Scarborough has a new Pilates instructor with a unique perspective: Kaia Becker, a former Division I pole vaulter who knows firsthand how helpful the practice can be for injury recovery. After breaking her back twice during her athletic career, Pilates became a cornerstone of her healing journey, and her life’s passion.
Pilates, a unique mind-body practice, offers the muscle-lengthening benefits of yoga combined with the muscle-strengthening aspects of weightlifting. Developed by Joseph Pilates during his time in a German internment camp during World War I, the method utilizes low-impact movements and resistance (originally from bed springs) to enhance strength, improve posture, and increase mobility.
“Pilates is for everyone,” says Kaia. “From serious athletes to people just starting out, even people with injuries and older folks. I once had a regular client who was 97 years old.”
Kaia’s path to Pilates began at the University of Vermont, where she took a class at the end of her senior year. “I really loved it,” she said. “My back felt better than it had in ages and I felt like I’d found my calling.”
After graduating, Kaia moved to South Carolina, where she continued her Pilates practice while working at a surf shop. She decided to become an instructor, completing a 500+ hour certification program that covered how to safely work with pregnant clients and those with back injuries.
After a move to Chicago where she started instructing, Kaia and her boyfriend, Nate, relocated to Scarborough in March 2024, seeking a more nature-oriented lifestyle. She began searching for studio space. Readers may recall that was about when Scarborough Land Trust left its former office in the Oak Hill shopping plaza. With fresh paint, new flooring, and an airy atmosphere, the bright, second-floor space is now an ideal setting for Pilates.
Kaia offers a variety of classes, including private sessions, “duet” sessions for two students, and group classes. Her studio is equipped with five reformers (specialized machines that use adjustable springs to provide resistance and a sliding platform to support the body).
Kaia teaches classical Pilates supplemented with her own techniques and movements. Classes typically last 50 minutes and focus on full-body movement. She also offers monthly “spotlight” classes that target specific areas, such as arms or core, and classes that include a bit of cardio using a “jumpboard” attachment that turn the reformers into horizontal jumping machines.
Kaia’s passion shines through when she talks about Pilates’ impact on her life. “I encourage everyone to try it,” she says. With her expertise, passion, and welcoming smile, she is poised to bring the transformative power of Pilates to even more people in Scarborough.
Kaia Pilates is located at 7 Oak Hill Terrace, Suite 203, Scarborough, Maine.
Photo by Amanda Huebner Photography
