Rita Matraia, Founder
Rita Matraia is a Certified Stott Pilates Instructor, an AFAA Certified Personal Trainer, and an ACE certified Weight and Lifestyle Management Consultant. She has a B.S. and B.A from the University of Rhode Island and an MBA from Babson College. Rita maintains a fitness blog at www.thecoreconnection.blogspot.com.
Her business experience gives her first hand knowledge of the challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle while working many hours. "I truly believe that we all need an outlet to deal with the daily challenges of work and life. That outlet is Exercise! There is no better cure for stress than to physically accomplish things you never thought you could. It increases your self-confidence and gives you the energy that you need to succeed in everything you do."
How I found Pilates: Despite making time for challenging workouts and trying to stay as fit as possible, I was experiencing unexpected low back pain and tightness throughout my spine. I stumbled into Pilates almost by accident and as a last resort, but from the very beginning I knew it was the right activity for my issues. I became aware very quickly that although I looked and felt strong, my deep core muscles were weak and not providing the appropriate spinal support that I needed for my activity level. With Pilates, I began to work deeper to stabilize my spine. Because in Pilates we work from the inside out, we address weaknesses and strengthen in the appropriate order. Once you build the base of your stabilizing muscles, then you can more effectively strengthen your external muscles. My work continues with my clients with whom I share my knowledge about the importance of core strength, overall fitness, a sense of well being and a balanced life.
Her business experience gives her first hand knowledge of the challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle while working many hours. "I truly believe that we all need an outlet to deal with the daily challenges of work and life. That outlet is Exercise! There is no better cure for stress than to physically accomplish things you never thought you could. It increases your self-confidence and gives you the energy that you need to succeed in everything you do." How I found Pilates: Despite making time for challenging workouts and trying to stay as fit as possible, I was experiencing unexpected low back pain and tightness throughout my spine. I stumbled into Pilates almost by accident and as a last resort, but from the very beginning I knew it was the right activity for my issues. I became aware very quickly that although I looked and felt strong, my deep core muscles were weak and not providing the appropriate spinal support that I needed for my activity level. With Pilates, I began to work deeper to stabilize my spine. Because in Pilates we work from the inside out, we address weaknesses and strengthen in the appropriate order. Once you build the base of your stabilizing muscles, then you can more effectively strengthen your external muscles. My work continues with my clients with whom I share my knowledge about the importance of core strength, overall fitness, a sense of well being and a balanced life.
