Good morning Racheal, 
Thank you for this post. I have been studying the art of movement now for some time and have been moving away from repetition and sets.in certain areas. It was a biography on Joseph Pilates ,once a weak and sickly man ,who then went on to change the way we are physically active.The rest is history.

Joseph Pilates, in my opinion, related to the body on a different level.  He observed and he listened to it. Eventually coming to the conclusion that the human body isn't good with repetition. His philosophy was to perform a movement once- but with absolute perfection. If we watch gymnastics display we see evidence of this -a series of movements performed to perfection. I would love to know what he he thinks of our fitness industry as it is today.
I feel he would be disappointed to see how 'some'classes using his name are practicing today.

At the beginning of the year I began studying a course on  exercise considerations for the older adult . Being part of the aging population and feeling seeing and experiencing changes in my body, especially in relation to exercise, I  wanted to know why these changes were happening and why I could perform certain actitvities as well as I did a couple of years ago !  

The course has changed the way I think and feel about physical activity and exercise. Having the knowledge to back up all the physical and mental changes at different stages in our life is empowering. It's given me the credibility and acceptance to do things differently- and that it's ok to slow down. 

We don't get old- we evolve and we must repect the fact that our bodies need  different methods of care and nurturing at specific times in our lives . If we adapt to this with humble abode and act accordingly,  undoubtedly ,we'll be better for it.