We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erica Young a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Erica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

At the end of the 2015 ski season, hubris in the San Juan slush led to an injury that would change the trajectory of my life.

I have always been an athlete and mover. I’ve danced since the age of three and all throughout my thirties. Mountain life and all the physical demands of hiking, skiing, biking were second nature and I was fit as ever in my early forties. There I am, ripping down the mountain when whoosh! My ski went one way and my knee went the other. I was taken down the hill on a toboggan by the amazing Telluride ski patrol, to soon find out I had torn my ACL and meniscus.

I underwent surgery a couple of months later, opting to use my own hamstring to regrow my ACL and have my meniscus repaired with the hopes of building myself back quickly. It was a pretty tough recovery, especially with the meniscus repair, which prevented weigh bearing for three months. By the time I was released to full physical activity, I was shocked by how much my leg had atrophied and led to multiple compensations and pain in my body. I had never felt so down in my life, physically and emotionally.

That fall I committed fully to regain my strength so I could ski again and decided to revisit the Pilates practice I had casually started ten years earlier. It was humbling. Asking my body to perform unilateral tasks requiring strength, balance, and coordination was something I always took for granted. Now, I was having to rebuild neuromuscular connectivity and address all the muscular imbalances and compensations that five months of virtual immobility that created.

The affects of Pilates were incredible. In three months, I was skiing again. That summer, I was climbing mountains. In a year, I was stronger than I had ever been in my life. I decided that would dedicate myself to the Pilates method, become an instructor and share this elegant system with my community. It was the best decision I have ever made. After several years of study, I became a Comprehensively Certified Pilates Method Instructor, and currently run my own studio, supporting my community’s health and well being. I train professional athletes, dancers, equestrians, and those looking to get strong and stay strong.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Sure! Hello, my name is Erica Young, and I am a passionate movement educator. I love to help others explore the joy of movement.

Before becoming a Pilates instructor, I was an elementary school teacher for ten years, teaching fourth and fifth grades. I have a Master’s Degree in Elementary Science Education, and a deep passion for inquiry. My teaching skills have been invaluable in my current profession. I strive to create a learning laboratory for all my clients. We are not simply exercising and following a routine. We are learning how and why of movement, creating opportunities to learn our strengths and weaknesses, discovering our patterns and how they translate into our everyday lives. We learn how to move better so we can live better.

Ridgway Pilates is a fully equipped Pilates studio offering private, duet and trio instruction for people of all ages and abilities. We have every type of Pilates apparatus. I guess you could say I am a bit of a nerd for these incredible inventions of Mr. Pilates. I teach Pilates as a complete system, so when you work in our studio, you learn mat, reformer, cadillac, chairs, barrels as you progress. The variety of equipment and exercises is vast. Pilates never gets boring…or easy!

Every session is tailored to the individual. As no two bodies are alike, no two sessions at our studio are either. I blend Classical and Contemporary Pilates methods with Movement Science research to create personalized programs that are fun, challenging and get results. I train people from age 16 to 86 including professional athletes, mountain enthusiasts, dancers, equestrians and movers of all types to unlock their movement potential in and out of the studio.

I am honored to offer authentic Pilates instruction in our small mountain community and so grateful for the support or my teachers, mentors and clients.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Like most other businesses, the pandemic created many challenges in the fitness industry. In order to stay afloat during shut downs and uncertainty, I immediately moved to teaching classes online and decided to close my original location. I began leasing out Pilates apparatus to my clients, offering private and small group classes online. I eventually created a home studio and began offering private sessions out of there. Some clients had me travel to their homes or meet them in the park to keep their practice going. I feel so fortunate that my clients remained dedicated to their Pilates practice, following me to the park, to community centers and to two other studios until I was ready to reopen. I reestablished Ridgway Pilates, opening a new location last year. I still travel to clients homes and teach online by special request.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

There is nothing casual about teaching Pilates. It is all encompassing. To be successful you have commit. You must commit to your personal practice, to showing up consistently for your clients, to their well being and progress. Professional development and continual study are necessary. However, the one thing that matters most is kindness and caring. I care deeply for every person who walks through the studio doors. I care for them as if they are family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ridgwaypilates.com/
• Instagram: @ridgwaypilates
• Facebook: @ridgwaypilates

Image Credits
Real Life Photography, Lizzie Tilles Photography.