Modi’in-based Pilates instructor Lisa Silverstein advertises this form of movement as a workout that is designed to rejuvenate, energize and strengthen the body and mind. She stands by her word with confidence because when she was pregnant with her third child, she injured herself during a routine run and found herself with excruciating back and hip pain both during and after her pregnancy. She tried various remedies to alleviate the pain, but the only attempt that worked was Pilates exercises.
A native of Los Angeles and a nurse by profession, Silverstein made aliyah with her husband in 2008. Before her aliyah, she had worked as an organ transplant nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital and then as a school nurse, where she gained experience as an educator teaching the school’s health curriculum. Once in Israel, she reevaluated her career direction. She did not relish the idea of practicing nursing in Israel both because of her rusty Hebrew at the time and because of the long commute and numbers of hours the profession would demand away from home.
Her injury occurred when she was deep into exploration over her next career steps. Nothing improved her pain until she listened to a recommendation to try out Pilates to focus on building her core muscles to support her entire body. “It was the most incredible thing to discover,” she recalled. “It was like Humpty Dumpty being put back together all over again.” It was also the entry into what would become her new career.
A family member suggested that Silverstein connect the dots. Since she loved teaching and wellness, why not take her newfound interest in Pilates to the next level and become a qualified instructor? At first Silverstein thought the idea was ridiculous, but she decided to push past her concerns, including her uneasiness with Hebrew, and pursue a certification in Pilates instruction from Israel’s Orde Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sports. After one year of classes and observation, she began offering classes free of charge in her living room “to anybody who wanted to be taught.” It was Silverstein’s way of getting more comfortable with instruction.
In 2020 Silverstein decided that she wanted to reach a wider audience, so she opened an Instagram account, which today boasts over 8,300 followers, and began recording Pilates sessions for online enthusiasts. She hired a web developer and began filming and editing videos, and then the COVID pandemic erupted. While much of the world was figuring out how to pivot to a virtual world, Silverstein was ready to go. Her online sessions drew a diverse group of participants from around the world, from teenagers to senior citizens.
Even after the pandemic subsided, her classes continued to draw a large following, especially of women in their 60s and 70s. They loved the program, but many of them expressed that they were having difficulty keeping up with its intensity. Silverstein did a lot of searching and discovered that there were high-intensity programs for younger adults, and much slower-paced programs for elderly adults with limited mobility, but there were few offerings for active senior citizens.
So in 2023, Silverstein created a specialized program called EVOLVE designed for the unique needs of senior citizens. The movements she teaches are rooted in classical Pilates that focuses on engaging the deeper core muscles while simultaneously developing breathing, strength, flexibility and endurance, along with her own modifications designed for senior citizens.
Silverstein explained that she deconstructed the different parts of an exercise into smaller components and avoided the more intense motions. She stressed that the workout is excellent for strengthening bone density and for joint mobility.
Participants in the Evolve program benefit from two weekly live-streamed classes in a small group setting. They also receive one personalized one-on-one session with Silverstein when they join the program, where Silverstein reviews a participants’ health and injury history. They also gain access to a library of over 150 recorded classes, so that they can enjoy additional classes at their own pace and according to their own schedules — what Silverstein calls “Pilates in your pocket.”
It may seem like a far way off from nursing, but Silverstein is constantly drawing on her medical background during her instruction, and sees herself as a provider of care to women who want to improve their health and well-being. “I was taught that nursing is about health promotion and disease prevention and that is exactly what I’m doing with my movement classes,” she said.
For more information visit pilatesinapencilskirt.com or email lisa@pilatesinapencilskirt.com.
Alisa Bodner is a Fair Lawn native who immigrated to Israel over a decade ago. She is a nonprofit management professional who enjoys writing in her free time.
