Parker County Today September 2016 | Page 76

our business: TATE’S TOTAL TRAINING Fitness Profile BY MELISSA MOORMAN PHOTOS BY STEVE SCHILLIO S ylvia Gillen started her work at Tate’s Total Training over a year ago and she’s not stopping anytime soon. She’s lost over 35 pounds and said, “I look a lot better and feel a lot better.” Before she said she was “heavy and hurting,” and was looking for a different way to strengthen her core and improve her overall physical fitness after completing the recommended physical therapy from a shoulder injury. This cowgirl rides cutting horses and now that she has increased the strength of her core and her balance she’s able to ride more competitive horses now. She’s even training to begin competing in National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) events. Sylvia started out competing in cutting events with the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) and won that event at their world show in Fort Worth in 2013. But she’s stepped up her game and according to Sylvia, “Now I’m riding quarter horses in the bigger NCHA world. It’s a big change for me, I’m learning a lot. The strength and the ability to ride more competitive horses are because of the work I’m doing at Tate’s. It’s made it a lot easier.” SEPTEMBER 2016 PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY “... I’m not finished. This is a journey, for the rest of my life. I wanted to get strong enough to do whatever I wanted to do,” 74 Sylvia Gillen Sylvia started working out three times a week with owner Kerry Tate. Tate is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer and has Sylvia doing lots of core and abdominal work. Together they are working on her flexibility