The Tuscan Fitness Team

For Alix, nutrition, a healthy lifestyle and Yoga have always been of paramount importance.  She is a strong supporter of the Latin saying ‘mens sana in corpore sano’, which means that only a healthy body can support a healthy mind, so we should strive to keep our bodies in top condition.  She has been practicing Yoga for many years in order to sustain a well balanced life, she has completed trainings in India for (200hr) ashtanga yoga and in Costa Rica for a (200 hr) vinyasa and massage therapy course and believes that through asana practice we can sustain a clearer consciousness. Alix wants to impart her knowledge onto her students helping them to understand their bodies and therefore be able to delve more deeply into each pose. This was the genesis which led to the development of the” Body and Mind” company. She has lived in many countries, and experienced many different cultures, and from this she has been inspired to follow the fundamentals of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle which provides the most comprehensive combination of nutrition, well-being and family-oriented ideals. This philosophy is not about deprivation or even having to worry about how to manage a harmonious diet and lifestyle, instead Alix wants to open up a world of delicious and well balanced menus that you can take home with you and use for the rest of your life.

Filippo is a Personal Trainer born in Montevarchi, Tuscany with a lifelong passion for fitness and sport in general. He graduated with a degree in Sports Science from Florence University and from 1995 to 2008 worked as a Fitness and Bodybuilding instructor at the Los Angeles Gym in Montevarchi. Since 2008, Filippo has been working in the same capacity at the gym ZeroOtto and has also become a certified Fit Boxe instructor via the FIF (federazione italiana fitness).

Furthermore, Filippo is a certified instructor in Body Pump, Legs Buns and Tums as well as body toning techniques, which are all talents that he brings to the Tuscan Fitness table. On top of all this, Filippo also spends time as an Aqua Gym instructor and a Callisthenics trainer and in his spare time, he works as a conditioning coach for the local football team, Virtus Leona.

Julie teaches Anukalana Yoga. She is certified 300 hour Anukalana Yoga teacher and 200 hour Vinyasa teacher and massage therapy.

Julie is a strong believer in the healing powers of movement and the pleasure it brings to our life. In Julies yoga classes she encourages her students to experience and explore and to enjoy every moment of their practice and make it their own. With Julie you’ll explore soft, flowy and effortless movement, with a focus on being gentle on the body and letting your breath guide you through a flowy series of asanas. Asana practice should leave you feeling good and bring you to a meditative state while moving. Julie hopes to give her students a broader understanding of yoga, so they can take the practice with them, beyond the mat.

Julie came across the teachings of yoga at a young age and at the age of 23 she began a more coherent yoga practice, which has led her to explore many styles and approaches to this ancient system. In 2015 she came across Anukalana Yoga, an approach which immediately spoke to her, and she decided to pursue the goal of becoming a teacher of Anukalana Yoga.

Julie is Danish, but has spent many years living abroad. She has a background in fine arts and film making and is very passionate about aerial hoop, which she also teaches in Copenhagen. Every year she volunteers at Ängsbacka Yoga Festival in Sweden, which is on of the places, where she finds inspiration and can grow in her own spiritual practice and as a teacher. Julie loves to travel and meet new people and has a weakness for the Caribbean.

500-Hour Yoga Alliance Certified Instructor

As a trail runner and cyclist, movement and the mind-body connection has always been a fundamental part of Calissa’s life. After many years establishing her own yoga practice and experimenting with different styles and philosophies, she certified as a Yoga Alliance 200-hour Alignment-Based Vinyasa Flow teacher through Shivakali Yoga (2017).

In January 2020, she continued her studies at Heartwood Yoga Institute where she received her Yoga Alliance 500-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher certificate, in addition to certifications in Yin, Restorative, and Advanced Pranayama and Meditation. She studied traditional Indian medicine at the Kerala Ayurveda Institute in Kerala, India to gain hands on education in Ayurvedic medicine, nutrition, and massage.

Living in Italy, she has extensive teaching experience at yoga and fitness retreats and for active-travel groups for beginners to advanced students. Her classes are physical, yet always cue breath and subtle body alignment through incorporating silent meditation, reflection, and yogic philosophy.

Robyn is the owner and operator of Healium Hot Yoga Studio in Milwaukee Wisconsin, established in 2013. She is a certified ERYT yoga instructor through Yoga Alliance, holds a certification in Bikram Yoga and is a National Association of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. Robyn has been teaching yoga for over 10 years and has been working in the fitness industry for over 20 years.

Through the years she has enjoyed teaching group and private classes in a variety of modalities including Cardio Kickboxing, HIIT, Circuit Training, and Boot Camp. Robyn primarily teaches yoga, but enjoys blending fitness elements into thoughtful yoga sequences creating powerful and invigorating yoga classes. When Robyn is not “yogaing” she is hanging out with her spirited daughter and her goofball dog.

She enjoys running, cycling, traveling, music, and the great outdoors….and a nice beer and piece of pie (its all about balance!) Robyn is super honored to be invited into the Tuscan Fitness family and can not wait to lead you through some dynamic and fun classes! 

Kelly began practicing yoga in 2008 and was instantly hooked. She found it very challenging at first and quickly realized it was just as much a mental practice as a physical one.

Finding that mind body connection and then listening to it has become one of the many lessons yoga has taught her. Kelly completed her 200 RYT through Yandara for Vinyasa, Yin and Restorative in May 2017, 100 RYT through Rusty Wells for Bhakti Flow in August 2018 and an additional 100 RYT through Yandara for Yin/Restorative.  She also received her Reiki Master Certification in November of 2018.

She truly enjoys sharing everything Yoga has taught her with all practitioners. Her favorite part of the practice is that there is no “destination”, it is all about the journey and learning more along the way.

Paolo was born in São Paulo , Brazil but has been living in Italy since he first set foot in Rome in early 2000.  With previous experience in web marketing and business development, he has been working as online marketing manager at Tuscan Fitness since 2013. He speaks english, italian, portuguese and spanish, has lived and worked in several countries and loves to travel.

Though extremely passionate about business, marketing, and all technology, he is equally passionate about fitness, healthy living and Italian food.  Paolo is also a certified ISSA fitness trainer and committed to helping those who wish to stay fit. Understanding that each individual has different goals as well a needs, he strives to make sure adopting a fitness lifestyle is interesting, rewarding and most importantly fun.