Graduate Highlight: Chrissy Lomax

To me, the principles of Pilates are present in my every move, everyday, and go with me everywhere. I am forever a student. Whether on the Reformer, race-walking or recording vocals in the studio, the principles are always active. The more I learn, the more I learn what I don’t know. Everybody and every body can do Pilates, and that is what I share. – Chrissy Lomax

Watch Pilates Hour, Episode #90 with Chrissy Lomax, “Breast Cancer Awareness”.

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Polestar: What do you love about teaching Pilates and owning a studio?  Where did you take your training and who was the educator?          

CL: I have always been passionate about helping others achieve goals, overcome physical limitations, become stronger, and believe in themselves. Pilates ties together everything that I have ever worked toward to bring me the balance I need to stay whole and in tune with myself.      

My fitness & well-being journey began over 30 years ago when I spent 4 years recovering from a serious car accident. I had to dig deep and heal from broken ribs, a punctured lung, a collapsed lung, a ruptured spleen, and multiple skull fractures that took away my vision and memory for a few months. On top of that I was told that I may never walk again due to the injuries in my legs. I educated myself on rebuilding and healing my body, mind, and spirit.     

I called them “floor exercises” then, and I committed myself and worked hard to walk again- without a cane! It really was a miraculous recovery. During my recovery, my 41 year-old mother was diagnosed with colon cancer that took her 9 weeks later. My journey now included helping others prevent cancer.     

My music career brought me to California from Toronto, and I continued my quest to help others get fit and healthy and stay cancer free. I was a fundraiser for the Jonnson Cancer Center/UCLA, an Ambassador and Leader for Weight Watchers, a marathon coach for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s TNT, and an AFAA personal fitness trainer.       

In 2005 I had my first official mat Pilates teacher training and realized that this is what I had been doing all along. The healing powers of Pilates in body, mind & spirit was something I was already embracing, so I knew this was a good fit.      

6 years later a friend invited me to partner with her to become a Polestar certified instructor. Until that day I had never even been on a reformer. A year later I started teaching reformer classes at a physical therapy/rehabilitation facility where I did my training. 

Polestar: What are your current inspirations?

CL: I just beat HER2-positive breast cancer; 20% of BC diagnoses are this aggressive type. I am so inspired to help others diagnosed with breast cancer get through treatment as well as I did.

As challenging, painful, and sickening as it was, I did the work I had to do to make it through the dark tunnels of treatment. Some days I could move and some days I just couldn’t get out of bed. I took advantage of the good days and moved as much as possible, whether it was cleaning the house and doing laundry or preparing bland but nourishing soups in my Vitamix. My treatment lasted a whole year and just ended last July in 2018. I had six rounds of strong chemotherapy including Herceptin and Neulasta, then surgery, then 35 radiation treatments. My targeted therapy Herceptin was infused every three weeks for a whole year through a port in my chest.

My last infusion was July, 2018, and my last surgery to remove the port followed. I had the best possible outcome from my treatment – a pathologic complete response. I believe this is because I allowed my oncology team to do what they needed to do to fight the disease while I did my job of nourishing my body, mind, and spirit. I feel responsible to help others do the same, show them how easy it is when you make a choice, and treat yourself with as much love as you do everyone else in your life.         

Polestar: What do you hope to convey in your teaching?

CL: To be honest, I think I talk constantly while I am teaching. There is so much going on in our bodies when we move, and I get excited about it! I hope my teaching encourages others to be thoughtful as they move not just on the reformer or mat, but as they move throughout their day.       

Polestar: Where would you love to vacation?

CL: Hawaii is my favorite place to go on vacation. I use visualization to make it through challenges like getting to a marathon finish line, so I visualized it during my radiation treatments. I would visualize my toes in the sand under the banyan tree in Waikiki. It has been years since I have been there, and when I do get there again I will welcome the sunrise on the beach with a morning mat workout! 

Polestar: What is your favorite quote?  How do you live or embody this?

CL: My favorite quote changes all the time, but I do love the blessings of John O’Donohue. Currently, I read this one daily as I continue to heal: 

“May I have the courage today To live the life that I would love, To postpone my dream no longer/ But to do at last what I came here for/ And waste my heart on fear no more.” 

John O’Donohue

And this is on the back of my business card: “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness” -Joseph Pilates

Polestar: Describe your movement style.

CL: Thoughtful, purposeful with intention.

Polestar: What is your favorite apparatus or favorite way to move?

CL: There is such a playground of toys to use, and although I do believe the Pilates Reformer workout is all you ever need in life, the Pilates Ring (Magic Circle) has been my most valuable apparatus during treatment and recovery.

With my blood counts compromised and low during treatment, going into a gym or Pilates Studio was out of the question, and I don’t have a reformer at home. In bed, sitting on the side of the bed I was able to work just about every part of my body, with or without the ring; throw in a band and BOOM- you have a great total-body workout. I always recommend that my clients put a ring and a band in their suitcase first when packing to travel and they can workout anywhere. 

Polestar: What are you reading or learning about?

CL: I am currently reading Tripping Over The Truth, which is about the metabolic theory of cancer. I am learning everything that I possibly can to stay cancer-free and to help others do the same. To me, Pilates movement is so thoughtful, methodical, self-loving, and healing. 

Polestar: How does Pilates inform your profession?

CL: To me, the principles of Pilates are present in my every move, every day, and go with me everywhere. I am forever a student. Whether on the Reformer, race-walking, or recording vocals in the studio, the principles are always active. The more I learn, the more I learn what I don’t know. Everybody and everybody can do Pilates, and that is what I share. 

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You can find Chrissy at Daily Breath Pilates and check out her awesome music at ChrissyLomax.com