Opening in Mooresville, NC soon! 

We are pleased to announce that we will be opening a wonderful Pilates studio with affordable classes and semi-privates and private sessions.  Look for continued posts!  

Client of the Month - March 2013

This month’s client of the month is someone I have been training probably longer than anyone, but it has been in the last few months that I have been so impressed with her motivation and dedication, that I wanted to make her client of the month.

I started training Heather Smulyan about 11 years ago just before she got married. At that time, she wanted to look good for her wedding and was motivated. Afterwards, she took a little break, and from then on became somewhat sporadic in her dedication to working out.  One of my favorite stories to tell is when I went to train her at her house and she answered the door eating truffles.  I also love that she used to tell me that her drive for working out (a long time ago) was so that she was strong enough and fast enough to escape a health spa in order to get some donuts. 

In case you can’t tell, one of the other things I really enjoy about Heather is her sense of humor.  We always make each other laugh.  In fact, Heather specifically mentioned the fun and camaraderie she feels when she comes into work out as one of the things she really likes about our studio.  She said, “it’s like going into the beauty shop.”  She likes the way you can catch up on what is going on in everyone’s lives, have a few good belly laughs, AND have a great workout.

I joke about Heather and her lack of commitment to exercise in the past, but the thing that made me want to highlight her story is the fact that in the last 6 months, she has become one of my most regular, consistent clients – and she has been coming usually at least 3 times a week.  She rarely misses an appointment (which was very common in pervious years) and she is rarely late.  Something has changed in her, and I think it is an impressive change.

I asked her what has motivated her to keep with it this time, and she told me it was a combination of different things.  One of the reasons she had stopped coming most recently was because she had hurt her shoulder in a fall.  She was afraid to exercise too much.  But what she found out was that doing Pilates actually helped her shoulder to heal, even after she had been to many doctors in an attempt to get it fixed.  It was when she started working out regularly again that she realized how much Pilates helped get her shoulder back to normal.

Also, as a 40-something year old, she has realized that it isn’t as easy to stay in shape as it was when she was younger. Heather is one of those people who have always been slim, but as she moved into her 40s, she realized it wasn’t easy to keep as strong and “non-flabby” as she wanted.  She has a young daughter and wants to be able to keep up with her as well.  Since re-dedicating herself to Pilates 6 months ago, Heather says she feels much stronger, and more fit and toned.  And even better, she can use her right arm without limitation.

So I asked her, why does she drive by so many other studios to come to Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit (she lives about 30 minutes away) and the first thing she told me was it was because of our instructors.  She loves that they are all well trained and well qualified to be teaching Pilates (something that not every studio can say I am afraid).  Next she mentioned how much fun it is to do, no matter which trainer you have.  They are professional and well trained, but they will also make you laugh.  And that’s a good ab workout too, right?

I am so proud of Heather and how far she has come in her exercise journey since the time I first met her (and started training her). She totally deserves to be March’s Client of the Month! Congratulations Heather!

Client of the Month - February 2013

This month I have chosen a great inspirational person for Client of the Month.  Fran has been a client here at 15 to Fit for just under a year.  She was motivated to try it after her daughter kept telling her to try it.  Her daughter just kept telling her how good it would make her feel and eventually Fran decided she should give it a shot. She did a little research and found Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit and was impressed by our training.  She said as soon as she started it, she loved it and has been a regular client ever since.

One of the reasons her daughter wanted Fran to try Pilates is because Fran has suffered from the effects of osteoarthritis for quite awhile (Fran is 69).  It affects her knees, hips, arms and lower back.  In fact, there was one day when Fran came in to the studio walking with a cane because her knee was bothering her so much.  She went through a careful workout with Georgeanna and when she left, she completely forgot her cane.  She forgot because her knee felt so much better.  I love that story because even in just one workout, it shows the power of Pilates.  Fran told me that since she has started Pilates, she can move easier.  She told me she hops up the stairs now instead of dragging herself up them and she loves that she can play with her grandkids without getting tired out so easily.

Fran has tried working out before at other gyms, and doing things like yoga classes elsewhere.  She was never satisfied at the gym because she would just lose interest.  And because she had no support, no one instructing her, she never felt like she was doing a good job. When she went to other yoga classes, she felt like she didn’t know what she was doing and that she was in fact doing it wrong.  She often felt like she couldn’t keep up. She loved starting here at 15 to Fit because as she put it, we “don’t give you a chance to do it wrong” (maybe that should be our new motto).  Our instructors constantly monitor what is going on and whether it is a class or a private (Fran does both) and make corrections throughout sessions. Fran likes that because she learns to do it the right way and is obviously seeing the results.  You should see her biceps!  She has also lost 25 pounds since March with a combination of eating right, doing Pilates and cardio.  She told me she loves that she doesn’t feel like a walking pillow anymore.

Of course I love that Fran told me that one of the other things she really likes about our studio is our instructors. She tells me that she enjoys the fact that our instructors are so friendly, but also really professional and that we always adjust her workout (and everyone’s) to how they are feeling that day.  We certainly do not want anyone to get injured.  Fran says she completely trusts us, and that means a lot.

Fran says Pilates makes her feel strong and empowered and healthy.  Helping people feel that way is one of the reasons I got into fitness in the first place, and that is also one of the (many) reasons Fran is February’s client of the month! Congratulations Fran!

Client of the Month - January 2013

This is my first repeat client of the month. I am so excited to announce that one of my clients, the Cathedral High School Football team, who I have been training for the last 3 years, have again (for the third year in a row) won the State (4A) Championship for Football!  I’m not going to say Pilates is the reason they have won all three years, but I’m not NOT going to say it either. Check out their winning photo on the Cathedral website. They look so pumped up!

But seriously, I am so proud of these boys—it has been fun seeing them all grow and change the last few years.  I am also proud to say that they have really come around to the importance of Pilates (we also do some yoga as well) in their football training regimen.  Their form has gotten so much better and so has their behavior and enthusiasm for Pilates.  When I first started training them, there was a lot of snickering during our sessions, but now they know many of the exercises very well and understand how much they help them.  I guess they have also figured out I’m not going anywhere so they may as well buckle down!

The boys tell me how much they like the training now—they say it feels physically really good and that it realigns them.  Our workouts usually occur on Saturdays after they have played a game the night before. Sometimes it is hard for these guys to work out certain parts of their bodies, and after a game, their muscles are often tight and sore.  Pilates gives them the right amount of stretching and flexibility training to activate their hips and inner thighs and prevent hip injuries on the field.  In fact, I have been training a retired NFL player for several months as well who tells me how much he loves Pilates because it challenges him in ways he hasn’t been challenged.  Now you know these guys work out a ton, so to challenge someone in new ways that played football for many years is a testament to the diversity of training you can get with Pilates!

As I mentioned, we also do a bit of yoga in most of my sessions together with the team. One of the moments that warmed my heart from this past season was when I told the boys we were going to end with Shavasana (which is the relaxation part of yoga that normally comes at the end of the workout) and one of the boys said, “oh good! I have been waiting for this all week!”  I think our workouts have opened their minds to new ways to train and respect their bodies.  I also loved when they made requests for certain Pilates exercises—like recently several players asked for “side series” (a grouping of exercises done while laying on your side) because they just really like the way it feels.

I am just so pleased with these boys, their dedication to the workout, and their successes on the field.  And hey, if it works for a bunch of football players, you know we can help your strength and flexibility too. No guy can ever tell me again that Pilates is for girls when I am training an entire football team AND a retired NFL player.

Congratulations Cathedral Football!

Client of the Month -- December 2012

I can’t believe it is already time for our last client of the month for 2012! Boy how time flies.  But I am proud to announce this month’s client of the month is Brian Carey!  Brian was one of my very first male clients and has been working out with us here at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit for over 3 years.

Brian has always been interested in working out to keep his body healthy and fit, as well as to control the diabetes he has had for the last 42 years.  He just decided he wanted to try something new and gave Pilates a shot.  In his own words, he “got hooked right away.”  He likes that it is an intense workout, but that he also doesn’t get tired of it because we are constantly changing it up.  He did try Pilates once before at another location, but didn’t like that they weren’t more closely monitoring what he was doing—and since he wasn’t so sure himself on his first try, it didn’t really work out.  He told me he enjoys the fact that at our studio, the classes are small and that there is an instructor who is always keeping an eye on his form.  His advice to new people interested in Pilates? Just give it a couple of sessions and see what you think.  Even though it may be slightly more expensive than larger group classes, he feels like you get what you pay for, and that the value you get at 15 to Fit is exceptional, particularly with all the one on one attention.  Who could ask for a better compliment? 

Brian has always dedicated time to exercise and has done a fair amount of cardio and weights—but he feels like Pilates offers a full body workout and this is one of the things that he thinks is the most different about Pilates from other types of exercise (and one of the things he likes the most about it).  He also thinks the workouts are intense—he jokes that sometimes his male friends tease him about doing Pilates, but that he just challenges them to come in and see what it is all about.  He enjoys that the workouts continue to increase in difficulty as your skill level increases, so that you always have new goals to accomplish.  He likes the class he takes weekly because it incorporates the machines (the reformer and the chair) as well as the barre and the TRX equipment.  He tells me he can really feel his core working!

Brian told me he didn’t have specific goals when he started with us here besides trying something new, but that he has seen so many benefits from Pilates—for one thing, all his doctors, who closely monitor his health particularly because of his diabetes, have told him that he is in great shape because of all he does.  He also is very physically active in his business (he owns a mobile dry cleaning service called Pressed 4 Time) and feels like not only does he have more energy, and better balance, but loves the fact that when he leans to pick something up, or is bending over, he automatically tucks in his stomach muscles—a habit he credits to his Pilates practice. He also has started incorporating portions of his workouts at the studio into his personal workouts. THOSE are exactly the kinds of things that I LOVE to hear!  Keep up the good work and congratulations Brian!

November Client of the Month

My client of the month for November is Stan!  Stan has been working out with us since March and is extremely dedicated to his exercise program—both here at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit but also on his own—he also likes to run and lifts weights.  This dedication to his health and he consistency as a client are the things that inspired me to make him this month’s client of the month! I think you will find him an inspiration as well.

Stan is 68 years old and a retired attorney. He was somewhat of a work-a-holic when he was practicing law and had let his health priorities slip a bit.  About 4-5 years ago, his doctor told him if he didn’t start exercising and lose weight, he was going to become diabetic.  Even though he had tried an exercise regimen in the past, he was really motivated this time.  This is when he started running and lifting weights.  However, within the last year, he started developing knee problems when he ran.  He went to see the doctor about his problem and was told he should try yoga.  After talking to his daughter about it, she recommended Pilates because she thought he would like it better than yoga.  He took a couple classes with her while visiting her in Hawaii and enjoyed them. When he got home, he started scouting out places to try it in Indianapolis.

Luckily, he found us doing a web search and even though his plan had been to try several and decide which place he liked best, he ended up finding us and because of the convenient location (lots of parking too) and our friendly staff, he just stayed with us (and his lovely wife has since joined us as well).  He told me he has worked out with nearly all our trainers and has enjoyed working with all of them.  He generally does two classes every week that he is in town.

Stan told me that he really has enjoyed Pilates because he likes things that test him—even though he has been working out now on his own for awhile, he likes the fact that Pilates targets muscles that he doesn’t target in his other workouts.  He also likes that in each new workout (which we change every week or two) there are new exercises to try and new areas that are targeted.  He also really appreciates the fact that because we keep our classes small (usually a maximum of 4 people), each person gets a lot of personalized attention from the trainer.

Stan’s goal when he started exercising was to get in good shape—he was doing what his doctor recommended. He likes that Pilates rounds out his fitness program.  He also has avoided that diabetes possibility that his doctor warned him about and amazingly, he has been able to go off of several other medications he had been taking for blood pressure and high cholesterol.  My favorite part though? He has also been able to improve his surfing and mountain hiking which he enjoys when he visits his daughter in Hawaii.  Pretty impressive huh?

Good work Stan!

Clients of the Month - October 2012

I decided to do something a little different this month for client of the month—this month there are actually THREE clients of the month because I wanted to feature them, but they work as such a tight team, it only seemed right to feature them together.

Annie, Courtney, and Libby have been working out as a team here at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit since April—and while that may not be the longest of many of my clients, the fact that they are so dedicated and consistent is one of the reasons they impress me so much.  Annie and Libby had done Pilates elsewhere before, but when Annie saw my sign one day just driving by, she decided to get Libby to give it a try with her.  Shortly after that, Courtney joined them.  These three ladies all work together and are friends outside of the studio—so they have a great time talking and laughing (and working out of course) with our trainer Georgeanna.  They work out twice a week over their lunch hour.

Courtney mentioned how she enjoyed working out over her lunch hour because it breaks up her day a bit and gets her out of the office.  They all really enjoy the flexible scheduling they can have here at the studio.  As far as the studio goes, they mentioned some of their favorite things—first, they love Georgeanna (or “G” as they call her) who is their regular trainer.  They really enjoy working out with her and I have seen first-hand the camaraderie they all seem to share.  They told me they also like the facility and the ability to be able to do a triplet on the equipment, as not a lot of studios have as many reformers set up as we do.

As far as their individual needs, they like that while they are different ages, and at different exercise levels, that they can still get the perfect workout for their individual bodies. They like that the exercises are adaptable to their various needs and strength levels. And they have gotten so comfortable with the machines and the workouts, Georgeanna tells me they are practically experts at knowing all the names of exercises and what spring level to set the machines.

They all had goals to get stronger and leaner when they began with us.  Courtney says people began complimenting her right away. She also felt an immediate connection with Pilates (which she had not tried before).  She felt like it was the right type of exercise for her because while it made her stronger, it also respected her body and didn’t cause the kind of pain or fear of injury that other harsher types of programs sometimes do.  Libby mentioned that she really enjoys the mind-body connection of Pilates. Annie felt like she is meeting her goals of getting stronger and leaner and has enjoyed the fact that people have been asking her what she is doing because they have noticed a change in her.  They all feel more aware of their core and have integrated better flexibility and posture into their daily lives (Joseph would be so proud!) as well as just a healthier lifestyle—they are proof that once you make one little step towards health, it makes you want to continue it in other areas of your life.

When I asked them about how they have been able to stick to it and remain consistent, they replied there were several reasons.  First, they don’t hate it (always a bonus).  They also like the accountability of not only feeling like the owe it to themselves, but to each other to show up—since they are counting on the other ones to be there (and save money as a triplet).

They told me they were shocked when I asked them to be clients of the month, but once you see them in action, and hear about their dedication and success, you can see immediately why they have earned it! Congratulations ladies!