Testimonials

What clients are saying about Lisa Graham

For years I have known that I needed to strengthen my core and learn exercises to help me care for my back. This need became more crucial when I decided to become a farmer and realized that none of the workouts that I was able to fit into my schedule seemed to be helping me build lasting core strength. After working with Lisa and I finally feel like I am starting to see improvements in my health. Her knowledge of the body and Pilates-based strength training combined with her ability to see people's bodies as unique (with their own problems and needs) make her the perfect physical rehabilitation specialist and personalized strength trainer. She was able to get to the root of my back problems and designed an exercise routine that I can do at home to build strength and balance where I need it most. After just a few months I already feel lasting results and can tell that I am learning to engage muscles that I didn't even know that I had. For the first time in years I feel like my physical health is in my own hands and that I am no longer afraid that I will not be strong enough to do what I love: farm. I would recommend working with Lisa to anyone seeking to learn more about how to work with their bodies to achieve better physical health.

As both a client and a fellow practitioner (acupuncture orthopedics), I have appreciated and benefited from Lisa's thorough, competent and devoted approach. She has guided my attention towards aspects of my posture that I had been neglecting, and helped me see new ways of addressing chronic low back and leg pain. Her exercise instruction is patient, precise, safe, and supportive. Her enthusiasm is catching and helps to keep me motivated to make more changes. I highly recommend her to anyone wishing to address chronic pain or structural imbalances through massage and exercise therapy.

Working with Lisa is such a joy—not only because of her cheery disposition and joyful attitude towards her work. I am someone whose body is subjected to a lot of stress and that has several weak areas, and I rely on Lisa's sensitivity and expertise to know just what to do on any given day. We do Pilates work, rehabilitative exercises, stretches, massage—Lisa tailors the session to exactly where my body is right now.

Lisa really prepared me for my pregnancy by teaching me a series of great exercises designed to strengthen the areas needed for holding up my increasingly big belly. She also taught me wonderful stretches and self-massage techniques to help me stay limber and comfortable. The work with Lisa was so effective that I was the only woman in my prenatal group that didn’t get back pain during pregnancy! I can’t thank Lisa enough for giving me the tools to enjoy growing my big baby without the pain that can come with a changing body.

Lisa Graham's knowledge of human physiology is outstanding and her Pilates instruction is flat out phenomenal! Despite never having ski raced, she summed up the state of my muscle development more concisely in one hour than ten years of intensive sessions with coaches, experts, and alpine skiing physical therapists had accomplished. It is impossible to overstate Lisa's impact on me through her skilled Pilates practice. For the first time in my life, I learned that building stronger muscles does not have to come at the expense of flexibility! Her training is specific to each client, so exercises she uses with me are tailored to my body type, ability and goals. In an age of overflowing classes and hot new fitness trends, it is rare to find an instructor so dedicated to individual needs and safety.

After working with Lisa, my muscles are more streamlined and defined, my stomach became incredibly toned, and my flexibility is greatly increased. Most importantly, I am now much more agile and nimble. I feel the effect of her training even just walking down the street. I now naturally hold an aligned posture, which effects both the way I present myself as well as the way that I exercise. Her insights led me to focus on areas that I had never realized were a problem—I became much more aware of the interplay between muscle groups and I now exercise much more efficiently as a result.

 Lisa Graham has been my Pilates instructor for more than 2 years. After working with many well-trained, experienced, talented instructors, I chose Lisa to study with privately because of her many unique skills. She has the ability to modify and adapt the exercises to my body and my particular needs.

Getting a great stretch, pushed to my limits but never beyond, is what I've come to expect from Lisa. I used to injure myself a lot in classes and this never happens now. While encouraging me and challenging me to make my very best effort she's also funny and makes the session entertaining.

I have worked with Lisa Graham for 2 years. My flexibility has improved greatly, and I no longer have a really stiff back. What I really like about Lisa is that she checks in with me each week, to see if there is anything bothering me, and then tailors the sessions to make sure that body area is worked on. In 2 years, we have never done exactly the same things twice, and I appreciate the variety. Lisa is also, as a bit of a bonus, a really fun trainer. I would highly recommend her to anyone.

What’s great about Lisa is that you don’t have to explain to her what’s going on with your body, what’s stressing you, or what you think you could perform better. She just gets it: there’s an understanding between her and the body in front of her.
Not to say she doesn’t do verbal communication—au contraire. And of course she’s good at execution: putting together a workout program with her is a lot of fun. But I think it’s that instinctive grasp of what needs to be done, and how to accomplish it, that distinguishes her among personal trainers.

I've had the pleasure of working with Lisa since she started her Pilates Training career. In addition to being a pleasure to work with, Lisa has many strengths as a trainer. I think what makes her so good at her job is how genuinely interested she is in all aspects of the body. She continues to take steps to further her education and better herself for the benefit of her clients. From day one Lisa asks you what you hope to achieve from training with her and spends every session striving to reach your goals. She truly listens to what is important to you and structures your work out accordingly. She has invested a lot of time into understanding my strengths and weaknesses and I know I'd never find another trainer who comes close to genuinely wanting to make a difference in my body and the way I look and feel. 

Lisa Graham can envision a client's potential, but also knows how much to demand of them to achieve steady improvement.

Lisa was so wonderful to work with. I cannot speak highly enough about her. She was consistently encouraging, smart about recommending which exercises suited me, gentle, unfailingly generous with her knowledge and time, and just a pleasure all round.

I've had weekly private Pilates training with Lisa over the past three years. She designs a challenging session that leaves me energized, toned and healthier. I feel very fortunate to have such a talented and experienced trainer.

I came to Lisa with the goal to stretch and strengthen my left quadricep muscle, my most persistent chronic problem that is a result of competitive sports and repetitive stress injuries. After a comprehensive history, Lisa began by using a combination of techniques that quickly identified the root of my problems. Using simple movements she pointed out that I was overusing my lateral quad muscles and I needed to strengthen other muscles to achieve my goal. She taught me specific stretching and strengthening exercises and emailed me a written form of my tailored program. On subsequent sessions, she would check that I was doing the exercises correctly, modify what wasn't working and adjust my program. Within three weeks, I noticed remarkable differences in my quad strength and overall balance and flexibility, as well as my dance performance.  

Lisa really gets it. I had a neck and back injury from a car accident and conventional physical rehabilitation seemed to be doing more harm than good. But Lisa listened to me, and my body, and helped me build strength and confidence. She gently pushed me when I needed to be pushed and helped me to learn how to do the exercises at home so I made faster progress. She knows her muscles and can explain things in a clear, concise manner. She’s empathetic, compassionate and professional. I highly recommend her.

Lisa is one of the most comprehensive Pilates instructors that I have met. She genuinely loves her job and her clients. I was a beginner when I started to work with her and she inspired me to learn more and more about Pilates. I have always felt comfortable learning new exercises and expanding my Pilates repertoire because her extensive knowledge and ongoing training allows her to train so well. The foundation she gave me when I began training with her over two years ago provided me with the ability to make the necessary progress to go through the Instructor Education Program fully prepared. I would say she is one of the reasons I have decided to begin a career in the world of Pilates.

As a professional Latin ballroom dancer, my competition life is very physically demanding. As a result, I recently suffered from a debilitating sacroiliac joint injury. Unfortunately this occurred only a couple of weeks before the biggest competition of the year. Luckily, I started working with Lisa; her incredible knowledge of the body and emphasis on re-educating dysfunctional outmoded movement patterns proved to be more beneficial that all of the other doctors, physical therapists and specialists that I saw.
Working with Lisa, I now have the tools, muscle strength and body knowledge that I never had before. And thankfully, because of her, I can continue to dance everyday and train hard for competitions. I am amazed at how quickly and effectively she has taught me how to prevent and manage my pain, while improving my dance abilities at a record pace.

What clients are saying about Amy Bruckmeier

I am 78 years old and started doing Pilates a year ago because of lower back pain due to an earlier diagnosed degenerative lumbar spine condition.  Four months of physical therapy sessions and  continued  follow-through for six months offered limited relief but since working with Amy, my back pain has all but disappeared - some days I wonder if I'm really 78! My posture is certainly better and I seem to breathe more deeply and move more easily than I did before Pilates.

Amy has worked with me on the exercises recommended by my physical therapist but in addition she has also created a personal home program which enables me to keep the Pilates going between sessions.  When new exercises are introduced, the home program is updated.  This is really helpful because it keeps the movements fresh and interesting.  I would recommend Pilates to anyone - regardless of age!

 For the last fifteen years, I've suffered from chronic back pain. Through the years I tried physical and water therapy, acupuncture, massage, painkillers, and Motrin that I took on a daily basis. All of these things provided temporarily relief, but nothing long term. After doing Pilates with Lisa Graham and Amy Bruckmeier, the back pain that I had been dealing with for almost 15 years went away! Then I had to move away from the area, and I was worried that I would not be able to maintain my new level of back health since I could no longer go to the studio for my sessions, but they provided me with the tools I need to maintain a healthy back. Not only did they create an effective home program for me and make sure I understood it, but also worked with me on posture, with an emphasis on how I sit at my computer. Since I write at my desk for hours each day, this postural work has made a huge improvement in my comfort level while working and after. After taking painkillers and Motrin for 15 years, it has now been over three months since I've had to take any pain medication at all! A million thanks, Lisa and Amy! You rock!

I’d like to thank Amy for the excellent classes of Pilates. It helped me very much to feel stronger, it helped to make my spine erect, it reduced my pains and, most of all, it gave me the necessary posture to feel better and confident in my body. I’ve attended classes of Pilates in my home country and here in the States and I think she is the best professor I ever had. Her attentions to all the attendees make everybody feel as if they were the only one in the class. Thank you very much Amy.

The first Pilates class I went to was Amy’s. I walked out of the class feeling better and standing straighter than I had in a long time – years maybe. I’ve been going to different Pilates classes since then. Amy’s class stands out as energetic, positive and cheerful. She brings a really good mood to class with her and that makes it fun.

I had never taken Pilates before beginning Amy’s class about six months ago. I have a ruptured disc that has caused permanent sciatic nerve damage, so I was very relieved that she pays so much attention to protecting the low back.   Amy gives very clear, easy to follow directions at the same time that she reminds everyone how to maintain the proper body positioning for each exercise. It is rather amazing that she can perform the exercises perfectly herself at the same time that she is talking.

I have attended Pilates class when my back was particularly achy and it actually improved by the end of class; I can see marked improvement in my body and increased back strength since I started these classes.

I hadn’t realized how exceptional Amy is until I took some Pilates classes from other instructors.  Her clear direction, repeated attention to breathing and reminders about structure and form are outstanding.

Amy is a really talented Pilates teacher. She is so very attentive to the details of alignment and form, and quite exceptional in her ability to communicate her instructions clearly. And her generous personal warmth infuses every session.

I love Pilates! It has transformed my bicycling, my gardening – and even my teaching. My growing core strength integrates and balances my cycling body so I’m more confident and assertive on my bike than ever before. The new strength and flexibility helps my gardening body reach and stretch in awkward positions; I’m 63 this year and can get much more done in the garden, and enjoy it more, than ever before. And the teaching! Hard to explain, but my vitality seems to pour out into the classroom where it energizes the students as well.

Pilates with Amy provides the best workout ever. Not only are my sessions fun and motivating, but I feel strong, flexible and energized. It is the first exercise regimen I have been on that is uniquely designed for me. The chronic shoulder pain that I have dealt with for over 10 years has disappeared. And, as I spend much of my day on my feet for work, Amy has included exercises to strengthen my arches, and bring awareness to proper alignment and posture. Overall, I love Pilates and my instructor! I recommend it to all!

Amy’s class is not only a great help for my health (I am 62 and it is time to feel more aligned), but she is also delightful. I am immensely grateful to her.

What clients are saying about Arwen Brooke

Over the past few years I've been involved in a variety of athletic endeavors, and have been lucky to have many knowledgeable trainers and instructors, but without a doubt, Arwen is one of the best teachers I've ever had.  Of course she is great one-on-one, but I think one of her greatest strengths as an instructor is her ability to lead group classes such that you feel like you're the only student in the room.  When I first started pilates with Arwen, I was amazed that each class not only gave me a great workout, but also left me feeling very calm and relaxed.  I've since learned (from being exposed to other instructors) that this feeling of calm and focus is pretty unique to Arwen's style of pilates.  In addition, Arwen knows a great deal about how the body works and uses this knowledge to make the goals of the movements/positions clear and accessible to everyone, regardless of physical ability.  Moreover, her focus on not only the how's but also the why's of each pilates sequence makes even the most basic movements incredibly rewarding.  The self awareness I've gained from Arwen's classes has percolated into all other areas of my life, with the result that most everything I do - whether it be running, swimming, or sitting at a computer all day - I do much better.

After a session with Arwen mentally and physically I feel refreshed and renewed, her encouragement and passion helps push you to go the extra step and try harder. Working with her and learning pilates has been a life changing experience.  

What students are saying about the Instructor Training Program

Lisa Graham is an exceptional teacher. Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable, clear, concise and well organized, she is also a warm, engaging, humorous and generous instructor. Lisa Graham inspires me to become a better Pilates teacher.

Lisa Graham is exceptional in every way. Not only can she present the reformer exercises in a thorough, well-organized and concise way, she can also relate the exercises to the overall Pilates method, to everyday movements and explain how these exercises can affect a person's overall health and wellness in a positive way. She is an inspiration.

Lisa Graham presented a large amount of material in an effective, thorough, concise, inspiring way. She is so good at making all of us feel comfortable about our level of experience, and inspiring us to keep learning and enjoying Pilates.

I want everyone to know how absolutely amazing Lisa is! My staff loved her...I loved her! I feel so confident with Lisa training my instructors - I am thoroughly impressed with her and BBU!

-BBU Reformer 1, Cape Cod

Lisa is an amazing combination of tough and supportive – she was always pushing us to new levels of strength but was understanding, encouraging and gave us lots of positive feedback along the way. Her rehab background and unique cues helped to make a lot of the repertoire “click” for me. She also takes the work very seriously and her dedication is inspirational. I think she is one of the best and worthwhile trainers that I have ever worked with.

Lisa is a flawless teacher and a role model.

Lisa is amazing! She is friendly, approachable as well as very professional. I feel like she is a great representation of BBU. I was so nervous about taking this course, and with her support I feel confident that I will be able to achieve my goal of becoming a Pilates instructor.

After a great experience with Lisa for Mat I and Reformer I, I was pleased that she returned for this module. She is very knowledgeable, and communicates that knowledge precisely, making sure that no one is getting "left behind." Lisa is also generous in sharing her teaching experiences as well as lessons learned while running a studio. An excellent,caring teacher!