The amazing Katharine Jemmett is a Surrey, UK based Pilates instructor who’s been teaching for over 20 years. Her enthusiasm for movement is infectious, and her deep knowledge of classical Pilates makes her an incredible mentor for all ages and body types. Read on to learn all about Katharine’s work, follow her at @ksjbodycontrol and sign up for upcoming classes and mentorship opportunities at www.ksjbodycontrol.co.uk.

Tell us briefly about your work, inspirations, passions and philosophy on health and wellness.

I work as a Classical Pilates Instructor & Mentor, am based at my Matwork Studio in Surrey, UK, and have been teaching for almost 23 years! I originally trained as a Sports Therapist which I loved, but was introduced to Pilates in 1998. It made complete sense as it worked the body as one fully integrated whole, instead of focusing on specific body parts i.e. arms, or legs, etc.

Once trained I never looked back. I have spent the past 20 years working with minds & bodies of all ages, (mine very much included), varying shapes, sizes & abilities, my focus being to bring the Fundamental Principles of Pilates into everyday movement. This in my mind, is absolutely key; it’s what I call “Living Pilates”, and it is this practise which truly transforms.

Once the mind & body are connected and working together, the Classical Pilates Matwork Repertoire becomes available for those that want to progress. This series of 34 whole body exercises literally works the mind & body as one fully integrated whole right from the inside out. It is complete, balanced & simply genius!!

I love to move outside in the naturally beautiful outdoors, and this genius way of moving and living enables me to take it wherever I go. The mind when connected with the body takes away all number of stressors, and to be somewhere naturally beautiful whilst remaining connected is an incredible way to re-energise, rebalance & renew.

We're all about movement at Venn. What does a typical day for you look like through the lens of movement?

I am generally very active, I like to move!! However we are currently in ‘Lockdown’ so this brings about some challenges.

On waking every morning, I begin my day with some stretches, very simple, nothing complicated, but mainly working to open the joints, i.e. hip & shoulder in particular, & mobilise the spine, always thinking of moving with length through both front & back of the body.

When teaching at the moment, all my work is via Zoom, so I am pretty much in front of a screen focusing the bodies in front of me. So in-between clients, I take to my Air Chair & my mat to open the front of the body in order to reconnect with the back!! This has become vital to my existence & is my way of ‘undoing’ the forwardness of working in front of a screen.

After I finish teaching, I am back onto my Air Chair, to roll, loosen, strengthen & rebalance, moving where needed to regain the all important communication between front and back of the body.

“So often exercise is made incredibly complicated. For me, simple movements performed well and economically make the difference. ”

I practise the Classical Matwork Repertoire 2 or 3 times each week as this complete series truly rebalances my mind & body, & I can listen within to assess where I need to focus my attention.

My everyday movement has become what I call my ‘Invisible Workout’. Using the fundamentals of Pilates enables us us to maintain the integrity of pelvis, spine & shoulder girdle with the feet, find oppositional length, and use the sensory feedback received from the feet to keep the deeper lying postural muscles active, working against the gravitational forces which compress and shorten.

I also try to walk every day, and at the weekends, I can be found with my gorgeous dog by the sea that I love, walking, working out, and simply breathing in the natural beauty all around.

Why and how do you use a Venn Air Chair? Where in your home, office or workout routine do you use it?

I love my Venn Air Chairs!!!! I use the 65cm World in my studio, mainly for extension and opening out the front of the body after teaching or being at the computer.. I am awaiting the delivery of my home 65cm Air Chair to use as my seat when editing videos at the desk. I can’t wait!!!

What are your favorite Venn Air Chair positions and moves?

My focus is generally hip flexors and upper arm/chest. I also love to literally hang over the chair which, when lying prone, is divine to open out the lumbar spine, almost giving it a little traction as the levers elongate away in opposition.

I use the 55cm Moon to work on in reverse plank, so great for many of the Classical Exercises, or front plank to work the back of the body, and side lying for oblique work

1. Extension lying supine over the 65cm chair opening both hip flexors & upper body.

2. Flexion lying prone over the 65cm chair, opening lumbar spine using the weight of the arms & legs as traction.

3. Lying supine over the 55cm chair to work exercises such as the Classical Pilates Series of Five.

4. Lying prone over the 55cm chair working on back & hip extension.

5. Side lying over the 55cm chair to work the obliques & waist .

At Venn, we zig when others zag. What's something in work or life that you approach differently - philosophically, physically, emotionally - than others?

Simplicity!!! So often exercise is made incredibly complicated. For me, simple movements performed well and economically make the difference. If we can incorporate the fundamentals of Pilates into our everyday movement, our bodies change. So, our movement becomes our workout!! What we then do on the mat becomes more effective & less of a chore because the prep work is being done every day..

Follow Katharine at @ksjbodycontrol and learn more about her work at www.ksjbodycontrol.co.uk.

Venn Ambassador Spotlight: Katharine Jemmett