I stumbled into a yoga class, almost quite literally, after having to retire from judo. I was plagued with injuries, the main one leading me to have reconstructive jaw surgery in 2000 to repair the damage from over 10 years of grappling. I was beyond devastated! Not knowing where to go next, I figured I would give yoga a try. I was amazed at how this gentle practice could challenge me both mentally and physically! I found myself wanting to learn more and deepen my own personal practice, which lead to the completion of my RYT200 hatha certification and then furthering my studies with RYT200 vinyasa certification. One of my wonderful yoga teachers encouraged me to try out a pilates class to help to continue to rehab my body and move pain free. I was once again amazed at how strong the slow controlled movements of pilates made me feel, while also bringing me to connect on a deeper level with myself. This lead me to dive deeper into studying the Pilates approach and obtain my certification for that as well.
I have had the pleasure to attend various workshops with incredible teachers such as Ray Long, Natasha Rizopoulos, Danny Paradise, Susi Hately, David Good, Rod Stryker, Margot McKinnon and Sarah Powers just to name a few! I am currently enrolled in a Pilates based Post-Rehab Specialist Program as well as Biomechanics with Body Harmonics, this is a 5 year program and I am loving the knowledge I have gained already! I feel the only way we can keep growing is to keep learning, so I will always be a student of movement!
When I’m not on my mat, or taking frantic notes in class you can find me enjoying a good veg out session with my family, hiking, running, cycling, baking, playing the drums or guitar, sewing or diving into a good book!