PILATES, fully equipped studio, work one-on-one with highly trained instructors, Clearwater, FL on-site at AMA Fitness Center

AMA FITNESS CENTER - PILATES PROGRAM
AMA Fitness Center offers a fully equipped Pilates Studio operating out of their location including Pilates Certified Instructors.

Private Instruction:
Private Pilates sessions enable clients to work one-on-one with highly trained instructors who cater to the needs and desires of the clientele. These typically include a fitness and postural evaluation that will allow instructors to effectively teach students the proper Pilates techniques and move the student through a program that progresses and increases in difficulty in order to achieve the client’s goals.
Usually lasting approximately 50 minutes to an hour, sessions include strengthening, stretching and rehabilitation of particular muscles groups using the Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector and a variety of mat exercises both with and without apparati. Don't hesitate to inquire about our AMA Fitness Center Pilates Program and also the exceptional benefits to incorporating Pilates into your fitness regime!

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MEET YOUR PILATES INSTRUCTORS
We pride ourselves on the quality of all of our staff -- so, we encourage you to review the bios and philosophies of our talented and experienced Pilates instructors.

Meet Suzen St. Dalke ...
Suzen St. Dalke was introduced to Pilates as a young girl in Canada. She modeled professionally and studied dance from the age of eight. Since moving to the United States, she has been involved in many aspects of the health and fitness industry.
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Suzen’s career in Pilates began in 1988 when she became a Certified Body Toning Technician; as a former owner of Look at Me Body Toning Center, Suzen trained clients in the art of muscle toning and firming manifested through the study of kinesiology.

Suzen has a full Pilates Certification and is internationally recognized as a Gold Certified Instructor and member of the Pilates Method Alliance.

Meet Samantha Logan ... Samantha is a former professional Ballet Dancer ... who suffered numerous chronic injuries and turned to Pilates for it's therapeutic benefits... Samantha received extensive training at such prestigious schools as The National Ballet School of Canada, The Banff School of Fine Arts, The School of American Ballet, New York and The Royal Ballet School in London, England.
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She has danced in many world renowned Ballet Companies throughout the United States, Canada and Europe (The National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theater, The Royal Ballet and Bejart Ballet) to name a few. Samantha also was a professional actress and model and has appeared in many ad campaigns and feature films.

As a dancer, she suffered numerous chronic injuries and turned to Pilates for its therapeutic benefits. She became a fully certified Pilates practitioner in 2005.

Samantha is certified through FiTour in Advanced Pilates Mat with Small Apparatus. She completed over 250 hrs training for her Pilates Mat Certification and over 600 hrs on Pilates Apparatus (through the Teacher Training Program at Poise Pilates) to acquire her Comprehensive Pilates Certification.

She has also participated in several continuing education teacher training workshops and clinics (through Shapes Total Fitness for Women and LA Fitness) during her previous employment at these fitness facilities.

Samantha's experience as a dancer has given her inside knowledge into the human anatomy through movement. These resources provide a valuable advantage in guiding her clientele. Samantha's teaching style incorporates stretching and strengthening, fluidity and grace, proper form and attention to the mind-body continuum.

Meet Carol Dion ... Carol’s lifelong passion of movement began with her first ballet class at the age of six.
She diligently pursued dance throughout her youth and into her adult years...
.... Carol was led to The Pilates Method after sustaining a spinal injury.
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She diligently pursued dance throughout her youth and into her adult years, including dancing with elite dance programs such as the North Carolina School of the Arts and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Carol earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance and Choreography from Arizona State University. Following graduation she enjoyed a professional career as a free-lance dance artist in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas.

Carol was led to The Pilates Method after sustaining a spinal injury. Having discovered the personal benefits Pilates has to offer, she focused her love of movement into sharing those benefits with others. She began teaching The Pilates Method in 1999 and completed her comprehensive certification in 2001 with the PhysicalMind Institute.

Carol was a Pilate’s instructor for eight years at a Pilates certifying studio in Tampa, Florida where she was a model instructor for trainees working to certify in The Pilates Method. In 2004, Carol began studying the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® and in 2006, was certified as a Level 1 GYROTONIC® instructor. Through yearly continuing education workshops, she improves her skills and is currently pursuing the Level 2 protocol. Carol has held a Personal Trainer certification from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) continuously since 2000.

In 2007, Carol moved to the Dallas, Texas area with her new husband, Dave, and continued as a Pilates and GYROTONIC® instructor. Carol is a student of her craft and her continuing education and study of other styles of Pilates has provided experience in both classical and contemporary Pilates. In 2010, the Dion’s moved back to the Tampa Bay area where Carol is continuing to pursue her love of teaching and training.

When not teaching Pilates, Carol enjoys off-road biking with Dave and their dog, Cabi. She also enjoys learning ballroom dance with a focus on the salsa and the Argentine Tango.

PRINCIPLES AND BENEFITS OF PILATES:

Pilates Principles:

The Breath -- Breathing deeply and with the diaphragm. Inhale to expand the ribs outward, oxygen fills even the base of the lungs.
Mental Focus -- Perform exercises with intention and attention. Guided imagery helps to direct the thoughts to the body and the imagination fuels deeper levels of movement.
Core Control -- The core, “the powerhouse,” the girdle of strength, whatever name it assumes, the body’s center and the surrounding musculature possess a crucial role in practicing Pilates. The abdominals and the pelvic floor muscles must consistently engage.
Alignment -- Continually assuming the anatomical ideal of good posture, aligning the spine and the appendages, ensures safety during exercise and elicits nearly immediate results in how people feel physically, how they appear and how they perceive themselves.
Flow -- Although exercises may be challenging, the body must flow though them with precision and grace.

Benefits of Pilates:

Leaves participants feeling energized, not tired; centered, not scattered
Unites body with the mind
Restores proper functioning of internal organs
Replaces muscular imbalance with youthful posture
Conditions abdominal and pelvic floor muscles
Relieves back, neck, hip, and joint pain
Assists people with chronic diseases, disabilities, and musculoskeletal limitations including osteoporosis
Boosts the immune system
Improves performance of any sport – eliminates or reduces aches and pains and reduces injury
Enhances sexual fulfillment
Changes how other perceive you
Improves balance, stability, and agility
Induces no impact on the joints
Complements other methods of exercise
Slenderizes the thighs and helps the body "defy" gravity
Can be practiced by nearly anyone.

“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.”

- Joseph Pilates, Return to Life through Contrology, 1945