A Great Place to Work Out and a Great Place to Work Since Janice Bamford moved to Tulsa 12 years ago, she has been a Pilates instructor at Health Zone at Saint Francis. “It didn’t take me long to figure out where I wanted to be,” she says. “I noticed right away how knowledgeable the staff is and what excellent care they provide for each member. I believe Health Zone is a great place for anyone to work—or begin their fitness journey.”
A Passion for Pilates In Bamford’s case, it also didn’t take her long to figure out that Pilates would be her chosen path. “I have always had a passion for health and fitness and Pilates appeals to me on so many levels,” she says. In her role as a Pilates instructor at Health Zone, Bamford spends about 90 percent of her time working one-on-one with members—of ages ranging from 15 to well into their 80s. She also teaches two classes— a larger group class known as Pilates Lite (designed for those new to Pilates); and a small group Pilates Reformer class for those who prefer a smaller instructor to student ratio using Pilates apparatus.
An Interesting Trend Throughout her years as a Pilates instructor at Health Zone, Bamford has noticed an interesting trend. “I’ve noticed that many people come in initially for help in recovering from a hip, back or knee surgery, injury or other type of issue. But the interesting thing is that most of them continue on because they begin to enjoy the benefits of increased flexibility and a much stronger core—they begin to noticeably carry themselves better,” she says. “Pilates is a great method for building strength, minus the injury risk—for people of all ages and fitness levels.”
CoreAlign® System Health Zone’s Pilates studio is filled with an impressive assortment of equipment, tools and machines. “We have quite an array here and I know some of it can look pretty intimidating, but it is anything but that,” Bamford says.
Our newest equipment is the Core Align system, which provides a unique exercise experience to improve gait, posture, balance and functional movement—and is applicable to anyone, no matter their age or fitness level. Bamford, as well as fellow Health Zone Pilates instructor, Linda Wilborn, are two of only a few instructors in the area who are Balance Body trained to operate and teach on this elite system. Whether it is Pilates, Zumba, spin or aquatics, Health Zone at Saint Francis really and truly has something for everyone. “At Health Zone—regardless of what type of workout a member gravitates to—we work very hard to meet them where they are in their fitness journey,” Bamford says. “Health Zone is a special place. That’s why it has been my ‘fitness home’ ever since I made Tulsa my home 12 years ago.”
Saint Francis Health System
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