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Kelly Riffel

Education

University of California, Santa Cruz; B.A. in Psychology, graduated Summa Cum Laude

Certifications & Specializations

Certified Pilates Instructor through JL Body Conditioning

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist

NASM Senior Fitness Specialist

NASM Behavior Change Specialist

NASM Stretching & Flexibility Coach

Certified Yoga Instructor through YogaSix

CPR/AED Certified

Experience

14+ years

Expertise

Corrective Exercise

Senior Fitness

Client's with joint replacements and spinal issues who have completed physical therapy

Pre and postnatal fitness

Exercise with fibroids

Virtual training sessions

Background

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Kelly's passion for fitness began in middle school through her involvement in cross country and track, where she discovered a love for running. However, as she got older and developed scoliosis, she began experiencing pain during and after runs. This challenge led her to expand her wellness journey by embracing yoga and Pilates, which helped her improve flexibility and build strength to manage scoliosis-related discomfort. Soon after, she noticed that she could run stronger, longer, and pain-free.

Before heading to college, Kelly decided to become a certified Pilates instructor, unaware of how pivotal this decision would be in her career. She deepened her expertise by completing the 500-hour Pilates apprenticeship under the renowned Julian Littleford.

Kelly went on to graduate summa cum laude from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in psychology. During her time in school, she taught Pilates at various studios in Santa Cruz, initially considering a career as a therapist. However, she realized her true passion lay in helping people through exercise and movement.

After college, Kelly continued working at several Pilates studios in San Diego. Recognizing that her clients needed more than just Pilates to achieve a well-rounded fitness routine, she became a certified yoga instructor through YogaSix and a certified personal trainer through NASM to better help clients meet their fitness goals and to address some of the weaknesses in the pilates method that could be addressed through personal training.

In 2015, Kelly and her mom, Denise, decided to open their own fitness studio, Fit Monkeys, combining the best elements of Pilates and personal training to create a unique and effective training style. Their studio would specialize in one-on-one personalized fitness training.

Kelly has since continued to expand her skills, earning certifications in corrective exercise, senior fitness, and behavior change through NASM. She is dedicated to helping adults and seniors of all fitness levels reach their fitness goals with tailored, intelligent fitness programs. Her training philosophy focuses on proper form and functional movement, with each routine grounded in exercise science and customized to align with her clients' specific goals and interests.

During 2020, Kelly and Denise trained clients virtually, helping them stay on track with their fitness goals throughout the lockdown and the pandemic. Kelly continues to offer virtual sessions for clients who prefer working out from the convenience of their homes. She also specializes in guiding clients through the process of planning and setting up their home gym, helping them decide what equipment to order and how to organize it for optimal use.

Currently, Kelly is expanding her expertise in women’s health through NASM’s Women’s Health Specialization. With years of experience training pregnant women, she is well-equipped to support and empower women at every stage of pregnancy, encouraging them to stay active and healthy. As Kelly prepares for motherhood herself, she remains committed to maintaining her fitness throughout pregnancy and helping other women do the same. An avid runner, Kelly is also pursuing certification as a running coach, furthering her ability to help runners like herself enhance performance, improve technique, and prevent injuries.

Hobbies

Distance Running

Hiking

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Drawing

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Kelly and her husband Jon before the San Diego marathon (2022)

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Kelly and her husband Jon after completing the San Diego marathon (2022)