Click
me!
Click the barn to schedule an initial consultation and see The Moving Barn for yourself!
Who We Are
Above all, we are just two people who love exercise.
Linda Miller
Stuart began his bio at the end, but I will begin mine at the beginning; in many ways we are very much the same, but in some ways we are different.
I started my fitness and exercise journey in 1979 at the age of 13 when, as a dancer, I became obsessed with the body - how it works, how it moves, how it looks, and how to try to perfect all of those things. I was mentored by a fellow dancer who owned a fitness studio and gym and began working for her at 14 teaching aerobics classes and circuit training.
While attending The Boston Conservatory as a dance major and then being accepted into the NYC Alvin Ailey program in 1987, I continued to work in fitness and training. My husband Stuart and I met while working together in a gym (of course). From 1993-1998 I combined my background in dance and my love for working out to train for and compete in women's fitness competitions nationally. As a long time runner I have also completed several NYC Marathons and Half Marathons, fundraising for charities including Team for Kids.
Marginal Way
As my commitment to exercise grew I went on to pursue trainer certification with the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) - currently called Athletics and Fitness Association of America - and affiliated with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). I then made the decision to go back to school for a degree in physical therapy, graduating from New York University in 1995, and am currently working toward my doctorate at Northeastern. As a child I had always told people I was going to be a PT or a dancer and on occasions when either of my parents needed to go to physical therapy for various knee or back problems, I was the one to help them with their home exercise programs. One story I remember being told by my family was that at age 11 I had accompanied one of my parents to PT and following that visit I took it upon myself to offer corrections on proper form and execution of their home program.
As part of my clinical training in PT school I was fortunate to intern at NYU Rusk Institute as well as The Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC, practicing in orthopedics and pediatrics. In those two settings I realized the incredible impact movement can have on every age and ability level.
Since graduating I have spent 28 tremendously rewarding years working in various settings including the NYC Department of Education in the District 75 Program for Children with Special Needs, sports clinics, private practice for both pediatric and adult clients, and the NYC Early Intervention Program (birth to 3 years old). For the last decade-and-a-half I worked predominantly for the Association to Benefit Children (ABC) - my home away from home. ABC is an incredible organization with dedicated people whom I was blessed and proud to work with. ABC provides a foundation of care, support and education for low income families, those experiencing homelessness, abuse or trauma and for children with developmental disabilities, delays and/or medical fragilities. In their early intervention programs such as Cody House and Keith Haring (where I worked), special instruction, speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy are combined to facilitate school readiness, along with a lot of love and incredible outcomes.
Click the image below to check out ABC's website - they do incredible work!
Although some may think of orthopedics, sports and pediatrics as completely unrelated specialties, I have come to appreciate more and more over the years how much pediatric practice sharpens the knowledge base on how our bodies learn to move. For any age and for any activity, enhancing neuromuscular connection is the key. My experience has shaped my understanding of what we need for normal effective movement strategies and how muscle imbalances, tightness or weakness can impact our patterning, efficiency, endurance, coordination and balance. Watching and analyzing movement to determine what is working well and what is not is the cornerstone of training and motor performance, no matter what the age or level of ability.
Over time I have also come to more personally appreciate how important it is to train wisely to maintain my strength and flexibility. Regardless of one’s preferred method of exercise- dance, yoga, weight training, running, etc; the same rules apply- know your body, stay active, stay strong and maintain your flexibility. I have spent the majority of my life remaining as dedicated as possible to an exercise program that has worked toward my changing needs.
Although my training style has changed over time to reflect my interests and adapt to changing stages of life (pregnancy, post pregnancy, peri-menopause and beyond) I have always tried to remain consistent about one thing- staying active and dedicated matters. With time and age it matters even more. While working 12+hour days, seeing 12-15 clients a day and walking anywhere between 6-10 miles to get to and from those clients, it would have been easy to not workout. But as my body began showing me, that is precisely the time when being dedicated to staying strong and flexible is even more important. Wear and tear from the physical demands of work (whether that means too much activity or too little) is not necessarily a replacement for training. Without my workouts my daily physical activity level actually started doing more harm than good.
There is always a way, or at least we must find a way, to make a training program happen. Even with very little free time and busy lives (which we all have), carving out any amount of time for working out regularly is better than not doing it at all. You don’t necessarily need tons of time or fancy equipment. Just starting is key and consistency is your best friend.
I am here to help with the knowledge and motivation you need. I look forward to using my experience and lifelong passion to help you achieve your fitness goals.
Address
51 Marcie Way
Ogunquit, Maine 03907
Phone
917-856-3421
stuartandlinda@themovingbarn.com