How I first got into Pilates
For 30 plus years I have been delivering exercises to change and transform the human body, there has been nothing to equal these last 20 years seeing countless individuals experiencing painful limitations being transformed through using Pilates exercise prescription.
My route into Pilates was through an unfortunate event! Here’s the story: my best friend offered to follow me to the garage as my car was due a service and MOT. Within moments of embarking upon this journey she had crashed into the back of my car, writing it off, and leaving me with neck and lower back injury!
At that time I was a fitness teacher and lecturer within this industry.
I attended physio twice a week for 6 months and started to recover although it would be another 18 months before I was fit enough to do the physical lifestyle that was my norm. My physiotherapist was great, and as the sessions developed she used Pilates as part of my rehab. Her invitation to me was to retrain within my industry and therefore to start offering Pilates to others who had suffered similarly.
This was 20 years ago at a time when there were few if any Pilate’s teachers in the Northwest of England and I had little Idea of just how effective Pilates was in terms of muscular skeletal training.
On the same day she encouraged me to train I booked onto a course in London and started my learning of the Pilates technique.
So the moral of this story is not all friends who write your car off and leave you unable to work are to feel bad…..! My whole focus on what I wanted to give in life changed and the desire to help others effectively and return to an active and enjoyable lifestyle was born. Every car crash has a silver lining!
Why I love Pilates
I love Pilates for its versatility and the inexhaustible nature of its application. The human form is incredible and awesome, we are fearfully and wonderfully put together and no one person is like another yet Pilates exercise can impact and change you. This can range from the elite athlete to the very injured, from the 5 year old to the 85 year old, there is something to be gained that will impact everyday life by practising Pilates exercises.
I love it because as a teacher I am a lifelong learner and I am still discovering new ways of delivering an exercise to specifically target the human body giving it back the energy and independence to enjoy and prevail in everyday life. Stronger, leaner, longer…therefore happier!
Qualifications, length and depth of experience in Pilates
A whole raft of fitness qualifications dating back to 1991 including the following:
- Training teachers to teach City & Guilds Award
- Pilates Advanced Practitioner and all the levels that lead to this award
- Training bodies I have qualified and sat courses with:
- Modern Pilates
- YMCA fit
- Stott Pilates: Mats, Reformer, Barrels, Chair, Cadillac, Ladder Barrel
- Pilates Institute: Mat
Something you may not know about me
- I have 4 daughters and I am a grandma!
- I have vinegar on everything… Yes, if it is not sweet it requires vinegar.
- I can throw a triple somersault on the trampoline….or at least I could.
- A triple shot of espresso is normal
- I gain great fun out of making people hurt during exercise and it makes my job the best job ever cos people pay me to hurt them and we all laugh in the process!! Everyone comes back for more… It’s the future so come on in and try it if you haven’t yet!
- I love being alone and walking every day.
- I love Christmas tree lights and classical music
- I prefer red wine
How I first got into Pilates
I began Pilates classes around 3 years ago, taking part in a local mat class in Knutsford.
At that time our family life was very unsettled after my husband’s recent diagnosis of a Functional Neurological Disorder brought on by PTSD, experienced through his work as a Police Officer. The class gave me some valuable ‘me’ time.
As time went by, my husbands health improved a little and I knew that this was partly due to the exercise he was undertaking and I was inspired by the power of exercise and how it can help the body to heal. I felt drawn to help, teach and inform others. The more I thought about it, the more I felt Pilates was the route to take, offering a mind and body approach. I had been a graphic designer for twenty years and knew that my profession wasn’t helping my own posture or mind set. It was time for a change! A BIG change!
Why I love Pilates
I love Pilates because it is so inclusive. No matter what background you are from or level of fitness you have, the exercises are adaptable to suit the needs of all.
On a personal level it feels great to exercise the mind and body together, taking the time to set up the exercise correctly whilst using the all important breath to assist.
On a teaching level it feels so worthwhile to help people from all different walks of life to maintain a flexible, toned body; improve and correct posture imbalances; and importantly in this fast paced world we live in, say good-bye to stress.
Qualifications, length and depth of experience in Pilates
- Level 3 Diploma Teaching Mat Pilates
- Level 4 Diploma in Physical Activity & Lifestyle Strategies for Managing Low Back Pain
Spine Safe Reformer Foundation
- Barre Pilates
- Level 3 Award in Adapting Exercise for Ante and Post Natal Clients
- Level 3 Nutrition for Physical Activity
- Level 3 Award in Exercise Considerations for Independently Active, Older Adults
- Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral
Something you may not know about me
I share my birthday with Adolf Hitler!
There are many, many differences between us though. I promise!
How I first got into Pilates
After 14 years of teaching Dance, and 13 months after giving birth to my daughter, I wanted a new focus and challenge in my career.
I had practiced Pilates when training as a dancer, and had always been interested in learning more about it. The fact I had recently started a family and had been left thinking, what pelvic floor!!! – It seemed a natural path to take.
I met Tanya through a friend and started attending classes at the studio. After completing the intensive Stott Mat Pilates course Tanya took me under her wing and began to teach and train me in the incredible ‘Tanya academy of Pilates’. Five years on and teaching at the studio is now my full time focus. I have since gone on to get my qualification for Mat Pilates through Future Fit Training, and will be starting my Equipment qualification with Mbodies Training Academy shortly.
Qualifications, length and depth of experience in Pilates
- BA(Hons) Dance
- AISTD Ballet
- AISTD National Dance
- Cert Ed in FE Education
- Level 3 Mat Pilates
- Level 3 Anatomy & Physiology
- Pilates Studio Equipment Certification
Pilates has given me the focus and challenge I craved and I feel truly blessed to have a job I love.
Something you may not know about me
One thing you may not know about me, I have a massive phobia with snakes, don’t even show me a photo of one!
How I first got into Pilates
First acted as a guinea pig for a friend who was setting up a class after doing a Pilates course – Tanya!
However, she then moved to Warrington and I had to find another place to do my Pilates!! I had to settle for less talented teachers at the local leisure centre.
Why I love Pilates
Personally love the fact that I feel stronger and fitter and taller and thinner! For a girl who never found a sport I loved, Pilates grabs me because I feel so much better when I do it.
Love seeing other people benefit from the same effects. As a teacher, I get to watch people change over the weeks and that is great. For those who come with problems such as a bad back or neck, they change massively and that’s really rewarding.
Love the fact that it is so beneficial for so many different people, whether they have pain, or injury, or recovering from surgery, or want to be better at their sport, or to look better on the beach, or while pregnant or after having a baby, all of them can be helped.
I very quickly began to see the application for my work as a children’s Physiotherapist. I specialise in working with children with balance and co-ordination problems and have become slightly obsessed with using Pilates with them as I have seen the benefits for them over and over. There can be improvements for them in all sorts of areas such as handwriting, running, swimming, PE, riding a bike and all of these things really help them to keep up at school. Any improvement can make a massive difference to the life of a child.
Qualifications, length and depth of experience in Pilates
I qualified as a Physiotherapist 30 years ago – ouch – and, of course, have used exercises for rehabilitation throughout my career.
Courses completed:
- Pilates for Children with Co-ordination Problems
- Stott Intensive Matwork Course
- Stott Intensive Reformer Course
- Studio Equipment Certification
Something you may not know about me
Until 2 years ago we were foster carers, looking after nearly 30 children over 10 years.
BEETROOT – what’s that about? Horrid.
My idea of a good evening is to be cooking good food and sharing it with family or friends with lots of chat and laughter.
How I first got into Pilates
After gaining my Exercise to Music qualification in 2000 and joining the fitness industry I was always adding strings to my bow.
After several years and adding various qualifications I became interested in Pilates. I had listened to many sports celebs talking about it and how it had improved there fitness and performance and decided it was something I needed to know more about.
After qualifying in Pilates and teaching various venues, hotels and halls I was lucky enough to become part of Tanya’s team at the Studio, and have never looked back!
Why I love it!
After years of high energy intense fitness classes I did find it hard to slow down and appreciate my gains, but when I started to understand so much more about my body and others, I was hooked.
I feel fitter, firmer and calmer, the changes it has made to my body both physically and mentally are fab, the body awareness it has given me is amazing and the constant learning with Tanya and the team is another added bonus.
Seeing clients of all ages young and old and everything in between changing, moving and healing is a wonderful thing, and makes my job one of the best. With Pilates you are always learning and gaining!
Qualifications, length and depth of experience:
-
- Exercise to music
- Circuit training
- Client Appraisal
- Gym instructor Level 2
- Advance Gym Instructor
- Resistance Training
- Nutrition and weight management
- Sports conditioning
- Training in different environments
- Freestyle fitness yoga
- Pilates mat Stott
- Pilates reformer Stott
Something you may not know about me!
Love music of all types, but mostly Indie rock, still go to festivals and was a Punk with pink hair back in the day.
Loved running and competing, but not so much now, walking in the country more my bag.
About to move to the country!
How I first got into Pilates
My introduction to Pilates exercise was through my mum (owner of the studio). I have always enjoyed fitness as being part of our family you had to!
It was Pilates on the Reformers though that really hooked me into this discipline as my preferred training because it made such a difference to my overall strength/flexibility allowing me to achieve the fitness results I enjoy.
Why I love Pilates
I love the versatility that Pilates equipment allows. Every session and week the workout can be different and always challenging therefore I never tire of training as its always making a difference. In ten years I have never plateaued. My body feels the benefits of continuous progression. I will practice Pilates for the rest of my life!!!
Qualifications, length and depth of experience in Pilates
A whole raft of fitness qualifications dating back to 1991 including the following:
- 11 years practise of Pilates exercise
- Level 2 Exercise to Music
- Level 3 Anatomy and Physiology
- Level 3 Pilates Mats and Reformers
- Barre Pilates
- Special Populations/Injuries workshops
- Stott Stability Chair
- Studio Equipment Certification
Our teacher in training:
Already an accomplished teacher across various fitness disciplines including Pilates mat-works with dance experience and qualifications in her background, these are some of the reasons we are delighted to have Hayley as our in house trainee here at the studio.
Being mentored by teachers 30 years in this industry means you can expect to increasingly find Hayley competently teaching great sessions at the studio.
