“Pain relief.”
I have been suffering from hip strain (bursitis) for two years and working with Michael has been very beneficial for me. I enjoy the combination of different exercises and the fact that each class is different. I find Michael’s constant attention and questions during each series of exercises very helpful to correct my posture, deepen my breathing and make sure that I am targeting the right muscles. I continue to take Pilates mat classes at the gym and Michael has always responded to my questions regarding mat exercises and given me very useful tips to make better use of my gym classes. Since I started working with Michael I have been feeling much better, more flexible and stronger. I will highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for an experienced and committed professional to help him/her with any specific condition or injury or simply stay fit and feel stronger.
– Ana Jimenez, Humanitarian Affairs Officer, United Nations, NYC
“The right teacher.”
With the right teacher, I have found that Pilates offers immeasurable benefits. Michael’s training comes straight from the classic methods laid down by Joseph Pilates himself. Michael combines superb expertise with an ability to customize every workout to give me maximum results. His workouts have been invaluable to me as a performing artist.
– Edward Gazouleas, violist, Boston, MA
“Motivation.”
In my particular case I haven’t been a sporty person and with many office hours my natural tendency has been to avoid exercising unless forced by a medical prescription.
Since I started working with Michael I have to say that I enjoy the classes, the close attention and the explanations given by him. Now I firmly believe that with the right coach improvements could be made. So I would like to formally praise Michael for being such a fine motivation.
— María de los Reyes Fernández Bulnes, Cónsul General Adjunto de España, NYC
“A unique one on one approach.”
I have always been an active person. I’ve been playing basketball since I was 7 and was fortunate enough to play at an elite level in college. With rigorous training though, come chronic injuries. After graduating, I finally went to a specialist and found out why I had been in such pain for 2 years. I was diagnosed with FAI (Femoral Acetabular Impingement) and a torn labrum of my left hip joint that made it painful to run and play the sport I love. I tried PT with little avail, but always had wanted to try Pilates. Elite athletes have incorporated it into their training and I knew it would strengthen my core and muscles surrounding my hip. But I didn’t know how much of an impact it would make on my body until I started seeing Michael Salvatore.
Michael has a unique one on one approach that I feel everyone needs and can benefit from. He is well educated and shows a genuine interest in each client’s problem areas. He has tailored every session to my body’s needs and my pain has significantly diminished to the point where I can barely feel it when I exercise anymore! In today’s society we are always looking for the best, high quality, personal products and lifestyles and Foundation Pilates encompasses all of those qualities.
– Julie Kleber, BSN, RN, Memorial Sloan Kettering, NYC
“An exciting exercise program.”
Michael is an amazing instructor! He is so easy to talk to and down-to-earth. He explains movements really well – so that even a novice like me was able to understand! I started going to him after a hip injury. Months of physical therapy had barely made a dent, as I still had major discomfort. After about a month with Michael, my hip felt good as new. No more PT! And, I still go to Michael because the sessions are never boring.
Each session is tailored just to me. I’ve had a hard time staying at a gym or with any exercise program in the past. I tend to get bored or find an excuse after a month or two and stop going. I’ve been going to Michael for over a year and a half and not once have I been bored. I love the personal attention. I’ve taken group classes and it’s not the same. To this day I’m amazed at how the slight changes in a body movement that Michael tells me to make can radically change the effectiveness of the workout. You feel a difference after working out with Michael. I’ve never left a group session feeling that way. I know my posture has improved tremendously and that my body has changed. I was able to wear a bikini for the first time in a long time. And Michael is in it with you. He listens, encourages, and pushes when you need it. I think he was more excited than I was when my hip was fully healed. I can honestly say that Michael helped me heal an injury, lose weight, and tone my body. I highly recommend Michael.
— Cara L., entertainment professional, NYC
“Built for performance.”
As a full-time professional musician, I need my body to perform at the highest level at all times. Working with Michael at Salvatore Pilates has helped me achieve that. Michael focuses on balancing and strengthening the entire body as well as providing very detailed, specific work precisely addressed to my particular needs. As you can imagine, this is just about as far from cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all gym Pilates as it gets! Since working with Michael I’ve been pain-free and much more confident in my ability to stay healthy and balanced for the rest of my career (and life!)
Michael is personable, professional, and safety-conscious. He’ll take his time getting to know your abilities and limitations, but once you get going, you will sweat! Michael spent hundreds of hours training with some of the most respected senior Classical Pilates teachers in NYC (the ones who actually trained with Joseph Pilates himself) and he continues to expand upon his training all the time. I feel very safe and confident in his hands.
The studio is immaculate and fully stocked with all the important Pilates equipment, and Michael is very easy to schedule with. If you want to see and feel great results, learn from one of the best, and do it all safely and efficiently, he’s the one for you!
– Elizabeth Rowe, flutist, Boston, MA
“Return on investment.”
I am a 57 year-old female executive with limited time, osteoarthritis and osteopenia. I have worked with professional trainers in a variety of exercise programs for 20 years and am a sophisticated consumer of bodywork. I had some exposure to Pilates prior to working with Michael, and know enough about the human body to observe that Pilates carries a high risk of injury unless executed with precision and, ideally, closely supervised by someone highly trained.
I have worked with Michael for almost two years. His extensive training in Pilates and his commitment to his clients’ success and safety ensured my steady progress without the pain and tendonitis I often experienced in the past. He continually researches and customizes Pilates to address my particular needs. He is an outstanding teacher and fun to work with. The change in my strength and muscle tone relative to time investment is remarkable. His teaching has increased my awareness of my posture and how I use my body throughout the day. My strength, flexibility and muscle tone have never been better.
The impact on my health is best summarized as follows: 1) my spine lengthened, an indication of offsetting effects of osteopenia; 2) I legitimately wore a bikini last summer for the first time in 40 years; and, 3) after recent foot surgery, I use crutches with ease (“better than anyone I’ve seen”, accordingly to my health care providers), given my core strength. Further, under Michael’s tutelage, I am able to continue Pilates throughout my recuperation.
I have not come across a more effective exercise program than Pilates, or a better teacher than Michael Salvatore.
– Katherine Tallman, consultant, Boston, MA