Forever Fit Foundation moves in with Rise

Forever Fit Foundation recently relocated its Pilates studio from the Beacon Motel to a new space inside Rise adventure fitness, and trainers agree, their devoted clientele have stayed loyal to their approach to fitness.

As the only full-apparatus Pilates studio in Sussex County, business owner and master trainer Nancy Hawkins Rigg said Pilates training at Forever Fit is a balanced way to exercise and realign the body for lifelong fitness.

"A lot of our clients have been with us for a really long time," Rigg said. "A lot of people train for aesthetics, but with us, it's about health and well-being."

She is a licensed athletic trainer and has a master's degree in exercise science from the University of Delaware. Rigg also discloses on the Forever Fit website that she was once a world champion power lifter and opened the Dover location of Forever Fit 1993.

Now, Rigg operates three locations of her Pilates training studios, including one in Mendenhall, Pa. Her studio has been open in Lewes since 2002.

Many Forever Fit clients in Lewes have been training for seven or more years, she said, improving general fitness, increasing athleticism and sometimes in conjunction with physical therapy.

When practiced with consistency, Pilates, which was developed in the 20th century as a combination of Eastern and Western forms of exercise, is recognized for improving flexibility as it builds strength, endurance and control.

"Not much has changed since Joseph Pilates originated the practice in the 1920s, so a lot of equipment looks very archaic," Rigg said. "That's because the exercise method is very sound."

Forever Fit trainer Tina Holliger said during her career, she has worked as a physical therapy aide and a collegiate level athletic trainer before joining Forever Fit nearly 12 years ago.

In her experience, Holliger said, Pilates builds core strength that can benefit physical therapy and improve athletic performance.

"When I worked in physical therapy, I wish we had Pilates equipment," she said. "It helps to stretch and support the body. When people are working on rehabbing an injury it helps; people don't have to worry about form."

Clients like Millsboro resident Jane Mayer often seek to maintain fitness and mobility, but the trainers said they have also had positive results working with clients who are dealing with rehabilitation from stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, she said.

"As you get older, the more flexible you are, the less likely you are to get hurt, and you can keep doing what you want to do," Mayer said. "You are moving and stretching every muscle in your body."

Holliger said athletes find their Pilates practice helps improve performance without working harder at their particular sport.

"Pilates makes everything else easier," Holliger said. "When I was playing tennis, I didn't have to worry about trying to play harder. It's your base, it makes everything else easier."

For more information about Forever Fit Foundation, go to foreverfitfoundation.com or call 302-698-5201.