Women In Wellness: Randi Whitman of Frog Temple Pilates on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
I am most productive in the morning. I didn’t always know that, and I would often wait until the end of the day to get some important things done, to take on clients at my studio, to work out, etc., and it was always a bad idea. So my latest ‘tweak” is to make a list of what needs to get done, and make sure I tackle it in the early hours of the day when my brain is awake and most creative and productive.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Randi Whitman.
Active in Pilates since 1996, Randi Whitman was certified by the renowned Pilates Center of Boulder, Colorado. Frog Temple Pilates has allowed Randi to share her vision of the Pilates method and mind-body wellness with her students and staff of Pilates instructors in Chicago and across the world. In addition, for over 20 years, Randi has offered her top-rated Frog Temple Teacher Training Program, having certified over 200 instructors. Her commitment and passion for the work and the clients continues to grow and develop in this quickly changing and always dynamic health and fitness industry. Randi recently launched a new Pilates on Demand platform for the folks who are still homebound, trying to get a workout in between taking care of kids or work calls, or adjusting to life in the “new normal.” Try it out for free by visiting her website.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
I began this Pilates journey searching for a way out of back pain 20 plus years ago. I was a professional dancer; ballet, modern, etc., and I had ruptured a disc in my lumbar spine (L5,S1 to be exact). I was constantly searching for a way out of pain, even as I continued to dance. Surgery was out of the question for me. I didn’t want to go down that road. So I got deeply into massage therapy, which helped me but always seemed so temporary — never quite fixing the problem, but putting on a nice band-aid for a short time. Then I discovered Pilates while living in Aspen, Colorado. Pilates was, and still is, the one thing that kept me healthy, strong, and most importantly, free of pain. I learned how and what to strengthen to support my spine and the muscles surrounding my spine. Really from day one, I was hooked. I have learned so much about balance in the body, how to use my body more efficiently, discovering smaller muscle groups I never even knew I had! 22 years now and two babies later, I feel amazing. I wanted to share this knowledge with the many others who are suffering from chronic pain or injuries, or working towards goals they want to achieve and don’t know quite where to begin.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
There have been so many stories of healing, change and perseverance. It is hard to pick one. But I will tell you about one of my earliest clients who is now one of my closest, dearest friends. Her name is Ruth. I was teaching in my early days at East Bank Club here in Chicago. She came to so many of my mat classes there — a real groupie! (Those pre-COVID classes used to pack in 70 people on any given weekend!!) So she came up to me one day and said she wanted to do some private lessons with me on the equipment. Lessons at EBC were all on just the mat, but at the time I had several pieces of apparatus all over my house. I asked Ruth what was she looking to achieve or accomplish through Pilates. She said she was on several meds, her legs were in horrible pain, her back hurt, her shoulders were weak, the list went on and on. Really, you name it, she was in pain. She was also a larger woman — tall and a little overweight — really the most intimidating potential client. I thought to myself, “I have no idea where to begin with this woman. I have no idea what I can do for her.” But she was all in, and she trusted me. I had been teaching for less than a year out of Pilates training and felt this was out of my league. Well, I channeled one of my mentors, Amy Alpers, and heard her in my ear saying to trust myself, trust this Pilates method, have confidence in my capabilities and listen to the body in front of me. That’s what I did. Slowly over our time together, she moved off ALL meds, lost a bunch of weight, became significantly stronger and more mobile, her aches and pains were a thing of the past, and she took such a deep interest in yoga that she became a yoga instructor herself! To this day we still do Pilates together, and she has become the picture of health and wellbeing! I changed her life — actually we did it together. That’s what I do, and that’s why I do it. That is what keeps me going and feeds my soul. Making a difference in people’s lives through health and wellness. Giving people access to their own bodies and helping them realize their potential. Isn’t that amazing? Access to your own body’s health. Even saying that out loud brings tears to my eyes. People don’t know how much potential they even have. Incredible to me. So that’s my job.
Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I made so many mistakes when I first set out to open my own Pilates studio back in 2000. I had passion for what I was teaching, but I really did not have a lot of experience with the business aspect. Trial and error were my foundations, and I didn’t mind it. I learned so much through all the mistakes I made. But, honestly, Pilates was so hot in the beginning, and I was one of the first in Chicago to open a studio. Business was growing so fast, and people were so interested in trying this NEW exercise regimen that was sweeping the nation. I literally had no time to study business. I just opened my doors and went to work. Thankfully, I had a lot of folks who I looked to for advice along the way. I learned very quickly about the need to hire outside help for bookkeeping, accounting, for the things that weren’t my expertise, so that I could do what was my expertise…teaching. But looking back to those early days, I was apprehensive to ask for too much help. I needed to run the show, and be the show (the Leo in me!). Over the years, I got better at asking for help. I needed instructors, so early on I started a teacher training program that allowed me direct access to well-qualified instructors — the best of the best. I trained passionate potential instructors, making sure every aspect and detail of the methodology was covered. I got to a point where I needed front desk help, and over time I employed up to 16 instructors! We were having a ball.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Many people have helped me along the way. After 20+ years in this business, I have come across so many different people that have impacted my career and my life. To this day, I still have some of the same clients I started teaching back in the beginning. And so often, clients are the ones who have helped guide my decisions or advised me out of tough situations. I have stayed close to many of my fellow instructors around the country with whom I completed my Pilates certification in Boulder, CO. They teach and own Pilates studios, as well, and oftentimes share the same small business issues that I am experiencing. My family, my brothers and my sister have always been incredible sounding boards at various times of need. I also love to brainstorm with other women I know in business. I have a close friend who has owned a hair salon for as long as I have had my studio. I think she is brilliant, and I often call her for business advice. Even though our businesses are vastly different, we deal with the same issues regarding day-to-day operations, staffing, accounting, marketing, you name it. I actually have several women that I respect that I talk to from time to time. We are all entrepreneurs and struggling with the same things so often. And as women who run small businesses, we all support each other and have each other’s backs.
Ok, perfect. Now let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
Relative to what we all have been through these last two years, with COVID, quarantining at home, recovering from COVID, dealing with the stresses of losing loved ones, losing jobs, home schooling, taking care of family and friends, and just overall mental health, we are all in need of movement, blood flow, connection, community, love and support. It has always been important to me to provide a safe, loving, supportive environment where anyone can come in for Pilates and find more than just Pilates. I stress — more than Pilates. We all need to get stronger, move without pain, release anxiety, gain flexibility, and, I think, especially at this time of “recovery,” we need human interaction. My job is to guide people in the direction of health as a team. I am not simply telling clients what I want them to do, but rather listening to what they need and working together to achieve any goal they have in mind. And that applies both inside and out. I have received more emails recently than ever before thanking me for persevering, for sticking with it, for staying open during these hard times, and for being there when we all needed someone we could count on. It has been, and continues to be, so gratifying.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
- I feel strongly that the first thing you put in your body in the morning can make an enormous difference in how your body functions throughout the entire day. I make a morning elixir that I have been drinking every morning for about 3 years now. It is meant to reduce inflammation, clean out your gut, get things moving in your intestines, and acts as a prebiotic. The recipe is on my website, but it includes turmeric, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, black pepper and a dash of pure maple syrup, all mixed together in a mug of hot water. I absolutely LOVE this drink, and I swear by it. It is my coffee, as I haven’t had coffee since college. I can’t tell you how many times I have shared this recipe with friends and clients!
- I am most productive in the morning. I didn’t always know that, and I would often wait until the end of the day to get some important things done, to take on clients at my studio, to work out, etc., and it was always a bad idea. So my latest ‘tweak” is to make a list of what needs to get done, and make sure I tackle it in the early hours of the day when my brain is awake and most creative and productive.
- I decided to stop trying to fit my round self into a square peg all the time, and as I said earlier, listen to my intuition. I literally have conversations with myself, sometimes even out loud! “Randi, is that a good idea? Is that the best choice for you? Will you regret this choice later today?” I am always encouraging my clients to talk to themselves as if talking to a friend. We advise our friends and family clearly and from the heart, but we don’t always listen to our own advice. So advise yourself as if advising a friend, and then listen. People may think you are nuts. But I guarantee they go home later and give it a try!
- I am a list maker. I used to just make my lists in my head. I thought I didn’t really need to write them down and would get them done eventually. Well, I started to get forgetful! Writing things down, no matter how insignificant these tasks may be, made all the difference in the world for me. I no longer had to store so much in my head, therefore I had room for other thoughts. I started crossing things off on little scraps of paper, and eventually, I graduated to keeping my lists in my phone.
- Returning texts and calls right away. This is a life changing tweak I have made in my life, and it is definitely still a work in progress. I try my hardest to respond right away — at least a “thank you, I will get back to you,” flagging the important emails, so I don’t lose track of them. I find this is important especially when it comes to my business. Existing and potential clients almost always thank me for my quick responses and are so appreciative. Not only is it good client service, but it’s good business — getting a response while this person is motivated to get fit or make a change is effective. And it shows that I care about them, that they matter to me. This is a first impression, and it needs to be professional, warm, caring, and informative. The same goes for returning texts. It is so easy to respond in the moment, even if it’s a “I’ll get back to you later.”
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
More accessible wellness! And what a perfect time for this question, as I have recently launched my online Pilates On Demand platform. I am so proud of the content thus far. I realize folks are still apprehensive about going to a gym or Pilates studio. Or they are taking care of kids and/or working from home and don’t have a lot of control over their schedules. So I brought Pilates to you with a library of over 20 classes (and growing!). There are various class lengths, each or which tackles different needs & goals. It is such a convenient and affordable opportunity for folks to continue to take care of themselves while stuck at home, traveling for work, etc.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Wow, loaded question. I mean, it is all so important to me. I try to live my life in a way that is sustainable for the planet, as I know that is in the best interest of our health as human beings. But there are so many other issues that stick with me, such as women’s rights and right to choose, Black Lives Matter and diversity, vaccinations and public health, climate change, etc.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
Please do! On Instagram, people can find us under @frogtemplechicago, Facebook under @FrogTemple and our website is https://www.frogtemple.com/. People can also email me anytime at [email protected] or call the studio directly (the old-fashioned way!) at 773–489–0890. Better yet, stop in and enjoy your first mat class for FREE or half off a first timer equipment group class. Our YouTube channel is coming soon, so look out for that, as well.
Thank you for these fantastic insights!
Women In Wellness: Randi Whitman of Frog Temple Pilates on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.