Exhale Women's Pilates: a gap in the market turned passion project.

Ruba Sibai and Myrna Mallouk fell in love with pilates and the positive multi-faceted effects it has on the body. However after attending studios that weren't very aesthetically pleasing, and being presented with compromising positions in mixed female-male classes - the two friends and business owners sought out to create Exhale Women's Pilates studio to provide a space for women who loved Pilates, pretty spaces and privacy.

We invited Ruba and Myrna, owners of ModSquad and Law Corp respectively, to tell us about their journey of opening the doors to their aesthetically pleasing women-exclusive pilates studio.

When did you first come up with the concept of opening Exhale Women’s Pilates? What was the driving force (purpose) behind the pilates studio? 

The inception of Exhale began when we attended multiple sessions at a local reformer studio and had fallen in love with the way it made us feel. It was an almost perfect experience except for two major factors. There were men in our classes - and if you've ever been to a reformer class you know there are some compromising positions; and the studio felt quite clinical. We were looking for perfection and decided to create it ourselves!

What challenges did you experience from the very start? 

We decided that we wanted to be fully immersed into the experience so we enrolled ouselves into the platinum pilates course. We both have our own respective businesses and 4 children each so by adding all the additional training and study onto our already full schedules, it proved to be a challenge - but was totally worth it.

How much research goes into opening a Pilates studio? What certifications did you need? 

Our research was all based around demographic and accessability to a community. It took us a couple of months to find the right location. When we finally did - it was perfect! Next up was deciding on design and aesthetic for the space. Behind the scenes we were doing all our certifications in anatomy, matwork, reformer and injury.

How has this shifted the way you used to perceive pilates or physical activity? 

Pre studying - our perception was, this is a great form of exercise that feels nice on the body even with that post workout burn. 

Post course - we were blown away by the limitless options for movement, stretching, lengthening and posture. The fact that reformer doesn't discriminate against age or skill level really impressed us. 

You are also owners of other businesses, Modsquad & Law Corp, how do you juggle the two businesses? 

When its a passion project it doesn't feel like work - we truly enjoy both our fields and give each the time required. Of course you also need to be great at knowing when it's too much and hand over the workload to our teams. If you see us with a laptop open at the front desk of Exhale - it usually is BTS work for Mod Squad or Law Corp!

What are your biggest lessons from this journey so far? 

It's never too late to start something new. We learnt to back ourselves and not be afraid to expand what we perceive is our comfort zone. When partnering with someone - find an individual who shares your same work ethic as thats when the magic happens. 

What would you say to someone that has never tried Pilates before, but is interested in seeing what it’s all about? 

If you have never tried pilates you may not know the common benefits, to both body, and mind. Pilates is powerful and effective when taught properly. Your entire body feels stronger and more flexible. It consists of very slow and controlled movements which means you can go at your own pace or challenge yourself if you wish. Pilates can assist with everything from improved posture, better breathing, better mood, and noticeable weight loss and tone. The effects can be felt after a single class, and after a week or month, chances are you will be hooked for life!

What do you hope to achieve through Exhale Women’s Pilates? 

To create a beautiful space for woman from all walks of life where they can feel confident, accepted and be able to come together to support and empower each other. 

What is a mindset hack that you live by? 

Mastering your mindset is a hard task but very critical. There is a long list of mindset hacks we love to apply however optimism is the one on the top of our list. Our words reflect our thoughts and the more we look for the positive things to say, the more we will fill our thoughts with a positive attitude. It is important to add that being positive does not mean thinking that everything is perfect.

Are you based in Sydney and after a beautiful women's exclusive pilates studio, book your session at Exhale Women's Pilates.