Testimonials
"Contrology (Pilates) is complete
coordination of body, mind, and spirit."
~ Joseph Pilates
"I feel so lucky to work with Victoria! For nearly ten years following an injury, I worked with a wide range of doctors, physical therapists, bodyworkers, acupuncturists, and pain management specialists with little success. I credit Victoria with my return to strength, activities I love, optimism, and as a side benefit, a nice figure at nearly 60! She is a gifted and experienced instructor who is also approachable, endlessly encouraging, and fun. In my sessions at her zen-like studio, I am able to let go of outside concerns and tune in to my body. This awareness continues through the rest of my week and has vastly improved my outlook on life".
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- Rachel Wagner
"I was new to Pilates when I first started working with Victoria, and after just a few months I felt I was in the best shape of my life. After years of yoga and other exercise and posture work, Pilates with Victoria helped me integrate everything and really experience positive changes.
Victoria has a gift for finding just what I need from her seemingly endless repertoire of exercises. Her sessions are challenging and fun and I leave feeling taller, stronger, and more in tune with my body. She doesn’t let me get away with anything, but I never feel like I’m pushed past what’s healthy and right for me. She always makes sure I’m feeling what I’m supposed to feel and working with the proper form.
She gave me such a good foundation that when the shelter in place order came in 2020, I actually was able to maintain a fair amount of the strength and alignment awareness I’d achieved with her. But I was beyond happy to hear she was re-opening her studio (with reassuring Covid safety protocols) because there’s just no substitute for an hour with Victoria.
I recommend Victoria to anyone who’s ready to feel their best, let go of negative patterns, and build a strong mind-body connection. I even bring my children to her, which is the strongest endorsement I can think of!"
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- Jennifer Kovecavich
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"I have worked with Victoria for some years now as a private client and am continually impressed with her ability to tailor our sessions to my aging body's constantly evolving needs. I believe that I can't give Victoria higher praise than to say that I have greatly benefited from working with her and am stronger and more flexible now than in the past. I also want to call out that her home studio is a lovely place to be, with its well maintained Pilates equipment and original art work by Victoria herself. I look forward to our sessions and would not hesitate to recommend Victoria to anyone who wishes try out Pilates for themselves."
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- Anna Budinger
"Since I began training with Victoria, I've been amazed at the way my 50+ body has improved. Stronger core, and upper back, better posture and overall more balance and flow in how I walk, run and bike. I wish I had done this a long time ago! I experience a lot less lower back pain, despite working long hours at the computer. Victoria is amazing at organizing a training session. She provides excellent corrections and is very thorough and detail oriented".
- Jeff Vroom
Seniors Rockin' it ~ If not now, when???
“Victoria has been organizing and strengthening my body, especially my core for the past 18 months. I am incredulous that after only 18 months of workouts that, at age 78, I can walk and feel like a strong 65 year old again.
I had been in physical therapy for 2+ years to address my imbalance and the pain with my right hip, but it was getting worse by only focusing on the problem, Victoria has taught me that we had to address my body as a whole, all the while focusing on my right-side weakness, and my weak core.
Victoria is very patient and focused on my body. The brain-muscle-body re-training is a big plus that I’d not expected. I love Victoria and her Pilates and eagerly look forward to each and every session.”
- Mae Chu 78
"I came to Victoria for help with my posture. With her encouragement, close observation and adjustments I am learning that posture starts with my feet, moving through my knees, pelvis, ribs, mid back all the way to my neck. It’s pretty amazing to wake up & engage the small muscle groups that had not been working to support me! Slowly I am becoming aware of my body (and posture) all day long. I’m glad I started but wish I’d done so earlier."
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- Adrienne Hickman 79
"Victoria Drake Pilates has given me the tools to care for my body when I'm skating and when I'm not! Her technical yet easy-to-understand cues help me be more body aware in general and I've never felt longer or stronger in my life. As an athletic person in general, working with Victoria has shed new light on imbalances (and how I can correct them) in my execution of skating and my everyday life."
- Sagah Al-Kassab
“My first exposure to Victoria's teaching style was in a Pilates class at my local Y. She was skilled in providing instruction and proper technique to our group and describing the “why” behind the exercises. It felt like an intuitive match, so I started having private sessions with her. She customizes her approach to my physical needs for that day, and creates a program for me in the moment. She has a kind and encouraging style, yet she will give me a little "push"when she thinks I am ready. I always feel safe with her instruction and walk out of her studio walking tall!”
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- Kathryn Goldman
"I was not sure what Pilates might provide to be completely honest, but since having started my first session, it’s been completely life changing. I showed Victoria my medical diagnosis from two different medical doctors regarding my spine/lumbar pain. What she does is more than just core strengthening, but whole being alignment, have an open mind, and let her do what she truly does best, which is help people.
I started truly getting better when she introduced TMS and Dr. Sarno’s theory that pain can be caused by suppressed emotions. The more I opened up about real life issues the better I have felt".
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- Robert Chu
"I was new to Pilates when I came to Victoria after years of low back issues. I was in a lot of pain, was afraid to move, and because of my imaging and family history felt like surgery and limited mobility was my future.
When she talked about TMS and the relationship between pain and repressed emotions, I started to make more progress. Now when I feel a flare up I think about what is happening emotionally and breathe the way she taught me. I have significantly less pain, my core is stronger, I have more definition in my stomach and waist, and am even tap dancing again.
I have referred her to friends and clients who have also had good results. Victoria is pleasant to work with, fun and energetic, such a joy to see her smiling face every week".
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- Carla Martino
Victoria started exploring this methodology for her own chronic pain issues. Amazed by the results, she has been folding in elements of this mind~body awareness with clients when appropriate and they have been having good results. If this deeper area of opening is of interest to you, if you have been wondering if chronic and migrating pains could have emotional roots, then this may be the time and the opportunity you have been looking for.
Dr. John Sarno/ TMS/ Mind ~ Body connection
