Business Spotlight: Shape Shifters

Earlier this year, the American Council on Exercise a nonprofit workout watchdog group in San Diego predicted several fitness trends. Among its predictions: 2003 would become the year of the mind-body workout, and Pilates would become one of the nation's hottest new fitness programs.

Shelley Hampton believes both predictions have already come true. Hampton, a certified post rehabilitation and conditioning specialist, has spent the last five years teaching Pilates at Shape Shifters, the exercise studio she owns in south Springfield.

During the 23 years she's worked in the fitness industry, Hampton has seen many trends come and go. However, she believes Pilates is here to stay.

"If I could only choose one fitness program to teach, it would be Pilates," she said. "It's that good and that effective."

In the early 20th century, Joseph Pilates invented the exercise program, which originally was designed to help dancers increase their muscle strength without adding extra bulk. Pilates focuses on improving strength, posture, flexibility and body awareness.

It also combines Eastern exercise techniques that emphasis mind-body coordination such as yoga and tai chi, with Western exercise forms such as aerobics and weight training. The result, said Hampton, is a comprehensive workout that stimulates both the mind and body.

"Pilates re-educates and promotes a process that truly enhances the mind-body connection," she said. "Joseph Pilates promised that in 10 sessions, you will feel a difference; in 20, you will see a difference; and in 30, you'll have a whole new shape."

Hampton began teaching Pilates after attending the 1992 International Fitness Conference in Anaheim, Calif., which touted the program's merits. At the time, she was working as a personal trainer and ran a fitness studio, Pure Energy, out of her home. She also did wellness and fitness consulting for several large area companies, including Springfield Remanufacturing Corp., Bass Pro Shops and the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners.

By 1997, Hampton needed more space to accommodate her growing clientele and her growing collection of Pilates exercise equipment. Rather than jump right in and open a large studio, she decided to test the waters by becoming a subcontractor at Crosstraining Inc. in Springfield. The arrangement provided her with additional space and helped her attract more clients.

A year later, the media began touting the merits of Pilates, Hampton said. Articles on the exercise program appeared in numerous newspapers and fitness magazines. Before long, she was inundated with new clients.

"Nineteen-ninety-eight is the year that Pilates really went mainstream," she said. "After that, people began seeking me out."

By 2000, Hampton's clientele had grown to the point that she needed to expand again. She rented out 800 square feet of space next to Crosstraining Inc. and named the exercise studio Shape Shifters to reflect the affect Pilates has on the body. The location proved to be ideal.

"Crosstraining Inc. is on one side of me, and Success Naturally Yoga and Image Center is on the other side," she said. "This is about as close to a spa setting as you're going to get in Springfield."

Hampton has limited the size of each class to three to five people a move that has cut into her profit margin.

"Financially, it's been quite a challenge, but I really believe I need to keep the classes small," she said. "Form is everything in Pilates, and I want to make sure students are doing each exercise correctly. I can't do that if I'm teaching a large class."

In recent years, Hampton has seen many other exercise facilities in Springfield add Pilates programs. However, most of these programs are limited to mat work, she said.

Shape Shifters' studio contains a wide variety of Pilates exercise equipment, ranging from the Universal Reformer to the Trapeze Table. Hampton believes that students who use Pilates equipment during their workout get an enhanced experience and achieve better results.

Much of the Pilates equipment at Shape Shifters employs a spring system, which assists and enables the body to achieve greater flexibility and range of motion in different planes of movement, said Hampton. The equipment also provides students with a strenuous, low-impact workout.

"Pilates is especially popular among women who are menopausal or post-menopausal," she said. "I have a lot of students who are in their 40s and 50s."

Hampton's clientele also includes men, couples, and a fair number of 20-something clients, such as Kelly Stephens.

"This is the only exercise program I've ever stuck with," said Stephens. "I absolutely love it."

In the future, Hampton said, she plans to add more exercise programs that promote wellness, mind-body coordination and natural healing.

"This is the most rewarding job," said Hampton. "I can't imagine doing anything else that would bring me a greater sense of satisfaction."