Sharon Lightfoot-Pound

Functional Movement Coach, Certified Pilates and Yoga Instructor

The key factors in my approach are your health history and goals and the activities you’d like to perform more easily. After observing your posture and musculoskeletal alignment (standing, sitting and walking), I assess where you need to build strength or flexibility to achieve your goals. From there I develop a tailored program of accessible exercises and posture prompts.

As a certified Pilates instructor with 30 year’s experience teaching yoga, I’ve a keen eye for the subtle alignment of posture. In Seattle, I assisted a leading physical therapist and together we wrote the book Move Well, which focuses on core exercises and posture tips for health.

Stress reduction is another specialty area for me. To reduce stress and anxiety I use meditation techniques such as the scientifically researched Integrative Rest© along with other breath and meditation practices.

The healing exercises and alignment principles I now use in my work played a big part in my own recovery from teenage and adult ski and dance injuries. That’s why I enjoy helping people, no matter their age and ability, achieve their health goals. Using a range of specialised exercises for injury prevention and rehabilitation you’ll learn how to improve your movement habits significantly. These accessible programs will help you build strength, gain mobility and flexibility, improve balance, and integrate sustainable ways to sit, lift, walk, and sleep. My aim is for you to enjoy your passions, be it sports, dancing, gardening, or alleviating pain.

While living in Seattle my desire to help those with disabilities led to the development of the Yoga and Well-being program for the Seattle Multiple Sclerosis Centre – Swedish Neuroscience Institute. Here in New Zealand I lead well-being and posture education courses to improve health and safety in the workplace as well as one-on-one and community classes.