Meet Alexa White, Pilates Teacher at Club Pilates and THIS Gym

Please introduce yourself — who you are, your background, what service you provide?

My name is Alexa White, and I’m a Pilates teacher in Austin, Texas. I have been teaching Pilates since 2020 and got certified while I was getting my degree at the University of North Texas. I am one of three girls, one of whom is my twin sister. I am from El Paso, Texas, where I grew up the majority of my life. We are military brats, so we have moved all over the world, but in 2007 my dad retired from the military and we stayed in El Paso, where my parents are from.

How did you get started? What led you to this industry? Was it always the plan?

I have always been a mover and loved to play and move around as a child. Never did I think that movement would become a career path for me. I was in college at UNT studying Digital Retailing and got a front desk job at a Pilates studio. I fell in love with the practice and decided to get certified. My thought was that it would be a side gig while I had a corporate job post-grad. I finished the certification and realized how much Pilates had made me fall in love with movement. I graduated in 2021, while COVID was still a hot topic, and found it really challenging to find a job. I decided to start teaching again while I was job hunting. I couldn’t believe how rewarding and fun my work was every day. I slowly started teaching more classes each week and realized that I was starting to make a career out of it. I decided to pursue teaching full time and feel so grateful that I am able to guide and teach people to stay present and become more confident in their bodies.

What do you love most about the work? What keeps you motivated and inspired day to day?

I love being in an environment where people are excited to be there. There are people trying to heal, get stronger, release stress, or just take some time for themselves. There are so many reasons why someone comes to a class and it feels so special that I get to be a trusted person to guide them for a portion of their day. I am so inspired by people and their stories, their “why” for being in a class. It takes me out of my world for a moment.

What's something people don't see or know about your industry?

There are many things about teaching that can be challenging. I have to be “on” anytime I’m in the studio. There are people who rely on their instructor to bring their energy up and take them out of their head. I’m happy to do that, but I have to prioritize self-care so I’m in a place to do it. I’ve hit burnout many times in my teaching career, where it feels like I’m running on fumes. It’s forced me to take a break and realign with my reason for being an instructor. There are also the crazy hours — super early mornings and late evenings. I work during the hours most people aren’t, which can be challenging for holidays or making time for relationships in my life. But I will always find a way if it’s important to me, and the people closest to me know that this is my passion. Most studios don’t provide benefits, so I’ve had to navigate that, but it has allowed me to really educate myself on what is available to me. I think there will always be pros and cons about certain jobs, but I know this is where I’m supposed to be and what I’m supposed to do.

What resources, tools, or support do you wish existed?

I think there needs to be more mentorship for the in-between stage, from finishing training to actually teaching, when someone is wanting to become an instructor. I felt so lost when I finished teacher training, but I was lucky to have a good mentor and so many learning opportunities — if you’re a new instructor, take advantage of every opportunity!

What do you want potential clients to know about you or your work?

I am pro-movement of any sort. I just happen to be a little biased that Pilates is one of the best! If you are moving to get strong or just get out of your head for a little bit, I want to be a part of that and support you. Movement is a privilege, and I think more people should take advantage of it. I prioritize form and understanding the purpose of a movement. I also think that there are days when movement can be silly and fun and days when we need to go inward and find some stillness. It’s dynamic and changing just like the phases of life.

Your contact info and links are on your Maisaic profile, is there anything else you'd like to share with the readers?

I teach at a variety of studios, and my schedule is on my Instagram. I am also a big proponent of supporting new instructors. Please feel free to reach out if you are in the in-between stage of your Pilates career. I would love to help!