Cathy Sands

About Cathy

Originally from the Southeastern US, I relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area to advance my IT Management career in 2014. During an extended visit with family in 2022, I stumbled into the La Mesa Club Pilates grand opening and immediately became a member after taking an Intro class. After suffering an L5/S1 disc compression at 15 years old, I've dealt with chronic, sometimes debilitating, lower back pain, but I felt immediate relief after every Pilates class. Within two weeks, I had my first Pilates "Aha!" moment when I went into a Reformer Flow 1.0 class feeling very stiff and sore. By the time we finished footwork and were bridging my body felt completely renewed. The second "Aha!" came within a few months when I tripped on a power cord, but I did not fall. Shortly thereafter, an instructor suggested I should stick around for the next class because there was an empty reformer. That next class was my first Center & Balance experience, and I was then hopelessly addicted to Pilates. I had found my bliss and knew I needed to find a way to ensure I would always be able to practice Pilates, so when instructors started mentioning the upcoming teacher training the decision to sign up was a no-brainer. I returned home to the Bay Area to train and have been teaching since April of 2024. My career as a Professional Services and Customer Success Director demands many hours of sitting, and my most recent position in Cybersecurity added a lot of mental stress. Pilates gives me the balance that I need to keep my body and my mind feeling strong, clear, and healthy. The joy I experience when a member says they feel better after attending one of my classes, or notice improvements in their body due to an exercise I suggested for an issue they are experiencing, is unparalleled. The opportunity to return to the studio that fostered my love for Pilates was a driving factor in my decision to relocate to the San Diego area. Getting to work with the team that inspired me is the ultimate icing on the cake.

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