A new year invites a reset,  introducing our guiding philosophy for 2026: Mental Armor. A mindset rooted in balance, clarity, and an undisturbed mind. One that is cultivated through intentional practice, mindful movement, and presence both in the studio and in everyday life.

As we move into the year ahead, Mental Armor sets the tone for how we approach movement, creativity, and community. It’s an invitation to slow the noise, protect your energetic space, and move with purpose. Let this be your guide to a more intentional way of showing up grounded, focused, and present all year long.

What Mental Armor Means

Mental Armor comes to life through your practice, in every form your movement may take. Whether it’s Pilates, yoga, barre, or other mindful movement, it’s developed through consistency, intention, and awareness over time. It’s not about pushing harder, but about moving intentionally — using movement as a tool to support focus, balance, and clarity.

Across practices, mindful movement teaches the same foundation: control, breath, and focus. Inhale to create space. Exhale to stabilize and engage. This steady rhythm supports focused flow, helping the mind stay calm while the body stays strong. Mental Armor unfolds when movement becomes calm, grounded, present.

This mindset also encourages balanced boundaries within and outside your practice. Knowing when to challenge yourself and when to soften. When to hold, and when to release. By honoring both strength and recovery, movement becomes a form of everyday protection building emotional endurance and inner strength alongside physical resilience. Mental Armor creates space for these principles to translate beyond the studio, allowing the awareness, breath, and balance you build in practice to support your daily activities.

Living the Mindset

Mental Armor is reflected through our creative direction for the year ahead, including the Mental Armor Collection. Every detail is designed with intention from subtle reminders to inhale and exhale, to the presence of the evil eye as a symbol of everyday protection. These elements aren’t decorative; they’re cues to pause, breathe, and return to center.

This mindset reflects our ongoing commitment to sanity, not vanity. We prioritize how movement feels over how it looks, choosing clarity, comfort, and function as guiding principles. The messaging being at the core of every collection serves as gentle guidance, encouraging awareness, balanced boundaries, and mindful movement throughout your day.

As we move through 2026, Mental Armor continues to shape how we design, communicate, and connect. It’s a reminder that strength can be calm, protection can be soft, and intention is what gives movement meaning.

Instructor Feature 

Meet Yeti Choi, a Pilates instructor based in Washington and currently teaching at Rise Studio. Known for her grounded presence and intentional approach to movement, Yeti embodies the essence of Mental Armor showing up with focus, balance, and care for both mind and body. As an active wearer of Pointe Studio grip socks, she moves with purpose and inspires our community to protect their mental space through mindful practice, consistency, and self-trust.

How do you protect your mental space while teaching or training?

I try to leave all stress at the studio door. Training is a gift—I’m grateful that I get to move my body and treat it like a temple.

When I’m teaching, I almost “black out” in the best way—nothing else exists except being fully present. My focus is intentionality, showing up for my clients, and remembering that class is not about me—it’s about them. You never know what someone is walking in with: a busy home life, a breakup, a stressful job, or simply a need for solitude. This class might be their escape. They chose to spend their time and money to show up for themselves, and I want to honor that by leaving my own baggage at the door and giving them the space they deserve.

What helps you stay centered when life gets busy?

I always prioritize my training—even when life gets hectic. I build my schedule around taking class or going to the gym, not the other way around. When I take care of my body first, everything else feels more manageable.

Food is fuel, and it directly affects my mental health—but balance matters too. I’m intentional with how I eat most of the time, and I also believe in enjoying what I love. If I’m craving something sweet, I don’t fight it—I’ll never say no to a chewy chocolate chip cookie. Letting myself enjoy food without guilt helps me stay happy, grounded, and consistent.

When I’m mindful about how I eat and how I train, I feel focused, motivated, and centered. When I fall off routine, I feel it immediately—mentally and physically. Staying centered for me is about consistency, balance, and taking care of myself in ways that feel good, not restrictive.

What does “mental armor” mean to you in your personal practice?

Mental armor means security. It’s knowing that my body is mine, and my thoughts are something I can learn to guide. I focus on my strengths and work on my weaknesses without comparing my journey to anyone else’s.

The moment I compare my growth or confidence to someone else’s, it hurts my mental health. Mental armor is choosing to focus on my own progress, my own wins, and trusting that my path is exactly where it needs to be.

How would you describe your teaching style, and what do you hope students feel when they leave your class?

I’d describe my teaching style as high-energy but very guided. I love giving encouragement and shoutouts to recognize hard work, and I always sprinkle in education—what muscles we’re working, why form matters, and why slow, controlled movement is powerful.

I want clients to leave feeling like they just kicked ass and can take on their day or night with confidence. I hope they walk out feeling proud—whether they learned a new form cue, moved with more control, or challenged themselves with an extra amplification. My goal is to create a class that’s high-energy, engaging, comfortable, and educational.

Where can people find out more about you?

Train with Yeti: Rise Studio

Instagram: @yeti.choi

Tiktok: @yetichoi

Protection begins within. Through intentional movement, steady breath, and mindful awareness, it supports how we move, think, and show up each day. As the year unfolds, let Mental Armor guide you — helping you stay balanced, focused, and connected to what truly matters, within your practice and daily life. 

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