Christine – Pilates Instructor
Christine was introduced to Pilates at an early age to complement her ballet training. Pilates focuses on the awareness of movement while performing exercises that promote functional muscular strength, such as core stabilization. Christine’s practice has evolved to incorporate a more multi-disciplinary approach as she became more involved with athletic training and group fitness instruction. Yoga came later, when Christine rediscovered her love of dance during an asana practice. Finding the freedom in movement with breath helped Christine balance out the stress she felt in the academic world. From a scholarly level Christine has always been interested in the control of muscle function, completing her MSc in comparative physiology at Queen’s University in the spring of 2010. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology at SFU. Christine trained in Pilates in the mat program through Balanced Body University, which involves the classical program mixed with a more contemporary approach utilizing current scientific research and an understanding of biomechanics. More recently she completed a 200 hour interdisciplinary yoga training through Nosara Yoga Institute, and has received training at the YMCA, WaterART Fitness and Resist-A-Ball as well as countless workshops. Christine continues to further her education through personal practice and teaching, providing her unique learning experiences through the diversity of students she encounters.
Christine’s Pilates Mat Class
Christine helps her students understand their bodies and how to work them efficiently, move freely, and most of all enjoy the practice. Her pilates classes include a flow of exercises moving in and out of different muscle movements. Christine tries to share her personal love of movement in her pilates classes, helping students experience freedom in movement even when they are working hard. Christine also incorporates precise anatomical cuing stemming from her technical education to provide for correct form; this lends itself to an inquiry based practice, with the goal of having students learn how correct movements feel in their own bodies. Christine’s interdisciplinary approach incorporates both traditional mat exercises with elements from other schools of movement, keeping classes interesting as well as building functional strength and flexibility for life off the mat.
