Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Pelosi.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Laura. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m originally from Brazil, moved to San Diego in 2013 with a few ideas in my mind and a lot of hopes and dreams. When you move out of your country, the expectations are tremendous and reality just show that your dreams may come but only if you work hard to achieve them. I’ve been a personal trainer since 2011 and I knew that my path in USA was to do what I know I can do it best: Teach clients how to find a better – physical and mental – version of theirselves. I’m not the type of trainer that will sell you the “Get ripped in 14 days” type of package. I like going deep on understanding your lifestyle, where did you came from, how do you feel, how do you breathe and what’s you real goals with physical activity.
I started working at PBT in 2015, with my boss and one of my best friends, Junior Leoso, and I’m still there. In this amazing time working at the studio, I got married, I got a dog and made many clients-friends. In Sep. 2018, I was in a normal day at work when I had a seizure which led me to the hospital. After many exams, a blood mass was found in my brain, which led me to surgery on the following day. The word: cancer, appeared in my life for the first time. Yes, I was diagnosed with Brain Cancer, not only that, it was also the worse cancer: Glioblastoma. High grade, no cure, 12-15 months life expectation. Between myself, my husband, my family and my friends, we created this strong positive vibe that kept me up when all I really wanted was to go down.
One brain surgery led to another one – and this one was awake – for me to be part of a clinical trial (with Dr. David Piccioni) at UCSD. Since 2018, I had three head surgeries, more than 15 MRI’s, one year of chemotherapy, 30 days of radiation, eight doses of cancer vaccines, I was half bald and having every reason to be on my worse shape – physically and mentally – but I’m not. Cancer gave me a better way to see life. I passed with flying colors my “life expectancy”, I studied breathing methods and became a breathing coach, I’m keeping myself ahead of the curve as far as fitness goes, I worked out and work with my passion every single day while I was in treatment until nowadays and the most important thing; I found that every day is a joy day.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No smooth here! My last seven years were a bumpy speedy road! Learning how to be positive while trying not to predict the future was one of the hardest things I had to learn.
Laurabreathfit and Pacific Beach Training – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I believe that there’s no workout without a proper breathing which is specific for every movement and different for each kind of sport. I may be one of just a few trainers who work breathing training as part of the personal training and group training sessions. Breathe is an extreme important skill to create power, explosiveness, improve endurance and strength and also to recover the body from injuries, reset and rest. My training sessions are based on daily movements – like squat, pull, twists – using tools like Kettlebells, Bodyweight and Barbell training, exactly what the client need to move better and feel better.
At our Studio, Pacific Beach Training, each trainer has his/hers on specialization and capabilities to offer the client a handful of choices. The main goal of the studio is to provide the client a great workout while creating long lasting relationships with the trainers and the other clients. We work in order to make clients feel like PBT is their second home, most of them have my phone number and we communicate on a weekly basis – even if they are traveling or quarantined. 🙂 We believe that a gym is not only a place to come, sweat and leave, the clients are people we’ll invite for a birthday party or a weekend get together.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I’m a true believer that things happen the way they’re supposed to. Because my life changed so much since I got diagnosed, I don’t believe that none of my choices would have led me to a difference place. I found that all mistakes I’ve done in the past served as lessons for my growth. Maybe I wish that would have randomly done a brain scan earlier in life but then I think, how different my life will be today if I learned that I had cancer a few years before I did? I rather stick to my present.
Pricing:
- PBT Membership – $100-300
- Breathing 1on1 Session – $75
- Personal Training Package – 26 sessions $1950
- Breathing Online Training Package – 2 sessions + Homework – $125
Contact Info:
- Address: 909 Grand Ave St. 3
- Website: pacificbeachtraining.net / laurabreathfit.com
- Phone: 6195387817
- Email: laurappelosi@gmail.com
- Instagram: @laurappelosi
Image Credit:
Mermaid Wall was made by Jared Lazar!
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