Nichelle Markley - Mat Pilates Teacher

Contact Nichelle at nmarkley@greenlotusyogactr.com

Though Nichelle has had a long and varied career, she characterizes herself primarily as a mom. She is Mom to five young kids (four boys and a girl), ages 5 through 11, and is expecting her sixth in February 2010 (a boy!). Her second job, also a full-time endeavor, is working as a fitness professional for LifeTime Fitness in St Louis Park, where Nichelle is a personal trainer, a Pilates instructor as well as the club’s Pilates coordinator, group fitness instructor, and yoga teacher. Nichelle graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz with a degree in language studies, including French, German and linguistics. She later studied Chinese Mandarin in a 63-week intensive course while in the U.S. Army. Having practiced Pilates for years on her own (she considers it a "language" of the body), she pursued courses with Peak Pilates, leading to her comprehensive certification, and then complimented those studies with NASM personal training,

ACE group fitness, and YogaFit certifications. She continues to complete other continuing education and specialty certifications (including Rehabilitative Pilates through the Physical Mind Institute). Nichelle’s greatest interest in fitness lies in corrective exercise, which, she says, includes “the healing and rehabilitative power of Pilates and yoga, both of which have changed and blessed my life. I feel very fortunate to bring my passion for Pilates and Yoga to the community and share how they empower the lives and hearts of others.”