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• Active Body Profiles

Tami Parker

I recently achieved the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt at my Tae Kwon Do school. I am 49 years old and never thought I would be doing something like this and at this age. I have 4 kids and when I was pregnant with my 4th, I got my older 2 kids into Tae Kwon Do and watched them for over a year before I just had to give it a try myself. I’ve now been training for over 12 years, am a Senior Instructor and am watching my kids 1 by 1 become black belts.

I’ve had many injuries over the years and it has at times been frustrating and has set back my training. I got into Pilates for 3 reasons. I wanted better flexibility so I could kick higher, better balance to I would be more centered in all of my moves and better posture to look stronger as a Martial Artist. Pilates has given me all of those things and some unexpected benefits as well. I did not think I would ever test again after my 2nd degree test. My low back was in such bad shape that I was really limited with my movement. I tried all kinds of body work and physical therapy and finally gave up and figured I would live with it. When I switched Pilates teachers and started at Active Body Pilates, my instructor tailored all my movement to protecting my low back and strengthening my upper back. It has even helped me heal a chronically pulled hamstring that was painful for 1 ½ years.

I incorporate many other activities into my life to stay fit. I do spinning cycle which has really helped increase my cardio capacity, running, elliptical, and am about to try rock climbing. The way I stay motivated is that I really love to feel good. Fitness is a way of life and my doctor is constantly amazed by my blood work and stats that she performs on me. When I am lacking in motivation, it usually means I need to mix up my routine a little and do something different. I have a rule for myself called the 10 minute rule. If I don’t want to work out, but know it would really benefit me, I tell myself that I will try it for 10 minutes, if I still want to quit after that time, I do. It has only happened once.

The way I inspire myself to work hard is: I own a stop watch, heart rate monitor and on my spin bike is a cadence counter. Sprints are a fantastic way to break through a training rut and actually make training easier in the long run. I am competitive by nature, so I love a good challenge. Finally, goal setting is also very motivating for me. I usually set a time limit that I’d like to accomplish something by. My last test, I started 6 month in advance and started training hard for it. I kept my eyes on the end and what I wanted. There were many days I would tell myself, let’s just get the job done. I would look back on past achievements and remember how rewarding it was to achieve what I set out to do, and it would keep my going. I tell everyone that the perfect fitness routine for life is Pilates and some cardio, and that is what my life will always include!

MICHAEL SHEIRBON

As a lifetime athlete, I have always led an active lifestyle from playing baseball and basketball through high school to technical mountain climbing in my twenties to now cycling, hiking, skiing, and soccer in my thirties. Before I started Pilates my fitness was built on whatever sport or climb I was training for or just going to the gym to lift weights & do some cardio. But as my life has evolved, I moved from a relatively active job to a “desk job”, having a family with both an energetic six year old daughter and an equally energetic dog and have broadened my interests athletically. As a result, I’ve looked for new and different ways to achieve the fitness necessary to do all the activities I love.

How Pilates has helped me: Pilates has changed my perspective on what it means to be strong. It has taken me out of the traditional gym environment and turned me into a more well rounded athlete and person with quiet strength that emerges from the core. Over the past three years, a combination of Mat and regular private sessions has produced dramatic changes in my overall fitness, my flexibility and the shape of my body. Every time I complete a session, I’m amazed at what my body is able to do. I am leaner and stronger and can take on the challenges of new sports like skiing and cycling with much greater ease and grace. I believed that Pilates helps protect my body from injury both from sport; and, as part of an active family, I’m proud to see that my daughter has a balanced attitude toward fitness and wellness, much of it attributed to the method and philosophy of Pilates.

SEON KANG

Lifestyle/Hobbies: As a hobby, I'm a Master Scuba Diver instructor and have been teaching for 7 years. My passions are traveling and diving and I love destinations that are off the beaten path and embracing new cultures and new adventures. Some of my recent favorite places are: Mozambique South Africa, Galapagos, and Palau.

How Pilates has helped me: I believe that balance is the key to a fulfilling life and my motto is to work hard and play hard -to be present in every moment of my life. When I first started Pilates, I was looking for a different workout from weights, cardio, and yoga. Pilates has not only strengthened my body but has helped me find my core strength and I feel more centered and energized after every session. I have found that through Pilates I am stronger in my every day activities from managing work stress and having better posture to being stronger and more centered when diving, cardio kickboxing, hiking, and engaging in new sports like snowboarding.