Hendrick Health Club - Abilene, Texas

“My job as an instructor is to inspire and encourage others - to motivate them to change their bodies and make a healthy change in their lives. What members don't know is they actually inspire and encourage me! There are days when the struggles of life get in the way of making healthy choices. When I get to the gym and see you going through the same things as I am and you chose to be there, WOW. I'm encouraged all over again!”

Erica Gibson graduated from Abilene Christian University in May of 2008 with a degree in Exercise Science and attended Dallas Christian High School in Mesquite, Texas.

Erica currently works at the Hendrick Health Club as a group fitness instructor and a STOTT PILATES® trainer. She has been with Hendrick Health Club since September 2006 and has loved every part of working at Hendrick. She teaches Body Attack, Body Flow, Body Step and RPM. Before working at Hendrick, she taught group fitness classes at World's Gym for three years.

Erica has participated in many sports her whole life. She has also been involved in cheerleading and gymnastics and well as coaching them at Beamers Gymnastics Center in Abilene. She likes to continue staying active through group exercise at Hendrick Health Club and also has a strong passion for running.

Erica loves sharing her passion for fitness through teaching individuals at Hendrick Health Club.

EVE LAWRENCE
Eve was born and raised in the mountains of Colorado and has spent the last six summers as a whitewater rafting, backpacking, and rock climbing guide.

A fortunate soccer scholarship gave Eve the opportunity to graduate from Colorado State University with a degree in Exercise Science, Kinesiology and Health Promotion. After graduating in 2005, Eve moved to Thailand to work in an orphanage teaching Bible and English and organizing soccer camps. After returning to the states eight months later, Eve was offered a teaching and coaching job at Cooper High School as the girls cross country and soccer coach.

Eve’s quest for a gym was immediate. After trying every gym in Abilene, she was sold on Hendrick Health Club and quickly became a member. One year later, Eve is now a BodyStep instructor and loving it. Eve’s motto: “Never, never, never, never give up” -Winston Churchill

Jackie is currently a senior at Abilene Christian University. She is a Les Mills BodyPump instructor and enjoys teaching classes at Hendrick Health Club. Jackie will graduate in May 2009 with a bachelor of science degree Communication Science Disorders. She is recently engaged and will be getting married on July 4 to Mark Thompson.

Jackie was born and raised in Perryton, Texas, and has been active in sports her whole life. She played basketball, volleyball and softball throughout high school and was also a cheerleader all four years.

She enjoys the outdoors- hiking, fishing, riding four-wheelers, running and swimming. Jackie loves everything about fitness and enjoys getting to share that passion with the members of Hendrick Health Club. Her goals are to become certified in more Les Mills programs and eventually become a personal trainer. “Keeping the body strong and healthy is essential for overall wellness, and I believe anyone who is determined to increase their physical health can be successful if they dedicate themselves and are willing to push their bodies to levels they have never once been."

Jason is a transplanted Arizonanan who came to Hardin-Simmons in 1994 and is a certified Bodypump instructor. Outside of the Hendrick Health Club he is medical device sales consultant. When not playing half-court basketball with Ron, he loves to chase the little white golf ball. Jason and his wife Jennifer (Go Frogs!) attend Pioneer Drive Baptist Church and have two kids, Hadley and Hudson.

"I hope I can a be a little part of people's health and fitness journey by encouraging and motivating them in Bodypump."

Lauren Vaughn became a member at Hendrick Health Club in 2004. After working out in various clubs in Abilene, she knew she had found the perfect fit in Hendrick health Club, a club that focuses on lifetime health and wellness. She became an avid class attendee and before long she was approached about a new cardio dance class called BodyJam. She fell in love with "the sensation of dance" and a program focusing on fun and freedom first with cardio and fitness as the icing on the cake. She is part of the original BodyJam team who trained in June 2006. In April 2008 she won a contest for Les Mills and shadowed BodyJam at a Les Mills quarterly in Houston, where she danced for a class of more than 100 BodyJam instructors!

In January 2007 she expanded her repertoire with Body Attack, the ultra intense cardio class that torches calories. She serves as lead instructor for Body Attack. Attack in the quickest and simplest way to transform your body and your fitness level."

Lauren completed a personal goal in March of 2008 when she trained for BodyPump, the first group exercise class she ever took at Hendrick Health Club. This rounds out her fitness and allows her to interact and teach most of the members of the club during the week. She loves teaching her three programs because she gets cardio, strength training and MORE cardio every week! Her experience as being a member before an instructor gives her a unique approach to group exercise- she knows what it like to be on the other side of the bench!

Lauren is originally from Abilene and graduated from Cooper High School in 2002. She is also an aesthetician and massage therapist at Healthy Skin. She is currently training to be a STOTT Pilates® instructor.

Kacee began her journey with Hendrick Group Fitness four years ago as a participant, and it was love at first sight. When Body Jam came to Hendrick almost three years ago, she jumped at the chance to bring her 20 years of classical dance training, instructing and passion to encourage people and became a group fitness instructor. She now also teaches Body Flow, Active Living and is a STOTT Pilates® trainer. She believes in group fitness because it takes people places they have never gone before in exercise. Something about the combination of an atmosphere where everyone cheers everyone on, a place where you can just go and forget everything else in the world for one hour, and someone pushing, challenging, and inspiring you to go further and sweat harder creates the magic that is Group Fitness and keeps us coming back for more. You are sure to find a fun, encouraging and energy filled environment in Kacee's classes.

Kacee’s desire is for people to see how an active lifestyle extends so far beyond the physical benefits. "A lot people see exercise, working out, or even eating right as too much work, a bunch of rules, regulations, and don't do this and REALLY don't do that. But I want people to understand that at the heart of being healthy you'll find quite the opposite - you'll find freedom. When I'm healthy and feel good about myself I'm a better mother, wife, friend, instructor, disciple, and whatever else I'm called to be. I want people to reach for and achieve goals in life they never thought possible and find the confidence to be the very best version of themselves they can be physically, mentally and spiritually."

When away from the gym, Kacee enjoys staying at home with her two small children and anything to do with the arts. She also enjoys and loves serving alongside her husband on staff at Morning Star Community Church.

Originally from the Dallas area, Kate came to Abilene in 1999. Kate has a BFA in Theatre from Abilene Christian University. With a background in performance and dance, Kate joined the Hendrick Health Club team in 2006 and is the lead instructor for the Body Jam program. Since then, Kate has also obtained certifications in Body Attack and Body Pump. In 2007 Kate received her Group Fitness Certification with AFAA, the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. "I have a deep passion for Group Fitness, and love to help others achieve more than they ever thought they could!"

"Group fitness classes are by far my favorite way to work out at the health club. The music is energetic, and the hour is over before I know it! Once I became a participant, I fell in love and dreamed of becoming an instructor one day."

Katie House is a current student at Hardin-Simmons University working on a degree in Exercise Science. She is beginning her fitness career path as a BodyStep instructor and desires to eventually be certified in more Les Mils programs.

Katie has grown up in Abilene, participating in gymnastics as a child and cheerleading in high school. As soon as she turned 18, her parents allowed her to become a member at Hendrick Health Club because they understood how important health and fitness was to their daughter. "Being active is a part of life, we need to take care of the body God has blessed us with. It's not about having a "perfect body" in six months, the important part is feeling accomplished after leaving the gym one day at a time. My passion is to see people enjoy their time at Hendrick Health Club and desire healthier and stronger bodies in order to live a longer life. Remember, exercise is an investment, so lets take advantage of that, because it will definitely pay off in the long run."

Sometimes life leads you down paths with unexpected valleys and hidden detours—it is your job to fight your way out of the mess and to emerge better, stronger and more confident…This about sums up the last two years of Kayla’s life. She spent the first battling hormone imbalances and weight gain. “I did not feel like myself, and my confidence level took a brutal beating.” Insecurities conquered Kayla and failures kept her ambitions at bay. She needed a change—an opportunity to succeed and to be proud of myself again. This is where the Hendrick Health Club came into Kayla’s life.

At the Health Club, Kayla fell in love with the group fitness classes—particularly RPM, Body Pump, Body Step and Body Flow. These classes gave her an opportunity everyday to push my limits and achieve a physical goal she had never before reached. All the voices that told her “you can’t” were silenced, and all the feelings of failure disappeared. Kayla was able to prove to herself each day—on a bike, with weights in her hand or with a step under her feet—she is better, stronger and more confident than before because she conquered her challenges through fitness.

“Now, I am an RPM instructor, and I LOVE IT! I look forward to building relationships with the members in my classes, and I am excited about working with them to reach new physical heights and goals.”

Laurel is an Exercise Science major at Abilene Christian and truly loves staying fit and the way it makes her feel. Originally from Ovilla, Texas, Laurel has been able to stay active throughout her life by being on a swim team, participating in Pilates and even playing golf in high school. Laurel is new to Bodystep and is pumped to encourage others how fun and exciting it can be to exercise. “With the rise of obesity, my goal is to help people stay in shape and and love the way they feel."

Leah Pruitt graduated from Abilene Christian University in December of 2004 and attended Wylie High School. She is married to Jacob Pruitt and has lived in Abilene most of her life.
Leah currently works at the Hendrick Health Club as a health promotion specialist, the group fitness manager and STOTT Pilates® instructor. She has been with Hendrick Health Club since July 2005 and has loved every part of working at Hendrick.

Leah has participated in many sports her whole life and has played sports on the collegiate level. She likes to continue staying active through group exercise at Hendrick Health Club and more specifically by teaching BodyAttack and BodyCombat. All the programs have benefits, and each should be attended for their own reasons. "The most important part is people are moving and having FUN while staying safe all at the same time." Les Mills programs does a great job offering fitness levels for everyone.

Leah would like to share her passion for fitness by encouraging every member (and non-member) to start TODAY to make a difference in their fitness. That just means moving an extra 10 minutes, whether it's in one of our amazing Les Mills group classes or walking on the street--anything is better than nothing!

Leah's other interests are outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, walking her two dogs and any other type of sport indoors and out!

MEd Secondary Education from Abilene Christian University
BSEd All levels Physical Education/English from Abilene Christian University
Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research (Advanced Physical Fitness Specialist)
Certified Les Mills RPM Instructor

Raised in Golden, Colo., Linda arrived in Abilene in 1982 to attend Abilene Christian University. Linda and her husband of 23 years have a son who is 13 years old and a daughter who is nine years old. She has taught elementary physical education classes in Denton and Abilene. For the past 18 years, she has taught in the Exercise Science, Health and Nutrition Department at ACU. She loves almost any type of activity (skiing, hiking, biking and running) and plans on staying fit for a long time.

Mike is originally from Buda, Texas, but has been in Abilene since 1992. He graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and in 2000 with a master’s degree in Education. Mike started his career at the Hendrick Health Club in 1996 shortly after it opened. He is a certified Body Pump instructor, which he considers the biggest accomplishment of his life and loves pushing participants in his class to go further than they would go on their own. Mike currently travels the world speaking to hundreds of organizations a year challenging them to be different or better yet, world class.

Molly started out as a member of the Hendrick Health Club working with a personal trainer where she learned so much about how to take care of her body through exercise and nutrition. "I loved the way I felt and was amazed at what I could make my body do when my mind was willing."

Being fit became more than results oriented for Molly, but a way of life. She is now able to influence her family and teach her children the importance of being good stewards of their bodies by being active and eating healthy.

Molly is passionate about group exercise because she believes it WORKS! It gets you moving for an hour, burning calories, and having fun. Group exercise also creates a great sense of community at the club. It is motivating to know there are others in there just like you. It is nice to know that you will be welcomed when you come and you will be missed when you are gone. As an instructor, she loves seeing people in her class day after day, week after week. "I love the idea that we are friends on this fitness journey together striving to get stronger and more fit and live the abundant life."

Join us. Walk in the door. From there, I promise, you will be challenged and inspired not only by the instructors on stage, but by the other members next to you.

Molly is married to John and has two children. She is certified in RPM and Body Flow and is a STOTT Pilates® trainer for the Pilates Studio at Hendrick. She has a bachelor's degree in Communication and a master's degree in English both from Hardin-Simmons University.

Rachael came to Hendrick Health club the summer of 2006 to teach Body Jam. She had been dancing for more than 20 years and was excited to use that passion to inspire others to be healthy. A year later she decided to expand her love for group fitness by becoming certified as a Body Attack instructor as well. Rachael originally came to Abilene in 2003 as a psychology major at Hardin-Simmons University. She now is finishing her masters in Family Psychology at HSU. Currently, Rachael is the dorm director at the freshman girls’ dorm at HSU. She loves her job because she has the opportunity to help young women find direction and purpose during a hard transition in their lives. Rachael is a member of Beltway Baptist Church where she is a leader in their ECHO ministry for the arts and teaches the sixth grade girls’ Sunday school class.

“I think working out and staying in shape is sometimes difficult to do. Group fitness inspires me because it is fun and has accountability, which makes staying healthy easier. When people finish a class and say they worked hard but had a great time, it blesses me to know I am a part of something exciting and life-changing.”

"If you need excitement, entertainment or just plain fun...check out our group classes."

Sam has been a part of the group-x team since 2006. Originally from Carlsbad, NM, Sam attends Hardin-Simmons University where she is studying Mass Media with a minor in Spanish. Sam has been a dancer since the age of three and is skilled in the art of ballet, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical and tap. Sam also is pursuing her certification in STOTT Pilates® and is one of the Hendrick Health club instructors for BodyJam and BodyAttack.

"See what all the fuss is about with group fitness, it’s an experience that will keep you coming for more!"

Shawn loves being alive, loud and laughing! He enjoys being outdoors, hunting, wakeboarding, swimming and camping. Shawn tries to get outside as much as he can and loves people. “Everyone has something to say or story to tell; you just have to be willing to listen.”

Shawn has been with Hendrick Health Club since the beginning of the group exercise expansion. He has always been in a gym but finally found a home in Hendrick.

Shawn played sports as long as he could, and for him, there was always something special about a team: different personalities, passions, abilities, outlooks all combined to make one moment come alive. Shawn believes group exercise gives everyone the chance to change as well as providing accountability for others and themselves. “To look around and see that others feel the same way you do, they are working just as hard, to look up and see the instructor working just as hard as you, that’s what motivates me. Some people say my classes can be intense. I say they are just ‘VERY PASSIONATE.’”

“If you are looking for a place that cares about you each time you come, not your monthly dues, then you have found the right club and the right Instructor. I hope I see you in one of my classes: Body Pump, Body Combat, or RPM. PUMP IT UP!”

Teresa Bridwell appreciates the long-term value of the physical education courses such as jogging, swimming, strength, and flexibility training that she took while completing her degree of Bachelor of Business Administration from Hardin-Simmons University. Peak fitness really became a priority years ago as Teresa "trained" during her first pregnancy "like it was my own Olympic event", she says. Water aerobics and yoga were her means to better health then. Today, Teresa continues to train for everyday life.

"Itt iis wonderful to be able to move about freely; maybe not with the agility of some, but to still have the relative good use of one's body is a treasure worthy of maintaining. Increasing strength, endurance, and prevention of injury is of utmost importance for me. I am so excited about the results that one can achieve by taking advantage of all that Hendrick Health Club has to offer, especially the group exercise classes that I just have to tell others. BODYVIVE has become a way to have fun, work up a sweat, and relax-the workout sneaks up on me."

Teresa, a native Abilenian, works part time coordinating children's ministries for St. Paul United Methodist Church and can also be found working cattle with her husband and children on their little ranch.

Tom, originally from San Marcos, Texas, has lived in Abilene since 1997. He moved to Abilene to open The Hot Spot Tanning Resort with his wife La Donna. They have one child, Katelyn, a beautiful student at Austin Elementary.

In addition, Tom and La Donna own Photodermic, Inc, Harvest Recording Studios, and from inspiration as an RPM Cycling Instructor for four years, VT Bike Stuff. He started a cycling club and a sanctioned racing team, completing his first season as a Cat 5 Competitive road cyclist in 2008. He is also an accomplished percussionist, certified in the facilitation of drum circles, Health Rhythms and Fit Rhythms - a recreational music making group fitness class.

Tyler Lawrence has had the pleasure of working as a group fitness instructor with the Hendrick Health Club for more than five years teaching BodyStep, BodyCombat, BodyFlow and BodyJam. Tyler is sold on group fitness and believes both the Hendrick classes and their instructors possess the ability to transform even the most unsure participant into a confident fitness regular.