Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Bench-Lahrssen.
Emily, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I had always wanted to put smiles on peoples faces, so career choice was super easy for me! I went to Dental School. I loved my work but long hours stooping and bending over patients and working in their mouths took its toll and frequently upper back and neck pain was severe and I was forced to address this. Pilates came to my rescue; but literally! After just half a dozen sessions, a dramatic improvement and I was back to my usual strong and healthy Emily! But something else happened… I guess I fell in love!
To cut a long story short, I enrolled in a leading Pilates training school in Miami Florida and successfully completed their program, taught at their school and learned the ropes, bonded with another dentist/Pilates teacher and decided to go into business together and Pilathon was born!
Two of my early observations were: 1) a lot of Miami sportsmen and woman, runners, cyclist, triathletes, tennis players and even yoga practitioners, had incorrect postures and 2) these same athletes considered Pilates was not for them. How wrong they were!
So I decided to target sportsmen and woman in my new studio and to develop programs aimed specifically at them.
Today we have many athletes as clients as well as of course, expectant moms, weekend warriors, young entrepreneurs, baby boomers and my new goal is to target teenagers.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Pilathon is a beautiful, colorful and bright studio, but it’s certainly a hidden gem.
Our location has meant our growth has been a little slow, though once people have found us, BOOM!
Additionally, the Zica scare in summer 2016 and this year hurricane Irma affected us considerably as many other Wynwood businesses
Please tell us about Pilathon.
Pilathon is a boutique, personalized, fully equipped Pilates and yoga studio.
We specialize in small group and private, vibrant, contemporary and classical Pilates classes with our focus on close attention to the individual.
Our clients become part of our family! We make them happy and they put smiles on our faces!
We are known also for our Sunset rooftop Yoga, and every day we practice yoga as we watch the sun setting.
An event we are very proud of is our monthly gift to the Miami community!… Wynwood Art Yoga Run, co-created along mindful runner coach and top marathoner Bryan Huberty, and Master yoga teacher Cat Van Haayen. We run along Wynwood walls and come back to Pilathon for some post-sunset yoga session with Live Music by Dj Bea Pernia.
The latest feather in our cap is the Pilathon Comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training program, which we launched last October; two groups of amazing new Pilates teachers and health spokespersons have already graduated from this program.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
El Avila!
I’m from Venezuela, from Caracas, a city which has a stunning mountain range, the Avila National Park running along its north face.
My favorite childhood memory is jogging and running up the hill with my dad.
At the steepest part of the walk, where only Superman could run, he would have his hands behind his back for me to curl my fingers with his as a hook and encourage me to keep walking! When we got to the Park-keeper’s post we would sit to watch the birds and fauna of the park while enjoying his famous sandwiches and honey water.
Pricing:
- Group of six Intro offer ; 1st Class $40 , 2nd class on US (new student only)
- Private Intro special 3 classes $285 (new students only)
Contact Info:
- Address: 2700 North Miami Avenue
Miami Fl 33127 - Website: www.pilathon.com
- Phone: 3057287800
- Email: info@pilathon.com
- Instagram: @pilathon
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pilathon/
- Twitter: @pilathon
Image Credit:
Pedro Gomez Medina
Nano Design
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
