How did T-TAPP and Healthy By Kiona Change People's Lives?

My name is Carol and I have quite a story. I am 46 years old and I herniated a disc in 1993. After a Laminectomy, a physical therapist pushed me too far and I ruptured the disc resulting in an additional surgery where the surgeon fractured my sacroiliac joint and crushed my sciatic nerve route. Throughout the next 14+ years I ended up having a total of 15 back surgeries, a pain stimulator implanted to give me any relief from the agony caused by the crushed nerve route, and two infections in my bloodstream that almost killed me. Working with doctors and several physical therapists I have still had several falls when my leg would just give out, broken bones, a torn rotator cuff, and more. I was so weak and sleep deprived the last three years that I have been completely homebound and was walking with a cane, slouched over. For years I couldn’t even do my activities of daily living like cooking or housework. I couldn't shower but about once a week unless the home health aide came to help me. Before my ordeal, I was a Nuclear Medicine Technologist and before that ran a health spa and taught classes so being fit and healthy was important to me. I ordered every kind of exercise program there was to try to workout on my own, feel better and get fit again. I had little to no success and usually ended up with additional injuries! Even the physical therapist coming to my home 3 days a week for 3 months only made me worse. I had been looking for personal trainers in my area and they either wanted way too much money or didn't want to work with me because of all the surgeries.

It was on a natural cures website that I learned about Tahitian Noni Juice and started doing that. I was doing so much better that I decided to get their Certification in the Tahitian Noni Tahiti Trim Plan 40. At the certification, one of Teresa Tapp’s trainers, Kiona, was there because Tahitian Noni has partnered with T-Tapp. I was so impressed. I talked to Kiona after her presentation and we set up an appointment for her to start training me. I was ecstatic. When she did the presentation I knew this was the plan for me. I had purchased the Basic Workout Plus through Tahitian Noni but Kiona told me I needed the T-Tapp MORE Rehabilitative program because of all my surgeries and rehab issues.

I went to the first session and she was awesome. I had looked on the T-Tapp website and read about all the workouts. I knew that I needed more especially being stuck in the house, so I ordered both Step Away the Inches and Hit the Floor workouts as well as the Cardio Stride Sneakers, Alfalfa, PG, and the Teeth Whitener. I went home and started working out. I was doing the bootcamp for 14 days. I started doing three to four 15-35 minute workouts a day. I was doing very well with the form between my background in fitness and Kiona’s training sessions. I had only measured my waist, and after the first week I had taken off an inch.

My rotator cuff was so bad that my pain management physician decided to do an injection so I took two days off. I started back up again and after 13 days I had taken off 24 inches!!!! The injection in my shoulder didn't do much good. What really helped was the T-Tapp exercises for the arms. I wasn't sore from working out, and I had so much energy. Before T-Tapp, I was only sleeping 1 to 1 ½ hours at a time. I would wake up from pain and not be able to go back to sleep. I would go days like that until I crashed. Now I am sleeping 5 hours or more straight through. My pain level has gone down tremendously. I don't have to take any medication, hardly at all! I can turn my pain stimulator off for a while during the day. I haven't used my cane in 2 weeks and I have not had one fall! I even did a little housework which I have not been able to do in over 3 years.

My son said not only do I look great but he wanted to know if I was on drugs because I was so happy (He Was Just Joking) and he likes seeing me smile again. I have been getting meals on wheels through the county I live in because I couldn't cook. I will be canceling that soon because I want to cook again. THIS HAS BEEN A MIRACLE!!!

I went to get my hair done for the first time in 16 months and my stylist couldn't believe what she saw. She was telling her mother and everyone else in the salon how I was so sick, bent over and walking with a cane, etc. She was just amazed. I took the T-Tapp "Yes You Can" DVD to my pain management doctor and he and is physician's assistant wanted a copy too they were so impressed. My lawyer wanted a copy, and so did my orthopedic surgeon. Everyone can’t believe the changes they have seen in me.

I still have a lot of work to do and I will have to T-Tapp until the day I die. I love the workouts. I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was not put on this earth just to sit around and watch TV. I am outgoing and I like being around people. I want to get well, and help others. I know that I can do it. I just have to be patient and keep working at it everyday. Kiona is a great trainer and I know that she has gone through a lot too. I commend her on the long and hard road that she had to travel with her various health issues to get where she is!!! She is an inspiration to me. I know that people have a lot of disabilities from injuries but what she went through is just as hard.

Now I am going to sell all the other exercise programs that I bought and couldn't do. I am just so excited. I know that I will have to deal with my disability for the rest of my life but I am now going to be a T-Tapper for life to do it. T-Tapp has saved my life. I have hope for a future. It has shown me that I can get well and stronger. I am so grateful to Teresa and Kiona.

I have been a dancer all my life. I even had the privilege of working at the Martha Graham Dance Company for several years before coming to the American Ballet Company. When you first showed me T-Tapp and told me that there was dance theory in it, I couldn't believe how " Graham-esque" it was and how SORE I was after just a 15-minute workout! Today, however, I have the full gamete, Fibro, Chronic fatigue, Chronic Epstein Bar and possibly other autoimmune disorders. While I'm just getting back on my feet, I find T-Tapp an effective tool to exercise the full body when you have limited capability due to illness or time constraints. AND while I'm sore the next day it doesn't take me a week to recover like it does when I go to the gym. It seems to helps my FMS without bothering my CFIDS as much as other forms of exercise tends to do. It works because your doing movement in eccentric contraction, which causes more soreness the next day, but usually leaner muscle. I describe it as dance meets Pilates meets calisthenics. You were right, Kiona. If I am having a flare, I can't do yoga or anything else, but I can usually make it through the 15 minute Basic Workout unless it is really bad. But it is way more than what I have been able to do in the last year.

You don't know what it means to me to find a way to move this body again in a way that doesn't kill me. I did the full tape earlier this week for the first time. I was sore, but didn't have the fever, swollen glands and thyroid the next morning. Yeah! I'm finally on an upswing (thanks to this and my new doctor!). Maybe I'll even dance again! Many, many thanks!

I had a chance to go to a clinic with Kiona (my first clinic) on Saturday, and in the interest of scientific research, I measured myself on Saturday morning and again this morning, to see if I'd show any inch loss from the clinic. Did I! I lost more than 4" from a 3 1/2 hour clinic! I did no workout the following day, except for walking around town and a bit of stretching to work out some (ok, a LOT of) soreness. So that inch loss is purely from the clinic. The only place I measured that hasn't shown any loss is my waist, BUT I am only 3/8" over my lowest ever waist measurement (pre-baby, that was) and I am still so sore around my ribs and waist I suspect that I'm still holding onto some swelling there. And of course I did GAIN a lot from the clinic, too... Kiona taught me so much, and I'm excited to see what happens when I incorporate my new knowledge and form corrections into my regular workouts. Check out my exact inch loss and my BLOG about my experience!

Thanks so much for your time and patience. You were always available to answer any questions or concerns that I had about T-Tapping. And a special 'Thank You' for helping me to receive my CRT, BWO+, and Total Workout so promptly (the same day). Thanks, that was awesome. I have been tapping since Saturday, and 3 days later I still feel the benefits of the program. This is one of the best exercise programs that I have used. I have used step and other aerobic tapes, but I have not seen results achieved as quickly as I have while tapping. Here it is Day 3 and my posture is better, my abdomen flatter; i.e., I look better in my clothing. Also, through years of weight training, I have achieved more muscle definition in the chest area than I ever achieved doing flys and chest presses. I look more fit and toned without looking anorexic. I look healthier and more feminine with these exercises, not skinnier. I prefer a more toned look compared to a weight trainer's physique. So, I am very pleased. I look fit and healthy, and I can still eat without counting calories with this program. And, this can all be done on my time schedule. I don't have to go to the gym to achieve fitness.

Thanks again Kiona, and I look forward to seeing you again.

I wanted to let you know how great I have felt after each of the three sessions [of your Mini-Clinics] I attended, and how much I enjoyed the series. It's certainly been the most valuable fitness instruction I've ever received, and I would love to go to anything you ever do here in No. VA in the future.
I also want to share that my migraines have been less severe and less frequent in the past two weeks or so. Although I've been making other big changes in order to control them (the meds I take, being very strict about avoiding foods that are known triggers, and basically a total Attitude Overhaul!), I can't help but think that T-Tapp has played a role in the relief I have been getting. Thanks, again, for helping me start transforming my body into what I envision for myself, both in how it looks and how it feels, health-wise. If you hadn't been as knowledgeable and enthusiastic in teaching us, I know for sure that I wouldn't be as excited about it as I truly am. And for me to say that is big-- my friends and family know that my approach is usually "why stand, when I can sit? And why sit, if I can LIE DOWN?!!"

Kiona provided great motivation by sharing her own story and personal tips. If I can only fit in a few moves a day, it's more than I'm doing now. And if I do them with good form, I'll still see inch loss! So as you can tell, I'm motivated. I did the BWO+ 3 days in a row now. I'm going for a 14 day bootcamp. But if I can't, I'll just rest for a day and keep going. Starting slowly but diligently now will get me to my goal quicker than waiting until 6 months before the wedding and trying to kill myself with the full workout. Thank goodness for Kiona! Check out the rest of my post on line!

Kiona. . . . . . . . .thanks again for your support, I can't tell you how much it means to me. Just having someone behind me that believes I can do this means a lot. So many times at work, I'm ALWAYS the one trying to convince everyone else that they can do this, that or the other, and I never get support. Everyone thinks because I'm small that I don't have issues, well. . . . . I've had High Blood Pressure since I was 25, everyone else in my family has Heart Disease but me, and Cellulite plagues my skin Most of my co-workers are a good deal larger than I am, and they just don't understand my concerns; my need to simply EAT, and the fact that I want to feel and look THE BEST I CAN at the ripe old age of 40.

Your help, concern and support means the world to me, I'm soo thankful I've found you!!!

Kiona....Thank you so much for the T-Tapp classes -- If it was not for you, I would not have improved in T-Tapp so much! Thanks for all your great tips -- I am REALLY glad I came to the classes because I realized that T-Tapp is the best
workout for the time put in -- and I feel great doing it! I got a much deeper understanding of what I was trying to do when I was working out -- It was so fun too :) I am planning to keep up my T-Tapp now that I have moved from Maryland to Illinois and I wish you the best with classes! I will really miss them!

I am a pretty active 66 year old lady with a fairly common set of alignment, aches and pains, and flexibility issues. I dance but don’t exercise beyond that. My visits to my chiropractor had increased and I was seeing Dr. Hudock, several times a week. About three years ago, I was introduced to T-Tapp through Nikken CardioStrides and fell in love with Theresa’s core-building workouts. However, I didn’t do the workout regularly.

I took T-Tapp workshops with different trainers, including Theresa Tapp herself, but knew I needed regularly workshops with a trainer to get the results and personal commitment I needed. I talked with Kiona and suggested she do some workshops in Richmond, where we had never had a visit from a T-Tapp trainer.

Kiona, now comes to Richmond or Charlottesville regularly to hold T-Tapp clinics. I go to every clinic and have even gone to her clinics in Maryland. My form is improving and my stamina as well. I am working out at home on a regular basis and I can tell a difference. My spine stays in alignment so well, that my chiropractor, Dr. Brycen Hudock, commented on my improved alignment and ability to retain the alignment. In fact, we have been able to space our visits out, so that I only go to his office once in two weeks, now. My flexibility is improving; my head turns more easily and with greater range. My injured shoulder is improving. But more important, I am learning how to take care of my own fitness doing T-Tapp.

Kiona is an outstanding Trainer. She instructs at a pace we can absorb, gives us extensive and pertinent information about the way the body moves and heals as she leads us through T-Tapp routines. She spots our weaknesses and works with us to improve our form and our results. Kiona is very knowledgeable about both the body and fitness and shares that information with us. She is patient and understanding while helping us raise the bar on fitness. I am losing inches and pounds.

In October, several of us went with Kiona to Safety Harbor, FL, for a T-Tapp Fitness Retreat. Over that weekend, I was able to loose a total of 11.5 inches, which I could not have done without my year with Kiona. When I returned, Kiona had more T-Tapp workouts here; so we could apply the things we learned. We are so very lucky to have Kiona working with us here in Central Virginia. I know I am getting older, in years; but believe me am certainly not aging. With T-Tapp, I am moving, dancing, living, and looking like a much younger woman.

Several years ago, I realized that I had to get back to the gym and get exercising regularly. I met Kiona in the gym where I was teaching and she introduced me to T-Tapp and her local weekly class. Here was a no-impact (and strangely, no-music) course guaranteed to make me lose inches and tone up. I was in a class with people who would never cut it in a high impact class and all of us saw changes not only in our figures, but in our abilities. This class raised my energy levels, tightened up my lose skin and relaxed tight muscles. The latter was very important for me, because I noticed that I was losing my range of motion, especially in my neck and shoulders. When I would back out of a parking place in my car, it was difficult to turn my head enough for a good view. T-Tapp has returned to me a great range of motion. Another interesting thing about the T-Tapp work-out is the shortness of the videos, sometimes a work-out is just 15 minutes long, and yet, the slightly sore muscles and the sweat are a testament to the exertion one undergoes.

Dear Kiona...Just want to let you know how T-Tapp has helped me recently. I was spending many hours hunkered down over a cross stitch, sometimes as much as 6 hours a day. Because of this, I was inactive, muscles got tight, weak, etc. I started using T-Tapp Basic Workout Plus about 2-3 weeks ago to loosen up and get moving again. It has made a huge difference! My husband saw me doing it, and has done it several times. He said he had less back ache, and the numbness that he usually has in one of his toes was less. He actually was mad at me today because I did it without him!!! Thanks for introducing me to it.

Diane - Mt. Rainier, MD

Circuit training and the treadmill weren’t doing it for me anymore, and I was looking for a more comprehensive exercise program. About the same time, the media was full of reports about how flexibility and balance needed to be maintained as one got older. Kiona offered an introductory class at the gym I use, and I thought I would try it. As I went though the routines, I was surprised to discover how poor my balancing ability had become over the years. I’ve been attending Kiona’s weekly classes ever since. Her knowledge of body mechanics and T-Tapp’s unique combination of stretching, no-impact but kick-butt aerobics, and coordination exercises have been the key to my losing and maintaining weight, increasing my flexibility, changing bad body habits, and feeling better than I have in years.

Please don't be discouraged reading about me. I know [brain injury, a total body curve to the back, not able to take a full step, spastic muscles and upcoming surgery] is a lot, [], but I am determined to get well and I am certain T-Tapp can add a lot to my progress. After meeting you, I am also certain you can deliver the T-Tapp info to me in a way I can understand, a big hurdle overcome for me. Besides you have been such a warm and personable as well as competent trainer that I feel as though we've know each other much longer than we have.

Lynn Zoll - Midlothian, VA

Kiona, Thank you for the generous amount of time you spent with me on Saturday. I truly enjoyed working with and learning from you. Your commitment and belief in the CRT and T-Tapp systems are what convinced me to try the programs; you are a gifted teacher. I began the CRT program and absolutely LOVE body brushing! What a refreshing and invigorating feeling; I'm hooked! [Plus] I think [the workout] is absolutely wonderful for people who are large to be featured on a video and to know that T-Tapp works to restore physical health and stamina.

I discovered T-Tapp summer of 2002 after surfing the net for the best leg exercises. I hit upon an article on Awesome legs. I tried the exercises -and was so impressed that I located the main T-Tapp website and so started the journey. I started training under Kiona Leah about a year ago with great results. T-Tapp has done wonders for my spirit and body. It has helped to virtually eliminated neck and back pain I was experiencing and has improved the lymphatic circulation in my body -particularly my legs. Kiona has been very inspirational, and her T-Tapp classes are fun, energetic and habit forming:). I can't thank Kiona enough!!

I am one of those people who really don't like to exercise until I get a consistent routine going and start seeing and feeling the results. Give me 4 days off, and I will fall completely off the wagon. However, with the T-Tapp workout, even on the busiest days, I can always find at least 15 minutes to work out. And, I always feel better for doing so. This is also a workout I feel confident in sharing with other people and with the participants in our classes...it is a workout that works for everybody, regardless of whether they have never worked out or are a pro. Thank you, Kiona, for your enthusiasm, for keeping me inspired, and for sharing all of your wonderful fitness and wellness tips.

I was in the process of a complete make -over, body, life-style, etc and I wanted to work on my core, lose some weight and increase my balance. I met Kiona at a dance and listened to how excited she was about what she does. So, I took one of Kiona's class and if fit into my goals. I went on line and adopted some of the core exercises shown on the T-Tapp site. Through the principles of the workout I learned from Kiona and being careful about what and how much I eat, I became non-diabetic and lowered my cholesterol levels. Kiona started me on my path to change my exercise program. In addition to T-Tapp, I now lift weights on one foot, use a balance ball, etc.

I met Kiona at a Nikken function where she introduced the T-Tapp concept. I was currently teaching a Lifestyle Energy & Weight management program. Kiona utilizes the T-Tapp exercise program to tone and shape the body, but also to lose weight, control insulin response, and raise metabolism up to 25%. T-Tapp concept uses a weighted shoe in its workout for balance and maximizing benefit for effort put forth. This is right in line with a healthy lifestyle I so firmly promote. Kiona is a delightful, energetic, and knowledgeable fitness trainer. I attended her T-Tapp session and found it to be fun and a great workout. You can feel the results. She has expertise in other areas of health as well. You would find Kiona's programs informative, fun, and a great way to make those lifestyle changes.

I was lacking energy and I needed to lose weight and get back in shape. I went on line and found T-Tapp and Kiona was offering a class in Richmond VA so I signed up online. I attended two of her classes in Richmond and leaned tips on walking in weighted shoes and TONS of form tips. I feel good, especially after the clinics and I have many things and directions to focus on at one time. Kiona has an abundance of knowledge and is very supportive in the way she shares it. She makes you feel great about yourself.

I'm loving the T-tapp video [Kiona introduced me to], although I enjoyed [her] classes even more!! That's the truth! :) I learned so much.

Emily Johnson - Fort Gordon, GA

I started T-Tapping for two reasons (1) I needed a workout that would rehab my post-op knee without too much impact, and (2) my friend Kiona from RPI is a T-Tapp trainer and highly recommended the workout to me. Obviously I didn't know much about T-Tapp [because] I was worried about it not being challenging enough! T-Tapp is completely counter to the "conventional wisdom" but is far more effective than the weight lifting routines I learned when I did my ACE PT certification. Conventional wisdom says that the more you do, the more you HAVE to do, and then trainers wonder how/why people start having joint problems and overtraining injuries. That's certainly what happened to me, by the time I got to my goal, I had to do SO much to maintain that taking a week or two off to recover from overtraining injuries resulted in a 10+ pound weight gain and eventually an eating disorder [when] overtraining injuries made it impossible for me to maintain my workout routine.

In 7 days of T-Tapping I could see a difference already in how my muscles were longer and leaner. The cuts in my arms started to look long and smooth, instead of round and bulky. The back/hip fat thinned out enough that I could feel the bones on the BACK of my pelvis. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I could feel those bones???? And I haven't been dieting AT ALL, which is even more amazing to me. Awesome!

In 2 weeks, I lost the size I gained over the holidays and my flexibility improved to the point where I'm MORE flexible than I was when I did yoga. I have not dieted at all, taking in 2500 calories a day or more with bread, chocolate, sugar, whatever I want.

Even after I spent an hour and a half shoveling 7 inches of snow from my driveway and my lower back was on FIRE,15 minutes of T-Tapp, and the pain was gone again. This workout is so rehabilitative. Plus, I played in a volleyball tournament and my quads weren’t even sore, and I played my little heart out. I was hitting very well, so my lower back really hurt when I got home. (a good hitter arches her back and snaps forward, like a bow) but I did Basic+ and by the time I was done, my back didn't hurt anymore. In fact, my back felt GREAT the next day. A couple of girls on my volleyball team seem pretty excited about working out with me - they have noticed the difference that T-Tapp has made on my game.

The next time you have a skeptical potential client (like me!) wondering if Total Workout will be strenuous enough...I hit my max heart rate after about 2 months after starting Tapping (not during hoe downs but right after - during Torso Twist). 174. I didn't know my heart rate still went that high, ha-ha! And even more, I'd pay THOUSANDS of dollars for something if it kept me (and my joints!) strong & healthy and I could eat whatever I want without dieting. But I haven’t with T-Tapp, thank you Kiona!

TESTIMONIALS