Prior to teaching Pilates, Sarah worked in the music business. From having her own band together, to session work as a singer, Sarah put her expertise into the other side of the Music industry, including Managing Artists, Tour managing Artists and running session nights with musicians, for musicians. On top of all that, Sarah had her own events company, putting on major events and freelancing in the film industry which included work for the London Film Festival where she organised the seating arrangements for Gala nights and putting on the Sponsored party afterwards.
Following her own back issues and finding pilates for herself, Sarah decided to get extra knowledge and a background within the fitness industry by enrolling and training with the YMCA, focusing on Exercise to Music/ Aqua Aerobics / Anatomy and Physiology. Only then did Sarah feel worthy enough to commence training on a 3 year Pilates Training course with Michael King. All this initial training ended in 2002! However, when you are working with clients, your training never ends
Sarah is a qualified pilates instructor who trained with Michael King and with The Pilates Institute. She has also attended courses with Lolitta San Miguel, Sarah Irwin, Rebecca Leone, Alan Herdman and Kathy Corey. Sarah shares her extensive experience by teaching in a way that will help other people with their own personal back pain, or with physio referrals.
Sarah brought Rebecca Leone (the Pilates NUN) to London where she ran developmental workshops for teachers and 2 weekend courses for other Pilates teachers to attend. Sarah also worked with Dr Bruce Crawford, bringing him over to the UK to share his Pilates knowledge to Pilates teachers here in the UK wanting to learn much more about Pelvic floor work.
Sarah has trained and attended the following courses and continues to do so
Sarah is a qualified pilates instructor who trained with Michael King and with The Pilates Institute. She has also attended courses with
Sarah continues attending workshops for her own research and enjoys sharing her extensive experience by teaching people in a simple way that helps them understand their exercises thoroughly.
Osteopaths and Physiotherapists in London frequently send Sarah their clients to continue their improvement with Pilates.
Many people think that Pilates is just following a trend but Joseph Pilates developed what is now known as Pilates in the early 20th Century. Originally the method was called Contrology.
Joseph Pilates created a method and system of exercises whilst in Knockaloe Internment camp in the Isle of Mann, where he was interned for 4 years as a German Prisoner of War. He created exercises using the springs of the beds along with whatever he could find in the camp to help people.
The original Pilates exercises can be very difficult and if not done correctly, with a qualified trainer it would be easy to be injured. As we advertise Pilates is wonderful to prevent injuries, it is always best to check an instructor’s extensive training before taking classes. Hopefully your instructor can alter and modify safe exercises to suit your body requirements.
“There are many articles on Pilates these days. They didn’t exist when I began my training. Pilates was not the “in” thing. I’m just glad I had a forward thinking osteopath who made me go out and find Pilates in the early 90s. It helped and fixed me and I like to help and fix others”
– Sarah
Originally, Joseph would teach one to one Pilates and the various “Master Teachers” who trained with him worked on their own injury or for their dancing. Whatever their reason for training with Mr Pilates, this would be the direction for their own teaching later on. So there are many disagreements on the correct teaching and exercises and what’s right and wrong. Various Pilates methods were created based on the training the original teacher received. Whatever school of training, Pilates was one man with one method and in modern day, it’s great to modify exercises as life and needs are very different today. For example, when Joseph Pilates started teaching his clients, they were not sitting at a desk on a computer 12 hours a day or lying in bed with an iPad in their hands! I believe we have to adapt our pilates exercises these days to accommodate our client’s modern needs. Which gets me onto technique.
Without directly criticising or generalising the standard of Pilates teachers that I come across, I do come across some quite shocking teachers who do not watch their clients and allow them to just do the exercises without checking their form. Originally this is why I set up my Pilates Workshops and Pilates retreats or Pilates holidays. This way, I feel I can play my part in breaking down the exercises for a small group of students and showing them how very small movements and great posture and technique become the best way to do these exercises. I don’t think Pilates should ever have been taught in a large group. It is virtually impossible for a Pilates teacher to go round a whole large group, such as 20 people in a gym class, to correct their posture and Pilates technique which is of course vital to do doing the Pilates exercises well. I think Joseph Pilates would turn in his grave! But that’s just my opinion. I am a Pilates perfectionist, and my method of Pilates teaching is not for everyone. Do it properly or not at all!
Pilates can help people with injuries or aches and pains. By improving posture and core stability and by isolating muscles, Pilates strengthens the body, corrects posture and gives the body strength and an all over toning.
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