M GYM STAFF
Ahmed Mohamed
Come on Champion!!” bellows Ahmed to his numerous high profile clientele in a commanding voice as he puts each one through the trenches on the gym floor. The fact is this Egyptian born champion holds numerous world
titles and gold medals in martial arts and placed first in several All Natural bodybuilding competitions, not to mention his certifications which nclude: Fifth Degree Black Belt from World TaeKwonDo Institute World Federation Egypt & US, American Academy of Health & Fitness (Conditioning Specialist), Aerobics & Fitness Association of America (Personal Training),Maximum Performance International, Flexibility Technician, *to note just a few. His training began in Kung Fu and continued until receiving an invitation to compete on the TaeKwonDo Egyptian National Team, where he remained for almost 15 years. He went on to qualify for the Olympic Egyptian Team and even starred in a martial arts action film in Egypt called, “Wolf Cave”. He was Male Athlete of the Year in 1996 from the U.S. TaeKwonDo Union Instructors. Ahmed has worked at the top gyms in New York City ranking as their top tier trainer & Kickboxing instructor with classes packed to capacity. This array of fitness experience has served as a foundation for the concept behind his new title as co-owner of Method Gym.
He is the proud father of two young sons.
Lyn Liao
Born in Taichung, Taiwan, LunShan (Lyn) Liao grew up in the states, where she received her dance training. After earning her BA in both Dance and Psychology from Hamilton College, she trained on full scholarship with the prestigious Dance Theatre of Harlem; she has performed professionally with DTH, HT Chen and Dancers, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Michael Mao Dance, and appeared in musicals, including Liat in South Pacific at the Westchester Broadway Theatre.
In addition to dance, Lyn's love of movement morphed into all things physical. The desire to help others led her to receive her ACE and New York City Ballet Workout certifications, sparking a successful career teaching and training at various NYC health clubs. In 2002, she started her own personal training company. Her clientele, which included ladies from Vogue's best dressed list and local celebrities, considered her a "secret weapon", and word-of-mouth spread quickly. In 2004, the "Year of the Monkey", she expanded her business and opened the doors to MonQi Fitness in the former Jim Henson Muppet Studio. Now with the addition of Ahmed as co-owner, they have re-launched the gym as Method Gym.
Lyn has appeared as a model and dancer on national television, including The Today Show, and her fitness expertise has been printed in publications like AM-NY, Crains NY Business, and others. In her rare, spare time she likes to travel and play with her dachshunds, Pinot and Lokie. She is married to a NYC fireman.
Aimee Rivera
AAFA certified Aime'e Rivera is a vibrant ball of passion who approaches each client as a project in alchemy. This New York born PuertoRican with a background in martial arts, Tae Kwon Do & Shotokan Karate, resistance training and an avid runner, brings an old school approach with a fusion of today's popular forms of training to drive clients to their maximum effort.
She abandoned her career as Events Planner & Restaurant Manager four years ago to work in the health industry in an effort to tranform people on a very personal level. Her creative approach to training cultivates in clients a hunger for fitness & overall wellness.
Aime'e has worked with people of all ages & her technique has proven effective in bringing about incredible change both externally & internally in her clientele. She has taught kickboxing & martial arts classes throughout the city & continues to strive to bring people to master their bodies through an appropriate but intense physical training. Her philosophy is that of taking people outside of their comfort zone , into the bliss of "exhiliration" through physical & mental challenge.
Cait Morth
Cait is a yoga guide, corrective exercise specialist, personal trainer, and anatomy devote. She works with people looking to live in their bodies better, whether they are competitive athletes, desk jockeys, or mamas-to-be. When she's not helping the world move more freely, you can find her at The Breathing Project studying anatomy and kinesiology under the expert tutelage of Amy Matthews. Cait's yoga classes will help you better understand your unique body while finding the space and strength to evolve your practice.
National Strength and Conditioning Association-Certified Personal Trainer; Yoga Alliance-Registered Yoga Teacher; Corrective Exercise Specialist; Wharton Flexibility Technician; Pre/Post Natal Certified (personal training and yoga)
Cathy Lloyd
has had a passion for dance since she was three years old. Robert Joffrey hired her for her first professional job with the City Opera Ballet. She studied and taught modern dance with Merce Cunningham and Viola Farber and was a principal dancer with Don Wagonar's company.
Catherine has taught ballet and modern dance to aspiring dancers and beginner-level adults, as well as body movement for actors. She has choreographed and staged musicals and straight plays. She received her certification in Dance Therapy at the Turtle Bay School of Music for Therapy Arts. For three years, she was the head dance therapist at Bellevue Hospital, in Occupational Therapy where she worked with all populations. Cathy was certified as a Fitness Instructor at Marymount Manhattan College, and is also an ACE certified personal trainer.
Dayle Patrick
Dayle is a nationally certified group fitness instructor with AFAA (Aerobics Fitness Association of America). In addition to general fitness, aerobics and body conditioning, she is also passionate about dance. Her daily "philosophy" is "Move a muscle - Change a thought."
Having grown up in Newfoundland, Canada Dayle's first love was of course Hockey - followed by Irish, Newfoundland and Scottish Sword dancing. Her background in the theater and dance contributes a dramatic and fun element to her classes.
Dayle a licensed Zumba Fitness instructor and also holds licenses in Zumbatomics and Zumba Gold and Aqua Zumba. She is a member in good standing of ZIN - Zumba Instructor Network.
Gina Viera
is a Native New Yorker who has had the great pleasure to enjoy travels and relocation to Florida several years ago. Florida was where she stepped into a Latin Cardio Dance class and fell in love with the art of melodic dance beats that in turn toned and sculpted the body in a fun and inviting atmosphere for all ages and fitness levels. She was inspired and found herself not soon after jumping into becoming a caring and vibrant Zumba Instructor. Her heart always belonged to the city that inspires dreams and she relocated back to her home town of NYC in 2008 where she currently is a Zumba Basic (for all fitness levels & ages) & Zumba Gold (for beginners and active adult population) Instructor. She is also a proud mother and grandmother to a seven year old grandson. What makes her classes so effective, motivating and even brilliant is her caring personality for each person that comes through that door, for the art of Zumba and Fitness and the careful attention she applies to creating classes that are effective and exciting. Most of all she prays that she continues to inspire people on their fitness and wellness journey adapting the motto if she can do it they can do it to!
Kelly Gray
Is an AFAA certified Group Exercise Instructor who has been teaching since 2003. In addition to her primary certification, she holds multiple specialty certifications including Turbokick, Balletone, Urban Striptease, and Step Aerobics. Kelly has also worked as an ACE certified personal trainer and likes the challenge of fitting clients with their own personalized workout program. When she is not helping people get in shape, Kelly can be seen on national TV. She competed on Season Two of the Food Network show "Worst Cooks in America" and she and her dog also starred in the TLC special, "SuperPooches."Though originally from Hampton Roads, Virginia, Kelly currently lives and works in Manhattan with her dog Dakota. Follow her on twitter @kellbellgray
Kerry Ann King
is a dancer, choreographer and fitness instructor working in the NY metropolitan area. She received her early dance training at the Joffrey Ballet School and continued to dance at Swarthmore College where she studied Graham and Cunningham techniques. Sidelined by a serious knee injury, she did not dance for almost 20 years. After the birth of her four children, she began to study the Nia Technique and credit Nia with speeding her post-partum recovery as well as helping her regain use of her knee. Now a Nia Brown Belt, Kerry Ann teaches Nia, Kickboxing and conditioning classes.
Norma Colon
Norma Colón, a Latina from The Bronx, brings her passion for yoga to every class. With her nurturing support, strong encouragement and the application of the hands-on, one-on-one correction method she has mastered over 30+ years of teaching, training and studying (20+ of those years at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York) her students quickly develop a competency in yoga. Norma’s unique teaching style and extensive experience brings out the best in her beginning students as well as those with considerable experience. Students with special needs including back and knee injuries, fibromyalgia, MS, and other debilitating conditions have found Norma’s classes particularly rewarding as have many expecting mothers. A Certified Iyengar Yoga instructor, Norma has been practicing and teaching Yoga for over 30 years, in the tradition of B.K.S. Iyengar since 1987. She has taken classes with many of the world's top Iyengar Yoga teachers as well as with her Guru, B.K.S. Iyengar and his daughter, Gita Iyengar. Norma continues her studies at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York where her primary teacher was the world renowned and beloved Senior Instructor, Mary Dunn. Having majored in Human Movement at Hunter College, and with years of individual study, Norma has a strong understanding of the workings of the human body. She instinctively knows how to help bodies feel and work better from the inside out. A part-time writer who’s favorite subject is, Yoga and all that relates to it, Norma continues to publish articles on Yoga teachers and yoga practice. Learn more about Norma and Iyengar Yoga at: yoganorma.com
Omar Atia
is from Egypt, where he was a part of the Egypt National Team for Squash and Racquetball from ages 7 - 16. From the ages of 16 - 22 years, he was a member of the Qatar National Team for Squash. He was injured and turned to working out and training in the gym to rehabilitate his injury and found that he loved training. He became a certified personal trainer and worked at Gold's Gym in Egypt for 4 years before moving to the United States. Omar continues to share his love of exercise with clients here at M Gym in NYC. Besides personal training, he also works as a fitness model.
Omar Balbuena
W.I.T.S Personal Trainer - Omar doesn’t simply work people out but instead tries to understand who he is working with, what their goals are and why they have decided to begin a fitness training program. This approach has been successful in that he is able to assist clients in attaining their goals while producing a lifestyle change which incorporates good fitness.
When working with a client, Omar tries to adapt fitness as a lifestyle while concurrently focusing on the clients’ goals. By making realistic changes. Im able to create new and positive habit. Im also sets regular goals and objectives for the client to meet as a way to measure progress and to motivate.
Training sessions with Omar are specifically designed for each individual client. Omar does his best to make his sessions interesting, creative and varied.
Patch Schwadron
is an ACE certified personal trainer and AFAA certified group fitness instructor. She has also completed training in Silver Sneakers and Zumba exercise programs. A former classical ballet dancer, Patch has been the Career Counselor Supervisor for The Actors Fund Work Program for over 10 years. Patch is passionate about wellness and fitness, and is committed to motivating others to build strength, flexibility and wellness into their everyday lives - preferably with music that makes you want to move.
Renee Hermiz
has been teaching many different types of fitness classes and personal training for almost 10 years. Some areas of expertise include: hi/low, step, spin, yoga, aqua, weight training and trampoline. Besides her national certifications - AFAA and WITS - Renee has been a Key-Note Speaker to various organizations (i.e. Qiora, Women and Sports Org) regarding the import and relationship between exercise, self-esteem and inner harmony. She was also involved in a documentary called "A Glimpse of New Age Fitness" which focuses on non-traditional forms of exercise. Renee adores teaching, motivating and having fun in class and always looks forward to providing a challenge and watching her students conquer it!
Renouard Gee
is a native Texan who has lived and worked in NYC for the last 20 years. He has been in
the health and fitness field for the last 10 years working at Equinox Gyms, Ballys Sports
Clubs, New York Sports Clubs, and Crunch Fitness. He received his B.A. in Elementary
Education from The University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX., fitness certifications from
AFAA, and is a certified Johnny G Spinning instructor. Renouard's "Total Body Tune
Up" class has been featured in Fitness Magazine.
Tia Speros-Harker
Tia is an ACE certified personal trainer and AFFA certified group fitness instructor. She has also received her certificate from the Fitness Instructor Program at Hunter College in New York City. A graduate of San Jose State University with a degree in Theater Arts, Tia has worked as a professional actress/singer/dancer for over 25 years in New York City as well as around the country. She has combined her performance skills with her passion for fitness, inspiring all ages and fitness levels through compassion, humor, and a little elbow grease. Her belief: with challenge comes great opportunity.
Violetta Tadla
Violetta comes from Poland, where she studied music and dance since an early age. By the time she was 12 years old, she was taking voice lessons, piano lessons and ballroom dancing. At 17, she signed with a talent agency in Poland and at 19 years old she decided to take her passion across the ocean, to NYC and pursue a professional career in music.
She attended Broadway Dance Center, where she developed her natural talents and love for international rhythms. It wasn't until a friend invited her to a Latin-inspired dance class led by Beto Perez (originator of Zumba), that she was completely hooked on and decided to become an instructor herself. She currently teaches Zumba throughout NYC and inspires many to ditch the workout and join the party!
Yumiko Niimi
trained and performed with Momoko Tani Ballet Company in Tokyo, Japan. Her credits include Swan Lake and Giselle. She received BFA from Bunka University. While an undergraduate, she had appeared on stage for 'KYOUGEN'and traditional Japanese dance directed by Mansaku Nomura(he is the national treasure of Japan).
She came to USA as a student of Ballet Arts. Studied ballet with Fines Jhung, ,William Burman, Egarl Perry, musical theater dance by Chris Chadman, Tony Stevens, Diana Lawrenson. She joined the New York Theatre Ballet as a principal dancer. Her credits include as Clara in The Nutcracker choreographed by Keith Michael, Laughing Matter by Jim Sutton, The Phantom of the Opera by James Waring, Cinderella by Donald Mahler,
