A Northwest Indiana Life in the Spotlight: Katrina Kuiper

They say practice makes perfect, but for local Pilates Instructor Katrina Kuiper, practice makes progress. Pilates is about meeting people where they are in their journey, and that is exactly what Kuiper brings to her practice.

Kuiper is a mat and reformer Pilates instructor at Leni’s Pilates in Crown Point. She joined the studio when one of her former students opened the business six months ago, but she has been teaching Pilates since 2020.

Kuiper works full-time as an automotive logistics coordinator and supply chain manager while also teaching Pilates part time. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and she moved back to Crown Point, she found the opportunity to take more classes while working from home.

“My job is pretty demanding, and I thought Pilates was the perfect combo to help cut the tension that I get most weeks,” she said.

When Kuiper first started taking Pilates classes in Indianapolis in 2018, she had no idea it would eventually lead her back to her hometown as an instructor. At the time, she simply saw it as a way to get out of the house, do something constructive and expand her social life. It ended up being so much more.

“Pilates is like medicine; I really believe the connections it forces us to make in our bodies and minds are pretty astounding if you’ve got the right instruction,” she said.

In her practice, Kuiper stresses that everybody is different – specifically that people’s bodies are different. There are so many different styles of movement that she gets creative with.

“As an instructor, you’re standing up in front of a room of however many people, and you kind of have to put on a show,” Kuiper said. “It’s about being creative with the music and the vibe — you’re a whole presence up there. I like to keep it interesting, and Pilates gives me that variation. There are so many different ways we can do the same exercises for different people, even though we’re all doing the same thing.”

She became comprehensively certified at the end of last year after completing extensive training across multiple apparatuses, including the reformer and mat. The process required coursework, hands-on hours and student teaching. She recently took the national exam to become a certified Pilates instructor.

Kuiper emphasized consistency and dedication to the practice. It’s important to look at Pilates as something that develops both the body and mind.

“I really want everybody to know about the whole system. It’s good to keep coming every week, not just when you feel like you need a stretch,” she said. “It’s about foundations and the practice of it. You’ve got to practice exercise to get better. I don’t think people always see it as a practice. They see it as a quick turnaround.”

Kuiper believes in bringing strong energy to every class, working to meet clients where they are while creating a comfortable, supportive environment. She focuses not just on guiding the exercises but on helping clients truly understand the method behind each movement, which she says is often the most challenging part of teaching.

“I hope that I bring 100% authenticity to the community. I want nothing but to be myself. I want to be open and honest, and I hope that people also can bring that same open feedback,” she said. “It’s about giving all of that energy in hopes to get it back.”

Kuiper strives to use this open line of communication to create safe spaces for women.

“Leni’s has created an open environment where you meet every person where they are and help them find their way within a movement space that might not always look like them,” she said. “It’s so much more beneficial than what you can find online, and I think Leni’s has done that. It’s only the beginning.”

With Pilates becoming more and more popular, Kuiper is happy it’s reaching a larger scope. However, she warns that people can get lost in the optics of it.

“It’s pretty challenging just getting people to understand Pilates as a whole and not getting lost in the trend,” she said. “It’s more about the type of movement — strength-based movement — not about the aesthetic or the mirrors. That will only take it so far. True Pilates is recognizing that it’s a form of movement, a whole system. We’re more focused on how your body moves and safely moving your body.”

Overall, she hopes that her clients leave feeling a sense of peace.

“I want them to feel encouraged and confident that they were able to understand Pilates, understand the reformer, and understand themselves. I care about what they’re feeling inside and how they’re working out. I want them to leave feeling encouraged. I hope that they find a sense of peace to bring some stillness into this crazy, busy world,” Kuiper said.