SUZANNE ARNOLD - Key Persons
Having practised Classical Matwork Pilates as my fitness routine for 10 years, I decided to train as a Pilates instructor when I moved to London from Paris. I have practised a lot of different sports (aikido, dance, skiing, synchronised swimming), but only Pilates gave me this intense sense of precision and concentration, really connecting my mind to my body to fine tune my movements. Moreover, when you practise Pilates, you can apply all its principles in your life, not only during a session. This is why I wanted to become a Pilates Instructor, and more broadly a movement teacher, to share not only the physical benefits of this method, but its neuromuscular benefits.
I completed my training with Body Control Pilates in 2017 and I have since done further specialist trainings (Pilates for pregnancy, Pilates for bone health, Low Back Pain Practitioner). I am also a qualified Reformer teacher. I regularly attend further development as I believe it is essential to remain a student with an open mind.
I started practising Pilates in 2013 following a double disc related injury. It changed my life: just when I thought it was all over I learned to retake control of my body. Seven years on I feel far stronger and more flexible than when I was younger. Since then I have qualified with Body Control Pilates as a ‘Level 3 Matwork Pilates teacher' and as Pre/Post natal instructor. I have also undertaken further training in Pilates for Bone Health (Osteoporosis/Osteopenia), Pilates for Lower Back Pain, Heel Pain, Reformer, and Pilates for the Older Person (incorporating Hip/Knee arthritis/replacement).
I love the whole body approach you find within Pilates and the technicality behind this progressive method - there is always something new to discover. Pilates helps you to focus on what is happening in your body, leaving your brain refreshed and your body ready for action!
I'm a great advocate of making movement and exercise an enjoyable and integral part of your life. I have always loved movement, and growing up I did a lot of it, from haring around on my bicycle to swimming and ballet. That love of movement has stayed with me long into adulthood as I have now been practising Pilates for 20 years (13 of those as a teacher). My Pilates journey initially started to aid recovery from a minor back injury and I continued with it because it is both an intelligent form of functional training and a holistic movement method. Developing body awareness alongside strength and fitness, and understanding how to move well, with focus on the quality of movement, rather than endless repetitions of an exercise is key to how I teach.
I originally trained in matwork with Body Control Pilates and in March 2015 I gained my studio qualification from Polestar Pilates. In 2018 I joined the Polestar Pilates Education Team as a Graduate Course Assistant where I assist on training courses and help trainee teachers work towards their exams. I have taught ante & post natal Pilates for over a decade and have completed a number of other specialist courses ranging from movement rehabilitation to sport performance for running, cycling and rotational sports.