Carmel Magazine

Pilates Project Inspires People to Move Again F itness exper t Andrea Borgman Quist wants people to feel good. And not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Owner of Pilates Monterey on Har tnell Street, the warm and patient Pilates instructor offers private and group classes, instructor training, and an outreach program that offers free instruction to those who can't afford classes. The Peninsula Pilates Project was recently featured on the Today Show, KSBW, and other media, and while many of the clients are working through a cancer diagnosis, Borgman Quist emphasizes that the program encompasses all in need of the therapeutic benefits of Pilates. "This is a very expensive form of exercise, which is why I started the nonprofit," she says. "It's not just for someone with cancer, or injuries or ill- ness, but anyone who can benefit from Pilates but can't afford it." The focused, precise exercises combined with deep breathing can slow down even the most rampant mind, while toning, rehabilitating, and stretching injured and tight muscles. People leave classes feeling lighter, both physically and emotionally. "I had one woman who was a breast cancer survivor who came in making no eye contact and wearing dark glasses," Borgman Quist says. "By the time she was done, she was smiling and laughing. She told me, 'This program awakened something in me.'" With a staff of eight including Borgman Quist, the studio has managed to help 50 people with the outreach program. "I had a young man in a wheelchair with spinal bifida, and a member of a SWAT team with a back injury," she says. "All they want is a little relief. It's not just for the physical benefits, but we are a source of nurturing and compassion for people. We want everyone to succeed. It's a privilege to do this kind of work." Pilates Monterey is located at 533 Hartnell St., Monterey. For more infor- mation, go to www.pilatesmonterey.com, or call 831/521-2410. —Brett Wilbur SHORTCUTS GIVING BACK 74 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 Andrea Borgman Quist, a veteran fitness instructor, opened Pilates Monterey on Hartnell Street with the intent to provide rehabilitative exer- cise to any who desire assistance. She created the nonprofit Peninsula Pilates Project to offer gentle restorative movement to those in need. Photo: Kelli Uldall 046-76 Shortcuts_SU05 Carmel Magazine 1/26/14 12:25 PM Page 15

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