i have been in fitness most of my life, but pilates has been an awakening and a life long investment in understanding the body and mind connection.

many days when i have been more sedentary ...working on the computer, driving, studying ...pilates has been the perfect remedy for the resulting aches and pains. relief is provided through stretching my spine, releasing muscle tightness, supporting proper body mechanics, and increasing concentration through working the muscles with precision and control.

since working with missy over the past two years, i have enjoyed: removal of prescribed orthotics in my shoes, healing of various knee and ankle injuries, elimination of bone spurs, removal of lower back pain, substantially improved posture, increased muscle awareness and toning and weight loss in the core section of my body.

i highly recommend this practice in your fitness regimen. once you experience pilates and become committed to this practice, you will be enriched with many life long benefits to the improvement of your physical and emotional well-being

i started pilates on the recommendation from my orthopedist. after the birth of my first child, i suffered from recurring lower back pain and was subsequently treated with physical therapy and pilates. the physical therapy was helpful but temporary. pilates, on the other hand, proved to be accessible and long-term. i found it was essential for my good health, not just for recovering from the pain and immobility, but engaging in other activities as well. during my pregnancy with my second child, i continued with pilates through my ninth month and felt stronger and more mobile than during my previous one. because i had a good foundation for my core in particular, recovery from my delivery was much easier as well.

beyond the benefits i received during and after my pregnancies, i have incorporated what i’ve learned from pilates and missy into my everyday life - from the way i carry my children, playing with them on the floor, to standing in line at the store. although my mother would probably comment on my improved posture, with my increased flexibility, shoulder and core strength, i’m probably the most excited about my ability to participate in sports i thought i’d never play again – tennis, golf, running and yoga.

i have had other pilates instructors, but i connected and stayed with missy because of her enthusiasm, knowledge, and attention to detail. with missy’s help, i’ve been able to lift weights, run, and swing a racquet or club in a safer and more successful manner. using the knowledge she’s given me, i can protect my back, hips and shoulders from further damage and maintain an active lifestyle. she has always documented my progress and continues to adapt and develop a pilates program specific to my needs and goals.

i started pilates because i heard that it was an excellent approach to building a strong and balanced body which would keep me healthy, flexible, and injury free.

my goal was to learn a new form of exercise and to see if i could change my pattern of nagging injuries from training. i noticed a much stronger core and balanced body with no one muscle group overtaking another which contributes to injury. i also built more coordination than i ever had before.

i could see results from the training within the first four weeks in terms of coordination and fluidity of movement. i also noticed that i could perform strength type movements through body control that i couldn’t imagine doing when i began. i also reduced the number of trips to the chiropractor to try to alleviate pain in my neck. through proper alignment during pilates movements i found that i wasn’t straining my neck and causing neck stress.

i complimented my pilates with weight training and aerobic training but i used what i learned in pilates to alter my weight training technique and avoided the injuries of the past. i could use less weight in my work out but achieve as good or better results

pilates is a great way to improve body awareness and balance. i think it promotes a very healthy body which starts with core strength and moves outward form there. it is something that gives you immediate feedback in terms of your ongoing improvement and proficiency; however, you are contributing to your health and well being every step of the way no matter what level you are..

i have experienced other pilates instructors and understand the value of a well trained instructor who continues to learn and grow through ongoing classes. ... missy is interested in studying other areas of health and rehabilitation and uses that knowledge with her clients. her first priority is to train safely for health and a strong body. she understands which movements suit her individual clients the best. i have total trust in her knowledge, experience, and ongoing learning approach which she uses to continuously grow. she pragmatically applies her own personal ongoing growth with her clients. i believe others are out there who put as much into their craft as missy does but i think they are hard to find.

i have been working with missy for five years. she continues to impress me with her knowledge of pilates, and specifically, how she focuses on the exercise needs i have in my fifties.

every workout is personally tailored to push me to be stronger, to be more flexible, and to have better awareness of my body as it moves. i have increased my muscle mass, and have experienced a reduction in hip and lower back pain. recently, pilates was an integral part of my post ankle surgery physical therapy.

missy is warm, supportive, tough when she needs to be, fun, and most of all, patient.

at 82 years of age it is imperative that i maintain an exercise program that fits my abilities as well as my limitations. i expect to work at my maximum and not sustain any injuries. i have always led a very active life and enjoyed challenging myself physically; playing tennis and snow skiing are favorite pastimes.

my pilates workouts with missy have allowed me to maintain range of motion in my knee following knee replacement and have kept me free from spinal problems in spite of my osteoporosis. missy is an expert at tailoring my workouts so that i can maximize my potential while avoiding injury. i have complete trust in missy because of her deep understanding of the body and her innate ability to know when to modify my position, range, resistance or exercise choice.

I began working with Joy Vogel in 2003. To this day I have never met a more determined person. She rarely misses a workout. Her upright posture in the face of osteoporosis and her freedom of movement despite her arthritis and knee replacement are to be credited to her hard work and JOY of life. She has taken her journey with Pilates seriously and she lives it everyday.
–Missy Hughes

missy has an amazing talent for seeing and improving body alignment, through the pilates method. in her private one on one sessions missy observes the bodies’ movement and knows how to verbally cue to make the exercise more effective. she has the ability to direct my mental focus to the area of the body that should be working, this has allowed my body to open in the hips, release in the hamstrings and align in the neck and spine. she takes her time with each exercise, through clear and specific verbal coaching. she ensures i am working the proper muscle groups to gain the most benefit out of each session.

her understanding of anatomy and movement allows her to individualize each session based on my needs, no two sessions are the same. missy is able to draw upon exercises from various pilates schooling methods with multiple pieces of equipment, which allow the sessions to always stay new. she uses simple analogies, which help me to visualize the needed body movement.

as a result of pilates, my posture has improved when sitting at the computer or standing. it's more comfortable to sit straight or stand tall vs. slumping. by naturally standing taller, my abdominal area appears leaner and smaller, i no longer have low back pain or tightness. i'm amazed at the muscle tone that has developed over my entire body and i don't feel sore or tight after my workouts. by exercising with missy and the discipline of pilates i feel i have the knowledge to exercise correctly and will prevent injuries, allowing me to stay in better shape as i get older.

missy continually works on her practice, she actively seeking ways to broaden her understanding with workshops and continuing education to stay current and provide the most to her clients. she also has a network of peers she confers with to help her gain more insight when coaching and advising her own clients.

through the principles of pilates missy has taught me that "true strength" is experienced when our core or center is engaged. she has shown me how pilates can be integrated into my daily activities. i am aware of how i lift things, by not only bending my legs, but also stabilizing my shoulders. i am aware of how i sit while driving and when walking how my knee aligns with my foot to keep my hips aligned.

i had severe neck and back tightness with chronic pain, missy worked with me for months to aid in the recovery. she selected exercise that strengthens other areas to prevent the injury from happening again and is continually customizing exercises to prevent a future flair up of my neck or shoulder. i feel an overall balance in my body and a feeling of muscle tone throughout. others have also noticed a body transformation of becoming leaner and more toned due to my consistency with pilates with missy at élan pilates studio.