Anne Marie Petash .. P.F.U.K
For many years back in the1980's I had been involved in Gyms & Health clubs as a personal trainer & fitness instructor, working with free weights, machines & teaching various body toning-sculpting type classes. This left me feeling disatisfied, uninspired, demotivated & unfulfilled. I questioned how safe & benificial these exercises actually were for most people.
I discovered Pilates through a friend of mine who danced with the Royal Ballet & had sustained an injury. She invited me along to her Pilates session with Alan Herdman in his studio in Marble Arch, London. I watched her be instructed through a series of controlled graceful movements, on some very alien looking equipment based on springs & pulleys that I had never seen before. I was so impressed with the session & immediately knew that this was what I had been searching for.
After 2 months of doing Pilates 2- 3 times a week, I started to experience the effects it was having on my body. Having discovered deep intrinsic postural muscles that I didn?t know existed, I began to feel the internal strength I craved. My movements became more controlled, fluid & responsive. I was standing straighter & feeling more energised than ever. I could see the effects of bulky muscles elongating & my flexibility increased tenfold.
Having trained for thousands of hours I have watched the magic of this method unfold before my eyes both in my work & in the work of my clients. The beauty of Pilates is that once you understand the core of its philosophy, its movements can be translated into any format.
Over the years Pilates has taken on many different shapes & forms as it has passed from teacher to teacher. Some styles have taken on a genuinely theraputic approach & are taught in a slower more deliberate manner, others have maintained an athletic & more dynamic approach focusing more on movement & rythm.
"For me its about tailoring the session for my clients needs, working on the machines and using small apparatus, combined with mat work & plenty of hands on stretching. This is why I strongly suggest a few private sessions to grasp the essence of the technique so that one can feel more confident about joining in a pilates matwork class. Pilates can & does change the way you relate to your body & the way you carry it into the world."
Joseph Pilates in his teachings made it clear that his method was meant to propel us
forward to becoming responsible and in control of our bodies & our health.
He sought to enlighten, invigorate and empower us.
Garuda Profile
Where Pilates ends Garuda begins.
Holistic, organic, dynamic, Garuda is the hybrid that is revolutionising our approach to fitness. A method encompassing the principles of Pilates, the breathwork & asanas of yoga, the grace and athleticism of dance.
Having completed my Foundation Matwork Teacher Training, my work is now evolving even further.
Garuda offers a cardiovascular workout while drawing deeply on mental focus & teaching the sacred principle of relaxation within movement. Increased strength, flexibility, coordination & endurance, with a greater sense of ease & well being.
The exercises are limitless & work every area of your body. Systematically devised to bring your mind back into exercise, while making your body the leanest,strongest & most flexible it has ever been.