Team Long + Lean: Get to Know Ashley T.

Ashley, one of the newest members of Team Long + Lean, is a passionate Pilates teacher and dancer. If you haven’t gotten in to take one of her classes yet, you are missing out! Ashley teaches fun and challenging classes that leave you feeling absolutely amazing. Keep reading to learn more about Ashley.

What brought you to Buffalo?
I was Born and raised in Buffalo!

What inspired you to start teaching Pilates?
I had a friend who had been taking Pilates for years. She introduced me to Pilates and even helped me pay for classes when I first began. I started taking Pilates about a month after leaving X-ray school and immediately became addicted to the results it had on my body and mind. I always left class feeling positive and genuinely happy. After a month of non-stop classes I knew I wanted to be a teacher. Everything seemed to line up perfectly, the fact that I had taken multiple anatomy classes throughout college and had been a serious dancer for 20 years were just some of the many reasons I felt Pilates was an amazing career for me.

What’s your favorite activity outside of the Pilates studio?
My favorite activity outside of the Pilates studio is dancing. I’ve been dancing since I was two. I’m thankful for the way dance has enriched my life and it will forever be a passion of mine.

Best thing about living in Buffalo?
The best thing about living in Buffalo is getting to enjoy everything it has to offer. I find Buffalo a very affordable city with many free events for people to check out! Anytime I’m looking for an event to go to Facebook or Step Out Buffalo has me covered. We are a busy little city with a lot to offer and I love that!

What is your favorite act of self-care?
I have many favorites but I think my all time favorite is getting some sunshine! Even the worst of moods can instantly be lifted with a dose of vitamin D!

Why do you love teaching Pilates?
I love teaching Pilates because it’s so rewarding. Getting to see my clients progression every week and their smile of victory when they nail a hard movement makes the job so worthwhile.

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Welcome Courtney to Team Long + Lean

Long + Lean Pilates Front Desk Staff Member Courtney

Have you had the pleasure of meeting our new (and amazing) team member, Courtney? Courtney is holding it down at the front desk a few days a week and we are so, so excited to have her on board. Wanna learn a little bit about Courtney? Read on and say hi next time you see her!

Courtney, originally from Rochester, is currently a graduate student at Buffalo State pursuing a Masters degree in speech-language pathology. She is also an urban beekeeper and want-to-be gardener. In her free time, Courtney enjoys being active outdoors with cross-country skiing, hiking and kayaking. Pilates is a new and welcome addition to Courtney’s fitness journey and she is excited to continue learning more about the Long + Lean Pilates method.

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Team Long + Lean: Get to Know Jacquie

Long + Lean Pilates instructor Jacquie

Long + Lean Pilates instructor JacquieIf you’ve worked with Jacquie you know she gives a super challenging workout and comes up with the most creative ways to strengthen, stretch, and tone. If you haven’t taken class from Jacquie yet, what are you waiting for!? Get to know the (super active) girl behind some of L + L’s best power moves today!

What brought you to Buffalo?
I moved to Buffalo when I was three and my family is still here!

What inspired you to start teaching Pilates?
I discovered Pilates when I was experiencing unbearable low back pain my sophomore year of college. Seeing how Pilates could rehabilitate my body like nothing else could inspired me to learn more about it and help other people achieve the same results.

What’s your favorite activity outside of the Pilates studio?
Ha, too many to list! But to name a few: classes at Rev, hiking/walking with my dogs, horseback riding and dance.

Best thing about living in Buffalo?
Being close to friends and family and the strong sense of community for sure. Living in the Elmwood Village is the best: the shops, dining and cafes, being able to walk everywhere. Also Buffalo architecture is out of this world <3

What is your favorite act of self-care?
Getting a massage (when my budget allows). More regularly, I love going on little walks alone for fresh air, it revitalizes me and just before bed I love to unwind with a few yoga poses and a cup of iced (believe it or not) Yogi tea.

Why do you love teaching Pilates?
I teach Pilates because I love helping people feel good. I found Pilates because my body didn’t feel good and it’s helped me so much so I love to give that others. Whether it’s starting or ending their day on a good note, crushing that new power move, or seeing clients improve week to week it just makes me genuinely happy to see their success. The best is when clients come in and tell me their bodies have never felt better than before they started doing Pilates or when I have clients that are rehabbing an injury, regaining strength from an illness, getting back into fitness postpartum or working out to reach a goal. Client love=job love. Plus I get to work with an amazing team at Long + Lean!

 

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Long + Lean at Hive Closing

It is with great disappointment that we must announce we will be closing our Long + Lean at Hive location. As Hive Lifespan Center has come under new ownership and is undergoing a change in configuration of the gym, there is no longer a designated space for Long + Lean Pilates. We have loved working with everyone and will miss our time at Long + Lean at Hive greatly.

The final date for classes at Long + Lean at Hive is January 13th. Currently, we do not have an alternative space in East Amherst available to us, but we will be pursuing the possibility of opening at a different location in the area. For the time being, Long + Lean will be operating solely out of our Elmwood Village location on Elmwood Avenue at the corner of West Utica.

Thank you so much to all of our amazing clients for providing us with such a wonderful experience at Long + Lean at Hive. We hope to continue to see everyone on Elmwood!

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Team Long + Lean: Get to Know Jenn

Jenn is an OG Long + Lean Pilates instructor who has been with us since day one at the Elmwood studio! If you have had the opportunity to work with Jenn, you know she is an amazing instructor who is pursuing her doctorate in Physical Therapy! Here’s your chance to learn more about Jenn.

What brought you to Buffalo?
I moved to Buffalo from home (Schenectady) just about 6 years ago in order to start my undergrad studies in Exercise Science. As soon as I moved here I felt an immediate love for the city and it’s people. Buffalo had just started expanding in big ways and I was loving the community support. I hung around Buffalo after graduation, applying to Physical Therapy schools, eventually enrolling in D’Youville’s DPT program.

What inspired you to start teaching Pilates?
Actually, my last semester of my undergraduate career I had the opportunity to pick almost any location within the health and wellness field to do a full time internship. I knew I wanted to eventually go into Physical Therapy but wanted to have fun with it my last semester. So, I ended up having the great pleasure of working with Dane Burke (previous owner of Northstar Pilates). Dane is a Physical Therapist, Pilates instructor and a huge anatomy geek. He mentored me and opened my eyes to the amazing world of Pilates, helping me get certified in Mat Pilates. I was officially obsessed with Pilates and how it can be a rehab tool, a strength and conditioning tool or flexibility and balance tool for anyone of all ages and conditions. For the next two years I spent well over 500 hours (and a whole lot of money) gaining my comprehensive certification.

What’s your favorite activity outside of the Pilates studio?
Anything to get outdoors and in nature! Summer is my preferred season but with the winter weather coming up, my favorites will be getting out to Ellicottville to go snowboarding and snow shoeing. With the snow coming and having to stay indoors more often, crafting is a big pleasure of mine, too. Crafting anything from knitting scarfs, to making my own lotions and chapsticks, to building furniture.

Best thing about living in Buffalo?
I live on the West side and everything is in walking distance! If I do drive, anything I would need or want to go to is within a 20 minute drive (even Canada)! Everyone is very friendly, neighborly and seems to be heavily involved in the community and making Buffalo a better place.
Everyone and every place I have crossed paths with thus far has made Buffalo feel just like home. <3

What is your favorite act of self-care?
It’s hard to remember how important self-care is especially trying to balance work, grad school and personal life. Taking a spinning class, yoga class, working out or simply meditating helps tremendously to clear my head from a hectic week. One of my all-time favorite things to do to unwind is taking a warm bubble bath with a glass of wine and a good book!

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