Why I became a Pilates teacher?

A personal journey

Sports and movement have always been part of my life. In my childhood I was dancing, biking, hiking, doing gymnastics and synchronised swimming and even gave modern pentathlon a very short try. My passion was (and still is) swimming.

After several years of competitive swimming I became a swimming coach, loving this profession and coaching beginner-, junior- and master-swimmers for more than 20 years. After settling in with my family in Bremen, Germany a lot of things happened more or less at the same time: For family reasons, I moved from Bremen to Toulouse, France and tried to have my swimming coach licences accepted in France.

My turning point:

During this process COVID hit and I was forced to quit swimming for quite a long time and do some sports at home during lock-down.

Since I learned about the Pilates method in 2006 after giving birth to our first son it was easy to extend my weekly practice to a more regular one, training three to four times a week. Pilates helped me immensely – physically and mentally – not only during my following two pregnancies and after re-education, but also to stay mentally sane during lock down.

It was then when I discovered Pilates classes via YouTube with Natasha Eyber, senior faculty teacher at BASI™ Pilates, and her mentor, Rael Isacowicz (founder and creator of BASI™ Pilates). Inspired by their way of teaching I decided to train as a BASI™ Pilates instructor in Paris at Studio Rituel (Verena Tremel & Fabio Carracci) and was finally certified in BASI™ Pilates Mat and Machines.

My teaching today

I am educated at body arts and science international (BASI™) Pilates. BASI™ is dedicated to remaining true to art, science, and, most importantly, true to Joseph and Clara Pilates.

Given that foundation, I specialise in Pilates as a complementary sport, as well as Pilates for injuries and pathologies, that is highly influenced by Samantha Wood. The centrepiece of all my teaching is the basi Block System created by Rael Isacowitz (Real Isacowitz: Pilates, 3rd edition, 2023)

Pilates for Athletes (www.pilates-for-athletes.com) is combining my passion for sports with my passion for Pilates. I am creating a platform for (master-) athletes, who are passionate about their chosen sports, be it running, tennis, golfing, surfing, ski-ing, biking, swimming – you name it!

Often the many years of training you put in did build strength and resilience, but with age and every kilometre running, biking or swimming, the body starts to speak a bit louder—often through back or neck discomfort. Racket players and swimmers also complain about shoulder issues.

Pilates for master athletes

The key is listening to your body, adapting your training, and continuing to move forward with purpose. This is exactly what Pilates for Athletes is helping you to achieve (and believe me, coming from the competitive corner of sports, that is not an easy way to master!):

My approach in a Pilates class is teaching rather than instructing: I explain the exercise clearly and make sure that technique is flawless to avoid injury. Clients describe me as a passionate teacher with a precise and compassionate teaching style.

How do I teach pilates for athletes?

As a BASI™ teacher I am working with a unique system, the BASI™ block system (created by Rael Isacowicz), that ensures athletes and non-athletes train in a meaningful way:

• All Pilates exercises are organized into different blocks, ensuring that your whole body is being addressed

• It provides a framework for your training.

• It gives room for individual development, such as adaptations or variations of exercises.

This means, while all participants are working the same muscle groups, exercises between participants may vary.

Thanks to the block system you are able to train together with your fellow athletes by keeping your personal balance.

If you would like to know more about Pilates for Athletes Classes, contact me for a free consultation on how I can help you via info@pilates-for-athletes.com. I offer individual and group classes, online and in person. Depending on your personal needs and wants I am confident that we will find a solution suitable for you!

Pilates for Athletes trains you the way you need:

• It targets all muscle groups in a structured way as well as the body as a whole.

• It gives room for individual development and growth while training in a group.

• It provides you with a passionate teacher, who cares about your development.

Enjoy many more years of your favourite sport: Invest in your Pilates Training today!