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Pilates & Structural Integration

Thea Gudgeon

Theawatfordhalf2013My journey into the world of bodywork started in my twenties when I discovered aerobics and running. As a rather inactive child I finally found the passion that motivated me to get active, and set out on a path that has lead me to the fascinating world of fascia and the structural disciplines of Pilates and Structural Integration.

I entered the Health and Fitness Industry as an aerobics and step instructor freelancing in many clubs, and over the last fifteen years have loved teaching most of the varieties of classes found on studio programmes. I still love teaching group exercise, despite its limitations for individual specificity.

I have worked extensively as a home Personal Trainer and have helped clients of all shapes, sizes with goals ranging from weight loss, to sporting achievement, or overcoming debilitating illnesses. No client is ever the same, and my approach is different accordingly.

I started to find that whilst my clients wanted me to help them lose weight, get faster, lift heavier weights, I would be looking at the alignment of their bodies and wanting to address the functional and structural issues that often prevented them achieving their goals.

Already a qualified Pilates Instructor, in 2011 I retrained in the Contrology Pilates Method – a classical training with a fascial slant on Joseph’s work. It was a revelation for my own body, and gave me an entirely new perspective on the corrective beauty of the work. 

Having run a successful Sports Massage business alongside my Personal Training for many years, I began to look into the world of fascia and its use in Bodywork. In 2011 I enrolled on the KMI Structural Integrators Certification, based on the Anatomy Trains work of Tom Myers. 

I now combine movement therapy in the form of Pilates, with bodywork therapy in the form of Structural Integration. In my experience the combination of both leads to true understanding and correction of held postural and movement patterns. I also continue to offer Sports Massage Therapy.

Having learnt the Pilates repertoire in my own body, and experienced the KMI 12 series twice, I still consider my body a work in progress, but my experience has been invaluable learning, and gives me a real understanding of the clients I meet, and how they feel when they start the work.

I am a Marathon runner and Long Distance Triathlete with many years of competing under my belt, and over the years have experienced the physical pain emotional frustration of injury first hand more than once! Pilates and KMI has helped me to be in a stronger, balanced and more comfortable body.

My Background