The class size is small—most likely due to Covid-19 and the variants. This gives us the advantage of getting to know each other and our physical challenges while the trainer demonstrates how to assess them in detail. My biggest challenge for Mat II is scoliosis and the rolling exercises.  On day one of Mat II, Margaret Tappan indicated that it would be challenging! The Beginner Mat was all about the various rolling exercises. She wasn’t kidding! Roll Downs were easier than Roll-Ups, unless you had developed your core. Regardless, rolling exercises are fun and require more advanced breath ..read more

What classes do you teach? I have a decade worth of experience teaching the GYROTONIC® Expansion System. I offer the following GYROTONIC® personal training sessions: Foundation Level 1, Level 2 Program 1, Level 2 Program 2, Archway, Jumping-Stretching Board, Leg Extension Unit. I also offer two special trainings – Applications for the Shoulder Girdle and Rediscovering GYROTONIC® Principles. How did you get started in the fitness field? I began my career as an IDEA-certified personal fitness instructor, teaching aerobics 4 classes a day, 6 days a week. Through the years I have remained focused ..read more

What classes do you teach? I teach meditation, yoga, and Pilates. I am available to teach one on one classes for any of these offerings. For meditation, together we will develop a consistent meditation practice by finding what works best for you. We will explore different breathing techniques, mantras, and mindful movement. For yoga, we will find the flow and work with your breath to help facilitate a yoga practice all your own. Adding Hatha and Yin Yoga will add balance and guidance to your life! Finally, Pilates offers a full body workout that will sculpt and tone your entire body. It is an ..read more

This training is one of Margaret Tappan’s favorite ITT Pilates sessions, and she delivers it with enthusiasm! As a Pilates Master, Margaret gave us a little history of how Joseph Pilates created this Chair. Remarkably, you can do many Pilates exercises with this one piece of equipment, and it takes a minimal footprint compared to the Reformer, Cadillac, and Ladder Barrel. However, due to its small footprint, it requires more overall body strength to perform the exercises. This is why this module comes at the end of the training! The weekend included 14 hours of information and exercise perfo ..read more

Easily one of the best parts of A Body of Work is our prime location in San Francisco’s beautiful Presidio. Our team has been lucky enough to spend extensive time enjoying all that the park has to offer. From top-notch dining to breathtaking hikes, we’ve compiled a list of the ABOW Team’s top things to do in the Presidio. Golfing at the Presidio Golf Course: With 6,500 yards, this 18-hole course will have you relaxing all day. “A client suggested it as the most wonderful new idea for self-care. I love being outdoors, hitting some golf balls, and enjoying the view,” says ABOW Trainer Diane Mat ..read more

The weekend started with Jean Sullivan, Master of Pilates and ITT Director, answering questions about certification graduation requirements. You have a year from the Comprehensive Program start date to complete them. In our case, it was by the end of August 2022. That is why Jean had strongly encouraged us to have at least three volunteers to work with regularly to complete our teaching hours. We discussed the protocol for observation hours and how to log onto the A Body Of Work (ABOW) online schedule to know who was teaching Pilates for our observation hours at ABOW. We can bring our volunte ..read more

Pilates for Athletes Pilates has a stigma of being for specific types of people. However, looking at it from the inside, that is simply not true. Pilates benefits everyone no matter their fitness level. In fact, many of our favorite athletes like Olympic Beach Volleyball player Keri Walsh Jennings, Olympic Swimmer Natalie Coughlin, and renowned Tennis players Andy Murry and Serena Williams all use Pilates as a low-intensity workout while training.  So, there must be a reason why these celebrated athletes integrate Pilates into their routine. The more active you are and train in one sport ..read more

Easily one of the best parts of A Body of Work is our prime location in San Francisco’s beautiful Presidio. Our team has been lucky enough to spend extensive time enjoying all that the park has to offer. From top-notch dining to breathtaking hikes, we’ve compiled a list of the ABOW Team’s top things to do in the Presidio. Dining at the Presidio Social Club Exchange: You’ve most likely seen us share some of the delicious dishes and recipes that come out of the PSCX. With a locally sourced, seasonal menu, you are eating freshly made dishes curated by Chef Ray Tang. Biking in the park: Biking ar ..read more

We have officially made it to 2022! 2021 has been a whirlwind for us all, regrouping from the ongoing pandemic, adjusting to new norms, and reopenings. However, the new year is about setting goals for ourselves in all aspects of our lives, so ABOW wanted to share our 2022 goals with you!  Expand ITT Pilates  ITT Pilates is our Pilates Teacher training program which studio owner Jean Sullivan co-founded. While the program has been extremely successful, with hundreds of graduates and a growing community, we would love to see some new faces in ITT Pilates. We want to continue growing o ..read more

Master of Pilates, and ITT Pilates Instructor, Sue Aslin taught both days. Using class volunteers, she reviewed the material in the ITT Pilates Reformer Manual and training from the ITT Pilates Reformer videos. As a volunteer demonstrator, you could feel the correct action and sequence of muscles to be fired with Sue’s cueing. As a student teacher, you got to practice your verbal and tactile cueing on other classmates. While practicing on each other, Sue’s observations and constructive corrections were invaluable!  The common postural imbalances were addressed, as were the addition of pr ..read more