Women in Wellness: Meet Abbey Yoder!
How she has built a Pilates community being her authentic self and finds little joys in everyday moments.
There are people in life you meet and can’t help but gravitate toward; their energy is contagious, they radiate positivity, and you just feel better being in their presence. Abbey Yoder is one of those people! I first met Abbey last year while I was coaching Lagree at BURN and had the privilege of coaching her (and her sister!) every Monday evening (shout out to the 430pm Phoenix crew <3). I would always look forward to our chats before class started and I admire how she has taken her passion of movement and built a community inspiring others to find little joys in every day. Get to know Abbey below and see why she inspires me to be my authentic self on and off the mat!
Tell us about yourself! What inspired you to get into the fitness space?
I grew up in Maryland and pursued dance and ballet that moved to Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago and now Arizona. I danced with the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago and was also a Physical Therapy Aide which both gave me experience in functional body training. After I decided to stop dancing, I started at ASU, got certified in Yoga and my 500 hour Pilates training as well as the Forma training. I knew that while I was dancing and using Pilates as my cross training, I wanted to pursue it more because of it’s versatility, functionality, as well as it’s accessibility to people of all phases and walks of life.
I found that no matter if I had an injury to work through or simply everyday movement, Pilates was an outlet for me to be creative in my movement practice while also maintaining strength, mobility and balance in my own body and mind. My goal is to spread this joy of movement and give people their own foundation of wellness to build upon.
What is your current movement practice? What has your journey been like with movement?
I started dancing from a young age and so movement has always been a big role in my life. It’s a form of release but also greater connection with myself both internally, externally, and also in building community. I am a big believer in both listening to what your body needs and the forms of movement that feel best but also challenge you and in turn build confidence. I am also a big believer in variety, our bodies were made to move in all different planes of motion and in different forms. I tend to stick to more low impact with hints of higher impact as my body reacts best to that combination. For me, I find joy in of course Pilates- mat, reformer, Lagree, walking, spin, strength training, dancing and pickleball to name a few!
For someone who is new to Pilates, do you recommend starting off in a mat or reformer class? What are the benefits of both?
For someone new to Pilates, starting with mat classes is often recommended for learning foundational principles before moving on to reformer classes. Some benefits of each are:
Reformer Pilates:
Provides resistance training with springs
Versatile for different resistance levels and exercises
Supports proper alignment and is beneficial for those with injuries
Offers dynamic movements for stability, coordination, and strength
Mat Pilates:
Accessibility and convenience
Focus on core strength and flexibility
Improves balance, coordination, and body awareness
Affordable and minimal equipment needed (but I do love a band, ankle & hand weights, a ball and sliders to mimic the reformer feeling)
Both mat and reformer Pilates have unique benefits, and trying both can help people determine which they prefer and find most beneficial for your fitness goals and preferences. However, I love mixing both types for targeting various aspects of fitness.
You’ve built an amazing community; what advice would you give a new instructor who wants to build a community?
Building a community takes time, effort, and genuine care for your students' well-being. For me, I’ve found these tips to be helpful and always remembering that we are all better together.
Learning and growing right alongside each other.
Establish a welcoming environment: Create a warm, inclusive, and welcoming atmosphere in your classes to make students feel comfortable and valued.
Collaborate with local businesses: Partner with local businesses or health professionals to expand your network and reach out to potential new students & community.
Create a sense of belonging: Foster a sense of belonging and community spirit by celebrating milestones, achievements, and special occasions with your students.
Consistency and authenticity: Be consistent in your teaching approach, be authentic in your interactions with students, and demonstrate passion and dedication to Pilates and helping others achieve their wellness goals.
As an instructor you give so much energy to your students and community every day. How do you prioritize your mental health and stay grounded?
I honestly get more energy from teaching and being a part of community than I ever would by myself. It fills me up in a way that my soul feels content after classes. The lead up to classes and events are more stressful for me and my anxiety, but I combat that by listening to my playlist, formulating my classes and visualizing how I want it to go- I used to do the same before dancing performances. I stay grounded by showing up as my authentic self, my “teaching self” is the same way I show up outside- goofy, not striving for perfection but rather doing my best. Family and friends are definitely grounding forces for me as well 😊
What is one non-negotiable in your morning or evening routine?
A non-negotiable for my morning or evening routine is my skincare, stretching and rollout and gratitude journal. They are pockets of reflection time for me on mindfulness and how I want to show up for myself and others.
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness, to me, encompasses a holistic approach to health and well-being that goes beyond just physical fitness. It includes mental, emotional as well as a sense of balance and fulfillment in various aspects of life. Wellness involves taking care of yourself through healthy habits, self-care practices, positive relationships, personal growth, and finding a sense of purpose and meaning. It's about striving for overall wellbeing while knowing that perfection is never the goal, rather taking little steps everyday that remind you to be present. It’s about leaning into what you need mentally, physically and emotionally and knowing that we are all on our own journeys, to not compare but rather keep learning from each other and through every phase of life that we go through. That’s wellness to me.
A big thank you to Abbey for taking the time to share her journey and hopefully inspire you to find a movement and self care practice that works for you. Be sure to follower her on Instagram at @ajoy10 for the most feel good content - I always look forward to her “little joys” roundups. If you live in Phoenix, I highly recommend checking out one of her group classes, community events, or private lessons which can be found HERE. I hope this conversation brought you as much JOY and value as it did for me. <3