About Us

Experience Pilates is a team effort...

Introducing Cath and Heather 

Cath Hopkinson - Pilates Specialist and Director of Experience Pilates, also Director of Experience Wellness Ltd

I have been teaching exercise for over 18 years, starting out in Lycra and leg-warmers, sweating in aerobics, step, legs-bums-tums, aqua, seniors, pre/postnatal mums, and even teaching circuit training to a group who did not understand English!!  

About 13 years ago, I saw the 'Pilates light' when I was undertaking a Diploma with the University of Luton in Post Natal exercise.  When the guest presenter took a Pilates class, I was hooked, as they say!  It whetted my appetite to train further, but courses were sparse, long distances away and not really appropriate for experienced movement teachers. That was until I trained with Modern Pilates, in lovely Glossop, with Cherry Baker and her team.

This, combined with years of people-experience within the NHS and private sector, led to the creation of Experience Pilates Ltd, because that is what it is – an Experience, you are learning (and in some instances re-learning), movement patterns that have become bad habits.

When you start your Pilates journey with us it can be quite daunting, there seems so much to take in… alignment, breathing, movement… etc, so to make your journey as simple as possible we have designed a home exercise pack called Pilates by Numbers (also available without the need to attend classes).
 
Through posture alignment and a series of non-invasive muscle tests, we can see which muscles are tight and which need to be strengthened.  These assessment techniques are used during one to one sessions, which then allow the correct selection of exercises for your sessions.
 
We aim to work both your body and mind, leaving you with a sense of well-being and relaxation, as well as a long and strong body.
 
We have recently expanded our services - we now are able to offer holistic therapies which when combined with Pilates you get to Experience Wellness. 

Heather Rutlidge - Pilates Teacher and Business Co-ordinator 

I have known Cath both personally and professionally for a number of years now, through working together within the NHS and attending her wonderful Pilates classes.

We share similar interests and values and are both currently studying together at Salford University to gain our BSc (Hons) Degree’s in Physiotherapy, to become Chartered Physiotherapists.

 

I have a keen interest in exercise and human movement and I am qualified as an ‘Exercise to Music’ instructor.  I am also passionate about alternative therapies and healing and hope to incorporate these skills to become a ‘holistic’ practitioner in the future. 

 

I am delighted to be working with Cath and assisting in co-ordinating her business and to be writing the weekly Health and Fitness column for the Newsletter.  We look forward to having a long and rewarding business partnership alongside our friendship.