Built to Last: Rethinking How We Age

Built to Last: Rethinking How We Age (and Why We Play!)

When the world turned upside down in 2020, I had to completely reimagine how to deliver movement safely. I quickly discovered that the magic of the studio could actually transcend physical walls. I started offering hybrid series so my local Mountain View clients could slowly return to the room, while those across the country, or those who just needed the flexibility of a recorded session when life got busy, could still be a vital part of our community.

What began as a necessity evolved into a beautiful, progressive journey. Unlike a drop-in virtual class, a hybrid series builds over a finite number of cohesive sessions. We form genuine connections, share plenty of laughs, and tackle our goals as a united front. But as life shifts again, I am preparing to host my final hybrid series this Fall.

Types of Aging

Before I explain why this is the grand finale, I want to share a fascinating revelation from a continuing education course I recently attended. We often think of aging as a single, unchangeable number, but there are actually five different types of aging:

Chronological Age: The number of candles on your birthday cake. We can’t change this one, but we can definitely impact the other four!
Biological Age: Your age on a cellular level, heavily influenced by how you nourish and move your body.
Physical Age: How capably you perform your daily activities of living, from reaching a high shelf to getting down on the floor to play with kids or grandkids.
Psychological Age: The health and agility of your brain.
Social Age: The level of community and connection in your life. Isolation can negatively impact this, but moving together, even on a screen, breathes vitality into our social age.

Is your body Built to Last?

In my upcoming 10-session series, Built to Last, I am specifically targeting those last four controllable categories with a heavy dose of joy.

To make this series exceptionally fun and uniquely effective, I am introducing two brand-new elements to our curriculum:

Dual-Task Solo and Buddy Training: We are taking brain fitness to the next level with dual-task training. These are engaging solo or buddy activities where you simultaneously challenge your brain and your body. Expect a lot of laughter as we navigate these together! And if you are joining us virtually from home, don’t worry, you won’t miss out on the fun. You will still get all the brain-boosting benefits and laughs as I coach you through them on screen. Even better, once you learn these activities, you can easily repeat them later with a friend or family member!
Yoga Blocks for Breakthroughs: For the first time, I am incorporating yoga blocks into our Pilates practice. I will coach you on using these props creatively to facilitate healthy alignment. They are fantastic tools to help you achieve full ranges of motion and skeletal stacking that might feel inaccessible without a little extra support.

Underpinning all of this new fun is our core physical focus. As a physical therapist, my priority is always your safety. We will continue to anchor our movements in three essential pillars to ensure our bodies are truly built to last:

Skeletal Integrity: We will safely challenge our skeleton with resistance bands and hand weights to create the healthy stress our bones need to maintain density.
Alignment and Posture: Finding your neutral spine and stacking your joints properly reduces unnecessary wear and tear on your cartilage, helping you move with grace and breathe easier.

Dynamic Balance: We will wake up those deep stabilizing muscles by safely challenging your balance in real-world ways, such as standing on one leg while moving your arms, or even turning your head to engage your body’s internal balance systems. This ensures you can move through the world feeling grounded and secure. If the idea of practicing dynamic balance sounds intimidating, take a deep breath. As a physical therapist, my priority is always your safety. I am actively coaching, guiding, and watching your form every step of the way to ensure every movement is completely bone-safe and appropriate for your body. You will never just be thrown into a wobbly balance exercise without a solid foundation.

By the end of our 10 sessions, you will walk away with a deeper understanding of your own mechanics, improved postural strength, and a sharper mind-body connection. And, of course, we will celebrate our hard work and newly forged friendships with our traditional end-of-series wrap-up party!

So, why is this the final hybrid series?

Simply put, it is time for a new chapter of flexibility in my own life. Organizing a hybrid format is incredibly labor-intensive, and the cost of physical rental space has climbed exponentially. More importantly, my husband has retired, and I want the freedom to enjoy that with him. I also want the flexibility to visit my mom in New York without being tethered to a tight schedule. When I schedule a hybrid series, I commit to teaching every class.

This final hybrid series is going to be something truly special. Whether you are in the room with me or joining virtually from afar, I invite you to step into this space, laugh through the dual-task challenges, and support this body, your lifelong home, and ensure it’s Built to Last. Classes begin September 15, 2026. Click here to sign up!