A graduate of Cornell University, Sensei Amelia Sheftall, a fourth degree black belt, is a certified Pilates and Gyrotonic Movement Instructor. As a fan of sports who also experienced bullying as a child, Sensei Amelia began training in karate in 1985. This exposure to martial arts led to a desire to pursue a career as a karate teacher for both children and adults, which she began in 1987. After several setbacks with shoulder and hamstring injuries she started training in Gyrotonic Movement and Pilates to better understand the causes and possible future prevention of her injuries. This led to the creation of specialized Pilates Mat workouts for martial artists to supplement their training thereby reducing the chances of injuries and prolonging their ability to train actively as they mature. Sensei Amelia founded Karate Pilates, Inc. in 2004 and produced her first Karate Pilates Workout DVD in 2006. Sensei Amelia teaches children’s after school karate programs, Pilates and Gyrotonic Movement full-time and has fulfilled her dream of doing what she has always wanted to do for a living – sharing knowledge and helping others, especially children.