LIPA, BATANGAS—It all came together for three childhood friends when they sent out the invites to the blessing of their Pilates studio in this city south of Manila. They had been planning this project for ages.

And their guests, including friends from Quezon City, didn’t fail them, arriving before 9:30 a.m. on June 26. Fr. Eugene Dominic Hechanova presided over the ritual marked by lighted candles, administering the blessing with a prayer and a sprinkling of holy water on kin, friends, and studio. Then, of course, there was the merry clink-clank of coins and the scramble to collect them, to usher in prosperity both for the proprietors and the happy assembly.

Hazel Lagos, Harriet Limbo, and Marichelle Mantuano had finally come home. They all grew up in Lipa and went their separate ways to find their places in the sun, yet the promise to return home was never forgotten. Decades later, their studio, CoreHaus Pilates, now operates on the second floor of Clean Fuel Gas Station on JP Laurel Avenue.

In between seeing to their guests and sitting down to a large breakfast that includes arroz caldo and turon, the three women chat with CoverStory.ph. Harriet says credit goes to Hazel for getting CoreHaus off the ground although they had always dreamed of running a business together since they were young. 

Marichelle asserts, “It’s not about the money. It’s that feeling you get when you’re able to help people by giving them employment. Isn’t that the point of opening a business?”

Hand in glove 

The women and a fitness business fit like hand in glove. They were all student athletes—Hazel in volleyball, Harriet in table tennis, and Marichelle in swimming. But it was Hazel who was given a stronger impetus to turn their dream into reality: A knee injury led to surgery when she was a student, and she was diagnosed with a bulged disc in 2018. 

Harriet narrates: “Hazel began to explore the benefits of Pilates. It improved her spine alignment, which gave her remarkable relief from her back pain. She then began her Pilates course and practice in Singapore. She had a mission of bringing it to the Philippines to help many, especially those in need of rehabilitation.” 

Marichelle and Harriet started practicing Pilates as well, having seen the positive effects on Hazel. It helped Harriet with her scoliosis and Marichelle with her pre- and post-natal care (Hazel served as her teacher). 

Cynics may argue that opening a gym would have been a better choice than a Pilates studio, but Harriet disagrees. “Pilates and a gym are two different things, with the main difference being the level of impact of the exercises,” she explains. “Pilates is low-impact, making it suitable to many, whereas gym workouts are high-impact, which aren’t always suitable to some.” 

The women aren’t discounting the presence of gyms in Lipa and Pilates’ complementary role to gym-goers’ workout. But as Harriet points out, “Pilates works deep at your core muscles and other muscles that most people don’t know about. Every small and mindful Pilates movement has a low impact on the joints, promoting good body alignment. These are very important foundations if one is to minimize the risk of injuries, particularly when engaging in high-impact activities or exercises.”

Brainstorming 

Hazel was spurred by the pandemic to seriously consider opening CoreHaus. She roped in her two amigas to the drawing board to discuss the nitty-gritty—location, instructors, equipment (including grip socks), rates, studio color scheme, and interior decor. Tasks were divided: Hazel, who serendipitously found their current location while driving in Lipa, put together the Pilates program; Marichelle took charge of the studio’s aesthetics; Harriet kept coordination and logistics together.

Besides being their home, Lipa was chosen because it’s one of the fastest developing cities south of Manila, Harriet says, citing the good weather, continuous movements of people, and a Pilates-ready community as incentives.

But opening CoreHaus entailed a lot of work. Harriet says the integration of the entire plan was the most difficult aspect, and finding the right people—construction workers, staff and coaches—who would build with them and share their values and vision was the most challenging.

“[It was] difficult, but in a good and exciting way,” she says. “The easiest part was feeling the love and support from our family and friends. Knowing they believed in us made a big difference.”  

Setting up

The credibility of a Pilates studio’s lies in a well-trained staff and quality equipment. CoreHaus’ instructors are led by Hazel, a seasoned Pilates practitioner who trained and taught in Breathe Pilates in Singapore and, later, with Moira and Lindsay Merrithew in New York. She is trained in STOTT Level 1 Reformer and full equipment, and specializes in spine and shoulder injury rehabilitation, pre- and post-natal care, and Pilates for the elderly. 

The other instructors are Christine Liatona, Mansour Sayson, Danica Silva, and Carl Michael Mercado. They all trained under CoreHaus’ support studios:  Atleta Pilates in Cebu and The Pilates Space in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

CoreHaus’ main equipment consists of the Pilates Reformer and Tower by Strattera (locally sourced) and Merrithew (ordered from Canada and scheduled to arrive in October). The Reformer’s sliding carriage combines with the Tower’s vertical frame for enhancement of flexibility, strength, and range of motion. The others are the Wunda chair (seat with pedal and springs for resistance) for improving balance; Ladder Barrel (curved barrel attached to a ladder) to boost flexibility and core stability; and Cadillac (horizontal and vertical bars above a table) for injury rehabilitation and overall body conditioning. 

Hazel says the Strattera brand, an industry newcomer that delivers equipment quickly, allows Pilates studios to open right away, and Merrithew is the golden standard of Pilates Reformers because of its researched configurations, sturdiness, and easy maintenance and use.

Pilates system 

CoreHaus teaches the STOTT Pilates system developed by Moira Merrithew 20 years ago. Moira, a dancer, built on the Pilates method of founder Joseph Pilates. She trained under Romana Kryzanowska, one of the first-generation followers of Joseph Pilates. STOTT is reputed to combine rehabilitative techniques with modern exercise principles (overload, frequency, progression, individuality, recovery). The system’s name takes after Moira’s middle name, Stott.

The original Pilates method emphasizes having a straight spine while performing the movements. Conversely, the STOTT method stresses maintaining a neutral spine. Its key principles include focused breathing, correct pelvic placement in neutral or imprinted position (gently tilted back), rib cage and abdominal muscles working together, and correct head and neck placement.

CoreHaus has a roadmap for practitioners, whether novice or experienced. It begins with deciding on the reason for joining a Pilates class: Strength, recovery, posture alignment or stress relief? Generally, those at level zero should attend the Essentials class to learn the principles of core, alignment, breath work, and basic movement patterns for three to five times, after which they can move up to level one for classes in Sculpt, Restore and Align, Cardio, Tower, Core, and Energize.

A practitioner advances to level two for Jump + Sculpt, Power Tower, and Core + Align classes after finishing five to 10 level-one sessions. Currently, classes are at a maximum of six students. The number is expected to increase to nine when the Merrithew reformers arrive.

At CoreHaus, treating level progression as though it’s unlocking the next level of a video game is unacceptable. Progress doesn’t disregard key fitness principles or ignore the body’s “messages.” 

“Progress at your pace. Pilates is a journey, not a race,” the three women say.

Keeping fit today firmly rejects the age-old saying “no pain, no gain.” Fitness regimens now consider the person in totality vis-á-vis exercises. It’s no longer about lifting heavier or running faster than the next person but moving intelligently (aka mindful movement) and having a mindset that anybody can lead a healthy lifestyle.

The philosophy is vividly seen at CoreHaus. Harriet declares they “believe in building a community making movements safer.” She adds: “It’s not about lifting heavy. It’s about moving and living better, and feeling stronger than how they were before.”

Even the studio has been spruced up to look less intimidating and more welcoming. Harriet, touching on Marichelle’s artistic details, says the studio reflects their collective taste in minimalist interiors and vision of providing a home-like space.  

“Like home, CoreHaus is the place where clients can begin and sustain a consistent self-care routine,” Harriet says. “Our mission is to help improve quality of life, just as we have experienced.”