60; Pilates instructor for 3 years and teaches at Club Pilates (Collierville, Lakeland & East Memphis)
No matter her physical location, Pilates has become a home for Sue Kinzey. Living in Chicago fifteen years ago, Sue wanted to find a place to work out and meet a community of like-minded people and joined a local studio in Lincoln Park. She then moved to San Antonio, and during her search for a new Pilates home, Sue found Club Pilates and joined as a member seven years ago. In 2022, Sue was looking to explore new career options and enrolled in the Club Pilates 500-hour teacher training program and has never looked back. “I spent the majority of my career in Human Resources, but I find that Pilates and Human Resources both satisfy my need to help and support people,” she says.
Club Pilates’ 500-hour teacher training included 150 hours of online learning, 100 hours of self-practice, 80 hours of observation, 66 hours of in-studio learning, and over 100 hours of practice teaching hours. “I love sharing my knowledge of Pilates with individuals and then seeing them move through the exercises,” Sue says. Sue teaches at Club Pilates studios in East Memphis, Collierville, and Lakeland. Each studio has reformers, Exo chairs, Springboards, TRX trainers, BOSUs, Mats, weights, and props like elastic bands, Magic Circles, and gliders. At Club Pilates, all classes are grounded in common Pilates principles and are full-body and low-impact. In a typical class with Sue, she will start with footwork to engage the legs and abs, followed by bridging, arm, legs, ab, and full bodywork, with lots of energy and fluid movements incorporated, followed by a rewarding final stretch.
Sue’s student, Bridget Sanders, is confident that her Pilates practice, guided by Sue, has given her a new chance at life. Bridget has had lupus and rheumatoid arthritis for over 30 years and was barely able to walk due to the nerve damage in her feet and legs. Within six weeks of starting private Pilates lessons with Sue, Bridget regained all feeling back in her feet and finally felt pain-free for the first time in over 30 years. “Pilates gave me something no physician or medication had ever been able to accomplish. It’s been almost a year, and the only pain I ever have is soreness from doing too much Pilates!” she says. Bridget recognizes that practicing Pilates has healed her but attributes Sue’s care and knowledge to her stamina and strength. “Not only is Sue so kind, caring, and professional, but she also knows everything about Pilates and anatomy. She intuitively knows what I need daily, making me better and stronger. She has literally saved my life!” Bridget says. In the words of Sue, Pilates is for everyone, no matter your age, size, or physical limitations!
Find a Club Pilates studio near you at Clubpilates.com.
