I am Leanne, a Pilates Teacher with a Level 3 Diploma in Teaching Pilates through YMCA Fit.

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I am also a Level 3 Reiki Master Practitioner and use this beautiful practice to support my teaching.
 

What I do...

I teach Pilates to people with long term health conditions, mobility issues, weight issues or who feel exercise isn't for them. My classes are planned according to the needs of individuals in the group. Everything is designed at your level with plenty of support and encouragement.

 

I understand what it is like not to be the fittest in a fitness class or the person hiding at the back doing all the wrong moves. In my classes you won't experience any of this. Or if you are going in the wrong direction, I probably will be too! You will be fully included in the group. You may find you work hard but we will keep you safe and I can guarantee you will also have fun. Everyone who attends is so friendly and welcoming that you will soon start making friends and look forward to every class.

 

How I got here...

Having struggled for years with mobility issues and pain, I was very lucky to find Pilates.

 

In 2016 I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (the hypermobility type) after a lifetime of joint pain, headaches, and gastrointestinal and respiratory issues. It was amazing for me to finally know what was wrong. The only problem was, that there is no cure and no one really knows how to help. I had countless appointments with physios, occupational therapists, consultants, and doctors. I tried all sorts of medication, acupuncture, massage, osteopathy, and hydrotherapy and nothing was helping. I started looking for a wheelchair so that I could get around more easily and even that wasn't successful as the self-propelling wheelchairs hurt the joints in my arms and made everything worse. I was spending longer and longer in bed and was losing hope.

 

Until, one day, my remedial massage therapist suggested I try Pilates. I joined a Beginners' class and pretty much cried my way through the first 6 weeks as it was so painful! However, I stuck at it as I'd learned that one of the biggest enemies for people with chronic health conditions is "deconditioning". I was very deconditioned after limiting my movement due to pain. From beginners, I joined a Pilates Lite class. This gave me the confidence to take part within my own limits as the class was specifically for people who needed to take it a bit easier. My confidence grew and grew and I found I was having fewer dislocations, the pain was reducing and I was feeling so much better in myself. It took a couple of years of Pilates classes and doing Pilates at home on a daily basis to become the person I am today. 

 

That is when I decided I could help other people enhance their lives through Pilates and so trained to become a Pilates teacher. I'll never be the fittest "fitness instructor" that you meet. I still have the occasional injury and sometimes I'll be breathless while teaching.... but I know that Pilates can help everyone to be the strongest they can be.

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Recent additional training undertaken includes:
"The Yellow Brick Road: A 4-part framework for coaching clients in pain" through Fitpro
"Pilates for MS" with Sara McGowan, Lead Physiotherapist at Samson Centre for MS 
"Training clients with long term health conditions" through FitPro
"Spine Safe Pilates" through Cherry Baker Education
"Cancer and Exercise" through FitPro
"Pilates for Hypermobility" through APPI
"COVID 19 Awareness Training" through ReActivate
Nutriri facilitation, teaching people to find food and body ease, coaching and hypnotherapy
"Parkinson's Awareness training for exercise and physical activity providers" through UK Parkinson's Excellence Network

"Cancer and Exercise - Movement Matters" with Professor Anna Campbell MBE through FitPro

"WalkFit" with Rachel Holmes through Choreography To Go

"How to Help Clients with their Pain: a Neurophysiological Perspective" with Kevin Murray through FitPro

WalkFit and Sit Fitness Teacher Training Certificates with Choreography To Go

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I'm also covered by First Aid Level 3 Award and Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Level 1.