jane hamilton pilates
Edinburgh,
Over the last 12 years, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed teaching Pilates to many people
of all ages and abilities, and with varying muscle and joint problems, back
issues and health conditions. I started my complementary healthcare training 19
years ago, qualifying in 2002 with a diploma from the London School of Sports
Massage. I returned to my home city of Edinburgh that year, successfully
building up a client base and running the complementary healthcare clinic Happy
Being for 12 years in the west end, until 2020. Back in 2009, I decided to train
as a Pilates teacher and qualified with a certificate in mat Pilates teaching
Level 3 CYQ (Central YMCA Qualifications). This came from a desire to help my
massage clients develop the tools to care for their own bodies rather than
relying on regular massage treatments and doing their own exercises between
sessions with varying results. The two disciplines successfully ran side by
side, with many people coming to the clinic for both massage treatments and
Pilates classes. In 2016 I developed my physiological and anatomical knowledge
and practical skills further by achieving an advanced remedial massage diploma
from the Scottish School of Sports Massage. I apply the knowledge I gained
through this training to my Pilates teaching, drawing on a deeper understanding
of the human body and how it works. I am constantly developing ideas, combining
my vision with a structured modern approach. I’ve worked with many clients with
varying levels of fitness and health conditions, from athletes to those with
chronic fatigue syndrome CFS/ ME. I start with the 8 fundamental principles of
the Pilates Method and the many Pilates movements to bring about new ideas.
These are often from varying disciplines which I’ve studied and practised over
the years such as Qigong, Tai Chi and even meditation with breath work. Many of
the balance, warm-up stretches and cool-down movements in the classes are
Qigong-based.
