Meet Viv Gallagher: Owner of Studio Three, a boutique Pilates studio, established 2013 before many people had even heard the term Pilates! For more than a decade Studio Three has remained one of the highest rated studios in Auckland, specialising in small classes led by expert instructors. We spoke with Viv about Pilates for staying strong in our sixties and beyond:
What has your journey with the Studio been, and what keeps you hooked on Pilates
“I never imagined when I opened Studio Three at age 49 that I would still be so passionate about teaching and running my business into my sixties! I guess my 49 year old self felt as though there wasn’t much space or representation in the fitness industry for mid-life women, and my biggest fear in starting a studio at nearly 50 whilst juggling teenage kids, was that I was too old for this somehow already! But here I am now feeling stronger and more confident in my post-menopausal self than I did in my fifties. I now appreciate that having age and experience on my side is an advantage and I feel privileged to still be doing what I love, sharing my many years of both Pilates and life experience with my studio community, with no intention to stop anytime soon! We are an aging population of exercisers and our goals and movement needs are even more important now than when we were in our 20’s or 30’s!
What tips do you have for healthy aging?
I believe passionately that how we look after our health and fitness in our forties and fifties directly translates to how well we age into our sixties and beyond. When considering exercise options, it’s important to factor in our changing female physiology and demands on mid-life women as we move through perimenopause into post menopause. This is a vulnerable time for our health with many women experiencing changes in their bio markers along with increased inflammation, impacting muscles, joints and tendons. It’s therefore important to match the right movement for our age and stage so that we feel more energised and stronger from exercise rather than feeling exhausted or constantly injured. Movement is medicine – the key to healthy aging is getting the right prescription for your body. One size does not fit all and what worked for us previously might not be giving us the same results in our fifties and sixties, our unique female physiology matters and our responses to exercise are very different to men.
Pilates is trending globally right now! What is your advice for those starting their journey?
Whilst Pilates has exploded recently in popularity, not all Pilates is created equal! The emergence of many new Pilates inspired group fitness style classes might not deliver the desired results, so it pays to do your research ahead of trusting your body to anyone, particularly as our bodies age. Pilates, when taught in accordance with the Pilates principals, by experienced professionals, is for every body, every shape and size and age, it’s not just a trend to ride. Those of us that have crafted our skills over many years have a deep appreciation of the Pilates principals, and purpose behind each movement along with the integration of mind, body and breath.
Pilates Reformer is especially beneficial for mid-life women as it provides a safe way to build and maintain muscle mass and strength as we age while supporting the joints along with a host of other benefits for aging from improved co-ordination, balance, flexibility, posture, breathing and more!
Our focus in our sixties should be geared around how healthy our bodies are internally, rather than being so fixated on our external bodies.There are no silver bullets! Science shows time and time again that movement is key for supporting better health at any age, alongside of course other healthy lifestyle habits like diet and sleep.
Viv’s Tips for feeling sensational in your sixties and beyond:
1. Prioritise Sleep!
2. Strength training in some form 3 x weekly – Pilates Reformer is a great safe option
3. Walk daily – for heart health, and mental wellbeing
4. Cook your own meals from scratch – Eat wholefoods foods that nourish your body – choose anti-inflammatory nutrition
5. Make time for personal development and emotional growth
6. Social connection – find your community
7. Invest in fitness for the right reasons – Longevity – healthy aging
8. Take on new challenges – Do or learn something that you are not already proficient at – I’ve just taken up guitar!
