white workout outfit, sipping Moon Juice while some New Age music plays, I've just never had any interest. Pilates always seemed like something that just wasn't my speed. Maybe it was the tranquility, or pretentiousness, but it didn't sound fun. When we talk, I tell Cait that these are the images I've had in my mind and exactly why I've never had any desire to try Pilates.
But Bum is entirely different. There's hiphop music I actually listen to playing, the space is cute and pink, there's a calm pit-bull sleeping on the sofa, and Cait's teaching in Adidas leggings and a vintage soccer shirt. She's saying things like "this one makes your ass burn, right?". Not to mention the workout actually kicked my ass.
I tell her I've recently (a year ago) had a baby, and haven't really been working out. And that's when she unloads some knowledge on me-- Pilates is one of the best postpartum workouts. Pilates is perfect for strengthening the pelvic walls that lose their strength after birth. The same walls that make peeing when you sneeze or laugh a possibility. The same walls that ache after a day of walking around. And after one class I can feel that it's true. But let's not forget about your butt. I'm sure Pilates is a great overall workout, but between all the squeezing and tightening and extending, my lower body is where I feel it all. Cait also uses TRX in her workouts which I've always found fun and hard. It brought in an ab element I didn't really get from the reformer exercises, and from what I've heard, is rare in a Pilates class.
Cait and Bum Pilates make working out fun. In an hour I felt toned, strong and like I had actually done something really good for me. It doesn't hurt that the body you're aspiring to have is teaching the class, which is a lot of motivation to keep going when it starts to get too hard. For some exercises watch our episodes below, or go take a class. I assure you, you will feel good afterwards.
For more information on Bum Pilates check out the website here, and the Instagram here. And don't forget, we've partnered with them to giveaway 1 personal training session with Cait herself.