Polestar® Pilates Practitioner, NCPT Certified
Oov Level 1 & Apparatus; ParkinsonsWise Fitness Professional; Feet-NESS Instructor; PWR!Moves Certified Instructor
Specializes in Pilates for Post Rehab, Seniors, Scoliosis, Neuralogical Conditions and Parkinson’s Disease
CARRIE GIFFORD
CO-OWNER & PILATES INSTRUCTOR
A former dancer and gymnast who also performed regularly in musical theater, Carrie is no stranger to movement. Her participation in the performing arts was cut short in her teens by a series of scoliosis surgeries, which resulted in titanium rods in her back and a fusion of eight vertebrae. Afterwards, she struggled with paralysis of her left lower extremities and osteoarthritic pain in her lower back that was further aggravated by a car accident in 2007. As a result, she was forced to give up all forms of physical activities she loved. Her mobility and strength were compromised after the accident, and the constant pain began interfering with daily activities. After trying all sorts of therapies and activities with no success, she turned to Pilates for help.
After several years working diligently with several instructors, she can honestly say that Pilates changed her life. Her pain levels are at an all-time low, and she has been able to return to many of the activities she loved in the past. She attributes all her success to her work in Pilates.
A recent career change led her to become a Pilates Instructor. She wants to inspire others like herself to discover movement and strength where they have been hindered in the past. She chose to study Polestar® Pilates, a discipline that is focused on post-rehab clients. Carrie is thrilled to be an instructor now and is so grateful for the opportunity to help others succeed in finding movement through Pilates. She loves teaching and entertaining her clients with her quirky cues and jokes.
When she isn’t in the studio, you can find her in the kitchen cooking, in her craft room working on multiple projects or traveling the world with her husband.
“Carrie’s creativity and contagious energy make Pilates fun! I feel stronger and full of positivity after every class. I can’t wait for my next class!”
“I am a Certified Pilates Instructor thanks to training with Carrie. I met Carrie when I was in the last few months of the rigorous Polestar teacher training program, struggling to master the exercises in my own body, much less teach them to someone else. Carrie took the time to break down the exercises and help me feel successful and even graceful and strong while doing them. I am stiff and uncoordinated, so it was no small task! She has a fun and playful teaching style that built up my confidence in my movement, challenged me and kept me safe. I am also a physical therapist and have felt confident in referring patients to Carrie when they have finished their formal PT.
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“ I have been practicing Pilates for over 15 years. For the last 1.5 years I have been a regular at Carrie’s studio, and I love this studio! After only a few sessions I felt their effect on my strength, energy levels and overall feeling. Carrie is an excellent teacher! She is extremely knowledgeable, super professional, really understands the body, and as a bonus - a fun person. The classes are in small groups, so each trainer gets all the personal attention that he/she needs, and adjustments according to his/her level and needs. This makes the classes both challenging and fun, with a great vibe. The studio is well equipped, very clean and each trainer has a lot of personal space. Highly recommended!!”
“Carrie has an exceptional ability to adapt her instruction to match the ability and physical capabilities of her clients. As someone with chronic knee and back problems, I appreciate her skill in tailoring my workout to what I am able to accomplish on a given day, while still generating a useful program that gets the me results that I am after. My strength, flexibility and balance have all seen a marked improvement with her help. She manages this all while creating a fun and positive environment that I look forward to every session.”