“Darla Is the rarest combination of athlete and aesthete. I’m an actor and musician. These sessions felt as rewarding as rehearsing a play or writing a song. She is a jock with the soul and mind of an artist, and she is perfectly matched to people who identify with either.
– Sean Williams
Body Work.
Dynamically partner with your work for the long game.
Building strength, endurance, connection, and integration generates the energy and vitality to stay engaged over time. Physical capacity changes how you can meet the day ~ with greater clarity, focus, and responsiveness. Nurturing your strength, flexibility, mobility and nervous system creates a deep supportive resource for years to come.
To be strong, to be flexible, to be agile, to be still, to be calm, to be balanced, to be powerful.
To be well.
IMAGINE YOURSELF DIFFERENTLY
It’s been a joy to partner with my clients since 2004 ~ people who want to train smart and build sustainable and fiercely intelligent bodies.
Much like you, actually.
- All work is body-based.
- Body Work means so many different things to so many different bodies.
- Your program is defined by your unique body and lifestyle needs.
- 98% of my clientele work out in the comfort of their own homes.
- Don’t worry, if you can lay on the floor and make an X with your body , you’ll have enough room to train.
HOW WE BEGIN
Orientation
We begin with a consultation to understand your body, your history, and what’s asking for attention now.
We’ll talk through your health and movement history, current or previous injuries, lifestyle, nutrition, and any care you’re receiving from a doctor, physical therapist, or other medical specialist.
What Comes Next
From there, we decide what makes sense for your body and your needs. Your work may include strength, mobility, flexibility, conditioning, recovery, and other elements that support how your body functions and adapts.
Rhythm / Continuity / Progress
Continuity is key.
My clients stay with the work because they see and feel tangible changes. Training evolves as you do, and you’ll constantly be learning.
TThe number of sessions you train per week sets the working rhythm of your program. I generally recommend 2–3 sessions per week to build continuity and meaningful change.
ABOUT MY APPROACH
We find the distinct pathway into YOUR training.
Training is shaped around what your body needs as it changes. Generic exercises just don’t cut it. Your body, lifestyle, and changing needs conduct the tone and content of your training. This allows your work to evolve with you over time.
Method
I utilize integrated principles from Weight Training, Pilates, Functional Strength Training, Plyometrics, Yoga, Cardio, Circuit Training, Alexander Technique, Flexibility Training and Core / Postural Assimilation to build strong, facile, and injury free bodies. Mindfulness meditation techniques are also available to deepen your training.
Experience
I’ve been training humans at home since 2004. My background as an interdisciplinary artist, dancer, and athlete informs how I understand movement, strength, and physical intelligence. My training and certifications include the International Sports Sciences Association, Reebok RNT Flexibility Training, yoga, movement screening, physioball and resistance training, and Red Cross CPR/AED. I’m a 200-hour trained and certified Mindfulness Meditation Practitioner through The Veda Center (Charlie Knoles). As an interdisciplinary artist, Guggenheim Fellow, and MacDowell Fellow, I view physical practice as integral to my larger creative practice.
Questions and answers
Q: I am fitness phobic, how can this work for me? I have nightmares of headbands and drill sergeants screaming, “Drop and give me twenty.”
Fear not.
This work is about YOUR body and what you need. I’ll work with you to set that criteria. Your training will not be generic and it will not bear any resemblance to a SNL skit.
If you feel like you’ve never cultivated a “fitness” relationship with yourself, and you can’t imagine how it could be meaningful or aligned with you aesthetically…
It can, and it will.
Your body and lifestyle determines the context of the work along with your likes and dislikes. Every client is unique and complex, and so is my approach to them.
Q: Why do I need to work with you?
For the same reason that you’d work with anyone who has expertise outside of your knowledge base. My position on methodology is to not only meet your goals, but to expand your knowledge and give you the tools to workout anywhere with a variety of modalities. It’s very much like learning to play an instrument or learning an operating system.
You will need to express yourself physically for the rest of your life.
Q: I’m recovering from an injury, how do I safely get back to exercising?
I have helped many clients make the transition from physical therapy back into their training. A transitional plan is structured by engaging in dialogue (ongoing if needed) with your PT, Acupuncturist, Massage Therapist or Doctor. A program is devised to ensure that your training is safe and moving in the proper direction. Many folks are lost in the middle between healing from an injury and getting back into exercise and need a smart, safe platform to work from.
Q: What happens within the course of a session, and how long is it?
First I’ll take you through a dynamic warm-up, followed by the primary portion of the workout, then core training and stretching. You’ll learn how to recruit and activate your abdominals as well as integrate postural dynamics during the entire session, which lasts for 60 minutes.
30 Minute sessions are also available.
Q: Why is working with you a good alternative to the gym?
I’ve learned through the years that either you’re a gym person or not. Some just find a gym environment invasive, loud, not their “scene.” There’s no direction and they’re not seeing changes. Time is also a consideration. The majority of my clients are Creatives, Entrepreneurs, Freelancers, humans with very busy lives. Home training saves them time, they experience a customized comprehensive workout and can get right back to business. Other clients are seeking direction, individualized instruction, motivation, a coach, accountability, a collaborator. Some supplement their gym experience by working privately with me.
Q: What happens during our initial Consultation?
To create the optimal program for you, it is imperative to collect data regarding the history of your health and any current or past injury issues. Lifestyle, nutrition and current exercise regime are important factors in your customized program. Determinant factors in your program may also include any ongoing care of a doctor, physical therapist, or medical specialist. This is a 60 minute session.
Q: How much space will I need and what equipment should I have?
If you have space for a yoga mat and / or can lie on the floor and make an X with your body, you’ll have enough room to train. Equipment requirements are minimal, we can also work with your body weight alone. The variables of your program are dictated by your unique body’s needs and your goals.
Q: Which package should I choose?
Please know that programs are customized. If you’re shopping for a friend or loved one I’ll help you with that.
When choosing a package for yourself we’ll talk about the schema of your training and what will work best for you. I make a rigorous effort to design programs that will work within your price point, and there are several package options to choose from. I encourage reasonable expectations about time line and results.