Guest Instructor

Hamssah Badrah enjoys guiding individuals on their own movement adventures. A former youth gymnast, Hamssah is an accomplished weight lifter and fitness educator. She holds several fitness certifications including Animal Flow® Level 1, Jiu Jitsu, and PADI Open Water Diver. She is also an ISSA Personal Trainer. Her philosophy is to discover, learn, and share life-changing movement practices. She will help you stay FIT for a better quality of LIFE. www.flowfit.life

RYT, ACE-Certified Personal Trainer
Yoga Instructor
Fitness Instructor
Wellness Director

Living with painful headaches and joint instability, Cynthia began studying yoga and strength training to improve her own well being in 2003. Wanting to share this same sense of freedom and make yoga accessible to as many people as possible, she received her 200-RYT certification from Feel Your Best (FYB) whose philosophy is the “Person not the Pose.” Upon graduating in 2005, she began teaching a gentle, benefits-oriented teaching style that incorporates Iyengar (alignment), Ashtanga (power), Viniyoga (therapeutic) yoga. Over the last 10+ years, she’s lead alignment-based, accessible yoga classes that balance effort with ease. She encourages conversation, individual discovery as well as ways to personalize the yoga practice. Cynthia’s worked with clients of all fitness levels, abilities, and ages.

Ever inquisitive, she continues her yoga education through personal study, workshops and conferences. She’s certified in Chair Yoga with Stacie Dooreck’s SunLight Yoga and certified in Core Functional Fitness with Hope Zvara. As a certified ACE Personal Trainer, she brings functional movements, postural strength, and healthy range of motion to her yoga classes. As a certified TRX instructor, she enjoys teaching accessible fitness classes on the suspension trainers. As a certified NETA Wellness Coach, she shares ways to add healthy habits and reduce stress in everyday life. She’s also a member of Yoga Alliance.

Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Prior to teaching, coaching and consulting full time, she worked in corporate marketing and communication departments in several industries for 23 years.

To give back to the yoga community, for the past 10 years she has donated her service and talents at Yoga Journal Conferences around the USA.

Q&A with Cynthia Akey

Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2005 and practicing since 2003. But I found my first yoga book when I was 13 and started practicing some of the asanas. It opened a whole new world.

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in alignment-based practice and have experience teaching gentle, therapeutic, restorative, chair, yin, vinyasa, corporate, yoga for runners/athletes and yoga for beginners.

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I came from a place of pain – migraines and joint instability. Being hypermobile, I sought structure and strength and was drawn to Iyengar yoga and its use of props to make it accessible. I am fascinated with intentional energy and breathwork incorporating these into each pose. As I age, my practice continues to evolve to better suit my daily needs.

Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A student can expect to approach each practice with a beginner’s mind and awaken personal “a-ha” moments. I specialize in uncovering the subtleties of asana, pranayama and meditation. In each class, I encourage discussion and offer moments for individual discovery so that each student may make the practice their own. To ensure classes are accessible, we’ll use props – wall, chairs, bolsters, blocks and straps. Mindful modifications and hands-on adjustments will be provided.

Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. I’ve seen a shift from a practice of personal development and self-reflection to one of action and activism. While yogis are here to inspire health and wellness, we can awaken and transform our hearts, minds and community.

Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Balancing work and life. Too often we overextend ourselves to do more. Currently, I’m focused on mantra, meditation, pranayama, making time for reflection and some quality sleep.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I spent the last few years living in a land-locked city in northern California. I really missed Bradford Beach and Lake Michigan. I love to watch the waves and walk on the sand. It’s a great place to meditate and renew my spirit. I missed the seasons too – so it’s great watching the trees leaves change colors.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. So much has changed in the past few years while I have been away. It’s been fun to rediscover the Milwaukee area. I really enjoy Blue’s Egg because breakfast is my favorite meal.

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to travel with my husband, spend time with my cat who behaves like a dog, and learn anything. I also enjoy being creative – with food, jewelry, graphic design, and event planning.

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. To reduce stress, I visit my “beach” – in person or just visualize it. I like to get some exercise – walking in nature, riding my spin bike, or practicing yoga and pranayama. I’m a fan of old movies and musicals. So a cup of tea and “Hello, Dolly” help me laugh and smile.

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Matthew brings a degree in theater and background in playwriting to his new career as a personal trainer.

Performing on stage since elementary school, Matthew was introduced to the concept of the human body as an incredible machine—an amazingly resilient instrument able to achieve incredible things if given the right attention and tools to do so.

Although new to formal fitness training, Matthew has always held an interest in personal health and wellness. Working and training as an actor can be a physically demanding pursuit. Without body control and proper muscular development, as well as competent balance and coordination, acting will take its toll.

Theater work is about concentration, focus, and breathing—all skills a competent stage actor needs to have. These abilities, along with communication with others, adapts well to personal fitness training.

Matthew is a firm believer that good health habits of nutrition and exercise can be cemented into our lives. He cites himself as an example that it’s never too late to begin a dedicated exercise routine for reaching fitness goals in strength training and cardio endurance.

One person’s passion can be transferable to others. Matthew plans to bring his passion for nutrition and fitness into his personal training sessions and guide others toward their wellness goals, whatever they may be.

Matthew holds a bachelor’s degree in Dramatic Arts from the University of Wisconsin Parkside.

Q & A with Matthew Konkel

Q. How long have you been a fitness professional?
A. My career in fitness began in 2021. Although I’ve just begun, my enthusiasm and eagerness to help others reach their fitness goals is mighty!

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I love to work with those who are looking to establish a new exercise routine or those who may have let their exercise habits slip and need help getting back into the practice.

Q. What can a new student expect?
A. I promise to provide new clients with challenging and engaging fitness sessions coupled with compassion and empathy. Each session is personalized for individuals to help them reach their goals.

Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. There are two trends I find notable: Exercise as medicine and bodyweight training.

It’s true, I believe, even just a little bit of regular exercise can have a profound effect on our health and significantly reduce our chances of developing chronic disease. I’m going to do what I can to encourage others to keep moving.

When the average person thinks about exercise, running and weight training are the common images that come to mind. These are great activities, but there’s so much more available to us in the form of bodyweight training that is just as effective. I like to utilize simple but valuable bodyweight training in my programming as much as I can.

Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. In addition to trying to reach and maintain my optimal overall health, I’m currently working on muscular hypertrophy to prove muscle can be gained even in our fifth decade of life. I eat mostly whole foods, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, seek out things that give me joy and laughter, and consistently exercise five to six days a week.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. Although I love living in the city, I feel at home in any place with trees and hiking trails. From the south side to the north there are great places to get a good hike in or just relax among the urban located greenery.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Celesta. The food is always great and the service is always top notch.

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to go for bike rides long and short. Nothing is better than a summer run. I also enjoy watching movies, keeping up on the news, reading novels, and cooking new recipes.

Q.What do you do to de-stress?
A. I’m a natural introvert so the best way I find to de-stress and reset for the next day is to spend some alone time, reading, or finding a quiet space to collect my thoughts. Eating some hummus on whole-wheat toast works too!

Robert’s fascination with fitness started in the summer before freshman year in high school. That year Robert experienced a rapid growth spurt of six inches. The coaches wanted him to play sports because he was tall but because of his growth spurt he was very uncoordinated. His training started with weight-lifting, running cross country and training with the wrestling team. These activities helped him build movement awareness and increase his size, speed and strength. His training was so successful he went on to be a walk-on player for the University of Illinois football team!

With his degree in Industrial Design, Robert worked for a company designing fitness equipment. He was there for 11 years and came to appreciate that our bodies are the best designed pieces of fitness equipment. He left to attend the National Personal Training Institute. While there, he developed his philosophy, ‘Choose to move well, move often and challenge your body everyday’. His primary training approach uses full body, primal movements with resistance as well as other other unique methods, to help his clients move and feel better.

Q&A with Robert McDonial

Q. How long have you been a personal trainer?
A. I have been a personal trainer/fitness coach for five years. Before becoming a personal trainer, I designed fitness equipment.

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in body weight and non-machine based training. You can accomplish strength, endurance and hypertrophy goals with your own body weight. I prefer to use kettlebells, sandbags, superbands, the TRX Suspension Trainer and the Rip Trainer when I do use equipment.

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Having designed fitness equipment for 10+ years, I saw how people routinely discarded the equipment shortly after buying it. I also so how people became frustrated waiting for occupied gym equipment and being unable to take the equipment with them while traveling. I quickly realized that there was one piece of equipment, that everyone had: their own body. They just did not know how to use it. I began to learn and teach myself various types of body weight training, so I could show others how to use the ultimate training machine, their own body.

Q. What can a new client expect?
A. A new client can expect to receive a full assessment with an explanation of the findings and a road map for the fulfillment of their needs and goals. Clients will also be challenged to safely step out of there comfort zone.

Q.What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. I like that primal/natural movement is catching on. If you can control your body, then you can control external loads and reduce your chance of injury. I also like that tools such a as kettlebells and sand bags, are starting to get programmed into training regimens.

Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current personal wellness goals are to bulletproof my body from injury and to improve my handstands. I practice primal movement patterns to activate my entire body so I can move well and with intention. I also practice my inversions a little bit everyday.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I love being in and around water, so any place along the lakefront is perfect for me. If I had to choose one place, then it would be Atwater park in Shorewood. Not only is it a beautiful view of Lake Michigan and the beach below, but the stairs and the walkway are ideal for training.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Having lived in Florida, I love seafood, so I like Screaming Tuna for their sushi. I have heard that the Harbor House has excellent seafood, so I’m going to have to try them out sometime. Occasionally, I will go to Kopps for a burger and custard. You can’t eat perfectly all the time, haha!

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My three favorite things to do are going to auto shows, visiting unique architecture-both residential and commercial, and watching movies at the theater.

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
To de-stress, I love to listen to music while taking long walks with my dog.

An experienced group exercise fitness instructor, Maryann will challenge you every bit of the way. Her positive attitude will get you to your fitness goals giving you the right tools to move better and feel better. She is holds multiple instructor certifications including in AFAA Group Exercise, TRX, Kettlebell, Spinning as well as Les Mills Bodypump and Les Mills Bodytone. She is also an ACE-certified Personal Trainer.

As a former professional chef, Maryann understands the fundamentals in leading a healthy lifestyle inside and outside the gym. She believes fitness is not just aesthetics and athleticism, it comes with mindful eating and feeling good emotionally and mentally.

Q & A
How long have you been an instructor?
I’ve been an instructor since 2011.

What areas do you specialize in?
I specialize in balance, functional movement, compound movement, (more bang for your buck, getting stronger while torching calories.

What brought you to your current style of practice?
I love making people feel good from the inside out.

What can a new student expect?
New group exercise students can expect to get a good workout, feel good about themselves, and feel accomplished.

What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
Many noteworthy tips from highly renowned physical therapists including injury prevention techniques, and physical conditioning for each and every body type.

What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
My personal goals are to balance a healthy diet, a healthy workout routine, and set realistic goals.

What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
I’m attracted by the water wherever I go. Seeing the endless horizon over the lakefront reminds me that possibilities are endless and to just keep on striving for success.

What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
Buckley’s is my favorite restaurant by far. As a professional chef, I appreciate the welcoming atmosphere the restaurant provides. It is family-owned, the mother is the pastry chef and the sons manage the front of the house. I feel like I’m at home every time I’ve gone there. That’s how a gym should feel. Where you feel comfortable to make yourself at home with no judgment only open arms.

What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
I love to try our new restaurants in the city, explore a new hiking trail, or turn on some good jazz and try out a new recipe of my own.

What do you do to de-stress?
I have always loved rock climbing. I try to make it to the climbing gym at least 3 times a week. I enjoy puzzles and problem-solving. Climbing is a way of solving a puzzle moving one arm and leg at a time.

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Matthew brings a degree in theater and background in playwriting to his new career as a personal trainer.

Performing on stage since elementary school, Matthew was introduced to the concept of the human body as an incredible machine—an amazingly resilient instrument able to achieve incredible things if given the right attention and tools to do so.

Although new to formal fitness training, Matthew has always held an interest in personal health and wellness. Working and training as an actor can be a physically demanding pursuit. Without body control and proper muscular development, as well as competent balance and coordination, acting will take its toll.

Theater work is about concentration, focus, and breathing—all skills a competent stage actor needs to have. These abilities, along with communication with others, adapts well to personal fitness training.

Matthew is a firm believer that good health habits of nutrition and exercise can be cemented into our lives. He cites himself as an example that it’s never too late to begin a dedicated exercise routine for reaching fitness goals in strength training and cardio endurance.

One person’s passion can be transferable to others. Matthew plans to bring his passion for nutrition and fitness into his personal training sessions and guide others toward their wellness goals, whatever they may be.

Matthew holds a bachelor’s degree in Dramatic Arts from the University of Wisconsin Parkside.

Q & A with Matthew Konkel

Q. How long have you been a fitness professional?
A. My career in fitness began in 2021. Although I’ve just begun, my enthusiasm and eagerness to help others reach their fitness goals is mighty!

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I love to work with those who are looking to establish a new exercise routine or those who may have let their exercise habits slip and need help getting back into the practice.

Q. What can a new student expect?
A. I promise to provide new clients with challenging and engaging fitness sessions coupled with compassion and empathy. Each session is personalized for individuals to help them reach their goals.

Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. There are two trends I find notable: Exercise as medicine and bodyweight training.

It’s true, I believe, even just a little bit of regular exercise can have a profound effect on our health and significantly reduce our chances of developing chronic disease. I’m going to do what I can to encourage others to keep moving.

When the average person thinks about exercise, running and weight training are the common images that come to mind. These are great activities, but there’s so much more available to us in the form of bodyweight training that is just as effective. I like to utilize simple but valuable bodyweight training in my programming as much as I can.

Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. In addition to trying to reach and maintain my optimal overall health, I’m currently working on muscular hypertrophy to prove muscle can be gained even in our fifth decade of life. I eat mostly whole foods, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, seek out things that give me joy and laughter, and consistently exercise five to six days a week.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. Although I love living in the city, I feel at home in any place with trees and hiking trails. From the south side to the north there are great places to get a good hike in or just relax among the urban located greenery.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Celesta. The food is always great and the service is always top notch.

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to go for bike rides long and short. Nothing is better than a summer run. I also enjoy watching movies, keeping up on the news, reading novels, and cooking new recipes.

Q.What do you do to de-stress?
A. I’m a natural introvert so the best way I find to de-stress and reset for the next day is to spend some alone time, reading, or finding a quiet space to collect my thoughts. Eating some hummus on whole-wheat toast works too!

As a yoga practitioner for 20+ years, as well as a former choreographer and dancer, Alecia enjoys challenging her students with a creative and varied Vinyasa flow. She considers the needs of each student, ensuring a safe space where all are welcome.  She strives to combine the physical and the mental side of yoga, incorporating both into her teaching.

She received her 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training Certificate at Core Essence under the instruction of Shayne Broadwell.

On the weekends, you can often find her performing at ComedySportz or other improv comedy venues around Milwaukee.

Q&A with Alecia Altstaetter

Q. How long have you been a teacher?
A. Alecia has been teaching since 2018. She has been a practicing yogi for over 20 years.

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. She specializes in power flow.

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. She enjoys challenging her edge.

Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect to hear many cues to build alignment and technique. My goal is to nurture the body as well as the spirit.

Q. What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. She enjoys focusing on creating themes for each practice.

Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My personal wellness goal is to strengthen the mind/body connection.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. The beer garden at Estabrook Park.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Kawa

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. She enjoys participating in improv comedy, paleo cooking, and hanging out in nature with her kiddos.

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. To de-stress she listens to podcasts 🙂

An experienced group exercise fitness instructor, Maryann will challenge you every bit of the way. Her positive attitude will get you to your fitness goals giving you the right tools to move better and feel better. She is holds multiple instructor certifications including in AFAA Group Exercise, TRX, Kettlebell, Spinning as well as Les Mills Bodypump and Les Mills Bodytone. She is also an ACE-certified Personal Trainer.

As a former professional chef, Maryann understands the fundamentals in leading a healthy lifestyle inside and outside the gym. She believes fitness is not just aesthetics and athleticism, it comes with mindful eating and feeling good emotionally and mentally.

Q & A
How long have you been an instructor?
I’ve been an instructor since 2011.

What areas do you specialize in?
I specialize in balance, functional movement, compound movement, (more bang for your buck, getting stronger while torching calories.

What brought you to your current style of practice?
I love making people feel good from the inside out.

What can a new student expect?
New group exercise students can expect to get a good workout, feel good about themselves, and feel accomplished.

What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
Many noteworthy tips from highly renowned physical therapists including injury prevention techniques, and physical conditioning for each and every body type.

What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
My personal goals are to balance a healthy diet, a healthy workout routine, and set realistic goals.

What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
I’m attracted by the water wherever I go. Seeing the endless horizon over the lakefront reminds me that possibilities are endless and to just keep on striving for success.

What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
Buckley’s is my favorite restaurant by far. As a professional chef, I appreciate the welcoming atmosphere the restaurant provides. It is family-owned, the mother is the pastry chef and the sons manage the front of the house. I feel like I’m at home every time I’ve gone there. That’s how a gym should feel. Where you feel comfortable to make yourself at home with no judgment only open arms.

What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
I love to try our new restaurants in the city, explore a new hiking trail, or turn on some good jazz and try out a new recipe of my own.

What do you do to de-stress?
I have always loved rock climbing. I try to make it to the climbing gym at least 3 times a week. I enjoy puzzles and problem-solving. Climbing is a way of solving a puzzle moving one arm and leg at a time.

Barre Certified, Certified Personal Trainer
Fitness Instructor

Venezuelan-born Yumelia joined the National Ballet of Caracas at age 15, before coming to the U.S. to dance first for Ohio Ballet, then served as a principal at Milwaukee Ballet for 10 years. She retired as a principal dancer from the Joffrey Ballet in 2014. Yumelia loves to share her dance knowledge and experience. She inspires students teaching and coaching in ballet schools across the country. Certified in Barre Workout Fitness, she is excited to share the passion, poise, and power of dance as fitness at INVIVO.

Q&A with Yumelia Garcia

Q. How long have you been a teacher?
A. I became a Barre Fitness instructor in 2017. I have been a professional ballerina for the last 25 years and teaching ballet for the last 15 years.

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. Naturally, my specialty is ballet, with that I emphasize posture, lengthening muscles and flexibility.

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I discovered “barre workouts” while performing as a company dancer. As a guest artist it was within my own responsibility to maintain top shape. While searching for cross training activities I became hooked on barre workouts, the method worked and toned every muscle in my body as I am accustomed. It was a natural step to become certified to teach a form of workout I which I strongly believe.

Q. What can a new student expect?
A. Expect a challenge in the beginning as with anything we do for first time. However, it’s accomplished in a friendly, non-judgmental environment in which you will feel free to work within your own range. Students should expect to feel taller and leaner after classes. The class will strengthen muscles while elongating your body, keeping a dancer’s posture throughout the class. Expect to be sore after a few classes as your body adjusts to the new workout.

Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. I believe Barre Workout is a recent trend that has grown in popularity because of the way you work your entire body (arms, abs, legs and back), feeling like a dancer in the way an amateur athlete can feel playing sports.

Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. One of my personal wellness goals is finding a balance between physical activity and mental and emotional repose. I’ve had sensitivity and hyper-mobility in my joints for several years now and it’s been a daily process staying on top of it. It’s easy for me to do too much, physically, but I’ve found that when I have a good balance of activity and rest, it’s possible to keep my joints happy!

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. Definitely, the lake front. I am fortunate to live by South Shore park and able to walk by the lake every day.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Home!! My husband is an excellent cook and makes the most amazing meals. Milwaukee has tons of new restaurants, we are still discovering our favorite.

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Walk my doggy, bake, and hanging out enjoying quality time with my husband and dog.

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Actually, exercising de-stresses me. I am accustomed to the adrenaline, sweat and energy experienced during my dance career, I crave it!! I enjoy hot baths, playing with my dog, walking on the lakefront or savoring a glass of wine.

Robert’s fascination with fitness started in the summer before freshman year in high school. That year Robert experienced a rapid growth spurt of six inches. The coaches wanted him to play sports because he was tall but because of his growth spurt he was very uncoordinated. His training started with weight-lifting, running cross country and training with the wrestling team. These activities helped him build movement awareness and increase his size, speed and strength. His training was so successful he went on to be a walk-on player for the University of Illinois football team!

With his degree in Industrial Design, Robert worked for a company designing fitness equipment. He was there for 11 years and came to appreciate that our bodies are the best designed pieces of fitness equipment. He left to attend the National Personal Training Institute. While there, he developed his philosophy, ‘Choose to move well, move often and challenge your body everyday’. His primary training approach uses full body, primal movements with resistance as well as other other unique methods, to help his clients move and feel better.

Q&A with Robert McDonial

Q. How long have you been a personal trainer?
A. I have been a personal trainer/fitness coach for five years. Before becoming a personal trainer, I designed fitness equipment.

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in body weight and non-machine based training. You can accomplish strength, endurance and hypertrophy goals with your own body weight. I prefer to use kettlebells, sandbags, superbands, the TRX Suspension Trainer and the Rip Trainer when I do use equipment.

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Having designed fitness equipment for 10+ years, I saw how people routinely discarded the equipment shortly after buying it. I also so how people became frustrated waiting for occupied gym equipment and being unable to take the equipment with them while traveling. I quickly realized that there was one piece of equipment, that everyone had: their own body. They just did not know how to use it. I began to learn and teach myself various types of body weight training, so I could show others how to use the ultimate training machine, their own body.

Q. What can a new client expect?
A. A new client can expect to receive a full assessment with an explanation of the findings and a road map for the fulfillment of their needs and goals. Clients will also be challenged to safely step out of there comfort zone.

Q.What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. I like that primal/natural movement is catching on. If you can control your body, then you can control external loads and reduce your chance of injury. I also like that tools such a as kettlebells and sand bags, are starting to get programmed into training regimens.

Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current personal wellness goals are to bulletproof my body from injury and to improve my handstands. I practice primal movement patterns to activate my entire body so I can move well and with intention. I also practice my inversions a little bit everyday.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I love being in and around water, so any place along the lakefront is perfect for me. If I had to choose one place, then it would be Atwater park in Shorewood. Not only is it a beautiful view of Lake Michigan and the beach below, but the stairs and the walkway are ideal for training.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Having lived in Florida, I love seafood, so I like Screaming Tuna for their sushi. I have heard that the Harbor House has excellent seafood, so I’m going to have to try them out sometime. Occasionally, I will go to Kopps for a burger and custard. You can’t eat perfectly all the time, haha!

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My three favorite things to do are going to auto shows, visiting unique architecture-both residential and commercial, and watching movies at the theater.

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
To de-stress, I love to listen to music while taking long walks with my dog.

Robert’s fascination with fitness started in the summer before freshman year in high school. That year Robert experienced a rapid growth spurt of six inches. The coaches wanted him to play sports because he was tall but because of his growth spurt he was very uncoordinated. His training started with weight-lifting, running cross country and training with the wrestling team. These activities helped him build movement awareness and increase his size, speed and strength. His training was so successful he went on to be a walk-on player for the University of Illinois football team!

With his degree in Industrial Design, Robert worked for a company designing fitness equipment. He was there for 11 years and came to appreciate that our bodies are the best designed pieces of fitness equipment. He left to attend the National Personal Training Institute. While there, he developed his philosophy, ‘Choose to move well, move often and challenge your body everyday’. His primary training approach uses full body, primal movements with resistance as well as other other unique methods, to help his clients move and feel better.

Q&A with Robert McDonial

Q. How long have you been a personal trainer?
A. I have been a personal trainer/fitness coach for five years. Before becoming a personal trainer, I designed fitness equipment.

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in body weight and non-machine based training. You can accomplish strength, endurance and hypertrophy goals with your own body weight. I prefer to use kettlebells, sandbags, superbands, the TRX Suspension Trainer and the Rip Trainer when I do use equipment.

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Having designed fitness equipment for 10+ years, I saw how people routinely discarded the equipment shortly after buying it. I also so how people became frustrated waiting for occupied gym equipment and being unable to take the equipment with them while traveling. I quickly realized that there was one piece of equipment, that everyone had: their own body. They just did not know how to use it. I began to learn and teach myself various types of body weight training, so I could show others how to use the ultimate training machine, their own body.

Q. What can a new client expect?
A. A new client can expect to receive a full assessment with an explanation of the findings and a road map for the fulfillment of their needs and goals. Clients will also be challenged to safely step out of there comfort zone.

Q.What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. I like that primal/natural movement is catching on. If you can control your body, then you can control external loads and reduce your chance of injury. I also like that tools such a as kettlebells and sand bags, are starting to get programmed into training regimens.

Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current personal wellness goals are to bulletproof my body from injury and to improve my handstands. I practice primal movement patterns to activate my entire body so I can move well and with intention. I also practice my inversions a little bit everyday.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I love being in and around water, so any place along the lakefront is perfect for me. If I had to choose one place, then it would be Atwater park in Shorewood. Not only is it a beautiful view of Lake Michigan and the beach below, but the stairs and the walkway are ideal for training.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Having lived in Florida, I love seafood, so I like Screaming Tuna for their sushi. I have heard that the Harbor House has excellent seafood, so I’m going to have to try them out sometime. Occasionally, I will go to Kopps for a burger and custard. You can’t eat perfectly all the time, haha!

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My three favorite things to do are going to auto shows, visiting unique architecture-both residential and commercial, and watching movies at the theater.

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
To de-stress, I love to listen to music while taking long walks with my dog.

Robert’s fascination with fitness started in the summer before freshman year in high school. That year Robert experienced a rapid growth spurt of six inches. The coaches wanted him to play sports because he was tall but because of his growth spurt he was very uncoordinated. His training started with weight-lifting, running cross country and training with the wrestling team. These activities helped him build movement awareness and increase his size, speed and strength. His training was so successful he went on to be a walk-on player for the University of Illinois football team!

With his degree in Industrial Design, Robert worked for a company designing fitness equipment. He was there for 11 years and came to appreciate that our bodies are the best designed pieces of fitness equipment. He left to attend the National Personal Training Institute. While there, he developed his philosophy, ‘Choose to move well, move often and challenge your body everyday’. His primary training approach uses full body, primal movements with resistance as well as other other unique methods, to help his clients move and feel better.

Q&A with Robert McDonial

Q. How long have you been a personal trainer?
A. I have been a personal trainer/fitness coach for five years. Before becoming a personal trainer, I designed fitness equipment.

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in body weight and non-machine based training. You can accomplish strength, endurance and hypertrophy goals with your own body weight. I prefer to use kettlebells, sandbags, superbands, the TRX Suspension Trainer and the Rip Trainer when I do use equipment.

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Having designed fitness equipment for 10+ years, I saw how people routinely discarded the equipment shortly after buying it. I also so how people became frustrated waiting for occupied gym equipment and being unable to take the equipment with them while traveling. I quickly realized that there was one piece of equipment, that everyone had: their own body. They just did not know how to use it. I began to learn and teach myself various types of body weight training, so I could show others how to use the ultimate training machine, their own body.

Q. What can a new client expect?
A. A new client can expect to receive a full assessment with an explanation of the findings and a road map for the fulfillment of their needs and goals. Clients will also be challenged to safely step out of there comfort zone.

Q.What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. I like that primal/natural movement is catching on. If you can control your body, then you can control external loads and reduce your chance of injury. I also like that tools such a as kettlebells and sand bags, are starting to get programmed into training regimens.

Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current personal wellness goals are to bulletproof my body from injury and to improve my handstands. I practice primal movement patterns to activate my entire body so I can move well and with intention. I also practice my inversions a little bit everyday.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I love being in and around water, so any place along the lakefront is perfect for me. If I had to choose one place, then it would be Atwater park in Shorewood. Not only is it a beautiful view of Lake Michigan and the beach below, but the stairs and the walkway are ideal for training.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Having lived in Florida, I love seafood, so I like Screaming Tuna for their sushi. I have heard that the Harbor House has excellent seafood, so I’m going to have to try them out sometime. Occasionally, I will go to Kopps for a burger and custard. You can’t eat perfectly all the time, haha!

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My three favorite things to do are going to auto shows, visiting unique architecture-both residential and commercial, and watching movies at the theater.

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
To de-stress, I love to listen to music while taking long walks with my dog.

RYT

Sarah Sobel’s first introduction to yoga came from looking for a physical practice that she could do while suffering from asthma attacks and vocal chord dysfunction. She was drawn in by the way yoga integrates breath into the physical practice and connects your body to your breath and vice versa.

The physical practice soon led to a mind-body connection that sparked her interest in the wellness field and inspired her to become a yoga teacher. She earned her 200hr RYT certification in 2018 from Yoga One in Wisconsin.

Her practice also sparked an interest in other fields of health and wellness leading her to enroll in a Dietetics program at Mount Mary University.

Q&A with Sarah Sobel

Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. Sarah has been teaching yoga since 2018. 

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. She teaches yoga basics, restorative yoga, gentle flow, and vinyasa yoga. 

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Sarah Sobel’s first introduction to yoga came from looking for a physical practice that she could do while suffering from asthma attacks and vocal chord dysfunction. She was drawn in by the way yoga integrates breath into the physical practice and connects your body to your breath and vice versa.

Q. What can a new student expect?
A. From her classes, you can expect intermittent one breath to one-movement cues that draw her students’ attention back to their connection with their breath. Her cues help bring body awareness to help “fire up” or engage specific muscle groups in yogic asanas. She focuses on creative sequencing that is challenging enough to draw you out of your overactive mind while making sure it is still accessible to all bodies and ability levels.

Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. Intuitive eating is a recent wellness trend I find interesting. It works on forming healthy thoughtful eating habits and focuses on removing the toxic dynamic people can form with their food including diet culture.

Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current wellness goals revolve around mindfulness and meditation. As a yoga teacher, physical practice comes naturally, but I’ve always struggled with the internal practice. I set aside time every morning to journal and meditate even if my focus is wandering I devote at least 10 minutes to my meditation practice.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. My favorite spot in Milwaukee is the lakefront. Specifically grabbing a coffee or tea at Colectivo and walking my dog around Veterans Park.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. I am a bit of a foodie so this is a hard question, but currently, my favorite is either Screaming Tuna or Momo Mee.

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My hobbies currently are my yoga practice, baking/cooking, and I’ve recently taken up snowboarding.

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. My go-to for de-stressing is getting on my yoga mat and then taking my dog for a walk ending with a lot of puppy cuddles.

RYT, ACE-Certified Personal Trainer
Yoga Instructor
Fitness Instructor
Wellness Director

Living with painful headaches and joint instability, Cynthia began studying yoga and strength training to improve her own well being in 2003. Wanting to share this same sense of freedom and make yoga accessible to as many people as possible, she received her 200-RYT certification from Feel Your Best (FYB) whose philosophy is the “Person not the Pose.” Upon graduating in 2005, she began teaching a gentle, benefits-oriented teaching style that incorporates Iyengar (alignment), Ashtanga (power), Viniyoga (therapeutic) yoga. Over the last 10+ years, she’s lead alignment-based, accessible yoga classes that balance effort with ease. She encourages conversation, individual discovery as well as ways to personalize the yoga practice. Cynthia’s worked with clients of all fitness levels, abilities, and ages.

Ever inquisitive, she continues her yoga education through personal study, workshops and conferences. She’s certified in Chair Yoga with Stacie Dooreck’s SunLight Yoga and certified in Core Functional Fitness with Hope Zvara. As a certified ACE Personal Trainer, she brings functional movements, postural strength, and healthy range of motion to her yoga classes. As a certified TRX instructor, she enjoys teaching accessible fitness classes on the suspension trainers. As a certified NETA Wellness Coach, she shares ways to add healthy habits and reduce stress in everyday life. She’s also a member of Yoga Alliance.

Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Prior to teaching, coaching and consulting full time, she worked in corporate marketing and communication departments in several industries for 23 years.

To give back to the yoga community, for the past 10 years she has donated her service and talents at Yoga Journal Conferences around the USA.

Q&A with Cynthia Akey

Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2005 and practicing since 2003. But I found my first yoga book when I was 13 and started practicing some of the asanas. It opened a whole new world.

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in alignment-based practice and have experience teaching gentle, therapeutic, restorative, chair, yin, vinyasa, corporate, yoga for runners/athletes and yoga for beginners.

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I came from a place of pain – migraines and joint instability. Being hypermobile, I sought structure and strength and was drawn to Iyengar yoga and its use of props to make it accessible. I am fascinated with intentional energy and breathwork incorporating these into each pose. As I age, my practice continues to evolve to better suit my daily needs.

Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A student can expect to approach each practice with a beginner’s mind and awaken personal “a-ha” moments. I specialize in uncovering the subtleties of asana, pranayama and meditation. In each class, I encourage discussion and offer moments for individual discovery so that each student may make the practice their own. To ensure classes are accessible, we’ll use props – wall, chairs, bolsters, blocks and straps. Mindful modifications and hands-on adjustments will be provided.

Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. I’ve seen a shift from a practice of personal development and self-reflection to one of action and activism. While yogis are here to inspire health and wellness, we can awaken and transform our hearts, minds and community.

Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Balancing work and life. Too often we overextend ourselves to do more. Currently, I’m focused on mantra, meditation, pranayama, making time for reflection and some quality sleep.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I spent the last few years living in a land-locked city in northern California. I really missed Bradford Beach and Lake Michigan. I love to watch the waves and walk on the sand. It’s a great place to meditate and renew my spirit. I missed the seasons too – so it’s great watching the trees leaves change colors.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. So much has changed in the past few years while I have been away. It’s been fun to rediscover the Milwaukee area. I really enjoy Blue’s Egg because breakfast is my favorite meal.

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to travel with my husband, spend time with my cat who behaves like a dog, and learn anything. I also enjoy being creative – with food, jewelry, graphic design, and event planning.

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. To reduce stress, I visit my “beach” – in person or just visualize it. I like to get some exercise – walking in nature, riding my spin bike, or practicing yoga and pranayama. I’m a fan of old movies and musicals. So a cup of tea and “Hello, Dolly” help me laugh and smile.