Facility/Gym Name: John Garey Fitness & Pilates
Contact Name: Mike Beauchamp
Location: Long Beach, CA
Website: www.johngareyfitness.com
MFN Member Since: 2015
Owner John Garey
How did you hear about MFN?
A Chiropractor friend of mine connected me with Lisa, founder of MFN.
What types of classes or services does your facility offer to help those with chronic disease/medical conditions or who need pre & postnatal care?
We offer 152 classes per week, one third of which are Pilates-based. We have many clients who participate in Pilates as a low impact way to increase their muscle tone, core strength, flexibility and balance. We also offer L.I.F.T. (Low Impact Functional Training) classes, in which we provide specific modifications for practically all of the participants, many who are managing chronic conditions.
What sets you apart from other facilities like yours in your community?
The sheer depth and breadth of our class schedule is unmatched under one roof, which makes us an ideal place to cross-train. We also offer private training, which is helpful for people who need very specialized workouts or clients who need one-on-one attention as they build up to be able to join our group classes. Finally, most of our trainers are certified in Pilates and fitness, so they bring the precision of Pilates movement patterns and focus on proper form into every workout and class they teach.
How many fitness, wellness and allied healthcare professionals do you have working at your facility? Tell us about their education and specialties.
We have 18 Fitness/Pilates instructors at our facility. The ones who teach Pilates are certified in the STOTT PILATES® method, for which we have been a Licensed Training Center (LTC) since 2001. Being an LTC gives us the opportunity to hire the best of the best and to ensure the quality of their continuing education as they develop their craft over the years. The Trainers who are not Pilates certified typically have degrees in related fields (e.g. Kinesiology) and relevant Personal Training certifications from ACE, NASM, etc.
Please share a success story from someone who has received services from a professional at your facility.
We have a long-time client who has severe scoliosis. When she first came to us, her doctor had already recommended a very invasive surgery, which she didn’t want to do. We started her on a Pilates program, which helped her feel better and move better – vastly improving her quality of life. Years later, she did have a surgery, but it was far less invasive than what had originally been proposed. She still comes to take Pilates classes on a regular basis and she attributes it to her improved posture and day-to-day well-being.
Does your business support any community activities in your area and if so, what are they and why?
We support many local schools and charity-organized fundraisers; typically via donations to raffles and silent auctions. However, we are starting to participate in more community events. Many of our clients are active with these various organizations, so it’s nice to see each other at events.
What would you like to see change/develop/emerge in the future of healthcare and the fitness/allied healthcare industry?
We would love to see greater awareness among the medical community about the benefits of Pilates. The precision of movement and the fact that Pilates specifically recruits the local and global stabilizers, makes it a fantastic form of exercise for anyone who needs to improve their balance, flexibility and to re-train the “normal” muscle firing patterns.
And what is your business doing to make this happen?
We encourage all of our clients to cross-train, which in this case means getting people who may never have considered Pilates to try it. Our community of clients is active and they tell each other their challenges and success stories, which creates a grassroots word of mouth effort to get the word out into our broader community.
Anything else we should know about your facility?
Our mission is to make fitness fun. This isn’t just about laughing and having a good time, but also about feeling smart and confident about how to exercise. This is especially important for clients who come in with specific limitations – small wins make the process fun, which keeps them coming back for more.
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