About Lisa
Licensed Physical Therapist & NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Functional PROgression, LLC is a St. Louis based Physical Therapy and Personal Training business specializing in one on one care in local homes/office or in Lisa’s private studio space.
Lisa loves helping people feel better thru exercise
Lisa loves helping people reach their goals
Lisa loves thinking outside the box to create fun workouts
Lisa loves life long fitness not the latest fads
Lisa received her Bachelors of Science in Physical Therapy from Maryville University in 1999 and holds a MO Physical Therapist license. She initially began her career in Florida working with an older clientele in a step down retirement community setting. She frequently gave seminars on fall prevention and Osteoporosis prevention. She moved back to her home, St. Louis, and worked in a variety of outpatient settings where she treated orthopedic sports conditions with both young and elderly populations.
In 2006 Lisa took a break from practicing to raise her growing family (her “kids” now are 22, 20 and 18). During this time she discovered a love of running. Between 2005 and the present Lisa has raced in 10 half marathons and numerous 5K’s. She enjoys running outside, being surrounded by nature and the stress relief that running can provide. In 2011 she received her RRCA running coach certification and began writing her own training plans and helping others with her running knowledge. While she admits she has never loved the gym she was forced to return to the gym after an injury. She realized that to be a better runner she was going to have to get stronger especially in her core. During this time she also learned that the gym can be fun! She had a change in attitude because of the progress she was making with strength training and the way she was moving better and running faster!
During her gym workouts she began observing the trainers. She loved the way it was “Personal” training. She wished there was a way she could combine her Physical Therapy knowledge and her love of the personal, one on one atmosphere of training. She became a NASM certified Personal Trainer in 2017 and began training at her gym. She realized quickly that she became the trainer who took on the clients that the other trainers weren’t comfortable training. Clients with joint replacements, post-rehab clients, those with aches and pains after a workout, people with autoimmune disorders or those with spinal conditions. She discovered there are always people who want to work out but need a little extra instruction, a little slower progression, and just a little more medical knowledge from their trainer. She had found her niche…and Functional PROgression was born.