At Cobham Pilates, we offer both pilates mat classes, grouped by ability level, as well as private one-to-one tuition. 

The Team

DONNA POURTEYMOUR

Donna came to Pilates with an injury ridden body as a result of too many extreme sports (triathalons and mountain climbing) in the 1980s coupled with too many hours spent on airplanes during the dotcom boom of the 1990s.  After then having two children in less than 2 years, her body was a mess.  At 35, she felt old.  She tried every kind of alternative therapy to relieve the pain and regain some strength and movement.  Eventually an osteopath referred her to Pilates, which healed her body dramatically in only a few months. She was hooked. She practiced the method passionately for another 5 years and then feeling stronger, younger and more able than in her 20s, she decided to train with Body Control Pilates with the intention of bringing the method and its extraordinary benefits to others.

After relocating from Cheshire, she opened Cobham Pilates in 2006.  She holds the following Pilates related qualifications:

Body Control Pilates Matwork Instructor
Intermediate Matwork Certification
Pilates Reformer Certification
Pilates in Pregnancy Certification
Wunda Chair Certification
Cadillac Certification
Foam Roller Certification

She has also completed several hours of continuing education with Ellie Herman of New York.  Ellie is a pilates master, inventor of the Pilates Springboard and author of several pilates books.  

HAYLEY WORKMAN

Hayley discovered Pilates in 2002 while working in the fitness industry.  She understood the need for a "pilates body" after training for her first London Marathon and experiencing ankle and knee problems.  After orthodics failed to correct her problems, she turned to pilates and found that it began to correct the imbalances throughout her body.  Her posture, strength, and flexibility greatly improved and now, 5 years down the line and 4 London Marathons later, she hasn't suffered another injury.  She became qualified as a pilates teacher in 2003 and continues to combine pilates with her thriving personal training practice.  She joined Cobham Pilates in 2007 and holds the following Pilates related qualifications:

Body Control Pilates Matwork Instructor
Intermediate Matwork Certification
NASM Personal Trainer Level 3
Pre-post natal exercise
Weight Loss and Nutrition


CHERRY HIRST

Cherry had an active university life swimming and playing water polo, but years of office work in international marketing took their toll. There were no reasons such as illness or injury for taking up pilates- just bad posture, tiredness and a saggy tummy.  Cherry began to practise Pilates regularly after the birth of her first child, resulting in a leaner, longer and stronger body. The best thing? improved posture, more energy, and increased body confidence. This gave her the drive to train as a Body Control instructor, and specialise in pre and postnatal clients.  Cherry joined Cobham Pilates in 2008 and holds the following qualifications:

Body Control Pilates Matwork Instructor
Pilates in Pregnancy Certification