We caught up with our Senior Instructor Audrey, founder of The Moving Body Group and also a Master Trainer to share her experience with Pilates and the history of The Moving Body Group.
1. Can you share with us what got you started with Pilates?
I began my journey in Pilates when I began to suffer from back pain in 2002 when I was working as a fitness coordinator in one of the major gyms in Singapore. I was teaching between 6 – 7 high impact gym classes a week. That was when I discovered that I had a scoliosis and that the excessive high impact exercise was causing compression in my lower back.
2. What made you want to start The Moving Body?
I wanted to offer a solution to people who were suffering from physical injuries and conditions that were looking for an alternative answer besides surgery or medication. The Moving Body is all about the fact that when one has an injury or condition, resting and not moving is not always the answer but moving the right way can actually improve one’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
3. I understand that you are already a Master Trainer, could you share what this means and what it takes to be a Master Trainer?
I often feel awkward to use the word Master trainer in relation to myself as it makes me sound like I know it all but in fact I find that I still have a lot to learn and always will be learning from others around me, even my students.
I have a passion for teaching and mentoring young instructors. I went through the journey myself of being a fitness instructor, from teaching general fitness classes to the role of a Pilates instructor where I was teaching people exercises that would be more corrective to their posture and this had large effects on their daily lives.
Being a Pilates instructor is not about teaching exercises alone to your clients, in many ways you need to address the mental and emotional state of your clients too. My mission is to educate young Pilates instructors that they are not exercise instructors alone, they play a more holistic role in their clients’ lives.
4. Since you started doing Pilates to now being a Master Trainer, what have you learnt throughout the years? What advice would you give to people that are hesitant about Pilates?
You would never know unless you try!
5. Tell us more about yourself when you are not teaching
I am a busy mum to my young active children, I like to bake because it calms me. I like that baking requires patience, precision and practice which are qualities that are important in life.
6. Aims and goals for the future both on a personal level and also for the company.
I want to achieve better work life balance both for myself and for our clients. We will look into offering new Pilates programs at our studios so that the whole family can enjoy together.