Teaching Location

Currently I am teaching at Equilibrium Fitness in La Verne, CA.

Pilates -
I am available Tuesdays and Thursdays for private and semi private Pilates classes. All fitness levels are welcome. The sessions are your hour to focus on your specific needs and goals.

Yoga -
Currently I am not teaching any group yoga classes at this time, but I am available for privates or semiprivates.

Please visit the website above for a list of classes and to see a slide show of the studio. To schedule an appointment, please call the studio (909) 593-1717.

I look forward to working with you soon!

Equilibrium Fitness

I have recently been added to Pilates team at Equilibrium Fitness in La Verne!
It is a spacious studio, completely equipped with Reformers, Cadillacs, Wunda Chair, and all the accessories. It also has a second room for group classes. There are several to choose from including spring board, BOSU Ball, mat Pilates, yoga, and dance conditioning.

Thank you Phyllis, for bringing me on as one of your newest trainers! I am truly enjoying teaching and look forward to working with more and more clients.

Success! Part 1 of 2, ( or maybe 200! )

I know it has been quite a while since I wrote. Actually the last time was after I had my Pilates midterm. Well, since then a few more weekend trainings came and went and a final exam was completed. Dec 9th marked the last day of our training and the day we all nervously took our written exam and practical.
I will definitely admit I was nervous, and was not sure if I was adequately prepared. But I did well, and just received my scores this week. I passed with flying colors and a congrats from my teacher on a job well done.

So why part 1 of 2? Well, I still have one more hurdle. I have to complete all my practice, teaching, and observation hours, finish my paper on arthritis, and "test out" by giving an hour demo private while my teacher watches and critiques. The date is pending, but I am aiming for late Feb, early March.

So why part 1 of 200? Because I am convinced that this is the first of a many successful Pilates endeavors.

Midterm yesterday....and a snap shot of my "classroom"

Well missing four questions out of 75 or so ain't so bad for my written Pilates midterm. I get my results of my Practical today. I was asked to perform three exercises - one on the Wunda Chair, the other on the Cadillac, and the third on the mat. I was bummed I didn't get asked to work on the Reformer - the machine that I feel the most comfortable working on. But all in all, the midterm showed me where I need to focus my study.

Here is a picture of the ORS Pilates Studio which is hosting our Comprehensive Training. Located just minutes away from USC in downtown LA it is a new studio in an old, but freshly renovated building. It has been a pleasure to train here. I love the high ceilings, wood floors, new equipment, and simple decor.



More soon, I am off to my second day of training for the weekend. I am half way through the course!

Pilates Training

This weekend I start my first Module of the BASI Comprehensive Pilates Training. I am so excited!

BASI stands for Body Arts and Science International. Here is a link to their beautiful website for details on their history and affiliations. I'll be posting throughout the four month training about my experience.

Testimonials

I have had the fortune to teach a wide audience of students. Here are some kind words and insights from past and present practitioners.

Francine’s yoga sessions were so calming. I enjoyed her calm voice and her peaceful spirit. I love how she so cheerfully adapted to the wide variety of students, with our differing backgrounds, abilities, and goals, and also to the limitations of the space we were in. She was always clear in her communications, and prompt and professional at the sessions.
-Shirley, Montevideo, Uruguay

Francine Hernandez was our yoga teacher for three months during 2007. We were extremely pleased with her teaching - she has an excellent way of conveying information in a friendly yet precise manner. We found her classes challenging, while also being accessible, and made significant progress during that period. We were very sad when Francine left Montevideo, as we would have liked to carry on with our schedule of two lessons per week. We would thoroughly recommend her as a yoga teacher
-British Diplomat, Montevideo, Uruguay

Francine has incredible knowledge about the spiritual world of yoga and its essential elements. She has the power to successfully translate this wisdom into practical applications for the "real world". Francine recently provided instruction to me and fashioned a 20 minute routine specifically for my needs. After addressing all of my questions, she displayed modifications for each pose as well. It was a privilege to work with Francine and I highly recommend her style of teaching, manner, and overall philosophy!
-Kristen, Camarillo, California

Pilates in Uruguay, YouTube Clip

Today I received an email from a dear friend from Uruguay, the tiny South American country of 3 million people and my home nearly all of last year. While living in the capital of Montevideo, this friend introduced me to the Monica Passaro Pilates Studio. Looking for a way to spend my free time, the Pilates studio started out as a bi-weekly exercise routine and then turned into my "second home away from home".

It was here that I was Pilates Mat certified, and also taken under the wing of the owner, Monica, who is a Polestar trained instructor. From Decemeber to June I was able to intern with her by attending her mat and machine classes almost daily for 2-4 hours. My participation was a mixture of taking the classes, observing, and assisting with her clients. Monica also trained me privately, and taught Pilates through her experience with the Polestar training, the classic Pilates Method of Joseph Pilates, and her extensive anatomy background through her studies as a bioligist and a dancer.

Above is a clip of Monica being interviewed by a local daily news show, and yours truly as the demo student.