Your Instructor
Jemima
6 years ago I thought I’d never run more than 5k again after suffering from ongoing knee pain - I then (reluctantly) tried a yoga class. Within weeks the pain had gone and I felt stronger and fitter. I’ve since gone on to continue my adventures, hiking up to 6000m, doing trail races and multi day runs. And I trained as a yoga teacher along the way so I can help adventurers get the most out of their activities and stay in one piece!
I use my own experience (including injuries) to inform what and how I teach and my goal is very simply to guide you to connect better and learn more about your body so you can enjoy bigger, better adventures! I don’t believe in getting old; when we pay attention and dedicate time to mind and body maintenance we can keep on adventuring well into ‘old’ age.
I’m passionate about having adventures, nature and freedom - I believe that when we challenge our limits and get fully immersed in nature we find our best selves which fuels a happy, healthy life.
Looking forward to working with you wild spirits!
My story - a general love affair with movement and the wild
When I thought I’d never run more than 5k again I was 29 and I’d been working my body hard playing competitive sport, training in contemporary dance, cycling long distances and generally wearing myself out to the max every day for 10 years! Why? Because I love moving my body – the more the better. But I was facing 30 thinking I’d have to stop, everyone was telling me to be careful, that I wasn’t so young anymore… I couldn’t accept that. The thought of becoming ‘old’ at 30 was ridiculous, but it’s true my knees were hurting and I had severe pain when running.
Somebody mentioned yoga. I’d dabbled before but without much interest. It seemed slow, a bit dull and quite frankly – just not that challenging. But I was desperate and the studio recommended was literally on my doorstep, so off I went. This was hot yoga (42 degrees in a humidity controlled environment) and it was hard. Drenched in sweat, my heart pounding, I felt absolutely superhuman at the end of the class. I went back regularly and within a few weeks my knee pain was gone and I decided to try running again.
I was curious about why I felt stronger, fitter and more energised. I could also sense my muscles working more efficiently and I had that sense of bounce back! Instead of going back to Ultimate, a friend got me into trail running, and I kept up a regular yoga practice too.
Since then I’ve gone from running a 10k hill race to running the West Highland Way (most of it – that’s another story!) then back to some trail half marathons. I’ve also hiked the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal and I continue running up hills, dancing and doing yoga everywhere I go. For me, movement is life.
Why train with me?
I’m not just a yoga instructor! I’ve been into outdoor sports all my life - growing up in Snowdonia, training as a kayak coach at 17 and assisting my dad with climbing instruction. I got into contemporary dance in my teens and trained at a conservatoire in London, where I did my first anatomy training and hundreds of hours of stretching!
At uni I played in tournaments (Ultimate Frisbee!) all over the UK, sharing my knowledge of the body with my team mates. I also got into cycling, doing big rides and dicey London commutes! My dad is a keen mountaineer so I’ve climbed a lot of mountains with him and around the world – volcanoes in Nicaragua and Indonesia, high altitude in Ecuador and Nepal. Running has been my go to for fitness for over 10 years and after leaving Ultimate behind I got seriously into trails. I’ve done a few events and covered The West Highland Way over a few days but racing isn’t really that important to me - it’s time outdoors, contact with the elements and landscapes that keep me coming back.
So – I bring all my experiences, such as they are, into play in my teaching. I’m not an elite athlete but I do believe my experience in a wide range of physical activities makes me a better teacher. I’m constantly learning myself on my own physical journey - using yoga as a tool for maintenance and self-exploration.
My qualifications
200 hour Yin Yoga teacher training certified by Yoga Alliance
200 hour Hatha Yoga teacher training certified by Yoga Alliance
Diploma in Dance Studies at The Laban Centre for Movement and Dance, London