Pilates By V Offers Movement and Strength to Women at Two Local Studios. Vanessa Pierce has been growing her business, Pilates by V, since its humble beginnings in her basement in 2022. She is now the owner of two studios with twelve instructors. The Maumee location has been in operation for two and a half years, and the Sylvania location had its grand opening in July.
Pierce had spent her early years as a dancer, but temporarily put it aside to raise four children and attend nursing school. During her new career as a medical device rep, she discovered a renewed passion for movement while traveling.
“I would come home after these great adventures with work, where I was able to visit Pilates studios that were so supportive of women, wanting them to flourish and be strong. I would come home and look for it, but I didn’t find it in our area,” Pierce said.
Pierce decided to create a fitness community herself. “That’s where the whole vision started, wanting to bring a strong sense of female empowerment, a studio that is only for women that focuses on every aspect of womanhood. Not only when you are young, but also when you go through pregnancy and hormonal changes and even into your senior citizen life.”
Classes for all levels
Soon, Pierce was approached by participants who wanted to join in on her vision.
“I had these amazing women coming to me and saying ‘I’m inspired and I just want to learn, and if you’re willing to teach me and you’re willing to let me become part of your mission, I’d love to be a part of it. They were women that I couldn’t turn down,” Pierce said.
The studios offer everything from beginner levels to advanced, along with high intensity strength-based classes and barre. Participants can sign up for private sessions as well as group classes.
Pierce also offers pop-up classes at various locations in the area.
“We have popped up all over,” Pierce said. “If there’s a space and they’re willing to let us fill it, we’ll fill it. We’ve done outdoor Pilates in the Park at Wildwood, we’ve done hair salons, we have done pop ups at medical spas, we’ve done pop ups at schools. We’re all over the place.”
Movement for moms
Pierce has found that pilates is very beneficial to moms, from pregnancy to post-partum and beyond.
“It allows a mom to reconnect with her body. It gives her autonomy to be able to move in a way that evokes more feeling within herself,” Pierce said. “It’s a deeper sense of being that it promotes.”
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“One of my biggest joys is that right now, four percent of our clientele is pregnant,” she said. “That is a big number to me because a lot of pregnant women have avoided movement for a long time because there is a stigma that surrounds it. You don’t want to do too much, you don’t want to hurt yourself. Women ask ‘Is this okay during pregnancy? Is this going to have an effect on the baby?’ Being able to bring those women in and actually give them the tools and resources to successfully move throughout their pregnancy and then have that baby and come back. We’re seeing that now in our women that are coming back after birth. It’s the coolest thing ever. They’re coming back and saying ‘My doctor said he couldn’t believe this was my first baby because I knew how to use my pelvic floor. I knew how to engage my entire core and use those muscles that I didn’t even know existed.’”
Pierce also offers Mommy and Me classes that introduce movement to children with fun stretches, ribbon dancing, obstacle courses, and more. Moms have the option of participating with their child, or attending their own session while the children are led by an instructor in their own class.
“The kiddos get a session and then Mom gets her own session,” Pierce said. “Sometimes Moms don’t have babysitters, and sometimes Moms want to move with their kids.
Pierce is happy to offer a space where women can build strength and form friendships.
“The Pilates by V community in general has so many women from so many walks of life. It’s just time for you. It’s time to enjoy being with other women and maybe talk about things you can’t talk about at home. Just to have that adult interaction. Sometimes you need that. They’re always so supportive,” Pierce said.
Pilates By V Maumee Studio:
1550 Reynolds Rd., Maumee
419-654-4780
Pilates By V Sylvania Studio:
6363 Monroe St. Suite C, Sylvania
419-654-4780
