Testimonials

Jean B

I have been taking pilates classes with Claire Dillon-Palma for 10 years. During that time i have been extremely impressed with Claire's dedication and professionalism. She is always very attentive and fully present with her students. Claire always takes into account the fitness level of each student. She does not try to do a "one size fits all" class. When working with students who have physical limitations, she tailors their particular movements to meet their individual needs.

Pilates is the most effective exercise routine that I have ever done. I saw changes in my body within a short time after beginning with Clarie. This simple but powerful exercise program will go a long way towards having a fit body at any age. A typical pilates class addresses the issues that many of us are concerned with, including overall toning, flexible joints, a flat stomach, a strong back and good posture. I am convinced that, done correctly, pilates can benefit anyone (regardless of age) who practices on a regular basis. However, i do feel strongly that it is important to have an instructor who has indepth knowledge about the anatomy of the body and is conscientious about safeguarding the well being of their clients. i feel very comfortable that claire has these qualifications.

I started Pilates with Clare Dillon-Palma three years ago thinking that I was in Pilates shape from having previously worked with two other Pilates trainers. Was I ever wrong. Clare is the premiere Pilates experience anywhere. MY sciatica is gone, I have better posture and I feel as I have gotten taller. I feel so good from my Pilates work and shall never quit. I have worked out at something all my life. I just wish I had trained with Clare sooner. It.s the very best workout of all.

Ever since I've discovered the art of Pilates, my body has never been the same. Pilates has done so many positive things for my body that it has become a crucial part of my exercise routine. It has given me better posture, body control, a heightened body awareness and keeps my muscles long which will allow them to function better. Without Pilates, I wouldn't be able to do things that I regularly do in or out of the gym. Pilates is a great form of exercise but it takes a great teacher with a very good eye to make sure that the form is correct with body alignment and Clare does an excellent job in making sure that I am doing everything correctly. The environment at Pilates of Greenville is a loose and fun environment but at the same time can be serious and challenging giving the art of Pilates a real purpose instead of just going through the motions. If your looking for a brand new body with a fun and motivating instructor then Pilates of Greenville is the place for you.

Pilates has been a backsaver for me. For most of my adult life I've had back problems. When my doctor recommended Pilates I started taking Pilates classes with Clare. She has a very good understanding of the issues with my back and has adjusted the Pilates routines with those issues in mind. My back has improved dramatically. As long as I do the exercises and attend the classes my back is not a problem--no pain.

My first class was taken on a whim I had never been one to join a gym Now 16 years later There is no teacher greater So it must have been karma When I found Clare Dillon-Palma!

Fourteen years ago, I gave birth to my youngest child at the age of 40. I was having a lot of neck back pain and couldn.t lose my .baby gut.. After talking to Clare about Pilates and what it could do for my issues, I gave it a try. Amazingly, my stomach flattened within months and the neck pain was gone for good. I have been a believer in the Pilates method ever since and continue to see the benefits.

My first Pilates lesson with Clare was simply a test to see if I liked the concept. That was 10 years ago. Need I say more?

Being introduced to Pilates earlier this year has proven to be a God-send for me in so many ways. After battling Graves Disease for four years, I found myself overweight, listless, out-of-shape and confined pretty much to my home. Never having been able to stick to any exercise regimen for any length of time, I reluctantly enrolled in a beginner mat class at the insistence of my best friend. After just seven months of instruction, I’m a totally new person! I feel stronger, breathe better, am more flexible and have much more stamina. It has given me the energy to get involved in cycling, hiking and horseback riding – physical activities I haven’t been able to participate in for as long as I can remember. Today, I’m thirty pounds lighter, my husband of eleven years can’t keep his hands off of me and I have a hard time recognizing the person staring back at me in the mirror.

The two Pilates workouts I do religiously every week are strenuous but fun, so it’s not just something I enjoy – it’s something I can actually see myself sticking with for the rest of my life. The results for me have been nothing short of phenomenal. Not only do I feel younger than I felt when I was in my 20s (I’m now over 40), but I now find myself equipped with a brand new self-image and outlook on life. I’m proud of what I have accomplished so far, but I’m even more grateful for having been introduced to this life-changing program. I don’t think my best friend had any idea the impact she was to make on my life when she offered me the gift of Pilates!

I sustained an ankle injury in 1996 that required surgical repair with rods and screws. After only three years, I had to undergo arthroscopic repair due to increasing difficulty with ambulation. My orthopedic surgeon’s post-arthroscopy prognosis was not good. The traumatic degenerative arthritis had left me with little or no cartilage in my left ankle. The only reliable repair recommended, a fusion, would leave me with no motion in my ankle and only a possibility of pain relief- no guarantees. As a wife, mother of two active children, and a business owner, I did not see ankle fusion as a viable option for me.

As my ankle became more limited in motion, the pain and swelling in my ankle also increased. My weight ballooned as my ability to ambulate decreased. While reading a health magazine in early 2000, I learned about the Pilates method and was fascinated by the idea of a non-weight bearing exercise that appeared to combine the flexibility training of yoga and dance with a weight resistance workout. ( and , if done at a decent pace, tough aerobic exercise!) Through a circuitous route of phone calls to various studios across the country, I was directed to an excellent trainer right in my own back yard, Clare Dillon-Palma.

I’ve worked out with Clare since 2000 and can attest to the excellent therapeutic benefits of Clare’s training through the Pilates method. The exercises require a lot of mental concentration which at first can be frustrating; but, after sticking to it for a few months, the rewards have been worth it. Pilates can be modified to allow for an excellent workout, despite any existing physical limitations. I am more flexible than I have ever been in my life. My stamina has increased. My weight has improved and even my body shape has changed. My gait has greatly improved!

After four years of Pilates training, I dread going through a week without at least two sessions. The workouts keep my ankle flexible and my gait more even. The road to feeling better has not been short. It is a continuing journey. I’ve never been a “gym rat”, just a middle age mom with lots of obligations and very little time to myself. The Pilates method has done more to improve the quality of my health and outlook than any medication or surgery ever could.

I am a 70-something who has been taking Pilates with Clare Dillon-Palma for about a year and a half. During that time, I feel my body has grown stronger and I have more energy. I am an avid gardener and some of my gardens are on hillsides. One day, I slipped on the hillside and felt myself going down for a nasty fall; instead I was able to grab onto a limb of a tree and because I had enough upper body strength I was able to stop myself from falling. I recommend Pilates to everyone, but especially to seniors.