An Inside Look at Align Pilates - The Bend Magazine

An Inside Look at Align Pilates

This new Southside studio offers a fun approach to reformer Pilates.

align pilates. studio, corpus christi

Photo by Robin Blackshear

Kristy Staebel is sharing her passion for wellness with the Coastal Bend with Align Pilates, the Southside’s newest fitness studio as of October 2024. Designed as a welcoming space for mind and body transformation, this locally owned studio invites the community to move, strengthen and thrive.

For the past 20 years, Staebel has worked as a registered nurse; and though she continues to work with patients, it has not stopped her from opening and operating her own wellness sanctuary. In fact, her nursing career actually led Staebel to develop her passion for the practice.

It is common to develop pains and injuries from the strenuous labor that comes with working bedside with patients. Staebel began searching for a solution for the chronic lower back pain she had started to experience, and a colleague recommended she give Pilates a try. Not only did it provide physical relief, but the mindful movement also ignited a spark. “It forces you to slow down and really think about what you’re doing; I love that,” Staebel shared.

align pilates. studio, corpus christi
Monthly memberships are available with options for a single class, eight-class pass or 12-class pass. | Photo by Robin Blackshear

Throughout her nursing career, Staebel never let go of her dream to become a certified Pilates instructor. After returning to her roots in the Coastal Bend, she knew the time had come to turn that aspiration into reality. “I just needed to reinvent myself,” she said. “I told myself, ‘It’s now or never.’ I want to retire healthy and doing something I truly love.”

Align Pilates is a distinctive experience. Staebel’s medical background gives her an advantage to better accommodate the members who step into her studio due to her deep understanding of the body’s mechanics. She also hand-picks every single song on the playlist and every movement in the flow.

The studio offers reformers with a more traditional Pilates approach. For those who have never used a reformer before, Align Pilates offers a free first-timer class before starting regular sessions; it focuses solely on getting familiar with the reformer, how to use it and how to stay safe while in class. Like any type of workout, it is recommended to work out at least three times a week to see results.

align pilates. studio, corpus christi
Photo by Robin Blackshear

“Pilates can complement every other activity you’re doing because it strengthens your foundation, your core,” Staebel said. “That foundation helps you get better at everything else and helps to prevent injuries, because you’re working out muscles and joints you don’t typically work with other exercises and activities.”

Each studio varies, but at Align Pilates, Staebel has created a fun atmosphere that emphasizes strengthening both the mind and body.

Contact: 7001 Yorktown Blvd, Suite #10 | alignpilates.org

Interested in reading more about health and exercise? Read our piece on Women’s Health Throughout the Decades.