Donna Johnson Herring was so blown away by her own physical transformation through Pilates that she decided to share the gift of exercise with others, and now her business is booming.

According to The Gazette, Herring opened Metamorphosis Pilates Center after being introduced to the popular exercise program as a result of a lower back injury she suffered. Her chiropractor suggested it as part of her treatment, and the rest is history.

“Pilates made me feel different,” Herring said. “The transformation was not just physical. My growth was multi-dimensional; it was a development of body, mind, spirit and heart.”

Pilates is an exercise program that consists of low-impact movements, making it perfect for people of all ages and experience levels. It’s designed to increase flexibility, muscular strength, and posture, among other things.

As entrepreneurs like Herring take advantage of the exercise craze, some other savvy business owners are claiming their stake in a brand new type of exercise that was inspired by Pilates.

According to Scotsman.com, PiYo, a combination of Pilates and yoga, fuses elements of both techniques in a high-interval training setting, leading to faster results.

It’s a good way to switch things up in a daily exercise routine, and people across the country are starting to take notice of how they can experience their own PiYo transformation.

“I got into PIYO because I had a stubborn 20 pounds to lose and I hated high impact cardio,” says Lindsey Catarino, Personal Coach, lindseycatarino.com. “I also felt tired at the end of the day and couldn’t find the energy to do something more intense. To my surprise, 20-30 minutes of PIYO a week was exactly what I needed to drop the weight in 75 days and have more energy and flexibility. I decided to become a PIYO certified instructor to pay it forward and help others transform the way I did.”

Herring had a similar urge to share her Pilates experience with others, which was the reason she started Metamorphosis. The name was just too fitting to ignore.

“I knew even at that early stage that Pilates was changing me,” she said. “I knew for years that the name of my studio would be Metamorphosis Pilates.”

She credits four new instructors at her Pilates center for matching her excitement and intensity, thus turning her dreams into a reality.

“The other instructors have invested time, talent and treasure into the studio,” Herring said. “I couldn’t have done it without their support and investment, and I am really grateful to have such great people working there.”

Metamorphosis Pilates Center opened Sept. 8 in the historic Gatto Building in downtown Cedar Rapids, IA.