No products in the cart.

Expanding Class Offerings with the Juvo Board

At the end of 2010, the small Pilates studio I had taught at for nearly ten years closed. I purchased the equipment and client list then reopened it as The Bodysmith, a Pilates and Fitness Studio. As a small gym owner and manager, I knew there were many challenges ahead. In fact, they were – and still are – challenges we all face as studio and boutique owners, managers and instructors.

Choosing the right classes

After researching local and national trends, I knew I was going to have to expand my class offerings to stay current, competitive and most importantly, in business. But trends and fads are inherent to the fitness industry. It takes time to weigh and analyze the numerous education and certification options available. We must carefully choose a program that not only gets clients through the door, but a program that feeds instructors new knowledge and information that benefits and engages clients so that they come back.

Timing is also crucial. In the Midwest, a class can’t be so new that no one has heard of it, but it also can’t be too abundant. In fact, a successful studio in any region is never the last to add a new type of class. As a STOTT PILATES Instructor Trainer with all STOTT PILATES certified instructors on staff, it was important for me to add other programs of similar quality, integrity and caliber. Plus, any additional modality needed to compliment the others already offered.

With this in mind, I chose modalities that already endured the test of time.

In the first year, I added two fitness programs that had withstood thousands of years: Tai Chi and yoga. And with a Tai Chi instructor that had a lifelong career in dance and martial arts and a RYT-500 yoga instructor, I had already setup the classes for success in the long run.

Next was the kettlebell program, which dates back to the early 1700s in Russia. I hired a Level II StrongFirst Certified Instructor and certified Functional Movement Specialist. Together, we’ve developed a holistic kettlebell curriculum that caters to both beginners and the experienced.

Following that: a suspension training class and Core Barre. Rope suspension training and gymnastic rings date back to the early 1800’s while ballet dates back to the early 1600s. Barre classes are based off ballet exercises that build dancers’ strength, which makes them ideal for anyone seeking a low-impact, fat burning workout.

The fourth addition was boxing, which the earliest evidence dates to Egypt in 3000 BCE.

How the Juvo Board helped me

In late 2015, I deviated from my formula. I was introduced to the Juvo Board and was instantly intrigued. After a week of personal workouts, client testing and observing my instructors play on it, I was enthusiastic and sold. Finally, one piece of equipment all of my instructors could use! Pilates, yoga, Tai Chi, stretching, barre, personal training with the suspension trainers or heavy bags – everyone could incorporate it into their programming. What a great return on my investment!

More importantly, it also held true to its name. Juvo in Latin means to “assist” or “attain.” One of our missions at the studio is for our clients to live pain free, able to participate in daily life and the activities they enjoy. We want their fitness to do more that make them look good; we want them to feel good and help them.

Within the first week of receiving my Juvo Boards, I placed a very deconditioned client on the board in Elevate. The board brought the floor to her, and for the first time ever, she did a roll up. Her smile lit up the room. Her confidence was boosted.

My older and deconditioned clients use the board in Elevate as a mat to build the strength to get down to the floor. It places their heads above their heart when lying supine. It cleans up their planks, push-ups and squats. Perhaps most importantly, it takes pressure off their joints, allowing them to get into positions more easily in order to build strength, increase stamina and progress.

Then there is Balance! For my older clientele, this position allows for an unstable surface that is both solid and large enough to safely step up on. Plus, the barre is there for them to hold onto until they gain greater stability.

On the other end of the spectrum, Balance for athletes or clients that have been coming for 15 years is a fun, new challenge!  They can practice all of their Pilates mat, yoga, barre, indoor SUP or anything with the added challenge of instability.

Ultimately, I saw the Juvo Board as a perfect and natural fit to be added to my studio’s offerings.  It can be programmed into existing classes or as a class of its own. As a studio owner and fitness education provider, I am enthusiastic and certain the Juvo Board is a great investment for small studios and gyms. That’s why I joined the Juvo Board team. And even though I may be a little biased, it’s the only piece of equipment I know that can assist the deconditioned, challenge athletes and fitness enthusiasts and adapt to numerous modalities simultaneously.

Tags: , ,

Leave a Reply

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

7 Day Beginner's Fitness Jump Start

Get Started

At Stamina, we know figuring out where to start your fitness journey can be difficult. With our 7-day Jump Start you’ll receive a daily email featuring fitness tips, workout videos, nutrition advice and more!

privacy policy

Stamina Products Inc. may collect your personal information and share it with third parties, including the categories of information listed in California Civil Code Section 1798.140(o)(1)(A)-(D), (F)-(H), and (K). The information is collected and shared for business-related purposes. Please see Stamina’s Privacy Policy for more information.