Pilates Instructor of the month: Chris Bourne
Where do you teach?
England
My teaching tips
As both a Pilates Instructor and a biomechanics coach I always begin with simple biomechanics exercises to ensure my participants are moving freely. By releasing muscles and mobilising nerves and joints this greatly reduces injury risk and improves their ability to move efficiently during the work out. Then by encouraging them through Pilates based exercises this stabilises the pelvis and spine in a good position through clear education of the bracing technique. This enables my clients to feel quick, effective results, whether they are working with an injury or not. I feel that by combining these two systems gives me the widest range of tools to be able to teach a wide variety of clients.
Favourite Exercise and reason why
My favourite exercise has to be ‘push up’ series. To me, this brings all the Pilates moves covered within the class, together. The end result is a creation of a great, full body, flowing movement. This exercise can also be broken down into bite-size phases for beginners, yet transitioned together for the more advance client.
It’s great when I see my client’s progress, from not being able to perform the roll down correctly, to being able to transition through the full push up series.
In a nutshell, tell us a little bit about yourself and your experience in the industry
I have worked in the Health and Fitness Industry for 12 years. My career started as a motivator with Fitness First and I then qualified as a Fitness instructor, progressing on to become a Master trainer. My career responsibilities range from Personal Trainer, Gym Manager and Programme Manager, including the accolade of Master Personal Trainer delivering the highest numbers of personal training session in the whole company of Next Generation. Since I began managing Dacorum Sports Trust flagship site, they now have 3500 direct debit members and over 2000 pay as you go members.
Holding 52 qualifications within the industry demonstrates my passion for learning and I believe we never stop learning; I am an International Pilates Presenter for two different disciplines of Pilates, a Human Sports Master Trainer for Star Trac and I am also part of the GB Spinning presenting Team. As a Pilates and Biomechanics coach I work with an eclectic mix of people and abilities with a variety of goals. The power of this unique blend of principles has a profound effect on my clients giving them the capacity to achieve and rehabilitate in ways they never thought possible.
Do you have a motto or mission statement?
Watching people achieve their goals and more is my motivation and inspiration to do what I do.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
In 5 years’ time I will have my own home 1-1 training business, with other great exercise professionals working with me. I would also like to bridge the gap with the medical profession to help even more people, with Biomechanics, Pilates and Personal Training.
