Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Sharp.
Jasmine, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
“Don’t Give Up.” I like to hold clients accountable for WORKING with intention and form. They gave me an hour of their time and I have that to enhance their mindset and plant the seed to live a healthy lifestyle. I would like them to feel an adrenaline rush while getting that endorphin flush. I want them to leave with a smile and tell their friends about it. I was born with ‘The Gift’ and ‘The Curse.’ The Curse commencing as a child battling the dreaded fat gene, North America’s epidemic. As well as experiencing injuries from being an athlete, a dancer, as well as prenatal SPD complications. Although it feels like a curse, I have overcome these hurdles by rehabilitating my bulging discs, calming my interior tears surrounding the Spine, and getting a better understanding of pre/postnatal body changes which all make me more relatable to YOU. By personally experiencing this, it brings me closer to healing your body because I have had to heal my own. ‘The Gift,’ involves having the fitness education, the long term health industry experience, working closely with top doctors/professional athletes such as the LA Kings (Hockey) and the LA Galaxy (Soccer) and lastly nonstop determination in regards to always wanting to better myself to directly influence and better lives each and every day… I feel fortunate and proud to have conceptualized and built LAB5 Fitness in Seattle while concurrently designing my own Pilates machines. I feel even better about doing it again in Los Angeles but this time BETTER by adding an organic juice bar and implementing Nutrient Dense Nutrition. And now, the icing on the delicious cake, I have built my own company The Sharp Method, which focuses on bringing our custom made ‘The Sharp Method’ Pilates V-Former Reformer machines, certification, and education to the masses.
Now, my manifesto:
I am grateful to share with you my journey, my vision, and my formula for life. Thank you for having a vested interest in your health, your wellness, enhancing your life and ultimately influencing those around you. I feel fortunate you are taking the time to read my manifesto. I give back to you with gratitude the two industries responsible for changing my life: pilates + juice. It is fair to say both pilates + juice entered my life organically. Born and raised within the farmlands Central California, I grew up with gardens of tomato, mint, watermelon, squash, and peppers, as well as trees of peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, nectarines, almonds, and the freshest honeycomb honey. This is where my green thumb came in, I have my family to thank for that! I sprouted quickly, standing the tallest in my class, I proved back handsprings and ballet does not always stunt one’s growth. Pre-college I focused on the sports where my height gave me an advantage. My stature helped me excel in volleyball, basketball, and swimming. All the team sports assisted in melting off that “baby fat” and I was determined to be Fit instead of Fat.
Straight out of high school in 1996, I attended San Diego State University, I was diligent in my studies as well as sticking to my athletic roots, which became a catalyst for me to take on new challenges. I began surfing, weight training, kickboxing, and Bikram’s Yoga appreciating the results of the 108-degree temperature and 90-minute classes were having on the body. In 2002, I graduated with a BA in Communication, Advertising, and a Spanish Minor. Post college I moved to Palm Springs and it was there I spent the next seven years heavily involved in Real Estate Development/Acquisitions, and the Commercial Real Estate. I was very satisfied with the business challenges however it was the stress that led me back what made me feel ALIVE and HAPPY, exercise. A new outdoor boot camp launched during the deserts’ “winter,” and there was an opening for a Drill Instructor. This opened my eyes to what was truly rewarding; training other people to reach their health and fitness goals. I was able to utilize and incorporate my past training experiences to push my recruits to the next level and exceed that dreaded plateau.
In early Fall 2007, Pilates Plus Palm Springs was the hottest new workout out of LA. Little did I know, this new group exercise “machine” class would marry two of MY most cherished repertoires: dance and athletics. After one month of membership, I was invited to instruct and I knew I wanted to dedicate every last hour to educate myself to be the BEST. I trained endlessly before becoming certified. I fell in love with the hybrid workout and knew this was the perfect way to combine the fundamental Pilates principles, weight training, flexibility, and a heart-pounding cardio regimen. By working closely with the PPPS owners, I was able to train in LA to further my education in addition to taking “parallel steps” and working with classical Pilates studios to further my understanding and education of Joseph Pilates original “Contrology” concepts, a purist approach. This included practicing spinal alignment, neutral spine and rehabilitation work on many different Pilates’ apparatus. I studied with Pilates Sports Center, a classical/progressive certification developed by a Chiropractor & a Dancer. I now had an understanding for Power & Purist Pilates, two entirely different animals and clientele for that matter, the missing link between the two had been filled. It was time for a new challenge.
Lucky for me, two new studios were about to launch in San Diego, I had the opportunity to assist in the launch as Senior Trainer at both Pilates Plus La Jolla and Sculpt Solana Beach, I LOVED the idea of working so closely with both owners, to guarantee success for the two studios as well as providing a way back to the beach once a week, a nice luxury. It wasn’t too long before I was offered a top-notch opportunity to work with the most prestigious Golf Club in the desert, BIGHORN Golf Club. The Fitness Director position gave me the opportunity to incorporate new programs at the club as well as take the lead as Senior Pilates Instructor. On another positive note, I was concurrently working with Indian Wells Country Club as their Pilates Instructor, I couldn’t have been more blessed with the members from their club as well. What a powerful influence they had on me. It was now Fall 2010, I was at the top of my fitness game, I accomplished everything I wanted to do by staying true to myself, remaining dedicated, relentless, passionate, blood, sweat, tears, I kept the Faith, and I never gave up. It was not easy, EVER, but the gratitude I felt by changing lives and collectin’ sweat, was ALL worth it. Fast forward to December 2010, I was offered a position to create a progressive fitness concept, develop and manufacture a reformer pilates machine and open a studio in Seattle, WA. This also included creating the fitness programs, develop it, brand it, create the website, hire and train the staff and LAUNCH the business.
By late January 2011, we welcomed LAB5Fitness to Capitol Hill! I created a fitness program that involved a studio driven by 5 inspirational elements, LAB5_Fitness challenges the body and the mind by interconnecting [the LAB5]: PILATES (power & purist), BARRE, TRX and YOGA, byways of cardio, strength training and flexibility which ultimately result in an overall sense of BALANCE. The studio successfully launched and the momentum is at sprinting speed. We are all dedicated to bringing the masses together by creating a give-back culture that is passionate about fitness evolution and giving back by lifting the WORLD. After launching this project as hippie as it sounds I listened to my next calling, the universe had a new challenge: the city of Angels. I arrived in Los Angeles worked locally for Pilates Platinum while planning the next project… formu+La pilates & juice has been building momentum since its conception in December 2012 and what a fun ride until 2015 when it was time to have a baby. The universe called for some downtime to give birth to a child and another The Sharp Method’ Pilates Reformer machine, designing certifications and offering education, and this is where I am today, The PRESENT. I am first-hand birthing businesses, a baby and enhancing lives, bodies, and mindsets. You can find the machines I designed at TrueCore Fitness in Temple, Texas, Fit Culture Pilates in San Pedro, CA, HIP Studio in Hermosa Beach, Fitmix Pilates in Hollywood, Tribe Fitness in Seattle and many more to date!
Has it been a smooth road?
The road is not always easy, but we have a choice in life. We can keep trailblazing because we love what we do, the concept and helping others or you can quit. But always make sure you have a plan in place and you always lay out the pros and cons.
As I read recently, don’t over-promise when you’re happy, don’t make big life-changing decisions when you are angry.
In regards to advice, I would say work for somebody else and learn from their mistakes before you take to launch and spread your own wings. You’ll definitely make mistakes along the way (life lessons) with your own business so you might as well make them on somebody else’s dime while you can.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Sharp Method Pilates – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I have been teaching Pilates since 2007, designed my own Pilates and Fitness Certification (The Sharp Method) along with my own custom Pilates reformer in 2010.
And then, I partnered with an architect/artist (Lopart Architecture) to design two more custom Pilates reformers renaming it the V-Former in Winter 2014.
I believe I am best known for being unapologetically authentic, (yet approachable), and kicking some serious bum in Pilates classes all while forming a community of empowering women. Strong women attract strong women and there’s something wonderful in that. What sets me apart is that I am within reach. My friends and clients feel comfortable reaching out to me all the time and I like that! We can get a lot of answers from Google but Google is missing one thing being human and that’s just not replaceable.
Who have you been inspired by?
My family as a whole; my daughter, grandparents, mother, father, my brother, my aunts, my girlfriends, my man loving man friends, female musicians who sing with so much soul, MUSIC in general, female clients and my mom friends, they all play a big part in who I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theSHARPmethod.com
- Email: theSHARPmethod@gmail.com
- Instagram: @theSHARPmethod
Image Credit:
Josh Ryan Photos, Alejandro Lopart, Machine Design @xhico, Graphics
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