Certifications

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-M.S. in Kinesiology, with focuses in Pregnancy & Postpartum Exercise,

  Pain Management, and Exercise Psychology - Penn State University

-Certified Personal Training - National Academy of Sports Medicine

-CPR and AED Certified

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Experience

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Iz's experience comes from many sources, some of which are:

o 2 years studying and developing prenatal exercise programs for research

studies at Penn State

o Completed Master's thesis - systematic review of resistance training

during pregnancy

o ​2.5 years teaching Psychology of Movement Behavior and Intro to

Kinesiology to Penn State undergrads

o Studied physical activity for the purpose of postpartum pain management

o 5 years powerlifting and strength training experience, holds 3 powerlifting medals, including a silver medal from the 2019 Pennsylvania State Championship

o Trained under Captain LJ Besito, coach for the US Olympic Weightlifting Team and Warrior Games, and World Champion Powerlifter and Weightlifter.

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Personal Interests

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 Helping pregnant and postpartum moms to exercise in a way that keeps them safe, happy and healthy.

 Using exercise and corrective therapy to improve the lives of people with injuries and chronic pain.

 Picking up heavy objects and putting them down again.

 

My Story

 

Isabella strives to be an empathetic and enthusiastic trainer who pushes her clients to achieve their goals and beyond. As an athlete herself, Isabella has experienced injuries, sprains, and mental barriers throughout her own fitness journey, which is ultimately what led her to pursue a career in corrective exercise.

 

"It is extremely disheartening to be making progress and feeling capable in your body one day, and the next to be facing chronic pain and mobility issues, with little understanding of what to do to fix it. During the times this happened to me, it was only with the help physical therapists and corrective exercise specialists that I was able to work through my injuries and get back to feeling like myself. I cannot emphasize enough the feeling of relief and support these providers brought me, and it inspired me to begin my own journey into exercise rehabilitation." 

 

While pursuing her Master's at Penn State, she focused on the benefits of resistance training in pregnant and postpartum women, working alongside them in her research lab and helping them find safe, fun, and effective ways to exercise, control weight gain, and manage pain. During this time, she realized she loved working hands on with clients, but that there were few trainers offering perinatal-specific training in the local area.

 

"I became aware that there were very few opportunities in State College for this population to seek personalized exercise. There didn't appear to be many trainers or facilities offering new and expecting moms a serious workout. While there are certain contraindications to keep in mind for pregnant and postpartum women, the benefits of exercise during this time period have been reinforced by scientific research over and over again. It's my dream to offer pregnant and postpartum moms some one-on-one and class-based exercise that fits their preferences, be it yoga, cardio circuits, or resistance training."

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