Name: Jennifer Christophel
Location: Rockville, MD
Website: balancedbodystudio.com
Occupation: Fitness Professional; Master Trainer; Pilates Teacher, Exercise Therapist, Sports Conditioning Specialist, Cancer Exercise Specialist, Kinesiology and Fascial Movement Taping Practitioner, Stecco Fascial Manipulation Trained and PiYo, Barre, Zumba, LaBlast and TRX Instructor
How did you hear about MFN?
I heard about FNM through Andrea Leonard, the founder of the Cancer Exercise Training Institute, with whom I am now a Master Teacher for.
How do you or your business help those with chronic disease/medical conditions or who need pre & postnatal care?
My expertise is exercise therapy and special populations. I have extensive training and am authorized to work with arthritis, osteoporosis, disc pathologies, SI joint dysfunction, cardiac patients, joint issues and replacements, pelvic floor dysfunction, fibromyalgia, ELS, cancer, recovering athletes and more.
What makes you different from all the other fitness professionals out there?
Several things differentiate me from all the other fitness professionals. I not only have a background in personal training, wellness and exercise therapy, but I also am a PMA Certified Pilates teacher and a master teacher trainer for Balanced Body Educators. I am one of the few fitness professionals that has successfully bridged into the medical world. I work hand-in-hand with a group of 7 DPT’s at a physical therapy clinic creating exercise protocol and programming for their patients ( always under the supervision of the PT). I have been a co-presenter for several pilates based trainings for PT’s that were approved by the Maryland Board Of Physical Therapy for CECs. I specialize in using Pilates as prescription for pelvic floor, lumbo-pelvic, sacral and other dysfunctions. I have extensive training in Fascial Fitness and release work including training in Stecco Fascial Manipulation and Fascial Movement ( Kinesio ) Taping. I also own my own Pilates studio where I carry my own clientele and host Pilates teacher trainings.
What is your favorite activity or class to participate in?
I love to take Pilates, PiYo, LaBlast and Barre fitness classes to stay in shape.
What is one piece of advice that you would give other fitness professionals about working with special populations or those who need pre & postnatal care?
Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Always be humble enough to seek advice and keep your mind active and stimulated by always learning more and taking continuing education courses.
What type of community activities are you involved in?
I’m the founder of “KIDS CAN DANCE” ( formerly Dancing Classrooms of the Tri-state Alleghenies) which uses ballroom dancing in schools to encourage physical activity ( helping to fight child obesity ) and teach social skills to Elementary school children.
What is one of your favorite memories involving working with someone who has a health challenge or disability?
I had a client who had been diagnosed with Ankylosis spondylitis and when she came to without terrible pain. She had terrible muscle atrophy and instability. After a year and a half working with her ( using Pilates specifically as rehab )she was so transformed that she was able to travel to and hike the Galapagos islands!!
What would you like to see change/develop/emerge in the future of healthcare and the fitness industry?
I’d like to see more of a bridge between the medical world and fitness professionals. I’d like to see healthcare system use fitness professionals as providers emerging as the future of healthcare to maintain the high quality of life and injury and disease prevention.
And what are you doing to make this happen?
I am currently working to create a template business plan that can be used by medical practices to seamlessly blend the skill and expertise of medical fitness professionals into their clinics. I think that membership in Medical Fitness Network is a “must” for any fitness professional that wants to be taken “seriously” in the medical field.
What is your favorite fitness/inspirational/motivational quote?
“Motion ( movement ) is Life” -Hippocrates
Anything else we should know about you?
I am a NDCA registered, professional Ballroom Dancer and I love to not only teach ballroom dancing but I also compete and perform professionally with my dance partner, Don Beedie.
