Natalia Is Making Moves — That Means Wrapping Up Her Classes
After two years of working with us, Natalia has decided to shift her focus to personal training, and her last group class will be Friday, December 19th at 6 p.m.
She’s been such a big part of Recess — helping us build community, shaping our curriculums, and bringing so much warmth and steadiness to our classes. She truly has been one of the heartbeats of this place.
While she’ll still be offering personal training out of the space, we know many of you won’t see her quite as often. If you’d like to stay connected, you can find her on Instagram (@the.gymratnat), and please feel free to say hello over the next couple of weeks.
We’ll also have a thank-you card at the front desk. You’re welcome to sign it and share a note about how she’s impacted your confidence, your movement practice, or simply made you laugh.
We’re incredibly grateful for everything she’s brought to our community. 💛
Newsletter Topics
FAQ: What’s the difference between Classical vs. Contemporary Pilates?
Classical Pilates follows the original sequence and style developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s. Movements are performed in a fixed order, emphasizing flow and precision using traditional equipment and cues.
Contemporary Pilates, like what we teach at Recess, builds on those foundations — but adapts them using modern understanding of anatomy, biomechanics, and functional movement. It’s more flexible, inclusive, and responsive to how real people move today.
We take this approach because it supports our broader philosophy at Recess:
Focusing on technique and control, rather than choreography.
Helping you build body awareness — knowing how your body moves and why it moves that way.
Developing better proprioception, which is your body’s ability to sense its position and movement in space (essential for strength training and moving safely).
In short, contemporary Pilates gives us the best of both worlds — the intention and precision of the original method, paired with updated knowledge that makes it more adaptable and effective for your body.
Holiday Closure
The last Get Stronger class before the holiday break will be Wednesday, December 24 at 6 p.m.
Recess will then be closed from December 25 to January 1 so the team — and all of you — can rest and reset.
(And yes, there may be a few opportunities to keep moving during the break… more on that just below.)
For those on memberships, your membership will be automatically pro-rated for this closure period, unless you’ve already contacted us about pausing your membership to match your own holiday schedule.
We reopen on Friday, January 2, kicking off a brand-new Get Stronger curriculum to start the year strong.
Free Holiday Mat Pilates Classes
Millie will be offering a series of free Mat Pilates classes over the break. These sessions are beginner-friendly and a great way to stay moving between holidays.
This is also your chance to try it if you haven’t yet!
Complimentary Mat Pilates Schedule:
Saturday, Dec 27 — 10 a.m.
Sunday, Dec 28 — 11 a.m.
Tuesday, Dec 30 — 11 a.m.
Thursday, Jan 1 — 11 a.m.
All classes are now open for booking.
Please snag your spot and remember to cancel if you can’t attend. A small fee will be billed for late-cancels/no-shows given the limited availability.
Share Your Thoughts: 2026 Get Stronger Planning
Next week we’re finalizing the first new curriculum for 2026 (Q1) Get Stronger, and we’d love to hear from you.
Now that we’re deep into Maximum Strength Month, let your instructor know:
Which exercises you enjoyed
Anything that surprised you
Movements you connected with
Patterns or techniques you’d like to keep seeing
Your feedback genuinely shapes the next phase.
Get Protected from the Flu and COVID
As posted on the Toronto Public Health website: “Flu and COVID-19 vaccines … will be available for everyone … starting October 27, 2025.”
We’ve pre-booked ours at the pharmacy in the Loblaws (Dupont & Christie), and in past years we’ve had great luck with walk-in flu shots at Bloor Park Pharmacy (by the Baskin Robbins at Bloor & Christie).
It’s a priority to do what we can to avoid getting others’ sick. So, if you’re feeling unwell or have any sudden symptoms, please don’t come to class. To dissuade you, we’ll gladly refund your credit if it’s too late to cancel without penalty. Staying home when sick helps protect everyone.
Other reminders:
- You’re always welcome to wear a mask.
- We’ve got 2x commercial HEPA air purifiers running 24/7 at the gym.
Podcast Suggestion
Learn more about what seasonal illnesses may be ahead this winter with CBC’s The Dose' podcase episode titled: "How can we protect ourselves from fall and winter respiratory viruses?" Click to listen.
Improving Access to Classes
We know some of you have been finding it difficult to get into classes at popular times, and we want to acknowledge that challenge. To better enable our current members (and your routines), we’ve temporarily closed Recess to new folks.
If you’ve had trouble getting into a class, we apologize and will do what we can to make sure we can continue offering the classes you love. The aforementioned hip replacement does personally limit us (read: me, Millie) from adding more classes to the schedule for now, as much as I’d like to.
That said, we really encourage you to:
-
Add yourself to the waitlist — spots open more often than you might think.
-
Cancel even inside the three-hour window if you can’t attend; it may still help someone else jump in last-minute.
Thank you for helping keep registration flexible and accessible for everyone. And thanks for sticking with us. <3
Topic 4
That’s Strength, Too
If your grip is giving out before your legs—congrats! That’s progress. For exercises like dumbbell deadlifts, we’ve got lifting straps available. They shift the load and can help you keep form as your strength grows.
- Watch this 1-minute demo to learn how to use them—takes a little practice, but we’re here to help.
Topic 5
Run Club Is Staying Alive!
- Exploring earlier start times to beat the heat
- Adrian is connecting with a run coach for special guest sessions
- Join the WhatsApp group to stay connected (and motivated!)
Originally set to wrap this week, but due to demand, Run Club will continue!
We’re exploring earlier times to beat the heat. Join the WhatsApp group to stay in the loop. Adrian is also connecting with a run coach for special guest sessions.
That brings us to the end of this newsletter!
Do you have a question about exercise that you’d like included in our next post? Do you have lingering questions? We’d love to hear from you.
Don’t forget! You can manage your Recess workouts on the go with the Xplor mobile app.
