MEET THE TEAM
OUR TEACHING TEAM
CHARLOTTE
STUDIO DIRECTOR
JILL
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Hi, I’m Jill,
My journey to becoming a Pilates teacher began following a car accident that left me with multiple injuries and a lengthy recovery period. Pilates was recommended to me by specialists and played a vital role in my recovery back to health.
I soon discovered I had a real passion for pilates and having experienced first-hand the huge benefits to my strength and stability, as well as improvements to my general happiness and wellbeing, I knew that I wanted to share the benefits of this practice with others. I therefore took the decision to leave my long standing career within HR to become a pilates teacher…..and I’ve never been happier!
I trained with the renowned Body Control Pilates in London gaining Level 3 Mat certification and as a Pilates teacher I am dedicated to supporting people to achieve their goals, to move and feel better, and ultimately lead happier and healthier lives.
I truly believe that Pilates is for everyone, no matter where you are in your health and fitness journey, and that movement plays such an important role in supporting both our physical and mental wellbeing throughout our lives.
Hi, I'm Charlotte,
Owner and director of Paragon Pilates. My interest in Pilates began after I developed chronic back pain during my early twenties. I started searching for a solution to help ease my pain and improve my posture, whilst also allowing me to recover some of the movement I had lost in my spine. I tried many different approaches before discovering Pilates, which through regular practice provided me with a solution to all three problems. My spine became more mobile, as a result, my pain reduced and my alignment gradually improved.
My interest in Pilates started as a potential solution to my chronic pain but after a few years of practice, it became my passion.
I decided to train with Body Control; a highly respected Pilates training provider based in London. The Body Control Pilates method is unique and is widely considered the industry standard for Pilates teacher training. Joseph Pilates' classical repertoire underpins the wide range of exercises taught during the two-year course.
After qualifying, I founded Paragon Pilates with the aim of offering a range of classes, each designed to mobilise the major joints in the body, improve alignment, reconnect the body with the breath, restore muscle tone and develop core strength. Alongside general classes, I have a special interest in chronic pain, working with clients to find the underlying cause and to get them back to enjoying their day-to-day activities.
I have also completed additional qualifications in Intermediate Matwork, Reformer Pilates, Pilates for Bone Health, Pilates for Chronic Pain, Pilates with Small Equipment, Pilates for Children and Adolescents and Pilates for Golfers.
LOUISE
REFORMER PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Hi, I’m Louise,
My journey to becoming a Reformer Pilates instructor began 6 years ago. I had been regularly taking part in Iyengar Yoga for 5 years but was suffering from recurring back pain. I visited my physio who recommended Reformer Pilates. At the time I had heard of Pilates but not Reformer Pilates. However, I found Reformer Pilates better suited my recovery. I love to strength train and am a keen runner and have found that Reformer Pilates complements these activities, helping me be more mobile, physically robust and pain free.
Over the years of taking part in Reformer Pilates classes I developed an interest in learning the various principles, movements and repertoires. I wanted to transfer this passion into helping other people discover the joy and numerous physical and emotional benefits of Reformer Pilates and how amazing it feels to exercise the mind and body together.
Therefore, in 2022 after years of regularly participating in Reformer Pilates, I trained with the world-renowned STOTT Pilates in London. As a Reformer Pilates instructor, I am dedicated to supporting everyone to experience the physical and emotional benefits of Reformer Pilates and to achieve their goals.
LISA
YOGA INSTRUCTOR
Hi, Lisa,
Just a little about me, I’ve been practising yoga for over 20 years, where I experience a sense of innate well-being; finding space just for me. As a busy working Mum of 4, I recognised the value of Yoga, through good times and bad, which lead me to want to teach.
Why? In a nutshell, it’s about sharing space with you; where you can move, feel connected with self and others, feel empowered, breathe, yes, breathe, relax, restore and simply be. As a certified Yoga Teacher (Yoga Alliance) in Hatha Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative and Somatic Tantra, and currently undertaking Yoga for Women’s Menopause journey, my practice is also supported by my work as an Accredited Counsellor/ EMDR therapist/ EFT practitioner, integrating calming techniques, such as mindful breathing, somatic release, and relaxation.
What to expect in my class? I like to bring a touch of light-heartedness, fun and calmness, with movement, strength, flexibility and balance, as well as breathwork, tension release and relaxation, all to create a sense of letting go, grounding and stability within.
My ethos is to create an inclusive and welcoming environment, where you are encouraged to explore your practice without judgment. My approach is gentle and relatable, focusing on how yoga feels rather than how it looks, so, not about being a pretzel!
If you’re looking for a more personal bespoke experience, then I offer 121s, creating a therapeutic space just for you.
AMBER
BARRE INSTRUCTOR
Hi, I'm Amber,
I am CBT Psychotherapist and Barre Instructor. I have a Psychology degree, Master’s degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology and PGDip in CBT Psychotherapies. My experience is working with elite Sport clubs, Athletes, Corporate & Private Organisations.
When I moved to LA in 2019 I completely fell in love with Barre, I joined the Equinox 200 Hour Barre programme and experienced some incredible teaching experiences. I moved back to the UK and wanted to gain an internationally recognised Barre qualification, so I completed the American Barre Technique instructor exams in 2021.
I teach pop-up Barre classes, 1-2-1 sessions and combine my love for exercise with mental health workshops. I strongly believe movement should be incorporated into our daily lives to promote longevity and quality of life. To connect with your mind and body as a whole is a recipe for optimal health. My teaching style is very much high energy, pushing you to achieve your very best followed by 10 minutes of cool down and breath work to support returning to a restful state. My aim is for you to have fun, learn more about your body and take time out for yourself. See you at the Barre!
COMPLIMENTARY THERAPIES
EMMA TABERNER
MCSP, BSc, MSc
PHYSIOTHERAPIST, SPORTS MASSEUSE, ACUPUNCTURE, DRY NEEDLING, SPORTS REHAB
Hi, I’m Emma,
I graduated from the University of Salford with a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy and I have undertaken an MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine.
I was keen to get stuck into Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy from the off. After completing my early graduate NHS rotations, I started working in private practice seeing a wide caseload of patients ranging from medico-legal to amateur sportsmen and children. I then went on to gain my first job in Professional Football part-time at Burnley FC and never looked back. Since then, I have worked with Brighton & Hove, Oldham Athletic, Manchester City Women’s and Liverpool Women’s football.
After 10+ years in professional sport, I now spend much of my spare time raising my 2 young children and I continue to work with clients from a wide range of sporting and non-sporting backgrounds at my practice Rubik’s Physiotherapy.
JON WEBB
MSc, CSCS
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING SPECIALIST, STUDENT OESTOPATH
Hi, I’m Jon,
I have been a Strength & Conditioning Coach for over 20 years, working successfully with recreational athletes through to elite-level performers from under 9s to Senior Internationals, and from a variety of sports; including football (Manchester City), rugby (Leicester Tigers), boxing (British Light-Heavyweight Champion), golf (DP World Tour golfer), athletics (Masters 60m/100m Sprinter), cycling, cricket and Paralympic sports.
To further enhance my existing skills set, I am studying Osteopathy (BOst) through The College of Osteopaths, including obtaining a Diploma in Soft Tissue Manipulation, enabling me to deliver a more holistic approach to my treatments and training plans to maximise function and maintain the body’s natural equilibrium.
As a practitioner, my intention is to provide an empathetic and client-centred approach, utilising a combination of ‘hands on’ techniques, such as massage, manual therapy and joint articulations alongside more traditional ‘strength’ training techniques. Identifying and addressing the cause of the issue rather than just the symptoms to optimise the body’s natural ability to ‘self-heal’ to restore physical function, maximise athletic capabilities and ‘sporting’ performance and help individuals to optimise their long-term physical and emotional well-being.
As well as rehabilitating and re-conditioning sport-related injuries, I also treat other common conditions that can negatively impact on peoples’ function and their ability to perform everyday activities. These conditions include; muscle pain/discomfort (like hamstring strain),neck and back pain (like herniated discs), shoulder dysfunction (like frozen shoulder), hip and knee problems (like osteoarthritis), elbow pain (like tennis elbow), nerve pain (like sciatica), tendinopathy (like Achilles tendon or plantar fascia pain).