The Body Lab Pilates

Instructor Spotlight ⭐️

Meet Cynthia Badrak!

✨ From dancer to dedicated teacher, her journey began with a desire to study directly under Romana—one of Joseph Pilates’ protégés. After years of learning, she now brings the method to life for clients and instructors alike.

💫 Her passion? Helping people unlock tension, move without pain, and discover strength from the inside out. Whether it’s guiding teachers, supporting clients with Parkinson’s, or celebrating milestones (like touching toes at 50!), she sees Pilates as a path to strength, flexibility, and a better quality of life.

🖤 With nearly 30 years of teaching experience, Cynthia meets every client exactly as they are—whether it’s working with Uma Thurman in a full leg cast, supporting Liza Minnelli after hip replacement surgery, or guiding those who arrive in a wheelchair. Her gift lies in adapting Pilates so that anyone, at any level, can find their own strength and freedom through movement.

At its heart, her work is about honoring the roots of Pilates while inspiring others to move with purpose and possibility. 💪✨

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While they may seem similar, there are essential differences within the world of Pilates. First-generation teacher Eve Gentry once stated, “Pilates is a concept. It’s a philosophy. You can learn every exercise on every piece of equipment, and yet you still don’t know Pilates.” This insight rings true for many who enjoy various forms of Pilates—be it reformer Pilates, Lagree, or mat Pilates—yet may not fully appreciate the essence of what Pilates truly encompasses. Pilates, as a method and concept, consists of many interrelated parts: philosophy, methodology, principles, exercises, and apparatus. Even when all these elements are present, it doesn’t guarantee that one is truly experiencing Pilates. This duality is both a blessing and a curse of the method. Personally, after years of practice and observation, I find it easy to discern whether someone is genuinely engaging in Pilates. It becomes visibly apparent, regardless of the apparatus used or the exercises performed. Romana Kryzanowska, another first-generation teacher, famously remarked that she could savor a glass of champagne as if she were doing Pilates. When I first heard that story, I grasped its meaning, but it took time for me to truly see and feel it. Now, I can encapsulate that conscious and subconscious experience in one word: integration. Integration signifies the wholeness of all parts that, while previously separate, belong together in a unified experience. It’s about merging the independent dimensions of being to create a beautiful and unique symphony where every element matters and plays its role. Think of it this way: practicing with violins alone versus being supported by an orchestra. Similarly, Pilates embodies a complexity that cannot be fully realized through a single piece of equipment or isolated exercises. All elements—principles, exercises, and equipment—must be present for true integration to occur, ultimately leading to a synergy with the world around us.

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Breathing in Pilates: It’s More Than Just Inhale/Exhale🌀

In Pilates, breath isn’t just background—it’s part of the work.

Joseph Pilates believed breath was the foundation of health. He famously called it “the internal shower”—a way to cleanse, oxygenate, and energize the body from the inside out.🫁

“Squeeze every atom of air from your lungs… this truly cleansing process actually accomplishes a thorough house cleaning for the lungs and bloodstream—a kind of internal shower.” — Joseph Pilates

But beyond the poetry, breath is also practical. It gives you:
🌬 Control — Coordinating breath with movement helps you stay focused and connected.
⚡️ Power — Exhaling from the center activates your powerhouse.
💫 Stamina — Breathing fully keeps you from tensing, forcing, or burning out.

You’ll often hear cues like “breathe into your ribs” or “exhale to deepen”—and they’re not just poetic. They’re guiding you to access your center, control your effort, and move with more precision.

So the next time you move through your Hundred or your Teaser, don’t just focus on the shape—listen to your breath.
It’s your inner rhythm, your strength amplifier, and your reset button.