The Oov is a versatile movement tool that enhances Pilates mat and apparatus exercises. Invented by Daniel Vladeta, an osteopath from Australia, the Oov provides a fascia-friendly movement environment that supports the architecture of the spine, stimulates proprioception, encourages mobility and challenges stability. In this introductory class, Elizabeth will showcase a selection of her favourite exercises and movement sequences using the Oov including standing on the Oov to stimulate the primary and secondary foot pad pressure sensors; side-lying on the Oov to support breathing, thoracic and lumbar lateral flexion; prone on the Oov to support hip mobility, thoracic mobility and spine extension; and supine on the Oov for shoulder girdle organisation and trunk control.

If you are interested in purchasing an Oov, please contact Balanced Body for details: www.pilates.com/BBAPP/V/store/accessories/oov.html
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With thanks to Jazzi Craddock & Jon Ashton
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Elizabeth Larkam is internationally recognized as an innovator of movement education and practice. She pioneered the Pilates Method Alliance® initiative Heroes in Motion® and was awarded the Medal of the Danish Society of Military Medicine in 2010 in recognition of her efforts to improve the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. Elizabeth is one of the pioneers of the Pilates Method Alliance® initiative Heroes in Motion®.

Elizabeth began her Pilates studies in 1985 while teaching dance at Stanford University. A Gold Certified Pilates Method Alliance® teacher, she was educated by the first generation Pilates teachers. Elizabeth co-founded and co-owned Polestar Education. When Balanced Body Pilates Education was founded in 2004, she became a Master Instructor and Mentor, conducting courses throughout the world. Elizabeth is a Feldenkrais® practitioner, certified Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® instructor. She is qualified in Gyrotonic II and Gyrotonic Specialized Equipment. Elizabeth completed the Certification program, Masters of Intuitive Medicine in the Academy of Intuition Medicine® in 2013. Elizabeth has participated in eight dissection courses taught by master dissectors Carla Stecco at Guben Plastinarium, Gill Hedley in San Francisco and Todd Garcia in Tempe, Arizona. She taught the movement component of dissection courses hosted by Tom Myers and by Balanced Body Pilates.

As a Dancemedicine Pilates Specialist at Center for Sports Medicine, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, 1985–2000, Elizabeth created Pilates protocols for orthopedic, spine, and chronic pain diagnoses. While Director of Pilates & Beyond for Western Athletic Clubs, 2000–2009, she developed the internationally acclaimed Mind & Body Center within The San Francisco Bay Club. Elizabeth’s book Fascia in Motion: Fascia-focused movement for Pilates (Handspring, 2017) is a revolutionary book inspired by the most significant publications from fascia research that melds 30 years of Pilates practice with study of the neuromyofascial system. She contributed the chapter ‘Fascia oriented Pilates training’ to the book Fascia in Sport and Movement edited by Robert Schleip (Handspring Publishing, 2015).

Elizabeth was a consulting Pilates Specialist with the San Francisco Ballet and Cirque de Soleil, a lecturer at the University of San Francisco in Exercise and Sports Science, a lecturer at San Francisco State University in Dance, a Fitness Editor for PilatesStyle and a Reebok Master Trainer. She is a media spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise.

Since 1992 Elizabeth has created instructional media for fitness, therapeutic, education and home markets. As program director of Balanced Body Pilates, she developed the instructional video series that launched the Pilates Allegro Reformer and created the Mat with Roller & Ring program, Mat with Rotator Discs, Reebok Core Pilates, BOSU Pilates, and Kinesis Mind Body for Techno Gym. Elizabeth is a Distinguished Instructor on Pilates Anytime with 36 classes (www.pilatesanytime.com) and 6 workshops on Fusion Pilates EDU (www.fusionpilatesedu.com). She choreographs and performs with PilatesPerformance. Her more than 50 Pilates and CoreAlign podcasts as well as her dance that launched Allegro 2 are on www.pilates.com.

For more info on Elizabeth please visit: http://handspringpublishing.com/product/fascia-motion/
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Filming by MK Ceesay (www.zigzagzig.co.uk)
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