My Personal Bio:
I love to exercise! Since as far back as I can remember movement has brought me joy~ I started taking ballet around the age of 5, performed in the “modern jazz show” at school when I was 8, got involved in gymnastics a year later and was captain of my junior high school cheerleading squad.
The other thing that has been a constant in my life as far back as adolescence is the struggle I’ve had with fluctuations with my weight. The sad part of it is that (and I know this is true for so many people) deep inside this battle frequently conflicts with the activities of my daily life and the way I view myself in the world.
Aerobics classes were becoming very popular in the early 1980’s and in 1985 I joined a gym that offered these types of classes~ I barely made it through the first one! I couldn’t believe how out of shape I was! But I pressed on. After a few weeks I was able to make it through the classes and actually began to enjoy them. I was at a crossroads in my life professionally and considered becoming an instructor. It seemed almost crazy to me that I could do something I had always loved and get paid for it!
I received my first certification in group exercise in 1986. Throughout the years since then I have worked in health clubs teaching Hi and Lo Impact aerobics, Step, Slide, Studio Cycling, Sculpting, Cardio Kickboxing and probably a few more that I’m forgetting! I was even voted “one of the best” instructors in NJ two years in a row in a Gannett Newspaper reader’s poll! I’ve also managed clubs and was part owner of a wellness center in California from 1990-93. I hopped on board the Personal Trainer wave and received certifications from both AFAA and ACE in the late 90’s and I’ve been self-employed as a certified fitness trainer since. I developed a professional mission statement and it is as follows: To learn, to teach, to empower and to release.
During the mid to late 90’s I integrated weight training and running into my personal routine. My body responded really well and I felt that I had finally found the right fitness recipe! But after a couple of years something was still amiss~ the only way to describe it was that I felt very compacted in my own body. Although I included stretching in my workouts I still experienced tightness and restriction in my day to day living.
Then one day a student of mine invited me to attend a Pilates class. I had never heard of Pilates but I was always interested in learning so I went~ and once again, I barely made it through the class!! It was a very humbling experience! But rather than being discouraged I was actually quite intrigued. What really caught my interest was how open and free my body felt~ just what I was looking for! So I pressed on. After some research I decided to change the focus of my practice and I went on to receive my first Pilates Mat certification in November of 1998 with Physicalmind Institute. I then studied with Polestar Education from 1999-2000 and in June of 2005 received my Comprehensive Pilates Instructor Certification from Power Pilates NYC.
After 22 years of teaching exercise it would seem logical that I could keep myself very busy working out! But what I’ve found is that I too need a coach! I kid with my clients and say, “the teacher needs a teacher!” At this point of my life what I was missing was structure~ and then I saw a commercial for P90X! I knew right away it was exactly what I had been looking for!
My husband, Frank and I have been on the program since January 29, 2008 and LOVE IT!It integrates everything I have ever learned about exercise program design~ We’re so excited about being coaches because the program is both sound and effective. I’d love to assist you in any way I can with P90X or any of the other incredible Beach Body systems!
My Transformation Story:
Coming soon