WHO SHE IS: Pilates Coordinator, Penn Rec

TIME AT PENN: Three years

WHAT SHE DOES: “Basically, I run the Pilates studio,” says Mulvaney, who discovered Pilates while in college at the University of Montana. “I’m in charge of all instruction, and I teach there as well.”

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PILATES AND YOGA? “It’s really not like yoga at all,” Mulvaney says of Pilates, which was developed early last century by Joseph Pilates. “It’s not stretching. Yes, you will stretch your muscles with Pilates, but you’ll be working your muscles at the same time. It’s a workout and it’s fun.”

WHO CAN DO IT? According to Mulvaney, Pilates is great for just about anyone. She says her clients range in age from 13 to 86. “It keeps you doing what you want to do,” she says. “If you like to run or bike or swim, Pilates is going to keep you able to do those things. It will help you keep your flexibility, your strength. It will keep your back strong. A lot of people come in with back problems, and Pilates is really great for that.”

INTERESTED? For more information about Pilates classes at Penn, go to www.upenn.edu/recreation/programs/instr_pilates.htm or call Penn Rec at 215-898-6100.