My name is Ryland Hesse and I'm the founder of AtlasPostureEdmonton. I've always had an interest in fitness (I've consistently run and lifted weights for a number of years now among trying other active activities) and since high school have found myself interested in a career that would help people get better physically. Like many young people at this time in their lives I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do with my life and chose to pursue dietetics at the U of A followed by Personal Training of some kind based on my interests. Unfortunately I didn't end up performing well enough at U of A to get into the dietetics program. So I went to NAIT to pursue personal training. I learned a lot at NAIT, which is where I began to develop an interest in corrective exercise (kind of like physio for dummies) and pain management/treatment. After graduating, I spent a lot of time researching different ways of addressing pain and found the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) to be one of the best institutions for this. And suddenly I found what I really wanted to do with my life and now I couldn't be happier I didn't get into the dietetics program at U of A.
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Education/Credentials
Personal Fitness Trainer Diploma
NAIT
A 2 year Diploma Program teaching the fundamental theorem of exercise science (i..e Biomechanics, Physiology etc) while also providing practical learning experience to work with clients (i..e. Lab settings, Practicum courses).
Pain Free Movement
Specialist
Function First
Coursework that further explores the concept of corrective exercise while integrating the biopsychosocial model and its implications in how we can move pain free.
Postural Respiration
Postural Restoration Institute
Coursework that explores the role compensatory rib cage dynamics and airflow play in how we experience pain.
Myokinematic Restoration
Postural Restoration Institute
Coursework that explores the role pelvis position and gait play in how we experience pain.
CSEP - CPT
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology ​
Considered the gold standard for evidence based personal trainers, this certification is the strongest regulatory body of fitness professionals working in Canada.