Hey, I’m Aily, thanks for visiting my website. My journey with pilates started with rehabilitation after an unfortunate accident after being knocked off my bike when I was cycling home. I was taught a list of clinical pilates exercises by my physiotherapist that I practised daily. I have loved sport and fitness since I was a teenager. I am facinated with the human form and all the ways each of us are uniquely put together. In order for me to improve the quality of a clients movement patterns I realised I needed to deeply understand the anatomy and biomechanics of the body as it moves. I learn something new with every client and try to understand how I can do my best to help them get stronger and feel more freedom in their movement.

Qualifications

BASI Pilates Studio Mat work
Pilates Method Alliance Certified
BodyFirm Pilates Mat work
Anatomy & Physiology Fundamentals Cert

Ongoing Personal Development : BASI Comprehensive / Anatomy Trains in Motion /
Neuromuscular Physical Therapy

Trainings

Postural Assessment and Muscle Testing - solid understanding of full body postural assessment, bony landmarks, postural types, basic muscle tests, investigating muscle testing to support findings.

Pelvic Floor and Core Foundations -

A little more about me, my relationship with fitness began in secondary school. It would be fair to say I was the geeky, artsy one in class and the extent of my knowledge on exercise would have been hours drawing precise anatomy pictures in my science lab book. A buddy encouraged me to join the school basketball team, after each training session I was breathless, jelly legged and had a delightful red puffy face for hours. Our coach pushed us to compete in matches, he was a talented player from South Carolina, towering at 6ft 7, after a few months I was hooked. Adding on aerobics classes later that year boosted my strength and agility, it had the same effect on my confidence and I threw myself into more activities.

My love for sport and adventure have been an important part of my wellbeing ever since. My awareness for a health of mind came later after the trauma of an accident. In 2012 I was hit by a car when I was cycling home, with my back taking the brunt of it, the prognosis was 4 prolapsed discs and a fractured coccyx. This was particularly unwelcome news as I was flying to Australia for my brothers wedding in the three weeks following. One special padded cushion later and a team of hilarious, accommodating flight attendants made the trip go fast.

In the years that followed my lowest disc bulge at L4-L5 compressed my sciatic nerve. This caused excruciating pain lying down and sitting. I had a wonderful physiotherapist and clinical pilates specialist gave me a detailed list pilates exercises to practise at home. I gradually built up my strength in my back extensors, obliques and abdominals. I couldn’t do them on days I had a lot of pain so I wasn’t fully benefitting. My quality of life at the time was poor, looking back now I learned so much from others going through pain management, I listened to podcasts, completed anatomy and physiology course.

To get myself to sleep, I would walk each evening for hours until I exhausted myself enough to fall asleep on a duvet on the floor with no pillow. This went on for 7 months, many MRI’s and many anti - inflammatories and pain killers. Until one day in the front garden, feeling pretty good, I was listening to music and dancing on the grass barefoot when I noticed my big toe had gone floppy. I tapped my foot and it had gone numb. I shrugged my shoulders and told myself “it’s OK Aily lets test it” I tried to lift a pebble. I couldn’t. I couldn’t feel anything. My leg had gone numb and my back pain too. It was a relief but worrying. I visited my GP and he confirmed my worst fear and referred me to a spine surgeon and I had a microdiscetomy 3 weeks later in the summer of 2015.

I felt great after surgery I returned restorative exercises a few months after the surgery, doing restorative yoga and pilates my flexibility improved so much. Thank goodness for that, it changed my life. I adore my practise training in the The Elbow room and then finding Live & Breath Pilates Studio. I love how pilates has transformed my body and my life, it gives me strength of body and mind. I couldn't live without it and I began the BASI (Body Arts and International) Pilates course in April 2018 and qualified as BASI MAT pilates instructor in November 2018. 

My classes are restorative and strength conditioning. Promoting both physical and mental well-being.

Adults Pilates and Childrens Creative Mindfulness Yoga. The Creative Mindfulness Kids Method introduces mindfulness to children in fun and creative ways. Children learn how to calm and relax their minds, understand and express their thoughts and feelings and cultivate kindness for  themselves and others through stories, meditation, discussion, visualisation, art, craft and music.