Two certified Pilates instructors have joined the team at Horizon Health Studio on a full-time basis.

Ane Bekker, from South Africa, and Texas native Lisa Womack are the newest recruits for the Reid Street, Hamilton studio.

Ms Bekker is Body Arts and Science International certified, while Ms Womack is Physical Mind Institute and Balanced Body certified.

Ms Bekker joins Horizon with eight years’ teaching experience as a certified BASI Pilates instructor. She will instruct clients on the Pilates apparatus for solo, duet, trio and group mat classes. She previously taught in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Johannesburg.

“Ane is a lovely, soft-natured, nurturing instructor whose certification is more anatomically based, which is very helpful for injured and older clients,” said Caroline Tee, owner of Horizon.

“Ane’s patient demeanour also helps new clients who are coming to the studio to begin Pilates for the first time. Ane is very good at gauging exactly how much to challenge clients through Pilates movements.”

Ms Womack was certified in classical Pilates in 2002 with the late master Pilates instructor Ron Fletcher of the Physical Mind Institute. She is also Balanced Body and Barre certified.

Her six years’ teaching experience includes stints working in Texas, Barbados and on the East Coast of the US. She will teach Horizon clients on the Pilates reformer machines as well as other apparatus.

“Lisa is an energetic, sporty, fun teacher who enjoys teaching clients to use their physical body to help find mobility and proper abdominal function through the classical method of teaching Pilates,” Ms Tee says.

“Lisa helps clients looking to become stronger, long and lean through Pilates and to reach their body fitness goals. Lisa is a great addition to our team of instructors and combines her skills for the classical style of teaching with her vivacious personality.”

Ms Tee says clients have described the newcomers’ classes as “challenging” and “effective”, adding that Ms Womack is available for one-on-one, duet and trio reformer classes, and teaches a group barre class Mondays at 5.30pm.

Barre is a vertical form of Pilates, Ms Tee said, and has all the benefits that Pilates offers in a group format.

For more information, contact horizonhealth78@gmail.com or call 293-1687