Check out the instructor bios for Danielle, Kathy and Colleen below. Click here to set up your initial pilates consultation with us!
I was training for a half marathon at age 25 when I hurt my hamstring. That led to a series of chronic pain issues in my back, knee and shoulder that escalated over the course of a decade. I saw many of the best physical therapists and sports medicine doctors in the Twin Cities. They gradually cut me off of exercise, aside from walking. This was devastating. I had been an athlete my whole life. At the time of the injury, I was working out six days a week and had aspirations of being a personal trainer. Becoming a couch potato was not an option.
My physical therapists said I needed to improve my core strength and wake up the muscles in my butt and hamstrings. I followed their exercise protocols religiously because I wanted to get better and be active again. But nothing worked. I was in pain all day, every day. I was a shell of my outgoing, athletic self.
After nearly 10 years of suffering and frustration, I approached a personal trainer at my gym and asked what I could do to build strength and be active again without causing more pain and injury. The trainer recommended pilates. It was EXACTLY what I needed to help me build core strength and wake up my muscles. It worked because it incorporated the mind-body connection that helped me really tune into and strengthen the muscles that the physical therapists had been targeting.
It took time and baby steps, but after a year of pilates lessons I was able to start working out again without fear. I was strong enough to get back on the Spin bike. I was able to go for a jog. I could go on a long car ride without pain. I could wear high heels again after years of wearing orthotic shoes.
That suffering led me to make decisions that ultimately changed my life for the better. I wanted to teach others about the benefits of pilates for chronic pain and help them avoid the endless merry-go-round of doctors and physical therapists that I experienced. So, I changed careers seven years ago to teach pilates and it was the best decision I ever made. I’ve helped numerous clients defeat their chronic pain thanks to the power of pilates. I always say pilates is magic. It may sound corny, but it's true.
Today, I’m completely pain free. At age 45, I’m in the best shape of my life. I can bike, run, lift weights and salsa dance for hours with no issues. Pilates was the key to helping me get my life back and make positive changes to help others.
Find out how it can help you by setting up an introductory pilates consultation at Purposeful Pilates!
Danielle spent 15 years working for Fortune 500 companies as a corporate communications specialist. Her 10-year battle with chronic pain led her to pilates and convinced her to change careers to bring the benefits of pilates to others. Read on to learn more or click here to watch a short video about her journey to conquering her pain and becoming a pilates instructor.
Danielle was training for a half marathon at age 25 when she hurt her hamstring. That led to a series of chronic pain issues in her back, knee and shoulder that escalated over the course of a decade. She saw many of the best physical therapists and sports medicine doctors in the Twin Cities. They gradually cut her off of exercise, aside from walking. This was devastating. She had been an athlete her whole life. At the time of the injury, she was working out six days a week and had aspirations of being a personal trainer. Becoming a couch potato was not an option.
Her physical therapists said she needed to improve her core strength and wake up the muscles in her butt and hamstrings. Danielle followed their exercise protocols religiously because she wanted to get better and be active again. But nothing worked. She was in pain all day, every day. She was a shell of her outgoing, athletic self.
After nearly 10 years of suffering and frustration, she approached a personal trainer at her gym and asked what she could do to build strength and be active again without causing more pain and injury. The trainer recommended pilates. It was exactly what Danielle needed to help her build core strength and wake up her muscles. It worked because it incorporated the mind-body connection that helped her really tune into and strengthen the muscles that the physical therapists had been targeting.
It took time and baby steps, but after a year of pilates lessons Danielle was able to start working out again without fear. She was strong enough to get back on the Spin bike. She was able to go for a jog. She could go on a long car ride without pain. She could wear high heels again after years of wearing orthotic shoes.
That suffering led Danielle to make decisions that ultimately changed her life for the better. She wanted to teach others about the benefits of pilates for chronic pain and help them avoid the endless merry-go-round of doctors and physical therapists that she experienced. So, she changed careers eight years ago to teach pilates and it was the best decision she ever made. Danielle has helped numerous clients defeat their chronic pain thanks to the power of pilates.
Today, Danielle is completely pain free. At age 46, she’s in the best shape of her life. She can bike, run, lift weights and salsa dance for hours with no issues. Pilates was the key to helping her get her life back and make positive changes to help others.
Pilates has been part of Kathy's life for 15 years. She started out as a student, attending classes twice a week and making pilates an integral part of her workout regimen. She credits the benefits of pilates for allowing her to continue with a very active lifestyle, which includes playing tennis, running and cycling. It's also helped her keep injuries to a minimum. Kathy has always been an advocate for exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She also thrives on getting others excited and motivated to stay active. After retiring from her corporate career of 31 years, Kathy got certified to teach pilates so she could pass on her passion for pilates and its benefits to others.
Colleen has over 20 years of teaching movement experience including pilates, personal training, ballet, and yoga. She has a great passion for helping clients find healthy body alignment and efficiency of movement that allows them to continue enjoying highly active lifestyles. As a Minnesota native, she graduated from theUniversity of Minnesota, and grew up studying dance at Minnesota Dance Theater.She attends seminars annually to learn new ways to help promote healthy active lives. Colleen truly loves being a mother of two young adults, enjoys the arts, and spending time outside around Minnesota’s lakes and parks.