Hi I’m Marya Hopman. I’m a Personal Trainer and owner of the OptimalMe Fitness Studio in Taradale, Napier. I’ve been running classes for Parkinsons Hawkes Bay for a few years now. As well as subsidised classes run from church halls, I have also been running BoxnBalance classes in my studio for smaller groups of mainly Parkinsons people. After completing their weekend course in Auckland, I’m really excited to become part of the Counterpunch Parkinson's family. We’re in the process of converting the public subsidised Parkinsons classes into Counterpunch classes, and with a bit of tweaking we’ll soon be marketing our BoxnBalance classes as Counterpunch Parkinson's classes as well. For both types of classes we offer a mix of exercises using elements of functional fitness, and dance, alongside boxing drills using gloves and pads. While originally we limited these classes to people with Parkinson's, we’ve now opened our doors to include all seniors, and are now part of the ACC initiative Live Stronger for Longer. These are fun sessions of stretching, strengthening, balance and control as well as a cardio workout that can be as intense as you choose to make it. The difference between studio and public venue classes is the class size. In our Optimal Me Studio we limit the class to 10 and this guarantees you the highest quality personal attention and support. If you’re feeling unsure or at all apprehensive about starting exercise, book a FREE 30 minute consultation with us to see if we are a good fit. We’re in the process of adding more instructors to our team so we can ensure a continuous high-quality service.