maria in a nutshell

Hometown: Victoria, BC
Website: http://www.mariafilipponeyoga.com/
Ambassador at: lululemon Johnson St
First memory of yoga: Watching my Grandma, when I was 9 years old, practice yoga postures with a Karen Zeebrof book.
First yoga class In my 20s, my brother Joe took me to a class at the Jewish Community Centre.
Bikram Yoga: hot or not? I thought it was absolutely nuts. It took me a full year to get back in the room and once I committed myself, the way I lived my life changed for the best.
Your favourite place to visit: After high school I worked for 3 years as a flight attendant. My top 3: Hawaiian Islands, Rome & Paris.

how pilates healed maria's back

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the body and alignment. My first teaching gig at age 15 was assisting in an aerobics class, offering hands-on adjustments, flipping the records and correcting people's form. With no former training, in a packed house with music bumping, I knew I had found my true passion.

the five principles

After many years of working with students on a one-to-one basis, I have boiled the brilliance of Pilates down to 5 powerful principles:

1) breath
2) neutral pelvis
3) scapular stabilization
4) ribcage placement
5) cervical alignment

I worked as a personal trainer (and aerobics instructor) for many years, and despite being in "good shape" I was dealing with low back pain. It was only then, when I began to study and practice Pilates regularly that my back pain disappeared. I was hooked.

practice with maria

I will continue to share these simple yet profound principles with all students willing to slow down, dive in and have a look at how easily one's optimal posture may be restored.
Take a class with Maria at Wanderlust Whistler on August 23-26, 2012, or find her in Victoria BC!