by
mike harris
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Grace over guilt.
That’s the philosophy behind Lindywell, a Pilates app founded in 2009 by Santa Barbara resident Robin Long.
It’s about self-compassion, Long told the Business Times on January 8.
“When we fall off course, skip a workout, or don’t do what we intended on our health plan, instead of getting caught up in guilt or shame, we just extend grace to ourselves and feel better than guilt. Just say grace and give yourself grace.’ That mindset helps you get a fresh start the next day,” she explained.
Pilates is a low-impact exercise that strengthens muscles, improves posture, posture, and concentration, and supports long-term health of both mind and body.
It is mainly practiced by women, but more and more men are also participating.
Long, 40, said Lindiwell, which features more than 300 Pilates workout videos shot on Santa Barbara beaches, was born out of his own health struggles.
“I was dealing with some personal health issues,” said Long, who is also Lindiwell’s CEO. “As it was my first voyage, I had some serious and overwhelming anxiety.
“I was also having back pain and neck pain and was just feeling really unhappy with my body and my body image,” she said.
Then she discovered Pilates.
“Honestly, it changed everything for me,” Long said. “I was able to overcome my anxiety. My back pain completely disappeared and I really noticed that my relationship with my body was improving.”
Long decided to pursue Pilates as a career and became an instructor about 15 years ago, teaching in-person classes.
Wanting to reach more people, she began teaching online and launched Lindiwell in 2009.
Her name is a combination of her mother’s name, Linda, and her aunt’s nickname, Judy.
Long said the app has grown significantly since then and now has tens of thousands of paying members in more than 100 countries.
Pilates videos feature her and other Lindywell certified instructors.
The app also provides recipes for breathing exercises and nutrition.
Voted Best Pilates App of 2023 by Women’s Health magazine.
Long said being a woman poses some challenges in running a business.
Long, who has struggled with body image since the age of 8, said she quickly realized how much the fitness world focused on appearance and body type.
“And I think the pressure can be even more intense for women,” she said. “People decide whether to enroll in classes based on how you look.”
But knowing that her brand and business is “about helping people really embrace their unique bodies, that helped me overcome some of those pressures,” Long said. said.
The mother of four said she also had some challenges working during her pregnancy and maternity leave.
Angie Hill, Lindiwell’s chief growth officer, praised Long’s leadership.
“Robin is one of the most honest and dedicated leaders I have ever worked with,” Hill said. “She understands how to create meaningful and impactful programs that actually change lives.”
Mr. Long is also passionate about “building a company focused on the real needs of our employees,” Mr. Hill said.
Mr. Long wrote a book called “Well to the Core,” which was published in October.
“We wanted to distill our entire Lindywell approach into a very practical and comprehensive guidebook for our members as well as those who are not yet part of Lindywell,” she said. Told.
Long said the future of the app is bright.
“As we continue to grow and expand, it is truly gratifying to see how many people continue to resonate with our message of grace over guilt and progress over perfection. ” she said.
The company “looks forward to continuing to build on this and support people in that way and continue to be a genuine resource for women,” Long said.
For more information about the app, including subscription fees, please visit Lindywell.com.
Email: mharris@pacbiztimes.com
