Offering Fitness With Warm, Personal Service
by Sherry Anderson, Southwest Orlando Bulletin
Source: http://www.kearneypublishing.com/directorytext.asp?id=681
Through The Fitness Studio of Orlando, Windermere resident and owner Kelley Ranaudo offers local residents a unique approach to fitness that features one-on-one pilates, personal training and group classes provided in a private, comfortable atmosphere.
“Imagine it … Achieve it … Dream it … Become it”
These words of inspiration that flow across the walls of an exercise classroom exemplify the uplifting and motivational atmosphere that clients find at The Fitness Studio of Orlando.
Smaller than typical gyms but big on amenities, The Fitness Studio offers an inviting space with warm, personal service. Polished wood floors, paint colors in rich earth tones, subdued lighting in the Pilates room, and candlelight for yoga classes provide a tranquil environment that soothes the spirit while the body’s energy is renewed.
The Fitness Studio’s three primary services are Pilates training, personal training, and group classes, and its space is divided accordingly.
The main room provides a full array of cardio and weight-training equipment that clients use under the direction of the studio’s personal trainers. During a complimentary consultation, a trainer discusses with a client his/her goals and expectations. Exercise programs are individually structured to meet the needs of the most accomplished athletes and those who have never stepped into a gym before.
“I like to find the people who are afraid to go into big gyms,” said owner Kelley Ranaudo. “My staff makes anyone who walks in feel comfortable,” and the private environment, she added, “Makes it more comfortable for the novice exerciser to get started.”
Before beginning an exercise program, a personal plan is developed based on the client’s individual assessment, including blood pressure, body fat and circumference measurements. A trainer’s first concern is the client’s health. Use of the cardio equipment is by appointment only, and clients must work with a trainer to use the other machines on the gym floor. When weight-training, personal trainers help clients avoid injuries by monitoring their posture, lifting and stretching techniques, as well as the weights that are used.
Ranaudo said that motivation is a primary reason many individuals seek help from personal trainers. Scheduling an appointment with a trainer requires commitment and accountability and leads to greater success with an exercise program.
Most sessions last one hour but can be as short as 30 minutes. The Fitness Studio also offers “buddy sessions” for two to share, and clients can sign up for individual sessions or purchase more economical packages. Clients find that a 30-minute session with a personal trainer can be far more beneficial than one hour spent working out alone.
“Many people spend too much time in the gym, and much of the time is wasted trying to find the right exercise or performing exercises that aren’t accomplishing much,” Ranaudo said. “Time is limited, and most people want less time in the weight room, not more.”
In addition to helping beginners, personal trainers move experienced clients to the next level by offering new challenges. A number of clients hold memberships in larger gyms but come to The Fitness Studio to receive individualized, personal, and/or sport-specific training.
A private room contains The Reformer machine that is used during one-on-one Pilates training. To provide inspiration, the nine essential principles of exercise — developed more than 90 years ago by Joseph Pilates — are painted on the walls. Focusing on the center of the body, which includes the deep muscles of the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks, the principles of Pilates also include concentration, control, fluidity, precision, breathing, imagination, intuition and integration.
The Pilates method of training combines stretching and strengthening exercises that tone muscles, improve posture and flexibility, and connect the body and mind to provide relief from stress, fatigue, back pain and muscle weakness. Enhanced athletic ability and increased self-confidence are also attributed to Pilates training. Originally developed for dancers, Pilates has become a popular training tool for golfers and tennis, football, basketball and baseball players.
The Fitness Studio’s staff members are STOTT PILATES® Certified Instructors. Ranaudo described the Stott method as “a contemporary approach that is safe and effective.”
In addition to one-on-one training, The Fitness Studio offers group Pilates classes, yoga classes, and circuit training, which provides weight training and cardio in intervals and has participants moving from station to station using exercise “toys” like medicine balls and core boards. The first class for local residents is complimentary. Class sizes are small, and clients are guaranteed a place when they join.
There are two forms of yoga offered: Hatha yoga, a more relaxing method that relieves stress, improves flexibility, and stimulates circulation; and flow yoga, an Ashtanga-based, high-energy style that builds strength, stamina and flexibility.
The studio also hosts a “happy-hour” class each month. These are free classes that provide members with opportunities to try something new or different, such as hip-hop and jazz dance, self-defense, and kickboxing. This month, in celebration of Valentine’s Day, the studio offered a dance class. Next month, they are planning a Pilates class for couples to celebrate The Fitness Studio’s one-year anniversary March 1.
Ranaudo believes that offering variety, fun events, a friendly staff, and a comfortable atmosphere makes exercising more enjoyable and provides greater benefits. She describes membership at The Fitness Studio as everyday life training for better health — to feel better mentally and physically.
Ranaudo grew up in Kissimmee and now lives in Windermere. In addition to earning master degrees in business administration and exercise science, she is a trained STOTT PILATES® Certified Instructor and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine, Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, and International Sports Sciences Association. Ranaudo has worked in this field for about 11 years, including teaching at the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA Family Center and managing the spa and fitness center at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club.
“All those places brought me to where I am, but we are different,” Ranaudo said. “I wanted [The Fitness Studio] to be small and comfortable. Our goal is to inspire and motivate you to achieve your goals.”
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