About

About - Total Precision Pilates

Jo discovered Pilates as a young dancer, she took classes with Alan Herdman at a ballet seminar and went on to train with one of his teachers.

After graduating from Northern Ballet School she worked as a professional dancer, performing in theatres, cruise ships, film and television.

Throughout her training and career she incorporated Pilates based exercises into her training programme, but after suffering a neck injury on her final dance contract she was treated by a physio using a Pilates based rehabilitation programme and following this she decided to enrol in a teacher training programme.

Another passion in Jo's life is running. She has found the breath control, co-ordination and core stability training of Pilates to be very beneficial to running. Another reason why she is such a fan of Pilates!

In 2014 Jo was diagnosed with a chronic lung condition. Due to this diagnosis she has first hand experience of how breathing affects our movement potential and quality of life. If you suffer from a lung condition you may wish to try Pilates. The breathing technique may help to improve your perception of breathlessness and release the stress and tension often associated with having a chronic lung condition. You may also strengthen the muscles involved with breathing - the diaphragm and accessory muscles.

Jo is a qualified exercise specialist in Chronic Respiratory disease and you can be referred to her by your Doctor or Consultant (Private or NHS) to take part in prescribed exercise sessions which will include cardiovascular and strengthening exercise. Ideal for those who have completed a course of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, these sessions allow you to continue to exercise after discharge from PR.

Jo enjoys teaching Pilates to anyone, no matter what their fitness level or previous experience.

She is constantly fascinated by the changes that Pilates can bring to all physiques and loves helping clients prevent injuries and regain the quality of life that comes from building a strong, mobile body.

Whether your classes with Total Precision Pilates involve Pilates or breath training, Jo looks forward to helping you improve your movement potential and quality of life.

Qualifications

• Body Control Pilates - Certified Matwork teacher

• Body Control Pilates - Certified Reformer teacher

• Exercise Specialist in Chronic Respiratory Disease

• Buteyko Clinic International - Certified Buteyko Instructor (CertBBM)

• FitPro - Respiratory Conditions for Fitness Professionals

• Burrell Education - Breathe Better

• Active IQ - Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral

• Level 3 Designing Pre and Postnatal Pilates Programmes

• Level 3 Designing Pilates Programmes for Bone Health (Osteopenia & Osteporosis)

• Fellow of CIMSPA (The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity)

• Member of the Body Control Pilates Association & Academy

• Currently attending the Alan Herdman Pilates teacher training course

Further Education:

Matwork - Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Matwork, Level 4 Pilates - Movement & Adaptations

Studio Equipment - Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector, Ped-i-Pul

Small Equipment/Other - Balls, Band, Foam Roller, Toning Circle, Baby Arc, MOTR, Control & Balance, Standing, HIP - High Intensity Power Pilates

Special Populations - Pilates for the Older Person, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons, Scoliosis, Pre & Post Hip Replacement, Optimal Shoulder Function, Psoas: Clever Guy of the Pelvis

Performance - Dancers, Runners, Golfers

Other:

Dance teaching qualifications from the R.A.D and the I.S.T.D

Prime First Aid - Basic Life Support

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate (DBS)

Total Precision Pilates is committed to continued professional development, regularly attending classes, workshops and courses with both UK and international teachers.

About - Pilates

Pilates is a method of mind and body conditioning developed by Joseph Pilates.

Pilates was born in Germany around 1880. He suffered from several childhood illnesses and was given a short life expectancy. He experimented with martial arts, yoga, gymnastics, self-defence, circus training and weight training to build his strength and he drew on these sports and arts to develop his own method – which he named ‘Contrology’. It was after his death that the method became known as ‘Pilates’.

Joe Pilates moved to England in 1912 and taught fitness and self-defence to the police. After the First World War he returned to Germany where he taught the German police and army. In 1926, he emigrated to the U.S.A, where he set up a studio in New York. His first clients were boxers and dancers - many from the New York City Ballet, some of these dancers became his assistants who influenced the further development of the method.

The original exercises that Pilates created were mat-based, but in New York he designed equipment to challenge the strength and flexibility of his clients. This is the equipment such as the Reformer and Cadillac and Wunda Chair that we see in Pilates studios today.

Pilates intuitively taught the importance of core strength and teaching the individual, but it wasn't until many years after his death the importance of the ‘core’ was recognised in research studies.

The Pilates principles used in class separate Pilates from other exercise methods. These principles are inter-linked and have to be used together to obtain the full benefit of the programme. Body Control Pilates has expanded on the original six principles to create eight points of focus:

• Concentration: We are encouraged to completely concentrate on the body during the class

• Relaxation: We aim to release areas of unwanted tension in the body

• Alignment: Alignment is the 'precision' of Pilates. By aiming for good alignment throughout the skeleton the muscles rest in their most natural or 'neutral' position, this encourages the muscles to be recruited correctly.

• Breathing: How we breathe affects the quality of our movement. Breathing is unconscious but can also be controlled consciously. Respiration affects all the systems of the body so by considering and improving the breath, we can influence the whole body including our nervous system.

• Centring: Also known as 'core stability'. We are constantly controlling the body as we move. We do this by recruiting the small, deep stabilising muscles in the body. They can be weak, due to the larger muscles taking over their role - this can lead to faulty muscle recruitment and potential injury if not corrected. We also consider the degree of muscle recruitment required, aiming to use the least amount of recruitment possible to perform the task at hand.

• Co-ordination: We not only aim to improve co-ordination of movement within the body, but also brain/body coordination and movement/breath coordination.

• Flowing Movements: We are aiming to create flowing movement within each exercise and as we advance we aim to create flow within the class - moving from one exercises to another seamlessly.

• Stamina: By performing the movements correctly with low repetitions, strength and endurance increases and our stamina improves.

Pilates is extremely beneficial to everyone. Doing Pilates regularly may lead to a stronger, leaner, more toned body. You will become less prone to injury and gradually discover increased flexibility, those everyday aches and pains may begin to disappear. Your spine will be more supported, your abdominals will strengthen and the joints you rely on most - the shoulders, hips, knees and ankles will develop improved alignment and strength, making them more stable and less prone to injury and pain.

No matter what your career or hobby is, you will find that by doing Pilates your body awareness and movement quality increases and therefore life is improved!