About Us
Professional Pilates
We believe everyone should feel strong and at home in their body, and we realize the impact this can have on your life. No matter where you’re at on your fitness journey, we want to help you show up for life with better body awareness, strength, mobility, and confidence.
Using the principles of STOTT Pilates, our workouts are designed to build core and overall strength throughout your body, improve posture, increase stamina and mobility, improve balance and coordination, and give you the body awareness to increase confidence in everything you do. No matter your age or limitations, we can tailor a Pilates program to help improve how you show up for life.
Meet our team
Amanda Caven
With Pilates, I finally felt whole in my body. It made me feel comfortable in my skin, taught me to appreciate the body that I had, the movement that I had, and the ability that I had. If I can give that to people through teaching them body awareness and movement, that brings me joy. I love the anatomical sense that you’re getting from form and movement. And that’s what Pilates is, and what it teaches; to see how our body moves, and what it does for us. It’s why I love what I do. It’s what I want to bring. It’s why I want to train other instructors in how to give this back to their clients. And for my clients, it’s the sense of self that I want to allow people to have for themselves because I know the impact. I know how much happiness and contentment and peace it’s brought me.
I’ve had clients who no longer experience back pain when walking, no longer get strained sitting at the office, who after years of walking hunched over can finally stand straight, and for many others, never have to experience so many of the typical signs of aging, simply because they’ve maintained their body, musculature, and posture in a way that allows them to age gratefully. This is what I bring to Pilates, and this is what teaching Pilates means to me.
Jess Battipaglia
After practicing Pilates and Yoga for many years and not only seeing the impact both practices have had on her body and joints but feeling it, Jess Battipaglia made the leap to become a Stott Certified Matwork and Refomer Instructor. Her love and passion for Pilates shines in the classes she teaches and her love for anatomy and movement is eminent and appreciated by her clients. Amanda has had the privilege of having Jess as a client since her move to Boston, and has been able to witness her growth as both a student of Pilates and an Instructor. We are lucky to have her take on the role as a Pilates instructor at Impact Pilates teaching group Reformer and Mat classes as well as private clients as her schedule allows.
Yishiuan Chin
I have been practicing Pilates for almost three decades and decided to become an instructor when I thought about what I wanted to do that brings me joy. Pilates has kept me centered and grounded through life challenges. I fell in love with Pilates because I can progress at my own pace in a supportive and non-judgmental environment.
I believe everyone can do Pilates. I love helping clients become stronger and more flexible in their own ways. And, have fun doing it! Through our work together, I hope to help you explore safe and effective movements for your body and inspire you to be confident in your ability. There are exercises and variations for all body types. Part of what makes Pilates great is the discovery of what’s right for you.
I am a STOTT Pilates® certified instructor in Matwork and Reformer, and trained in Cadillac, Barrels, and Stability Chair. When I am not teaching Pilates, I am an academic and dissertation coach.
I look forward to working out with you!
Kathleen Curran Cheng
Kathleen is STOTT PILATES Certified in IMP and IR Essential/Intermediate. She is also trained in Cadillac, Chair and Barrels, as well as Injuries and Special Populations. Kathleen has been teaching Pilates since 2002, has taught and trained at many local studios and clubs and has extensive experience teaching in the fitness industry. She holds a master’s Degree in Cardiovascular Health and Exercise from Northeastern University and a BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory. In addition, Kathleen received her 200 hour Yoga TT in 2018 at Down Under Yoga with Natasha Rizopoulos. She currently volunteers teaching yoga with Hands To Heart Center and at MCI Concord.
Kathleen strongly believes that practicing STOTT PILATES can bring positive changes to her client’s bodies including strengthened abdominal and back muscles, improved alignment, increased flexibility and heightened body awareness.
When not instructing or training, Kathleen enjoys living a healthy lifestyle, cycling, practicing yoga, reading, creative vegetarian cooking and spending time with her family.
Kim Valentine
At an early age, Kim developed an aptitude for fitness and daily movement through gymnastics, horseback riding, and being a three-sport athlete in high school. In college, she experimented with various types of workout methods and group fitness classes before finding her home inside studios. Kim was introduced to Pilates and barre by attending classes with her mom, Kathy. After her first barre class, she felt the power of low impact exercise, especially the elements of Pilates within barre. Kim was inspired to complete her barre certification with Jenn Phelan & Meagan Fitzgerald at North End Yoga in 2018. While barre brought Kim into studios, taking and teaching Pilates is her passion.
In 2019, she became certified in Classical Mat through PowerPilates, and is continuing her Pilates education with STOTT Pilates. Their renowned contemporary approach resonated with Kim to be able to share Pilates in a modern and functional way. In 2022, Kim began her STOTT training with Intensive Mat, and went on to complete the Intensive Reformer and Stability Chair courses. In pursuit of her comprehensive STOTT Pilates certification, Kim is building hours teaching, practicing and observing on the apparatus at Impact Pilates in Boston under Amanda Caven.
Kim lives in Boston’s South End, and loves visiting her family & their yellow lab, Augie, exploring the city with her partner, Ian, playing tennis, hosting friends and baking.
Testimonials
Join the Community
“Amanda is fabulous. Of the many personal trainers, physical therapists, and Pilates instructors I’ve known over the years, she is the best. As a person with physical limitations I often become frustrated with exercises that I feel are beyond my ability and trainers who can’t understand my limitations. Amanda always seems to find a way to alter exercise routines so that I can succeed in doing them but so they still feel challenging and she makes me forget how limited I’ am. Her ability to do this comes from her innate understanding of the human body and how it moves. Her skills are not something one learns in a textbook or takes a course to understand, they are a true talent that very few trainers possess. Moreover, hanging out with Amanda is on par with hanging out with a good friend, she is always genuinely happy to see you and remembers details about your life that sometimes you don’t even remember. She is the reason that I get up early every morning pain free, have the stamina to work long days, and still fit into those jeans I love to go out in at night.”
“Amanda is a terrific teacher. I have worked with her since she arrived in Boston. I find her to be patient, she explains or models the moves which I find very helpful and she varies the class content to keep it interesting as well as challenging. She has a nice sense of humor, which I appreciate. I have never taken a Pilates class prior to working with Amanda and now I ‘am considered and Intermediate Plus I could not have done that with out her.”
“Amanda-my Pilates guru. She is simply one of the best. She is encouraging and gives me the confidence to do better and be stronger. She can be tough but is very caring and has a great sense of humor. I always look forward to our workouts and feel like I’ve accomplished something after each one of our sessions.”
“There is something about her teaching style that really resonates with me. She is fun and funny, and I really feel I can be myself with her- that level of trust and honesty is important when you are working with your body. That said, she is defiantly a serious practitioner, clearly very knowledgeable about all aspects of the movements of the body, and she challenges me to improve with each and every session. And I’m proud to say I’ve improved in strength, flexibility, form, and body awareness since studying with her- a path I hope to continue.”