My Approach

My Courses and Classes

My Pilates classes are designed to give you a total body workout each time. Each week will contain different exercises - not everything suits everybody - so keeping it varied means that everybody always achieves something.

If done correctly, Pilates is not easy. It should be challenging but never painful in a bad way. Options are given throughout each class to ensure that everybody can work at their own level.

Anyone can benefit from Pilates in all different ways, therefore you are always welcome to join.

Classes have a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and I hope you will want to join the GTHF Pilates community. Make the time to treat your body and mind to regular Pilates workouts - I’m sure you will feel the benefits.

My Courses are designed to educate and teach you techniques to use in order to reduce stress in your life.

By working on 1 to 1 basis we can personalise a course to help you achieve more.

I aim to give you information and exercises that you will be able to incorporate into your everyday lifestyle.

My aims are to:

• Provide a professional but friendly, welcoming and relaxed environment

• Listen to what you want and need, and work with you

• Personalise courses as much as possible

• Educate and provide clients with the knowledge they need to make changes and choices that are best for them

• Design plans/programmes that help you achieve goals and provide the most benefits

• Support, motivate and encourage you, and keep you accountable, throughout your journey to improved health and fitness

• Use simple, safe and science-based or proven methods that are accessible to all.

I’ve always been a gymnast, and when I got too old to train and compete myself, I turned to coaching. I spent many hours in the gym training gymnasts to become county and regional champions. It was so rewarding to see them achieve so much and enjoy their sport.

Bored of a long time desk job as a receptionist and facing redundancy, I decided that if I could coach gymnasts, then why couldn’t I train adults to get fit - and so started my fitness career training. Which led to me running my own business for 9 years - teaching all sorts of fitness classes and personal training. I loved my job, helping people stay fit, keeping them moving, working with such a diverse range of people.

Then I suddenly had to give it all up - I couldn’t go on being in the pain I was in any longer. This pain had been getting increasingly worse over a few years in my lower back. Having seen all manner of physios and specialists at the hospital - nobody could tell me what it was or help. Until I saw an osteopath who worked out that my pelvis was moving incorrectly.

So within the space of 2 weeks I was stopping all my classes and clients, and beginning a new job as a bus driver. I wasn’t moving so I wasn’t in pain. But going from 8hrs exercise a day to sitting behind the wheel all day had it’s consequences. I put weight on, I became stressed and depressed, I was not happy any more.

I tried a few more different jobs, was hit from behind in a car crash which wrecked my shoulder, went back to bus driving. I still wanted to return to the fitness industry - I began to retrain in various courses. To try to get myself in a better place mentally, I tried mindfulness and meditation. I walked.

Whilst recovering from the operation to repair my shoulder (after the 2 years delay of the Covid pandemic) I put my mind to what I really wanted to do, which would make me happy again.

So here I am, back teaching Pilates (my favourite form of exercise), and now also coaching people in ways that will help them lead lifestyles to be less stressed and happier. I want to help people find health and happiness through movement and behaviour changes, positive habits and relaxation.

I know it’s possible to break out of the depression and stress, to become fit and healthy, and be able to use one, some, or a mixture of methods to become happy and healthy - I’ve done it.

I’d like to help you reach your goals and become healthier and happier too. Whether it’s getting fitter and stronger, doing more exercise, changing your habits, sleeping better, coping with stress…. Together, we can work to get you there.