Pilates Instructors

Heide's enthusiastic approach towards optimal fitness emphasizes proper form and function. Each workout creates a mind-body connection through pilates, yoga, core strength and stability. She believes that a well rounded and straight forward approach towards health and fitness is essential for a balanced lifestyle.Heide received credentials from the Health and Fitness Institute Cal State Hayward, Yogafit International and Physical Mind Institute. Heide's backround includes bodybuilding competitions, race events, yoga retreats and pilates seminars.Her goal is to motivate each client to achieve his or her personal health goal through physical and mental balance.

Kathy Thomson is a Pilates and CoreAlign instructor. She began her career in San Francisco as a scholarship student with the San Francisco Ballet. She moved to New York in 1979 to attend the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. Kathy was a member of the Martha Graham Ensemble and was a charter member of the certification program to teach the Graham Technique.

In 1980, Kathy began studying the Pilates Method with Carol Trier — one of Joseph Pilates's original teachers — in New York City. Kathy also studied with Deborah Lessen, who co-founded the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA). In the mid-1980s, Kathy became the Director of Dance at the Masters School, a private high school in Dobbs Ferry, New York. She received her Pilates certification from master teacher Carol Appel in San Francisco and became a member of the PMA. In 1997, Kathy founded the Reach Pilates studio at Reach Fitness in Palo Alto. In addition to teaching private and group sessions, she coordinated two teacher trainee programs for Reach Pilates.

Kathy is passionate about working with her clients's individual needs to help develop functional awareness through the practice of Pilates.

Leifann discovered her passion for Pilates while struggling with debilitating back problems. Through her Pilates training she gained amazing strength and alignment, which synergistically created many benefits far beyond solely alleviating pain. Wanting to share these benefits with others, she completed her mat and equipment teacher training from Pilates Unlimited (2006) and Pilates Core Integration (Eve Gentry lineage). She is certified by the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) and ACE group fitness. Leifann has completed training in the Anat Baniel Method of NeuroMovement, and she is certified to teach both Transformational Movement Lessons (TML) and Functional Synthesis (FS). Leifann has also completed the Balanced Body Instructor training in both CoreAlign and Bodhi and is certified by the National Posture Institute (NPI) as a Posture Specialist. She has served as adjunct faculty at ASU, teaching yoga and Pilates. Leifann enjoys helping others discover the restorative properties of healthy movement while assisting them in their fitness goals.