The Sweatshop Health Club, the St. Paul-based Pilates, group and private training, yoga and fitness center, was awarded the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award from Stott Pilates during a gala ceremony in Toronto, Canada on Oct. 22 for their work in training fitness professionals.

The global award, presented to SweatShop founder and president Gayle Winegar of St. Paul, an Albert Lea native, by Stott Pilates founders Moira and Lindsay Merrithew, honored the SweatShop’s 14 years as the Midwest’s first licensed training center for Stott Pilates — one of only 56 in the world. Since then, the SweatShop has trained close to 800 Stott Pilates instructors.

At the same time, SweatShop Instructor Trainer Jill Winegar received her Lead (Elite) instructor trainer status after 12 years of Pilates training, making Winegar one of only 30 Lead instructor trainers in the world. She trained Sting on his most recent tour with The Police.

Meanwhile the Stott Pilates World Tour 2009, offering a lineup of workshops including prenatal Pilates and Pilates for golfers, began at the SweatShop Health Club on Dec. 5 after previous stops in Copenhagen, Denmark; Dublin, Ireland; Nicosia, Cyprus; and Melbourne, Australia.

Gayle Winegar also plans to bring her Pilates courses to Albert Lea in 2010.

For more information about Pilates instructor training through the SweatShop, visit www.sweatshopfitness.com or call (651) 646-8418. The Sweat Shop is located at 167 Snelling Ave. N., in St. Paul.