Our Teachers
Rick Williamson, A nationally recognized Pilates practitioner and personal trainer developed the Body praxis system after successfully rehabilitating numerous dentists from the pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders. Rick has been involved in the fitness and rehabilitation industry for over 26 years. It began in 1980 when he sustained severe whiplash and nerve damage after being involved in a serious head on collision. Undergoing numerous forms of rehabilitation and seeing many different physicians about his constant neck and back pain over a three year period, Rick began an educational journey developing advanced methods of self-rehabilitation. In the process he built a rehabilitation facility in his home and over the next five years was able to rehabilitate himself.
Rick is a certified Pilates Rehabilitation Practitioner who trained at the University of Miami and Long Island University. An active member of the American College of Sports Medicine and the Pilates Method Alliance, he is certified by the American Council on Exercise and Senior Fitness Association. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biomechanics from the Alternative Medicine Research Institute (Canada). He has recently become a PMA Certified Teacher by passing the PMA Pilates Certification Exam.
For the last 24 years Rick has owned and operated an exclusive studio where he performs individual assessment and program development in the Pilates environment for a wide range of clientele. He instructed Pilates for persons with spine and extremity injuries, neurological diseases, postural deformities, and general de-conditioning while designing new and innovative Pilates based movements for special rehabilitation needs.
Rick has had the opportunity of working with and designing specialized rehabilitation programs for professional and recreational dancers, athletes, and medical professionals. Rick has trained and mentored many Pilates teachers that use Pilates Rehabilitation techniques including fitness professionals, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and medical doctors.
Rick has served on the board of Alternative Therapies at the Erie County Medical Center, and was also a steering committee member of the 50 Plus Fitness Campaign at the Degraff Memorial Hospital. Rick was a guest speaker and presenter at the 1995 First Alternative and Complimentary Therapies conference held at the Center for Tomorrow at the State University of New York at Buffalo and is a regular speaker at the Buffalo Mitochondrial Desease Foundation.
Julie Williamson is a licensed physical therapist, co-owner of the Fitness Institute and Pilates Studio, and Director of Rehabilitation. She has been involved in the Fitness and Rehabilitation industry for 20 years. Julie earned her Masters in Physical Therapy from Ithaca College. She is a certified Pilates Rehabilitation Practitioner who specializes in spine, orthopedic, and chronic pain rehabilitation.
Her background includes treating patients with neurological, pulmonary, cardiac, and orthopedic diagnosis. She has worked with elite athletes participating in the development of injury prevention programming. She work at the Fitness Institute and Pilates Studio where she performes individual assessment and program development in the Pilates environment for a wide range of clientele.
She instructs Pilates for persons with spine and extremity injuries, neurological diseases, postural deformities, muscle imbalances, and general de-conditioning while designing new and innovative Pilates based movements for special rehabilitation needs.
