Before my injury, I was a competitive gymnast with dreams of becoming an Olympian. Gymnastics shaped how I understood discipline, body awareness, and movement. When I became a paraplegic, I assumed that chapter of my life had closed. What I didn’t realize then was that my relationship with movement wasn’t ending — it was evolving.
I coached high school gymnastics for six years. Coaching rebuilt my confidence because it taught me I didn’t need to physically demonstrate every skill to teach it well. I learned how to cue movement, analyze body mechanics, and break down complex skills into accessible instructions. That experience laid the foundation for my journey into Pilates instruction.
Scrolling through social media, I noticed something glaring: I had never seen a disabled person in Pilates spaces, let alone a wheelchair user. My idea of Pilates relied on leg strength and core stability — two things I didn’t have. In February of last year, I decided to try it. That idea became a series on Instagram called “Trying Pilates as a Paraplegic.”
I expected to feel like an outsider. Instead, I was met with collaboration. My instructor asked about my strengths, limitations, and lived experience. She built a flow that challenged me while respecting my body. One phrase she repeated stayed with me: “Any movement is good movement.” That mindset reshaped how I viewed exercise — and myself.
I learned that Joseph Pilates created Pilates during World War I for injured soldiers. Pilates was founded for rehabilitation — for bodies like mine. Somewhere along the way, that origin was lost. I assumed my series would fade quietly. Instead, it resonated. Wheelchair users messaged me saying they didn’t think Pilates was possible. Instructors worldwide reached out asking how to be more inclusive. Two months after my first class, I enrolled in instructor training. After coursework, observation hours, practice hours, and a final test, I became a certified Pilates instructor.
Recently, I hosted an adaptive Pilates event where I had dreams of filling a studio with wheelchair users. We blocked the space, moved equipment for accessibility, and brought in PT’s and OT’s for extra support. The event was free so finances wouldn’t be a barrier. It wasn’t promoted publicly; it spread entirely by word of mouth. Seeing the studio filled with disabled bodies was powerful. The takeaway: Pilates can be adapted, and disabled people can take up space here, too.
This event was never meant to be a one-time experience. I’m exploring ways to expand it — either by taking it on tour with the support of studios across the country to reach more disabled people or by creating a training course for instructors and studio owners so they know how to build inclusive spaces like this.
I teach because representation matters. I know what it feels like to question whether you belong somewhere. Movement has always been part of my identity; now, it’s part of my advocacy. My hope isn’t that everyone loves Pilates, it’s that disabled individuals know they have options, spaces can adapt, and movement can look different while still being meaningful.
If you want to follow along, you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads @AnnaSarol sharing adaptive fitness, disability advocacy, and inclusive design. The simplest way to help is to say yes, to learning, to inclusion, and to challenging assumptions about who fitness is for.
All ideas and assertions expressed in The CORE are those of the individual contributors, offered to spark conversation, enrich understanding/inspire growth and share diverse perspectives within our community. They may not necessarily reflect the views of Balanced Body®.
Anna Sarol
Anna Sarol is a certified Pilates instructor based in Kansas City. As a wheelchair user, Anna believes inclusion deserves a place everywhere, including in Pilates. Her approach centers on adapting movement to meet each client where they are, honoring individual bodies, abilities, and goals. She focuses on accessible, functional movement that builds strength, confidence, and body awareness-without a one-size-fits-all mindset. Through her social media work (@AnnaSarol), Anna aims to represent and empower disabled people in the fitness space, ensuring they know they belong and deserve opportunities designed with them in mind.
