Tag Archive for: MOVE Wellness Studios Community Spotlight

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I Made It: Part Three

This content has been updated January 9, 2020.

We are thrilled to share this inspiring three-part series by MOVE Wellness Studios Trainer Tony Brutz. Enjoy Part 3 below. You can click here to read Part 1 and Part 2.

February 2016 was the first weekend of the Mat training program. There were eight other students with me in the class. We all staked out a spot on the floor…Wait… There is something I forgot to mention. Before the classes started a few of the MOVE Wellness Studios trainers mentioned that a lot of information would come at me all at once. It may be overwhelming at first, but just hang in there don’t panic. Then one day everything will just click. Ok, now back to the first weekend… Our trainer for the Mat class was Aimee. She was and is a fantastic trainer. I mean this lady really knows her stuff. We started getting into everything right away. Quickly I realized why the trainers gave me the heads up. It was a lot of data to process in a short time. I mean I was getting new terms thrown at me left and right: Patella, vasti, concentrically, eccentrically. Transversus abdominis? Isn’t that a character from Greek mythology? All of us in the class left that weekend a little shell-shocked. Even though I was warned and told not to panic, well guess what happened. That’s right. I panicked. What did I get myself into? I can’t do this! How can I get out of this? How do I tell everyone at MOVE Wellness Studios? I will never be able to walk into MOVE Wellness Studios again. The world is coming to an end and I never did find out who shot JR. Yep, not one of my finer moments. I took a deep breath and collected myself and after a quick internet search I found out that it was Mary Crosby’s character of Kristin that shot JR. Hope I didn’t spoil that for anyone. That night I decided to just sleep on it and see how I felt the next day.

When I got up the next morning I was feeling a little less overwhelmed. I just remembered what I was told and decided to keep on keeping on. As the weekends went on, it started to get a little bit easier. Then one day, it started to click. Not that I was great, but it all started to make more sense. I even learned what transverus abdominis meant. Hint, it’s not a character from Greek mythology. Once I started practice teaching and observing other trainers it started to click even more. That moment of fear after the first weekend could have derailed everything. Lucky for me I didn’t have to go it alone. I had a great group of classmates that were going through the same experience. Add the MOVE Wellness Studios staff and I had a pretty awesome support group.

So, about one year after starting the training program, I am an instructor at MOVE Wellness Studios. I am enjoying the teaching I have been doing thus far and I am so looking forward to what the future has to bring. This last year has been great, even when things were tough it was still fun. Not that everything went smoothly. The training took up so much time that I began to neglect my own health. I fell back into some bad habits and they started to add up. Then those negative thoughts began to show their ugly heads. It took some time to pull myself back up and get back on track. I had to look back to that December day in 2014 and try to remind myself why I started this whole journey. Of course trying to lead a healthy life was a huge reason. Then something hit me, something I thought about even back in 2014. It was not just that I needed to treat myself better, but that I deserved to treat myself better. I know that may sound funny, but think about that for a minute. Sure we try to eat healthy and exercise, which is great, but how often do we treat ourselves the way we should? We forgive others when they make mistakes, but how often do we forgive ourselves for ours? We give compliments to family, friends, heck sometimes even strangers. You’re so talented, intelligent, kind, beautiful, and creative. How often though do we say those things to ourselves? How often do we give ourselves credit for our own accomplishments? It is one thing I think many people neglect to do for themselves. It suddenly dawned on me that I was neglecting doing it for myself. I would focus on my faults but never give myself the credit I deserved. It was about time I started treating myself with that kind of caring and respect. We all fall sometimes. We just need to stop beating up ourselves over it and get right back up.

Just MOVE Wellness Studios

So, why did I decide to become a trainer? That is a brilliant question that deserves an equally brilliant answer, but I will give you my answer instead. I can sum up why I became a trainer in one word; MOVE Wellness Studios…That’s it, just MOVE Wellness Studios…OK fine, I’ll elaborate. What Elaine and Robin have created with MOVE Wellness Studios is wonderful. The staff at MOVE Wellness Studios is a great reflection of the values that they hold. I told you I would explain the reason I name dropped throughout this post. All the trainers that I mentioned earlier were the ones teaching when I first started at MOVE Wellness Studios. Not only were they incredible at what they did, but also they were compassionate, caring, encouraging, and supportive. Along with Elaine and Robin, they helped me accomplish so much more than I would have ever thought when I first started this journey. To all of you wonderful ladies, thank you so much for your encouragement and support. You all were the main inspiration for me wanting to become a trainer. The first day of class we had to go around and introduce ourselves and tell everyone what we hoped to do with everything we learn during the training. I said, “I hoped to be for others what MOVE Wellness Studios has been for me.” I want to help others achieve their goals and now I am getting to do that. I am so glad I decided to do the training and would recommend it to anyone. Do I have any advice for anyone who may sign up for the training in the future? Why yes, I do. My advice would be this, to quote Douglas Adams, “DON’T PANIC!”

Tony Brutz teaches Gentle Pilates class at MOVE Wellness Studios on Tuesdays at 6:00PM. He is also available for private sessions.

About the MOVE Comprehensive Pilates Instructor Training Program

If you have ever considered Pilates as a career or as an enhancement to your current profession, we invite you to join us January 15, 2020 at 6:30PM for Talk and Train. This open studio event will offer you a preview of the MOVE Instructor Training Program. Come get your questions answered and see for yourself what the MOVE Instructor Training Program is all about. If you can’t make the event, you can also schedule a free 15-Minute Consultation with one of our Instructor Trainers. Get started on your own journey today!

 

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It Turns Out She Was Talking About Me┃Tony Brutz

This content has been updated January 9, 2020.

We are thrilled to share this inspiring three-part series by MOVE Wellness Studios Trainer Tony Brutz about his journey from running his first 5K to becoming a certified Pilates Instructor.  Enjoy Part 2 below, and click here to read Part 1. 

MOVE Wellness Studios wasn’t like any other gym or studio I have seen or visited. The studio was warm and welcoming. Instantly I felt like this could be a place I could workout and feel comfortable. The first question I asked was, “Is this place just for women or do men workout here as well?” The staff at the front desk assured me that men do in fact workout at MOVE Wellness Studios. I continued to ask questions and one of the trainers, Rochelle, was able to help answer them. It quickly became apparent that the people at MOVE Wellness Studios are just as warm and welcoming as you would expect. After that meeting, I signed up for a package of private sessions with Rochelle and my Pilates adventure was about to begin.

My first session was approaching. That stupid self doubt started to creep up. I can’t do this. What was I thinking? They are going think I am an idiot. Rochelle made me feel instantly at ease. There was no judgment. I felt like I had her full attention for the entire session. She was really paying attention to me, to what I needed and my goals. I was doing an AB prep exercise, and when I finished the first rep she asked, “Did you feel tension in your neck?” I thought to myself, yes, yes I did feel tension in my neck. How did she know that? She must be a mind reader. Well, maybe not a mind reader, but she just really knew what she was doing. The sessions went so well that I decided to get a membership to try the different classes.

The first class I took with a different trainer was the men’s class. Since I was the new guy, the instructor spent a little extra time with me to make sure I was using proper form and able to follow along with the class. Then I took a reformer class with Davy. Just like the other trainers, Davy spent time making sure proper form was being used with everyone in the class. With each new class, I got to work with many of the other instructors: Lauren, Nicole, Shannon, Sammy, Elaine, Jane, and Julie. The one thing that stuck out was that all of them are amazing. I know I named dropped a lot here but there is a reason for it but we will get to that later. After just four months at MOVE Wellness Studios, I decided to become a trainer.

Me…A Pilates Trainer?!

One day Elaine mentioned that they were going to do an instructor training course that coming February. I asked her if anyone could take the class or was it just for people who already had training experience. She told me that anyone could and asked me if I was thinking about taking the training. When I told her that I was thinking about it, she leaned over the front counter where we were having the conversation and said, “I would love to have a male instructor here.” That’s nice, I wonder who she has…Wait! …What? Did she just offer me a chance to teach at MOVE Wellness Studios? No, she couldn’t have been talking about me. I was thinking about just getting information for myself to maybe help out friends and family if I felt comfortable. It turns out she was talking about me. Our conversation went on for about an hour. At the end, she had me thinking about the possibility of teaching.

Shortly after my talk with Elaine, I had a session with Rochelle. During the session I told her that I was thinking of taking the training. To be honest I was still unsure about what Elaine had said about giving me a chance to teach at MOVE Wellness Studios (sorry, Elaine). I just wasn’t used to having anyone have that kind of confidence in me. It meant so much to have someone offer that kind of support. I mean I’ve only been doing Pilates for four months. Why would she give me a chance after only four months? Rochelle told me that if Elaine says it she means it, and also gave me her thumbs up as well. As the other trainers found out about me taking the training they all gave me their full support. I am telling you this part of the story because the support from this group of people is amazing. That support was a big part of me being able to get through the training.

Click here to continue reading Part 3.

Tony Brutz teachers Gentle Pilates class at MOVE Wellness Studios on Tuesdays at 6:00PM. He is also available for private sessions.

About the MOVE Comprehensive Pilates Instructor Training Program

If you have ever considered Pilates as a career or as an enhancement to your current profession, we invite you to join us January 15, 2020 at 6:30PM for Talk and Train. This open studio event will offer you a preview of the MOVE Instructor Training Program. Come get your questions answered and see for yourself what the MOVE Instructor Training Program is all about. If you can’t make the event, you can also schedule a free 15-Minute Consultation with one of our Instructor Trainers. Get started on your own journey today!

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MOVE Client Spotlight: Nili Tannenbaum

 

This month the MOVE Wellness Studios Community Spotlight shines on Nili Tannenbaum, who overcame skepticism and fell in love with Pilates (and MOVE Wellness Studios!).

Nili Tannenbaum Community Spotlight

I started Pilates because I’m a woman in my 60s with a genetic disease resulting in muscle weakness and inflexibility, as well as arthritis and a history of injury in one knee. I wanted to be able to move without pain and stiffness, climb stairs without relying on a bannister, get up easily from chair, and function normally with everyday activities. Even more importantly, I wanted to be able to play and cuddle on different surfaces with my grandson!

When a colleague suggested I try Pilates, I told him that it couldn’t possibly work for me. I thought it was for very fit, Lululemon-wearing, Mercedes-driving trophy wives and that it wouldn’t be for me. I was skeptical, self-conscious, and very nervous before my first session. I felt intimidated by the Pilates equipment, convinced I would fall off or that I wouldn’t be able to succeed at even the easiest things.

My Pilates First Session Experience

MOVE Wellness Studios Spotlight Meet NiliMy first session was transformational; I suddenly was doing things I never could have imagined myself being able to do. I immediately was able to understand how my body works (and why things hadn’t always worked). I had walked in, certain that it would be my last time but it turned out to be a new door opening to a whole new chapter in my life.

I love working out at MOVE Wellness Studios because I feel I belong and that I’m always being encouraged, exposed to new realizations about my capabilities, and given solutions to help deal with my limitations. My amazing trainer, Angela, challenges me while showing me how much I’m already able to do.

I have experienced many physical and mental benefits from my MOVE Wellness Studios experience. Physically, these have included significantly improved range of motion, flexibility, and muscle strength, accompanied by much better toning, posture, and energy. Mentally, these have included growth in self confidence, thanks to the belief in me by my trainer and the ways in which she has taught me that my diagnosis and age do not define me. I also have an increased appreciation of wellness goals and activities, which have also helped me lose 35 pounds so far. All together, this experience has really been life-changing.

By the end of the year, I hope to improve my strength, flexibility, and range of motion to improve my ability to climb stairs, do floor-based mat work, bear weight on my knees, and run around/play on the floor with my grandson (joined by his cousin, due to be born next month!).

To learn more about private training sessions click here, and to book a private session with one of our experienced trainers, click here.

 

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