Trainer Tuesday! A Day in the Life of Hilary Curwen

Welcome Hilary Curwen to Trainer Tuesday! Hilary has been with Pilates Platinum for over a year and is known to give a great workout- both on the proformer AND the bike! Her Pilates and 30/30 Spin/Pilates classes are full of energy and very hands on. You'll especially love her classes if you're into yoga since Hilary tends to incorporate a bit of "yoga flare" into her workouts. Read below to see a day in Hilary's life, then come visit her on the west side and get moving!

A Day in the Life of Hilary Curwen

Pilates and Spin Instructor (Venice Beach and Brentwood Studios)

What are your favorite Pilates moves?

I love core work, Plank Wheel barrel  Catfish..etc (anything on the back)

I also love exercises that are supine on the carriage.. lower abdominals

are my jam! .

What is one of your favorite non-Pilates workouts?

I am a workout machine. I love hot yoga a few times a week; Corepower &

Modo.  Barry's Bootcamp is fabulous once a week to get kicked in the butt,

and of course running.

What’s your exercise routine like for a typical *week

Monday: afternoon yoga & maybe spin class at night

Tuesday: Pilates with jaime, then I teach  30 min spin after..

Wednesday: Classical Pilates in Hollywood or Barry's in Weho.

Thursday: I teach 45 min spin in the a.m, then do Pilates

Friday: Corepower yoga

Saturday: Pilates with Debi & I teach 30 min spin

Sunday: REST

What are some of your favorite healthy foods? 

*I love love love mushrooms. Raw, steamed, **sautéed, love it all.  I eat

veggies with almond cheese a lot lately, and make veggie spring rolls with

rice paper and tofu.  I eat pretty "vegan-like."*

What does your workout and eating schedule for a typical day like?

I wake up around 5:30 or 6 am, and the first thing I do is go to the

kitchen.  I have some coconut water and honestly eat whatever is in the

fridge that day.  Today I had sushi from the night before…   I love

smoothies, so I use coconut meat, protein powder and almond milk for a

creamy drink.  I then work for a few hours then do my workout for the day.

I am definitely a morning person so I like to get everything done early.

I am all over LA, so I find places to workout or bring running shoes and do

that in between appointments.  Always keeping clothes in the car has served

me well.   I eat every few hours and I love anything that has dates or nuts

in it.  Recently I have been making my own 'lara bars' for something sweet

in the afternoon.. I work early afternoons and nights then crash early

around 10pm..

See more of Hilary HERE in her Trainer Bio video!

What is bubbly, refreshing and can always make you feel better?

It was a trick question...there are two answers. 

 A Mimosa is more of the obvious

 but the not so obvious is:

 Lindsay Whitley

  What inspired you to become a Pilates/spin instructor or what inspired you to want to be a part of platinum?

From the moment, I took my first pilates class at PILATES PLATINUM Brentwood - I was hooked!  Coming from a competitive athletic background, I loved both the mental and physical challenge. The challenge is truly one-of-a-kind and the results speak for it.  I wanted elevate my own voice and share my passion!

What is your favorite exercise to put your class through? 

Scrambled Eggs.  "See You Saddlebags!"

Which exercise do you think is the most challenging or most effective?  

I love the results, unique to pilates, from Scrambled Eggs, French Twist and Inner Thigh.

What is your favorite way to exercise?   

Spinlates @ Pilates Platinum (30 minutes of a cardio dance party and 30 minutes to tone sexy arms/six packs).

What is your favorite healthy food and what is your favorite unhealthy food?  

Oysters mmm!  Pizza or cookies mmmmmmm! 

What is your most unique quality?  

My quick Wit.  It comes in handy for making people smile.

Where is your favorite place in LA and why?   

The Beach for a mini vacation and mother nature's ability to provide a mesmerizing Zen. 

In one sentence...why should someone take class at platinum or why spx Pilates?   

At Pilates Platinum you get the 3 dynamics of fitness:  strength, cardio and stretch.

Where do you find inspiration?  

Sunny days and sunny attitudes from friends, family or people with hardworking, optimistic attitudes.  Spread the love!

Describe the energy and type of music you like to play for class. 

 I strive for fun, high energy and music to positively bring out your best.

What is one piece of advice you'd like to share with the platinum blog reader.  

Get in here, you won't regret it!

And last but not least. If you we're to have a cocktail named after you what would the ingredients be. If you can think of its name share that as well :-) 

It already exist, a Mimosa.  Who wouldn't want to be bubbly, refreshing and always make you feel better?

PP Instructor Feature: Tara Singer

                 

Make sure you read all the way through to find out what you should incorporate these two liquids in your life :-)

TARA SINGER

1. What inspired you to become a Pilates/spin instructor or what inspired you to want to be a part of platinum?

    I enjoyed Spinning so much - the intesity, the movement with the music, the sense of accomplishment at the end of a class - that I wanted to share that love of the activity with others.

 

2. What is your favorite exercise to put your class through? 

    Jumps on a hill - losing yourself in the rhythm of the music so you don't realize how hard you're tightening your glutes and abs. 

 

3. Which exercise do you think is the most challenging or most effective?

    Sprinting on a hill is quite effective.  It allows you to push yourself further than you thought you could go by adding a revolution to an already weighted peddle stroke.  You're strengthening your leg and glute muscles as well as lungs and heart, while also tightening your core.

 

4. What is your favorite way to exercise?

    Spinning, SPX, jogging on the beach by the shoreline and using my elliptical

 

5. What is your favorite healthy food and what is your favorite unhealthy food? 

    Kale salad with quinoa.  Fried chicken.

 

6. What is your most unique quality?

    I genuinely care about the clients -  their form during the workout, their enjoyment of the time spent in my class, their well being

 

7. Where is your favorite place in LA and why?

    Santa Monica beach near Ashland.  It's relaxing yet rejuvenating - wide expanse of beach and ocean with a beautiful view of the sunset.

 

8. In one sentence...why should someone take class at platinum or why spx Pilates? 

    Done efficiently, SPX offers a full body workout that your body will feel and you will see the results of your work, as long as you listen to your body and understand it's current limits while also challenging yourself.

 

9. Where do you find inspiration? 

    Everywhere.  Everyone has something to offer that reminds us how much better we can be and do.  Removing your ego and being open enough to see it and learn from it is the key.

10. Describe the energy and type of music you like to play for class. 

    Energy = inspirational, motivating, playful.  I play all kinds of music, from pop to alt rock, techno to r&b - if it's got a good rhythm and keeps the energy up, I'll play it.

11. What is one piece of advice you'd like to share with the platinum blog reader.  There is no such thing as "bad" - i.e. "I was bad and didn't work out" or "I was bad and ate the ice cream".  Life is a progression with ebbs and flows.  Cut youself some slack and instead of beating yourself up about it, acknowledge that it was a personal choice and you can choose to make a different choice, if you want to, next time.

And last but not least. If you we're to have a cocktail named after you what would the ingredients be. If you can think of its name share that as well.  

Gentleman Jack whiskey & pineapple juice with two twists of lime over ice. Name = Gentleman's Surprise

PP Spin Instructor Feature

MEET LIZY BEFORE

MEET LIZY NOW 

after losing 65lbs

 What inspired you to become a Pilates/spin instructor or what inspired you to want to be a part of platinum? I used to weigh about 65 pounds more than I do now but was able to transform my body and, more importantly my respect for it, when I committed to healthy eating and discovered spin. I would love to help motivate people to find a similar self-acceptance, which is why I became a spin instructor! Since Pilates Platinum is all about self-transformation, motivation and developing and maintaining healthy habits, I knew it was the place where I wanted to train. 

What is your favorite exercise to put your class through? I love a good hill--sometimes they can be cathartic! 

Which exercise do you think is the most challenging or most effective? I find intervals particularly challenging since they require mental endurance in addition to physical.

What is your favorite way to exercise? The 30/30 spin and pilates class is my absolute favorite exercise. 

What is your favorite healthy food and what is your favorite unhealthy food? I'm pretty obsessed with spaghetti squash and chocolate chip banana bread. Maybe not together, although that's sounding pretty delicious. 

What is your most unique quality? I always try to find the silver lining in any situation and to see struggles as opportunities.

Where is your favorite place in LA and why? The tea room at the Huntington Gardens. Who doesn't love wearing florals and eating finger sandwiches?

In one sentence...why should someone take class at platinum or why spx Pilates?
Where do you find inspiration? I'm an energetic guide who's going to push you, but not force you, to work hard and outside of your comfort zone. 

Describe the energy and type of music you like to play for class. I'll play anything with a strong beat but love top 40s and strong female pop. 

What is one piece of advice you'd like to share with the platinum blog reader. Once you stop judging yourself that's when the changes happen!

And last but not least. If you we're to have a cocktail named after you what would the ingredients be. If you can think of its name share that as well :-) The Hermia--a shot of blanco tequila and cayenne--like Shakespeare says, though she be but little, she is fierce!

Each instructor can be found on our schedule, here, see if the time they teach works for you and stop on into one of their classes!