“If you’re looking for a trainer who combines professional knowledge with warm, personal attention, look no further. Lisa not only helped me recover from the effects of cancer treatment a few years ago, but she continues to challenge and inspire me to work hard. I especially love her Pilates Reformer classes, but she provides amazing all-body workouts that have put me in the best shape of my life. I’m almost 62 years old, and I never knew exercise could be so much fun!”

– Liz McLemore, Faculty Member in English at Minneapolis College, Minneapolis Minnesota

“I first met Lisa taking a yoga class at the Y. From that class I moved to WAVE Yoga and restorative yoga. Both became important parts of my routine in working to improve my strength and balance that are challenged by MS. Lisa also helped me develop a water aerobics routine. All of this has made a tremendous difference for me. I have gone from being challenged to walk more than a few blocks to being able to bike 25 miles. I continue to work with Lisa through virtual classes and Pilates reformer training. I appreciate Lisa’s dedication to the wellbeing of her clients. Working with her has made a tremendous positive difference for me as I navigate aging with an autoimmune disease. I highly recommend her classes and training. She is both a fantastic teacher and a great friend.”

– Kris Norman-Major, Professor and Director of Public Administration and Nonprofit Programs, Hamline University, St Paul Minnesota

“I started working with Lisa 8 years ago, 6 months after sustaining a serious injury. My physical therapist had me working on a Pilates reformer and suggested that I look at the YMCA’s reformer classes. I was still using a cane to help me walk when I started working with Lisa. As a trainer, she possessed the perfect balance of compassion for my injury and drive to push me to get stronger. Also, her knowledge of how the body works and her ability to explain why certain exercises were beneficial to my recovery helped motivate me. I’ve been working with her since my recovery and we’ve become good friends. Lisa is smart, caring, fun to work with, and her knowledge of Pilates, yoga, and strength training is endless.”

– Melissa Borman, Art & Gender Studies Faculty, Chair of Fine and Performing Arts, Century College, Minneapolis Minnesota

“I met Lisa at the YMCA in 2002 when she overheard me inquiring about group exercise classes. She cheerfully introduced herself and invited me to join her step class, which was my very first group exercise class. She made me feel welcomed and eased any nerves I had about fitting in. After taking her classes for 2 years, I thought of becoming an instructor. Lisa was very encouraging and began to mentor me. I knew nothing about how to format a class, cueing, music phrasing, or choreography. She gave me guidelines without restricting my ideas. She was patient with my endless questions, self-doubt, and pace of learning. Her wealth of knowledge, exceptional teaching and mentoring skills, have undoubtedly made me a better instructor. One of her greatest gifts is her eagerness to give of her time to her class members as well as those wanting to further their knowledge in the field of health and exercise. ”

– Kathy Schwerdfeger, Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, DeLand Florida

“I met Lisa Hildebrand decades ago when she wandered into the DeLand Florida YMCA to take my step class. She had just moved to Florida after living out west her entire life. What a wrench that must have been! As I watched her in the mirror during class, I could tell she was an instructor (hard to hide that much talent.) Rather famously at the water break, I asked if she was an instructor. She said she was keeping it quiet. I said, “Yes, but are you an instructor?” When she replied in the affirmative, I immediately asked if she could teach for me on Friday. Things were a lot more casual back then at the Y, and immediately after class she filled out paperwork and was hired on the spot. She did teach for me that Friday. I’ve always considered that one of the luckiest days of my life. Honestly, Lisa was far superior to the rest of us instructors in her skills and knowledge. But she had this magical ability to raise the bar for all of us with absolutely no competition. The years at our Y with Lisa there were surely our best. I’ve now been at the DeLand Y for 30+ years, so I’ve known lots and lots of fitness professionals. Lisa is truly a once in a lifetime gem. Knowledgeable, astute, professional, and super in tune to the needs of the human body. Anyone with the opportunity to work with her in any context should grab that chance immediately!”

— Captain Sandy Williams, Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Group Fitness Instructor, DeLand Florida