Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stefanie Barboza. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Stefanie , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

The Barboza Method was created to help one 60-year-old woman’s need; not desire, to exercise, because her life depended on change. When we met, her health was failing due to multiple health issues; hyperparathyroidism and dialysis within the year. Simple tasks of going to the grocery store or picking up her granddaughter from dance school seemed almost impossible, depending on her body that day. So, I created a workout around this woman’s abilities. I decided to start and stay on the floor. This way, I was able to conserve her energy and use it where I needed it, and completely took away the risk of falling. Utilizing the floor as a map for proper alignment, we were able to heal some old injuries and correct her posture. Within a year her she got healthier, regained mobility and became strong enough to travel again. Now she no longer faces dialysis. Grocery shopping and picking up her granddaughter from dance class is just another errand on her list of things to do. I realized that my full body workout low impact workout could benefit more than just this woman. I started to teach group classes and take on more private clients. My workout is challenging for an experienced athlete, while still safe for someone with old injuries and health problems. This method was made to help one and now shared to help many.

Stefanie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The Barboza Method is a full-body, low-impact workout all done on the floor, a no-weights and no-machines routine done without any equipment, using only one’s body weight and gravity to naturally reshape and realign the body’s posture. This method was originally created to aid one 60-year-old woman’s need, not desire, to exercise, because her life depended on change. When we met, her health was failing due to multiple health issues, particularly hyperparathyroidism and dialysis, making the simplest task almost impossible. So I created a workout around this woman’s abilities, starting and staying on the floor, utilizing the floor as a map for proper alignment, until we were able to heal some old injuries and correct her posture. Within a year, she got healthier, regained mobility, and became strong enough to travel again. With the fear of dialysis gone, this workout that was made to help one and is now shared to help many.

The ability to travel, see the world, and go on vacation is not cheap, so I never went anywhere.
But last year, for the first time in my entire 37 years of life, I traveled! I went for 13 days and 12 nights to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. I was immersed in culture. I ate amazing food, and even took a cooking class. I went snorkeling and swam with sea turtles. You know they say: nature is healing. Well, I hiked up and down volcanos to beaches, kayaked with dolphins, and it was amazing! I visited little communities and found different life values than my little community in Los Angeles, California. I have overlooked my own blessings and received a first real taste of reality, and it punched me in my face and left a hole in my heart, which hurt. What am I doing? I have running water, I have an over abundance of food, I have the freedom to wear, to say, to go and be and do whatever I want. I am more than just blessed. I am lucky. If you are reading this, you are also blessed and lucky. I first went on this trip to scout locations and activities for my LA-based fitness studio’s annual retreat to finding a bigger purpose on this planet. Yes, I know, I cannot save the entire world, but I, we- you and me- can make a difference. So as you come along and enjoy this amazing vacation to beautiful Ecuador and the breathtaking Galápagos Islands, just know that part of your proceeds will go directly to the people who are struggling the most.

We have partnered up with Murph’s Life to keep loving and helping as much as we can as we enjoy the blessings we have been given. Okay, now lets have some fun!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

As many small businesses experienced, COVID forced a huge pivot upon the way I did business. I could no longer hold in-person classes at my studio, so we had to set up a new structure to move everything online, and we had to do it fast. That got us through. Gradually, we were able to bring students back to the studio in small numbers, wearing masks, taking temperatures, and providing proof of vaccination. I am proud of the way I adapted my business to survive the several phases of the COVID shutdown we endured. It ended up being the beginning of new opportunities to add classes specifically for pregnant women, to host retreats outside, and to grow an online platform that expanded our overall reach.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Up until last year, I had never traveled. Throughout my life, I came to feel very comfortable in my own world and in doing the activities I was good at- dancing, for example- and at some point, I found myself feeling nervous about venturing outside that comfort zone. When I finally traveled to the Galápagos Islands in 2022 to scout locations for a big future trip, I was struck by all I saw and all I learned. I found myself scuba diving and swimming with sea turtles, and collaborating with local guides to find ways to give back to the communities there that are so in need. I was able to reframe my view of travel and of worlds outside my comfort zone to come to understand that we are all more alike than we are different, and that getting out there is not as scary as I originally thought. The world and its people are so much more beautiful and welcoming than I had ever expected.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://thebarbozamethod.com/
• Instagram: @barbozamethod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarbozamethod/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/barboza-method-llc-the/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/barbozamethod
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBarbozaMethod
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-barboza-method-los-angeles

Image Credits
Galapagos photos: credit to Travel + Leisure magazine