Rhona Parsons resting on the floor beside a stability ball and a pair of dumbbells.
Age: 64
Gigs: Fitness and life coach, founder of The Core Pilates Method 

Follow her: @parsons.rhona 


This June, Rhona Parsons is hitting a major milestone: she’ll be ringing in her 65th birthday in her hometown of Osoyoos, British Columbia. And it’s not an exaggeration to say that in those six-and-a-half decades she’s accomplished quite a lot. 

“I’ve lived a lifetime immersed in movement, fitness, and athleticism,” she reflects. “I began my career in 1996 as a fitness instructor, teaching aerobics and strength training, and have continued to evolve as a personal trainer and movement specialist ever since.”

Today, as the founder of The Core Pilates Method, a personal trainer specialist, a wellness coach, and an author, Rhona works with clients of all ages to improve their mobility, longevity, and self-esteem through the same types of movement that have allowed her to thrive well into her seventh decade. The heart of her business and approach to wellness? Meeting everyone where they are in life and helping them find balance through her fitness, health, and wellness programs. With The Core Pilates Method, a mat-based Pilates program for exercisers of all ages, she mentors other fitness and yoga professionals on how they can bring the method into their own communities. “My mission is to help people move better, feel stronger, and live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives,” Rhona sums up.

My mission is to help people move better,  feel stronger, and live longer.

The biggest payoff, she believes, is seeing how what she teaches manifests in every aspect of her clients’ lives, helping them live the lives they desire.“When someone begins to feel stronger, more confident, and more at home in their body, it reinforces why I do this work.”

As she continues the journey through her sixties and toward her seventies, Rhona isn’t shying away from challenges that others might avoid. For her business, that means looking toward global expansion, with an emphasis on bringing more retreats, online offerings, and workshops to the masses. In her personal life, that means continuing her journey of self-discovery and appreciating the health she has worked so hard to build—a result she believes is attainable for all.

“I believe it’s never too late to step into your strength and redefine what is possible,” Rhona shares. “As I approach 65, I continue to grow, learn, and lead by example, showing that vitality has no expiration date. If I can inspire even one person to believe it’s not too late, then I’m doing exactly what I’m meant to do.”

Learn more about Rhona and her method by visiting bodyworkswithrhona.com or rhonaparsons.com.   


Written by Rachel Debling, Editor-in-Chief

Photo by Jakub Kobylinski/Modest Studio


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Rachel Debling
Editor-in-chief Rachel Debling is a writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience working in the fitness sector. Aside from her work with STRONG, her writing has also appeared in reputable fitness titles such as Oxygen and Inside Fitness. She lives in Ontario with her boyfriend and two cats who begrudgingly tolerate her existence.