5 Years From Now: Will You Be Stronger or Just Older? The Science of Romana’s Pilates International™
Romana’s Pilates International™ Senior Master Teacher Trainer, Anthony Rabara of Anthony Rabara Pilates, Princeton, NJ at Lifespan Pilates, NYC
If Nothing Changes... What Does That Cost You?
I want to ask you a question. And I want you to be really honest with yourself when you answer it. You don’t have to say the answer out loud, but I want you to feel it.
If nothing changes in your movement practice today... where will your body be in five years?
We often think of health and fitness in terms of short bursts: the 30-day challenge, the "summer body" sprint, or the New Year’s resolution that fades by February. But the real story of our bodies isn’t written in those bursts. It is written in the quiet years. The five, ten, or fifteen years where we either slowly build ourselves up or slowly wear ourselves down.
If you are living in New York City, or another high-energy city, you are likely high-performing in almost every area of your life. You manage a career, a social life, family obligations, and the general stress of a fast-paced city. But often, the one area where high-performers accept "good enough" is their own physical foundation.
If nothing changes, you might be looking at five more years of:
Saying "no" to ski trips, long flights, or playing with your kids because you’re afraid of hurting your back.
Over-functioning in your daily life while your own physical foundation feels shaky and unreliable.
Quietly shrinking your posture, your stride, and your presence in a room because you’ve lost the core strength to stand tall.
Accepting stiffness as a mandatory tax of aging. (Spoiler: It’s not.)
This post isn’t about guilt. It’s about a gentle challenge. It’s about looking at the trajectory you are currently on and asking: Is this where I want to land?
The Slow Erosion of "Good Enough"
The most dangerous thing for our long-term health isn’t a sudden injury; it’s the slow erosion of our capabilities. This pattern of self-abandonment doesn’t happen overnight. It’s subtle.
It’s the missed sessions that turn into missed months. It’s the decision to choose a workout that just makes you sweat over one that actually teaches your body how to work. It’s the acceptance of chronic low back pain as "normal."
At LifeSpan Pilates, we see this often. New clients come to our Midtown studio not because they are lazy—but because they have been working hard at things that aren’t working for them or they have heard about us and want the authentic method of practicing pilates. They’ve been chasing the burn, the shake, or the trend, but they haven’t been building a foundation. They have "gym strength" but no "life strength."
The cost of this erosion is high. It costs you your energy. It costs you your confidence. And eventually, it costs you your independence.
But here is the good news: You can stop the erosion today.
Let’s Clear Up the Excuses (Before Monday)
If you’re reading this and feeling a little sting of recognition, good. That’s not shame—that’s awareness. That is your body waking up and asking for something better.
We know that moving from a "drop-in" mentality to a consistent membership or private training schedule is a commitment. And usually, when we face a commitment, our brains invent very convincing excuses to keep us safe and stagnant.
You might be hesitating. And hesitation usually sounds like this:
"I don’t have time."
"I’m not sure I’m advanced enough for Romana’s Pilates."
"It’s a big investment compared to a gym membership."
Let’s clear these up, one by one.
1. "I don’t have time."
This usually means I don’t have time to waste. And you’re right. You don’t.
If you live in NYC, time is your most valuable currency. This is exactly why precision matters. In a standard fitness class or a "mega-former" workout, you might do 50 reps of a movement mindlessly, engaging the wrong muscles and stressing your joints. You sweat, but you don’t get stronger in a way that lasts.
In a Romana’s Pilates session, we don’t do 50 reps. We might do 3. But those 3 reps are performed with absolute "muscular intelligence." You are working the deep, stabilizing muscles that actually hold your skeleton together.
The "cost" of saving time on cheap, fast workouts is often paid later in physical therapy, chiropractor visits, or days lost to back spasms. The investment in precision pays dividends for life. A 55-minute session at LifeSpan is more effective than three hours of aimless gym time.
2. "I’m not sure I’m ready."
We hear this all the time: "I need to get in shape before I come to Pilates."
This is backwards. Romana’s Pilates isn’t a performance; it’s a practice.
Romana Kryzanowska, the protégé of Joseph Pilates and the lineage handed down we proudly uphold, didn’t teach Pilates just for dancers or elite athletes. She taught it for bodies. Whether you are recovering from spinal surgery, postpartum, managing scoliosis, or are a triathlete looking for an edge, the method meets you exactly where you are.
We don’t ask you to perform. We teach you to control.
If you can lie down on a mat, you are ready. If you can breathe, you are ready. The "readiness" you are waiting for will never come from waiting. It comes from doing.
3. "It’s a big financial investment."
Yes, Pilates taught by instructors that are trained from the authentic source is an investment. It is not a $20 gym membership that you pay for and never use.
But let’s look at the alternative cost. What is the cost of a body that doesn’t support you? What is the cost of needing hip surgery at 60 because you didn’t stabilize your pelvis at 40? What is the financial and emotional cost of living with chronic pain?
We prioritize what we value. We pay for convenience, for entertainment, for dining out. But we often hesitate to pay for the one vessel that allows us to experience all those things: our body.
A membership at LifeSpan Pilates is not just "buying classes." It is buying expert oversight. It is hiring a team of professionals whose sole job is to ensure your body is functioning at its absolute peak.
The Science of "Muscular Intelligence"
You’ve heard us use the phrase "Muscular Intelligence."
But what does that actually mean?
Most gym workouts focus on Muscular Strength—how much weight can you lift? Some focus on Muscular Endurance—how long can you go?
Romana’s Pilates focuses on Muscular Intelligence—how well can you connect?
Muscular intelligence is the ability of your brain to talk to your muscles instantly and efficiently. It’s the difference between dragging a heavy suitcase and throwing your back out, versus engaging your core and glutes to lift it effortlessly.
When you train with us, we aren't just making your muscles bigger. We are re-wiring your nervous system. We are teaching your body to:
Find the "Powerhouse" first: Engaging the deep abdominals before moving the limbs.
Decompress the Spine: Creating space between vertebrae to alleviate pain and improve posture.
Move with Opposition: Using the stretch to find the strength, creating long, lean capability rather than bulk.
This is why our clients often say they feel "taller" after a session. They are. They have re-educated their spine to resist gravity.
Why "Authentic" Matters in a World of Trends
New York City is filled with "Pilates" studios. You can find Pilates on a bike, Pilates with jump rope, Pilates in a heated room.
So why do we stick strictly to Romana’s Pilates (the authentic lineage) and use Gratz Pilates apparatus?
Because it works. It has worked for 80 years. It doesn't need to be reinvented; it needs to be practiced.
In many contemporary or modern studios, the focus is on "feeling the burn" or "fatigue." Instructors might modify exercises to make them "harder" or "sweatier," often at the expense of biomechanics.
At LifeSpan, we focus on the system. Joseph Pilates designed a system where every exercise prepares you for the next one. The Reformer prepares you for the Mat. The Mat prepares you for life.
When you train here, you aren't getting a random assortment of moves. You are getting a scientifically designed progression that ensures your body is balanced, aligned, and safe.
The 5-Year Vision: Your Body on Pilates
Let’s go back to that opening question. If nothing changes, where will you be?
Now, let’s imagine the alternative. Imagine you decide, today, to stop the hesitation. You commit to a membership. You show up 2-3 times a week.
In 3 months: You feel different. The chronic ache in your lower back is gone. You catch yourself slouching at your desk and correct it without thinking. You have more energy at 5 PM than you used to.
In 1 year: Your body has changed shape—not just "thinner," but held differently. Your shoulders are open. Your neck is long. You feel powerful when you walk down the street. You are doing things in the studio you thought were impossible.
In 5 years: You are technically older, but you move younger. While your peers are complaining about stiffness and "getting old," you are hiking, traveling, and moving with freedom. You have built a "retirement account" of bone density and muscle mass that will serve you for decades.
You haven’t just "worked out." You have built a body that lasts.
Your Body is Waiting for You to Lead
One of the philosophies on leadership and career I believe also applies to your body, too: If you don’t lead, you will be led.
If you don’t take leadership of your physical health, you will be led by injury, by aging, and by limitation.
You are not confused about what you need. You might just be hesitating.
If you have been waiting for the "perfect time" to commit to a membership, this is it. The perfect time was yesterday. The second best time is right now.
Don’t let another year of "good enough" erode your foundation.
Take the Next Step
We have made it simple to get started (or restart).
For New Clients: Our Introductory Package gives you the full experience of the method:
2 Private Sessions (where we assess your body and teach you the basics)
1 Group Class
For returning Clients: If you’ve been coming sporadically, it’s time to commit to yourself. Our Monthly Memberships offer the best value and, more importantly, the consistency your body craves.
Let’s break the pattern before it writes the next five years for you. See you in the studio.
Tasha/Cynthia and The LifeSpan Pilates Team