Karen Lynn Rudiger - (Website: http://www.RudigerMethod.com )

As a child I was a natural athlete. I ran like the wind and my muscle tone was stronger than most boys my age. I grew up in a family of eight; we played outside most days after school and created recreational games pretending we were Olympians and challenged our bodies to develop agility.

I knew then that my judgment was good and that my physical abilities far exceeded the estimation of the gymnastic and cheerleading coach and even my present track coach. It became clear that the school coaches did not have the experience, or physical aptitude to mentor all athletes. Rejection from the coaches helped me recognize vulnerability and how I share the same frustrations as anyone else working towards a physical goal.

Snow skiing was my secret motivation, I didn't live in snow country but I trained hard and dreamt about becoming a great skier one day. I made models of the human form, observed posture and shape and worked on figuring out the sequence of movement. I loved studying sciences and successful athletes. The desires to excel and inspire others were the "roots" that lead me to my present career as a trainer. I helped my peers build on their talents and overcome limitations they encountered.

At age 16 another tragedy ensued, I had growth spurt and I couldn't move and felt severe pain in my back. The doctors diagnosed me with fractured bone in my spine that refused itself in the earlier years, prescribed pain killers and told me I may have to wear a brace. My Father was a hero and mentor; he encouraged me to figure out how to use my muscles differently. My father is H. Rudiger a former research scientist of pathology and toxicology for Hoffman La Roche Pharmaceuticals. Dad encouraged me to study anatomy books and said, "Learn what muscles support the spine and figure out how to strengthen them." He said, "I cannot teach you to do that, nor has science discovered a method of mobility, this is your challenge." Dad believed that since I had been at the top of my class athletically and intellectually in

mechanical aptitude, that I could figure out how build the muscles to support the spine. Without wasting any time I became creative in experimenting with exercise. I built a mini human skeleton out of hard wax and attached elastics to simulate the function of muscles moving the bones.

After public school, I became a first generation Woman's Bodybuilder and Freestyle Skier; ballet skiing and back country skiing jumping 30 and 40 foot cliffs before the popularity of extreme sports. I developed the flexible-strength and mechanical aptitude to achieve athletic goals without injury. I learned to exceed my limitations and open up the hidden potential within. Personal experiences became the foundation for becoming a pioneer in fitness training and developing the Rudiger Methodology. The goal of my athletics is not just about competition, it was about mastering technical skills without causing injury. Teaching is about being a leader through genuine experience, sharing with others how we can all learn to transform our bodies and reach a goal. Personal Training gave me the testing ground to study individual details and conduct practical research studies in functional anatomy.

Clearly the public school coaches underestimated my ability. My early experiences sowed the seeds for discovering a new paradigm to study the human body and develop The Rudiger Method. I regard functional anatomy as a phenomenon of Nature, governed by coherent principles found in Natural Law. Utilizing The Rudiger Method, I could ensure a body education model that would enable all children to potentiate a successful physical aptitude and achieve any goal they may set for themselves. Human potential is not governed by false belief systems such as "being born that way" or "genetics", if you want to build your body, it takes will and work ! Reaching physical goals is about learning technique and working incrementally towards your aspirations.