Jennah Starr
“I understand how to tailor a session for the needs of each client on that given day, making sure that their movement experience is a positive and thoughtful one. I take detailed notes to plan workouts that best fit my clients’ needs, and track their progress.”
Educated at Appalachian State University: Exercise Science and Psychology
Soccer Athlete | Recovered from a Major Ankle Injury
I love teaching Pilates!
I had a brief affair with Pilates growing up while attending exercise classes with my mom during my summers. Even then, I always preferred the Pilates mat class over others because of the “super hard ab workout,” but my love for the work deepened when I rediscovered Pilates after a season-ending ankle injury during a soccer game my senior year of college at Appalachian State University. I found a local mat class, which led me to my first experience on the Reformer, and I knew I had found something special. I loved the work immediately due to it’s fierce attention to proper biomechanics and incorporated anatomical imagery.
It was healing in motion for me. The cues, breathing, and springs helped my body move in ways it hadn’t in years. I regained ankle mobility that I had never achieved during my time at Physical Therapy.
Even more importantly for me, the connection that I found between my brain and body became a form of mental solace in times of stress and anxiety.
I am a highly skilled Pilates Instructor because
I have a personal appetite for movement and sports, and my education and communication skills makes me an expert in this field. From a young age, I was involved with every sport offered to a child - swimming, gymnastics, and dance. Soccer was my chosen sport and I played at a high level all the way through college. I excelled at most athletic endeavors and team sports that I participated in, and received the Physical Education Award for my senior high school class, as well as MVP in soccer.
While studying exercise science and psychology at App State, I received several department scholarships and grants. I had a unique opportunity to study in a cadaver lab for a year which helped me gain a deep understanding of human anatomy.
My communication skills have helped me take my teaching to another level. By having a rich vocabulary of cues, I can communicate with my clients in many different ways. The body often times needs to hear cues several times in different planes of gravity before it can make the connection. Communication skills are key for getting my clients to accomplish a higher quality of movement.
My Pilates instruction is creative, nurturing,
and just the right amount of challenging. I have knowledge in Sports-Specific Bio-Mechanics and upon graduation from college, I taught soccer as a class at Appalachian State University. I have trained with many high-level coaches and professors from early childhood through today, and I believe this combination has translated into finding that balance in my teaching.
What Clients say about Jennah
Certifications and Training
Practiced Pilates since 2014 | Taught Pilates since 2017
Major Certifications:
Balanced Body Comprehensive Certification
Fusion Pilates Apprenticeship with Jennifer Gianni (Balanced Body Master Instructor)
Redcord Active 1 and 2
One-Year Grow Mentorship with Jennifer Gianni (Balanced Body Master Instructor)
Workshops / Continuing Education:
Fusion Pilates: Pre- & Post-Natal Specialist Training
Introduction to Structural Integration for Movement Instructors
Healing Diastasis Recti
Fusion Pilates Practical Release Certification
Biotensegrity and Embryology in the Pilates Environment with Elizabeth Larkam