I teach people of all levels how to move better. Bespoke one-on-one & semi-private training in exercise technique, to help you build strength, mobility and a deeper connection to your body.
⭐︎Pilates technique
⭐︎Joint-specific training
⭐︎Advice on posture & proper form
PILATES & MOVEMENT COACHING
Private & semi-private classes, tailored to your unique needs.
Classes usually consist in a combination of pilates exercises, joint-specific training, and postural and form correction.
⭐︎Pilates exercises are done on the mat, on the pilates equipment (reformer, cadillac, barrel and chair), and using bands, balls and dumbbells.
⭐︎Joint-specific exercises involve targeted stretching and strengthening exercises and joint mobility drills, and are done on the mat using yoga blocks, bands and sticks. If you are unable to get down onto the floor, we use a raised mat.
⭐︎Posture and form correction work takes several forms, depending on your needs. We could unpack your gait, look at your seated posture, analyse your squat or explore strategies for handling that multi-day hike you have coming up.
In our classes, I’ll use a combination of techniques to help you learn how to move well. A big part of moving well is learning to control your movements. And when you can control your movements properly, everything else falls into place more easily – your workouts become more effective, you can intervene earlier when there is potential joint dysfunction, and you have more strategies for dealing with pain and discomfort. The goal is increased freedom of movement, higher levels of body awareness and connection, improved joint strength and resilience and a greater physical capacity to live your life well. Moving well and controlling your movements properly are learned skills, and they can be taught. With a bit of information and guidance, and a little practise you, too, can move well.
Detail-orientated and mindful pilates-based training in which we focus both on developing good technique, and on developing a deep sense of embodied movement, which brings us back into our bodies. Learn matwork exercises, and equipment exercises on the reformer, cadillac, barrel and chair and add resistance with bands, balls and dumbbells. Learning pilates techniques is a good way to develop a solid technical understanding of common movement patterns – such as crunches, plank and cobra. And applying a pilates perspective to exercises such as squats, deadlifts and pull-ups, can help you clean up your form in the gym or in your other workouts, too. Classes are less ‘high intensity’ and more ‘slow and controlled’, where the emphasis is on developing a good understanding of movement mechanics, high levels of control and a better mind-body connection. In these classes, I aim to give you the time and space you need to really feel and process what an exercise or movement should feel like in the body. Once that foundation of awareness and control is established, your workouts automatically become more effective and intense.
Let’s work through that specific issue you’re experiencing in your shoulder joint, hip joint, ankle joint, knee joint, or neck joints etc. Joint-specific training entails stretching and strengthening a particular joint in isolation. It’s incredibly useful when you need to strengthen a specific joint in a particular plane of movement (for example, strengthening hip flexion), or improve a particular range of motion (for example, increasing hip mobility in flexion) . So it’s great for addressing strength and mobility deficits in a joint due to injury, or underuse, because it allows us to really target the weak points of a joint. The joint-specific work I offer is based on the Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) system, which also provides a thorough framework for self-analysing and improving joint health. The FRC system can be a useful tool to help you analyse, address and reverse potential joint strength and mobility issues before they become a real problem, and over time, can help you achieve a measurable improvement in the overall strength, mobility and functionality of all your joints.
Unpack your questions around posture and form with me. We can troubleshoot any problems you might be having with a particular movement pattern or skill (balancing on one leg, climbing up stairs, perfecting your deadlift, sitting for long hours at a desk). Or we can look at any movement challenges you might be facing due to something systemic or structural (scoliosis, hypermobility, chronic inflammation, movement apprehension). Often when we’re in the middle of a workout or task, we don’t have the luxury of slowing down and taking the time to feel and understand what an exercise, position or movement is all about, and how it really feels in the body. This is your chance to explore.
Spine mobility
Hip strength
Core stability
Shoulder work
Posture work
Pain relief
Mindful exercise
Good technique
Ageing well
Make an enquiry by clicking the WhatsApp button below, or send me an email on catherine@scienceinmotion.biz.
Hello, I’m Catherine. In my work as a pilates and movement coach, I combine years of experience as a professional dancer and movement teacher, university-level training in critical thinking, and a deep sensitivity to the experience of learning movement skills. I aim to provide a calm, safe environment where you can learn to move better, feel better and in doing so, improve your quality of life.
I trained as a dancer and performed professionally in musical theatre productions across Asia and Europe. As part of my dance training, I also obtained teaching qualifications in dance and gained experience as an apprentice teacher. The discipline, focus and precision that come from dance training, as well as that early exposure to the pedagogical process, were foundational in forging how I experience and teach movement.
I began practising pilates whilst still a dancer, continued to practice it as I transitioned out of my dance career, and then embarked on training as a pilates teacher. The pilates technique fundamentally changed how I understood movement mechanics. It also allowed me to develop an appreciation of how good movement skills can materially improve people’s quality of life.
Whilst honing my skills as a pilates teacher, I continued to explore the movement world – trying my hand at everything from belly dancing to kung fu to power lifting. Each movement modality expanded my awareness of the diverse movement techniques, breathing strategies and teaching approaches that exist.
Simultaneously, I completed a post-graduate degree in analytical philosophy. The critical thinking skills I learned there, as well as the experience I gained as a tutor and stand-in lecturer, were pivotal in shaping not only how I understood the world in general, but also how I approached teaching movement.
I love details! Sometimes it’s the smallest changes in detail, or the slightest shift in how a movement is understood, that makes the biggest impact in how a movement feels, and how efficient it is. Learning details can help you get more confident in your movement, help you work through a movement obstacle, and help you reach success in your movement goals.
I like to think that the work I do helps you build a strong base of movement mechanics, which can then be implemented in a multitude of ways. Once the ‘first principles’ are in place, you can go out and engage in whatever it is that you enjoy, knowing that you have built a solid foundation of technique and awareness. Whether it’s a HITT class, a sports game, hiking, gardening, or being able to safely get down on the floor to play with your grandkids, I aim to give you the tools you need to take control of your physical activities. To me, developing high-level body awareness and motor control are essential, empowering and even life-changing skills. And I’d like to help you learn how.
I have lots of experience working with people who are apprehensive about moving – whether this is due to previous injury, surgery, or because they’ve taken a long break from doing any exercise. I’m skilled in helping people return to exercise gradually, in a way which feels safe, which builds confidence, and which feels collaborative.
Pilates & movement coaching. Personalised technique training to help you improve your movement.
CONTACT ME
17 Fernwood Avenue
Newlands
Cape Town
catherine@scienceinmotion.biz