A very personal pilates experience. Janel and Heynia are hands on and very knowledgeable instructors. If I had any trouble they showed me what I needed to do to feel it in the right spot!
Caitie C.
I have been taking pilates for about a year with Heynia and Janel. I cannot find the words to express my thanks to them for the care and interest they take with me as an individual and at the same time focus on the entire class at each pilates session. I look forward to each class.
Jacquie F.
“Janel and Heynia have helped me regain strength and flexibility I lost years ago. Their individual attention and supportive approach made learning Pilates challenging and still lots of fun!”
Wendla S. MD
“I recommend Almaden Pilates to everyone looking for a great workout in a nurturing, friendly and family-oriented environment. Heynia and Janel challenge in every session and the results of a stronger core and really strong deep muscles is well worth it.”
Dr. Tyrone W A G.
When I first hobbled through the doors of Almaden Pilates I was weak, dispirited, a physical mess. Some two years earlier I had suffered a back injury and after over a year of specialists and therapies, I had only a very limited range of motion and was in frequent debilitating pain. The most fundamental tasks of everyday life remained difficult or impossible for me.
While my physiotherapist had recommended I try Pilates, I was concerned, given my physical condition, they were beyond my reach and might make matters worse. However, I felt I had to at least give it a try as I hated being essentially housebound as I was at the time. So it was with trepidation that I arrived for my first session.
I started with private sessions to learn the basics and began to realize that my fears were unwarranted. The awareness, sensitivity and understanding I was given during instruction were incredible. Each movement was explained and described in meticulous detail. I was not allowed to move incorrectly. I was not allowed to injure myself. After two more private sessions I moved to classes. I was beginning to feel better.
Classes are actually like private sessions, the instruction is very hands on and sensitive to individual needs. There isn’t anything that goes on during class that goes unnoticed. If someone is not doing an exercise properly he or she is corrected, no matter how small an adjustment that may be. Each day I have grown stronger and more flexible until now, a little over a year later I have regained my strength and have my life back.
Almaden Pilates is a remarkable place, made so by two extremely gifted, caring and knowledgeable people, Janel Waldschmidt and Heynia Cooley. It is through their expertise, encouragement, determination and support that I am now well.
They have my undying gratitude.
Mary P.
As an athlete, I turned to Pilates to help increase my core strength and flexibility for cycling and running. After going to several studios and not totally finding what I was looking for, I was referred to the most wonderful Pilates Studio, Almaden Pilates. I started with a weekly group mat class, and eventually adding 1:1 personal training sessions with Janel. I can’t begin to say how much my body has changed for the better.
Janel is a miracle worker! Her level of knowledge and expertise with Pilates and the body is unequivocal. She and her sister, Heynia, are very dedicated, caring, and extremely conscientious in EVERY session to ensure each individual is doing the exercise correctly. During my private sessions, Janel is 100% focus on each and every move to ensure I am engaging my muscles and positioning appropriately. After suffering a shoulder injury this past year, Janel teamed up with my Physical Therapist (with whom she recommended), and immediately, I was on the road to recovery. Janel continues, even to this day, working with me to maintain my core and shoulder strength. As a result, my cycling and running has improved significantly.
I can honestly say, Almaden Pilates has been for over a year a very important part of my life. I feel flexible, healthy, and strong, after each session (both group and 1:1 session), which has carried over into my personal life (my husband can even attest to that)! I can’t thank Janel, Heynia, and Almaden Pilates, enough for their dedication & truly genuine work they have done in helping me achieve and continue my path to a healthier and more fit lifestyle.
Tiffini P.
I started taking Pilates classes with Janel & Heynia about a year ago this time and since then I have changed so many things about myself. Not only have I managed to take control of the shoulder and back pain I was having when I first started classes, but I have lost a total of 26 pounds and 23.5 inches from my body! A welcomed bonus that I wasn’t really expecting!!! I have been struggling with my weight since my girls were born and I don’t usually like to talk about it, but I honestly feel that your classes have changed my perception of exercise, my capabilities and my lifestyle.
Exercising and taking “me” time use to always fall to the waste side… I use to make every excuse I could to avoid straining and embarrassing myself in an exercise class or at the gym… I remember the first months of Pilates were very challenging for me! I felt so out of shape, and so winded all the time, but Janel & Heynia somehow kept me motivated to keep going. I really liked learning proper technique and I knew it was impacting me, cuz I would be so sore. Well sure enough it has paid off greatly…
Shopping for clothes use to be such a drag… I hated pulling large women sizes and feeling like “who is this person I’ve become” but now I can’t wait to go to the stores and pull out a size 8 and even a 6 sometimes to try on. Its so nice to hear my daughters and my friends complement me on my success but most of all its so nice to know that I am setting a good example for my girls by showing them mommies can be successful in their careers, home life, while taking good care of themselves. I am physically stronger, more in control of my body and have not taken any pain relievers for my back. I walk taller, the 4 inch heels help a little with that , I have less pain and I’m more flexible that I’ve been in a long time. I have now realized that this is a life style and I will have to keep it up… but doing an exercise that I LOVE makes it so easy.
I owe both of you a great deal… Thank you for getting me hooked! Thank you for showing me the right way of doing things to not only improve my pain, but also strengthening my core and building more confidence. I wanted you to know that I really appreciate all you do for me and the rest of your students. Please know that it has made a huge difference in my life.
Thank you so much for having such a positive impact on me and helping me become such a stronger individual.
Shirley S.
