Welcome to
PILATES SPECIALIST
• Qualified Pilates Specialist in Harlow and Online
• Classes and 1:1’s to suit everyone
• Back Pain Management Specialist
• Cancer Rehabilitation Therapist
• Pelvic Floor Specialist
• Postural Stability Instructor (Falls Prevention Techniques)
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PILATES CLASSES
Pilates can help to prevent injury and can rehabilitate damaged and injured muscles. Pilates can restore your natural, normal movement and improve your posture by strengthening postural muscles that stabilise the torso. Pilates classes can correct your muscle imbalances re-aligning the body again.
Pilates provides both mental and physical training techniques which has a recognised success rate in helping people with all sorts of body ailments such as neck, lower back, shoulder and RSI problems. Pilates is also used as a training system by athletes and many involved with sports as it gives them improved core body strength and flexibility which enhances their performance whilst helping to reduce the risk of injury.
Pilates is your key to improving your posture, strengthening your core, reducing injuries, joint realignment to improve weaknesses, greater pain free mobility, flexibility, and time for you to de-stress and focus on you.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN A PILATES CLASS
For a face to face session, please remember to bring a mat, cushion & towel. You will be greeted and we’ll check if there’s any extra information needed as a result of the screening form we have. For an online session, please remember to login to your first session a few minutes early. This is so we can help with any technical difficulties you may have. Once you are in we will check any outstanding queries from your screening form. Please make sure your camera is pointing at you and you are in a quiet environment.
The class will start in standing. Shoes are normally removed, however if you prefer to keep them on, that’s fine. If standing is a difficult position for you, please don’t worry, this is not unusual depending on stages of rehabilitation and condition, and we are happy to work with you to find a suitable option. In standing we will teach you where your perfect posture is, and introduce a range of mobility exercises to loosen still joints and ignite the mind body connection for the rest of the class. This standing section will normally be 5-10mins but could be longer in some rehab situations.
We would then lower to the mat to perform adapted versions of Pilates exercises. Typically this section would last around 40-45mins, and would include around 8 exercises with stretches and mobility included throughout. Some exercises begin lying on your back, some on your side, some on your front, and some sitting. Again if any of these are uncomfortable, or if you find transitioning difficult, let us know and we will happily work with you to find an alternative.
Finally we would perform some posture enhancing stretches followed by a short relaxation section. This leads us gently back into a standing position to realign into our perfect posture before returning to real life.
Pilates won’t make you out of breath, or sweat. It is challenging in a different way.
WHAT IS PILATES?
A history of Pilates
Joseph Pilates was a sickly child and began exercising with his father at a young age to help reduce his symptoms. His father was a keen gymnast and under his guidance, Pilates began to build strength and reduce his ailments.
Although at the time he may not have understood the science behind why it was working, he knew he was on to something, and continued to develop his understanding. Over the years Pilates trained using different techniques such as bodybuilding, martial arts and yoga. He was way ahead of his time in his understanding of the human body, and exercise for rehabilitation.
“The Pilates Method teaches you to be in control of your body and not at its mercy” – Joseph Pilates
Pilates was born in 1883 and raised in Germany, and came to live in England when he was 29 (1912). He worked as a self defense trainer for police officers at Scotland Yard, as well as showcasing his flexibility and strength as a circus performer. In 1925, ages 42, he emigrated to America and met his wife to be, Clara on the ship bound for New York. The pair settled in to 939 8th Avenue which became their home and studio where Pilates as a commercial form of exercise first began.
There are 34 original exercises which Joseph Pilates sequenced to give the optimum benefit using body position, breathing and flow. His studio in New York was a 10 minute walk from the Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts, home to the New York City Ballet, and it wasn’t long before his studio was filled with dancers wanting injury prevention, or unfortunately for some, injury rehabilitation. Joseph Pilates was strict. Technique was everything, and the results speak for themselves. One man in a studio created what has become many people’s lifeline back to good health. We teach adapted versions of the 34 original exercises in Pilates classes today. This is because we teach to a much wider audience, and it would be unfair (and unsafe) to teach exercises developed for dancers to the wider community.
PRINCIPLES OF PILATES
“You are only as young as your spine is flexible” – Joseph Pilates
TESTIMONIALS
I have been going to Heathers classes for a couple of years now, her lessons are always enjoyable and extremely beneficial with exercises that can be varied if necessary to suit individual needs. She is an excellent teacher with an indepth knowlege & passion for Pilates.
During lockdown her online classes were easy to follow and she continues to provide us with lots of different options for classes during these uncertain times.
I would highly recommend Heather’s Classes for everyone. Thank you Heather!
After years of trying different exercise based remedies for back pain, I finally discovered Pilates and joined Heather’s classes. Each lesson under Heather’s guidance is made up of gentle, but testing and above all controlled exercises. The exercises are not difficult but can be varied and made more or less demanding to suit individual need and at the end of a session you are left feeling refreshed. You’re aware you’ve had a work out but are by no means exhausted! Almost from the first lesson, my back pain started to ease and over a period of months subside almost completely. I am 6 months in to Pilates and the benefits of a more flexible back and stronger core are evident in terms of being pain free, better overall posture and a general feeling of well being. I can’t recommend Heather’s classes highly enough.
Heather is an outstanding pilates instructor. Her in depth knowledge provides differentiated instruction, according to people’s needs and problems. Her classes in her studio and online are friendly, relaxed, thoughtful, encouraging and beneficial. I would highly recommend joining her online classes and check out her timetable if you live locally.
I started Pilates with Heather following my mastectomy and I was so reassured by her expertise working with women following breast cancer and surgery. I felt very much in safe hands and Heather was very positive about how I could get back to my old level of fitness and flexibility. Heather’s style of teaching is a great mix of encouragement and reassurance and then challenging when you are ready for it! I have enjoyed 1/1, group, virtual and family sessions with Heather over the last couple of years and can highly recommend for everyone.
Heather is amazing. She took her time to get to know my personal situation and worked with me on a 1:1 basis to build my pelvic floor so that I could participate in her online classes safely. These classes are amazing. The fact they are online has made it possible for me to work with Heather and otherwise I would have missed out on her high skill set.
Having worked in offices most of my life I’d been looking for some form of exercise to improve my posture and flexibility – desk jobs having robbed me of both. I happened upon Heather’s pilates classes by accident and decided to try them. I’m so glad I did. Starting with a sizeable group of willing but largely inexperienced students of mixed ages, she taught us from beginners level to a pretty high standard. She was always careful to assess everyone’s state of health before each class and adapted exercises as necessary to suit everyone’s abilities.
Heather has a natural rapport with her students and her classes were always great fun – her enthusiasm was infectious. It’s testament to her personality and teaching ability that so many students attended her classes for the duration of her time in Rugby. She’s still missed to this day!
Pilates has largely eradicated the back problems I’d suffered from spending long hours at my desk. I’ve joined another class since Heather moved away from Rugby and I fully intend to continue with Pilates for many years to come!
I attended classes run by Heather from 2011 through until she moved away from the Rugby area in late 2014. Having undergone spinal surgery, I was keen to find a way to improve my core stability without putting unnecessary strain on my back. Heather assessed my case and was able to recommend particular exercises to suit me. This was carried out discretely for all attendees in her class. The class itself was varied from week to week, and I always left feeling both relaxed and that I had had a good workout.
Heather is an outstanding Teacher and after working with me for 3 years I now consider her to be a friend. She helped me get fitter than I had ever been ready for my 50th birthday and subsequently adapted her fitness lessons to help me cope with my breast cancer treatment. Even though Heather made me work hard, she also made each session fun and enjoyable.I would recommend Heather to anyone wanting to improve their overall health and well being.
Heather’s classes are engaging and fun. She gives clear instructions and really knows her stuff and can work people of all ages and abilities. She’s top qualified from Future Fit and trains instructors too.
Heather was my Pilates coach for over a year. She adapted the sessions to work around my back condition and each session was different. It was relaxed but challenging too.
I have been attending postnatal Pilates with Heather for about 5 months. It’s a lovely relaxing class that is tailored for women to help with recovery.It’s a baby friendly class and my baby enjoys watching. It’s fun, friendly and I feel better each week. Would highly recommend!
Heather is an excellent instructor I have had back problems most of my life. It was suggested to me by a doctor that Pilates may help me, that was when Heather came into my life. I have been going to her back pain specialist class for the past six months and enjoy it very much. The class is small enough that it is equal to having 1:1 training which is great. My core and back has seen a vast improvement and I look forward to my weekly class. I have also met with a lovely group of friends.
I recently damaged my lower back. I’m currently undergoing physiotherapy. Several weeks ago my Physio highly recommended Heather a Pilates specialist in lower back pain. To be honest I laughed at first because I was always under the impression that Pilates was more of a woman’s thing. As you have probably guessed I am male. I’m 16 stone and have always considered myself as reasonably fit and strong. I take back my first impressions. It’s a lot tougher than I originally thought. But the rewards far outweigh any doubts that I first had. I have noticed I’m in a lot less pain as my core strength has increased beyond any expectations. Heather has been a fantastic instructor with very clear and concise guidance whilst maintaining a welcoming and fun environment. Give it a go!
As a man who joined the army at 16 I’ve been plagued with sports injuries my entire adult life. After my doctor advised me to try Pilates I booked a personal training session with Heather as I had my own specific training goals/ needs. Although sceptical at first I’ve found Pilates to be incredibly helpful in treating/ preventing soft tissue and mobility issues. On top of that Heather is a friendly, extremely helpful woman with a wealth of knowledge. After only a month I’ve said goodbye to my lower back pain, increased my spinal mobility and seen impressive gains in my core strength. Both my quality of life and athletic performance has improved as a result. I can’t recommend Heather’s classes enough and remember you get out what you put in.
I would highly recommend Heather, I go to the back class which has helped me enormously to strengthen my core and support my back. My posture has also improved. The classes are always fun and lighthearted and we always come out wih a smile on our faces.
I have recently tried Heather after suffering from back discomfort. I had a few one to one sessions with her and have already found relief. She knows her stuff and has knack for explaining body alignment so that you can really see what you’re working on. I’m now really looking forward to the group sessions and have told my family to go!
Went to my first postnatal Pilates class yesterday with Heather. I very much enjoyed the class, so good infact I immediately booked on for next week. It was great to attend an exercise class where you can bring your little one and she also includes the little ones in the exercises. The bubbles were wonderful touch! She was energetic, very clear on how to do each position and extremely focused. Highly recommend! Thanks again Heather.
Really lovely relaxed pilates class that I attend with my baby. Heather the teacher is great and helps pick up my baby when she gets bored so I can continue with my stretches. I’m loving being able to join the class and get my body back after having a baby.
Having suffered lower back pain for over a year I was astonished to find that after my first pilates session with Heather my back felt much better and I’d thoroughly enjoyed myself. She is an inspiring person who really understands the human body and how we should treat it to keep us pain free and supple. I recommend anyone who’s thinking about taking up Pilates or has a back problem to contact her.
Amazing instructor… Great improvement to my painful back since starting Pilates in January… Would recommend anyone to give this a try…
Heather is an excellent instructor with vast knowledge and expertise. I am new to Pilates and felt at ease and able to complete the individual program I received.
Heather has a way of explaining the exercises in such simple terms for you, with added easy to understand benefits of each one. You can build up what you can do in the class at your own pace, as Heather accommodates a total range of abilities/stages of people, from a few weeks post operation, to ongoing months and even me, now a year or so post op. Also sessions are fun and in no way intimidating.
A huge thank you for all the targeted support you have given me. Pilates was the single most helpful thing I could have done in advance of my hip replacement.
“If it’s easy, it’s probably not Pilates”