Are you looking for a full body workout that focuses on a mind-body connection, strengthens your core, improves your mental health and that’s held in a comfortable environment? Elizabethtown College senior Alli Walker has created just that with her Pilates class.
Alli Walker is an occupational therapy major and Spanish minor at Elizabethtown College who received her instructor certification over the summer in 2024. During an ankle injury recovery, Walker turned to Pilates.
“I had a really bad injury, and I couldn’t weight lift or dance, so I started doing Pilates and regained all of my strength back,” Walker said.
After regaining strength, Walker took classes at her local YMCA to become certified. “I held mock classes at home, had to fulfill certification and observation hours, and take multiple quizzes and exams. Anatomy was even a prerequisite for my Pilates course, it took a lot of hard work,” Walker added.
Walker fell in love with Pilates and decided to start her own class here at Etown. “When I got here I missed it a lot, so my friends joked around with me that I should start my own class, so I did,” Walker said. Walker turned these ambitions into reality with her dedication to her physical and mental health. She took initiative to spread positivity from her own life to the Etown college campus.
Walker explains how much Pilates has helped her mental health, “Especially in a science-based major it’s easy to dive into school and not worry about anything else. Between my ankle injury and taking tough courses my mental health was on a decline. When you’re an instructor you are held accountable, I have to show up.”
Even when it comes to preparing class, Walker still takes no breaks. She writes down notes for guiding the class, picks out moves and organizes them. Next, she tries them out, runs a mock-class for her close friends to make sure it flows, and finally picks the playlist that best matches the tempo of the workout. “The best part about it is that it doesn’t feel like work, I enjoy it so much,” Walker said.
Coaching is something that Walker says she will do her whole life, as she coaches gymnastics at home. Walker says, “I love being able to help people and be a part of their fitness journey.” One of her favorite parts about teaching Pilates is the community that she has built.
Sophomores Elizabeth Meyer and Alyssa Kramer attend Walker’s classes every week. Meyer said, “We go to the class every Tuesday evening and it’s such an encouraging and positive environment.” Kramer added, “It’s a great way for us to add in a healthy study break to our day.”
Another one of Walker’s many favorite parts about Pilates is her regulars. “I see so much growth in them and it pushes me to see what I can do to challenge them week-by-week,” Walker says, “You have 25 beautiful faces in front of you and you just get to watch them grow. I love the curiosity and that they want to keep coming back to grow more.”
This semester you can join Alli Walker for Power Pilates from 5 to 6 p.m. on Mondays and 6:15-7:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. You can also join her for a Pilates class from 8-9 a.m.on Thursdays.
To join the Pilates community at Etown you can sign up for a class at this link. Class Registration
To keep up with Alli’s classes theme and schedule, you can follow her on Instagram. @pilatesbyalli
