Studio L2- Pilates Training Center

Over the years I’ve been
an elementary school teacher, a financial advisor, and a stay home
mom to my two amazing daughters.  All of these endeavors
prepared me to become a small business owner, creating the
opportunity and platform to teach this incredible movement system
invented by Joseph Pilates.
 
I fell into Pilates back
in 2000, when Pilates was making its way to the Twin Cities.
 My personal trainer was getting certified and needed to
practice teaching on a willing body. Always up for a new
experience, I said, “Sure!”  When I first saw that strange
piece of equipment call the Reformer, I remember thinking, “What on
earth did I get myself into?”  But once I experienced the
incredible resistance/assistance of the springs, I was hooked!
 As the Pilates industry continued to grow in Minneapolis, I
took lessons at various studios.  One of my teachers asked me
if I’d ever considered becoming an instructor.  No, I honestly
hadn’t.  But then I got to thinking:  my daughters are
teenagers now, I love everything about Pilates, teaching is in my
blood, so YES!  I’d love to help people move and feel good in
their bodies.
 
After three years of
training through Peak Pilates, I earned my Comprehensive
Certification.  I taught at a gym studio for a year and then
opened my home studio.  A year and a half later when my
students were ready for more, I opened Studio L2 in Eden Prairie in
September 2012.  Wearing my entrepreneurial hat is sometimes
challenging for me as the actual teaching and working with my
students is where my passion lies.  
 
To be the best teacher
possible, I believe it’s imperative to stay a student of the work.
 I attend weekly private lessons with my own trainer/mentor in
addition to practicing 2-3 times a week on my own or with my fellow
Pilates “Nerds.”  Someone asked me recently if my
impression or perspective of Pilates has changed over the
years.  Yes, because when I first started practicing Pilates I
did it for the fitness aspect.  I was in my late 30’s and
loved feeling my flat stomach and strong, flexible muscles. Fast
forward to living in my 50’s…now it’s less about how I look in a
bikini and more about not falling on my keister while walking my
dogs on an icy winter day. Balance is yet another Pilates perk.
 Try as I might, I realize I can’t stop the aging process, but
with a consistent Pilates practice I can slow it down.
 As Joseph said, “You’re only as young as your spine is
flexible.”
 
I love helping
people feel healthy, strong, and confident in their bodies
while moving in their body's natural alignment with grace and
ease. I also love when a student makes that true
mind/body connection and finally executes an exercise they’ve been
working on or my students share examples of how they’ve taken
Pilates out of the studio and into their every day lives.
 
I look forward to
sharing this life-changing movement system with you.
 Living a quality life is a Choice.  Choose
Pilates!

Happy Hour,
Happy Place, Happy Life…
My Pilates experience started in 2012 when
my daughter’s dance teacher suggested Pilates as a way for her to
get a stronger core to help in her technique.  I was suffering from a lower back disc
herniation and had some steroid injections that were just not
helping at all.  I decided my core could probably stand to
be strengthened too.  Laura was so welcoming and was able to
teach to both of us based on our individual flexibility and
abilities while allowing us to both gain the strength we
needed. 
My daughter was able to do her
moves with confidence and grace and I was pain free for the first
time in years.  I became addicted.  I started taking two to three classes a
week. 
It was not
enough!!
Laura saw that I was absorbing the work of
Joseph Pilates and learning how it can improve our lives in so
many ways and she asked me to consider becoming an
instructor. 
At first I was not sure I could
do it. 
I have three very active
teenage children and a full time career but in the end decided that I love the
social aspect of Pilates so much and it was time to do something
not only for myself for now, but for my future as well, and to help
others reap the benefits that only Pilates can
offer.
I have enjoyed my experience learning each
of the classic exercises in depth and sharing that knowledge with
others. 
I love seeing the look of
satisfaction on a client’s face when they can do an exercise that
they could not previously do.  Pilates is so much about movement in our
everyday lives it helps us to maintain a healthy life style at any
stage. 
 
Studio L2 Pilates Training Center is my
happy place.  Whether I am in class myself, practicing
some of my exercises with the other instructors, or teaching a
class or private lesson I love being at this
studio. 
I want to share that with
others. 
Find your Happy Hour and join
me at Studio L2 Pilates Training Center.

Happy Hour, Happy Place, Happy Life…

My Pilates experience started in 2012 when my daughter’s dance teacher suggested Pilates as a way for her to get a stronger core to help in her technique.  I was suffering from a lower back disc herniation and had some steroid injections that were just not helping at all.  I decided my core could probably stand to be strengthened too.  Laura was so welcoming and was able to teach to both of us based on our individual flexibility and abilities while allowing us to both gain the strength we needed.  My daughter was able to do her moves with confidence and grace and I was pain free for the first time in years.  I became addicted.  I started taking two to three classes a week.  It was not enough!!

Laura saw that I was absorbing the work of Joseph Pilates and learning how it can improve our lives in so many ways and she asked me to consider becoming an instructor.  At first I was not sure I could do it.  I have three very active teenage children and a full time career but in the end decided that I love the social aspect of Pilates so much and it was time to do something not only for myself for now, but for my future as well, and to help others reap the benefits that only Pilates can offer.

I have enjoyed my experience learning each of the classic exercises in depth and sharing that knowledge with others.  I love seeing the look of satisfaction on a client’s face when they can do an exercise that they could not previously do.  Pilates is so much about movement in our everyday lives it helps us to maintain a healthy life style at any stage.   

Studio L2 Pilates Training Center is my happy place.  Whether I am in class myself, practicing some of my exercises with the other instructors, or teaching a class or private lesson I love being at this studio.  I want to share that with others.  Find your Happy Hour and join me at Studio L2 Pilates Training Center.

Fifteen years ago, I had just completed my first marathon,
graduated with a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology, and
started my shiny new job as the Health Education Director at the
Marsh in Minnetonka, MN. Prior to that, I had very little
experience working with injured clients, those with chronic pain,
or anyone over the age of 30 for that matter!  Seeing how the
Pilates, personal training and physical therapy departments worked
so closely together was not only intriguing to me but, ahead of its
time for a traditional health club. I decided that I wanted to be a
bigger part of holistic wellness so, in addition to my strength and
conditioning, personal training and group fitness certifications, I
decided to also become a comprehensive pilates instructor!
 
A few years later, with my husband, a baby boy and another one
on the way, I thought I was going to be a stay-at-home mom and
teach a few group fitness classes. Well, somehow that turned into a
new role as the Pilates Certification Specialist for Life Time
Fitness. I spent the next few years retraining my Pilates education
to become comprehensively trained through Peak Pilates.  I
would also become a Master trainer for Peak and travel around the
world certifying other instructors.  Talk about unplanned but,
SO rewarding!  In fact, that is how I met Laura at
StudioL2! 
Over the last 15 years, I've taught Pilates, group fitness,
filmed fitness videos, trained hundreds of clients, coached young
athletes, and became a certified nutrition coach. In that time, I
have not only gained wisdom and perspective with age, I have had
the privilege of working with clients young and old, injured and at
the height of athletic performance.  One thing remains the
same, the body's ability to heal through movement. As Joseph
Pilates once said, “The body learns by doing and movement heals.”
That quote couldn't be more true today.  I am glad to be the
catalyst to your progression through health - no matter where you
are starting from or where you plan to go.  The sky is the
limit!
In addition to teaching at Studio L2, my husband, Jayme and I
own Sussner Performance Coaching.  We are also raising 2
active boys, love all kinds of exercise, cooking, and sneaking away
to our lake cabin.    

Fifteen years ago, I had just completed my first marathon, graduated with a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology, and started my shiny new job as the Health Education Director at the Marsh in Minnetonka, MN. Prior to that, I had very little experience working with injured clients, those with chronic pain, or anyone over the age of 30 for that matter!  Seeing how the Pilates, personal training and physical therapy departments worked so closely together was not only intriguing to me but, ahead of its time for a traditional health club. I decided that I wanted to be a bigger part of holistic wellness so, in addition to my strength and conditioning, personal training and group fitness certifications, I decided to also become a comprehensive pilates instructor!  

A few years later, with my husband, a baby boy and another one on the way, I thought I was going to be a stay-at-home mom and teach a few group fitness classes. Well, somehow that turned into a new role as the Pilates Certification Specialist for Life Time Fitness. I spent the next few years retraining my Pilates education to become comprehensively trained through Peak Pilates.  I would also become a Master trainer for Peak and travel around the world certifying other instructors.  Talk about unplanned but, SO rewarding!  In fact, that is how I met Laura at StudioL2! 

Over the last 15 years, I've taught Pilates, group fitness, filmed fitness videos, trained hundreds of clients, coached young athletes, and became a certified nutrition coach. In that time, I have not only gained wisdom and perspective with age, I have had the privilege of working with clients young and old, injured and at the height of athletic performance.  One thing remains the same, the body's ability to heal through movement. As Joseph Pilates once said, “The body learns by doing and movement heals.” That quote couldn't be more true today.  I am glad to be the catalyst to your progression through health - no matter where you are starting from or where you plan to go.  The sky is the limit!

In addition to teaching at Studio L2, my husband, Jayme and I own Sussner Performance Coaching.  We are also raising 2 active boys, love all kinds of exercise, cooking, and sneaking away to our lake cabin.    

Pilates…so much more than just exercise!
Seven years ago I took my first Pilates class looking for a way to
get back into shape after the birth of my second child. At the
time, I had no idea that Pilates would end being so much more than
just exercise! I have always lived an active lifestyle and loved
trying all the latest and greatest fitness programs whenever
something new came out. Once I tried Pilates, though, I was hooked
and knew I had found something I could stick with long term.
Pilates not only challenged me physically, it also challenged me
mentally and made me more aware of how my body moves and how I can
help keep it moving well. Pilates became part of my every day life
like no other exercise ever had. I found that I had more strength,
more stability, and more flexibility than ever before.
As I continued to practice Pilates, I found myself naturally
helping others during group classes and wanting to share it with
everyone I knew. I had been fortunate enough to stay home with my
kids while they were small, so once they were both in school I knew
the time was right for me to take the next step in my Pilates
journey and become an instructor. I moved to Minnesota in January
2014 with my husband and two kids after spending three years living
abroad in Singapore. I had practiced various Pilates methods in
different studios over the years and was looking for a place here
that could continue to challenge me personally and offer me an
opportunity to continue to grow. I was also looking for an
instructor that shared my passion for Pilates. Once I met Laura at
Studio L2, I knew I had found the right place.
As a Pilates student, I continue to learn more about Pilates and
challenge myself every time I am in the studio. One of the things I
love most is that Pilates continues to evolve….no matter how
experienced you are, there are always new ways to challenge
yourself. As a Pilates instructor, I truly believe that Pilates can
benefit everyone and I love helping others challenge themselves in
ways they never expected. Whether I am teaching a group mat class,
a barre class, or a private session, my goal is to help every
student feel their best physically and mentally when they walk out
of the studio so they can live life to the fullest every day.

Pilates…so much more than just exercise!
Seven years ago I took my first Pilates class looking for a way to get back into shape after the birth of my second child. At the time, I had no idea that Pilates would end being so much more than just exercise! I have always lived an active lifestyle and loved trying all the latest and greatest fitness programs whenever something new came out. Once I tried Pilates, though, I was hooked and knew I had found something I could stick with long term. Pilates not only challenged me physically, it also challenged me mentally and made me more aware of how my body moves and how I can help keep it moving well. Pilates became part of my every day life like no other exercise ever had. I found that I had more strength, more stability, and more flexibility than ever before.
As I continued to practice Pilates, I found myself naturally helping others during group classes and wanting to share it with everyone I knew. I had been fortunate enough to stay home with my kids while they were small, so once they were both in school I knew the time was right for me to take the next step in my Pilates journey and become an instructor. I moved to Minnesota in January 2014 with my husband and two kids after spending three years living abroad in Singapore. I had practiced various Pilates methods in different studios over the years and was looking for a place here that could continue to challenge me personally and offer me an opportunity to continue to grow. I was also looking for an instructor that shared my passion for Pilates. Once I met Laura at Studio L2, I knew I had found the right place.
As a Pilates student, I continue to learn more about Pilates and challenge myself every time I am in the studio. One of the things I love most is that Pilates continues to evolve….no matter how experienced you are, there are always new ways to challenge yourself. As a Pilates instructor, I truly believe that Pilates can benefit everyone and I love helping others challenge themselves in ways they never expected. Whether I am teaching a group mat class, a barre class, or a private session, my goal is to help every student feel their best physically and mentally when they walk out of the studio so they can live life to the fullest every day.