If it hadn't been for injuries sustained from playing competitive sports, Allison Beardsley may never have discovered Pilates. After enduring reconstructive knee surgery, she was having trouble finding an athletic activity that would not cause her pain—much less heal her injuries—when she took her first Pilates class. The practice helped her strengthen her muscles, which in turn helped her bounce back from reconstructive knee surgery. She went on to complete Pilates training and certification, adding it to her personal trainer credentials and B.S. in kinesiology, and later founded Club Pilates, which offers a variety of apparatus Pilates classes. A staff of certified professionals leads classes at a number of locations, where members tone limbs, shed pounds, and gain strength without having to lift heavy weights or lift other members holding heavy weights.