This month’s blog feature is Maryanne Wurst. Maryanne works out using the Exero™System—but that’s not all there is to the story. I met up with her to learn more about her background and how Hunterdon Pilates Center in Clinton, NJ and the Exero™System has helped her to rebuild and maintain her strength over the years.
Maryanne is a trained Equestrian Dressage & Event athlete, with over 30 years of experience under her belt. In 1994, Maryanne suffered from a herniated disc—a condition that occurs when the soft center of a spinal disk pushes through a crack in the tougher, exterior casing of the spinal disk leading to pain and irritation. Maryanne knew she needed to begin exercising in ways that would help her regain her strength. She started group Pilates at Hunterdon Pilates in 1996 in order to strengthen her abdominal muscles, which in turn would help to give better support to her spine. Maryanne also began training & showing competitively in dog agility in 2001.
Maryanne’s injury resulted in her hanging up her saddle for good in 2002—ending her career of competitive Equestrian Dressage and Events. While this was sad for Maryanne, she found a new way to stay active. For the next six years, Maryanne was committed to attending weekly sessions at the Hunterdon Pilates Center. Maryanne spoke to me about her success with maintaining her strength doing vertical Pilates on the Exero™System at the Hunterdon Pilates Center for over six years. Maryanne said she enjoyed the vertical Pilates on the Exero™System as a way to regain and maintain her strength after her herniated disc.
However, in 2008, new issues arose for Maryanne. By 2010, she was forced to undergo a hip resurfacing procedure—but Maryanne did not give up. After she spent time healing and attending physical therapy, Maryanne returned to using the Exero™System at the Hunterdon Pilates Center to get her strength back once again. Only six months later, Maryanne was back to training dogs for dog agility showing. As a result of this surgery, Maryanne limped slightly for over a year after the procedure but did not let this stop her from doing what she loved:
“My weekly vertical Pilates workouts on the Exero™System at the Hunterdon Pilates Center, have enabled me to compete at the top levels at all the national championships – many times getting into the finals. In 2016, my Aussie Hijack and I were selected as alternates to represent the USA in Spain for the IFCS World Championships in April.”
Maryanne’s story shows the effectiveness of the Exero™System to not only train athletes but to help them rebuild their strength after injuries or even surgeries. Maryanne’s tenacity in the face of adversity sets a great example for athletes of any gender, playing any sport, and in any condition to continue working hard in order to achieve their goals and maintain the strength to do what they love.
— Catherine Chen
