Broad Ripple area fitness instructor Laura Minor opened So.Be.Fit. in early January. The studio is located behind Mama Carolla's Italian Restaurant in the building that also houses Good Dog Hotel & Spa. Laura had previously conducted her Pilates and fitness training at Heal Thyself for more than two years.

So.Be.Fit. offers group classes ranging from mat Pilates to muscle sculpting and private fitness sessions that are customized for each client. Laura also instructs company fitness classes during the lunch hour. If a company has eight or ten participants and some available space, Laura will bring the Pilates class to them.

The private training sessions can be tailored to each client. Some come once a week, others come two or three times a week. Sessions can be 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or an hour - whatever works for the client. Some clients even switch between private sessions and sessions where they bring a friend or attend open classes. "That works well," explained Laura. "they get to work out with a friend and they share the cost of the session." Laura said that some sessions include nutritional training. The client might bring in their diet and exercise log for the week, from which she makes recommendations for the next week. In addition to receiving helpful nutritional advice, there is also the accountability factor of showing the logs. That accountability can help a client stick to a regimen. In the private sessions, Laura recommends training based on the need. Her education gives her the ability to select an exercise for a client's specific goal and to explain the physiology and science behind the exercise.

Laura completed her Masters degree in exercise physiology from I.U.P.U.I. and has a personal training (PT) certificate from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Surprisingly, there is no law requiring certification to be a trainer. Laura's certification is the highest available.

Laura did her internship at St. Vincent Sports Medicine. "School is great, but St. Vincent is where I got my hands-on training," said Laura. "The style of training there is functional fitness. It gets away from the machines. Functional fitness uses more of the stabilizer muscles. When doing a squat, instead of working one muscle you could be working ten. It is taking the principles of athletic training applied to the general public." To work even more muscles during a workout, some of the routines can be performed on a Bosu ball. Standing on the Bosu ball, an inflatable half ball with a flat part at the base, during an exercise increases the number of muscles used when the body works to maintain balance.

On February 15, So.Be.Fit. held a grand opening party. The event was catered by SALT "to YOUR taste" catering. The studio was packed with family, friends, and clients. While no official instruction was taking place that night, I did get an impromptu Bosu ball demonstration by Evan. The studio has a treadmill and a bike for cardio workouts, benches for sculpting, step and Pilates equipment, and a large space for classes in front of a mirrored wall. Classes are available for $15 per session, or a ten-class punch card can be purchased for $130. Currently, three classes are in session: Pilates/Sculpting, Mat Pilates, and Muscle Toning. Personal training is $30 for 30 minutes, or a ten 30-minute session punch card is available for $280. Personal training is scheduled individually between 6:30am and 7:30pm during the weekdays. Laura has plans to bring other trainers in to the studio to compliment her training. The trainers might conduct sessions on subjects not currently offered, such as yoga or kick-boxing. The trainers could also keep the studio open while Laura is out teaching a Pilates class at a company.

Here's an idea. Walk your dog down the Monon Trail, drop Fido (kinda spooky how I know your dog's name, isn't it?) at the doggie spa, and treat yourself to a private fitness session at So.Be.Fit. Tell her Alan sent you. (I don't get anything for that, it just makes me look cool.)