Paul Higgins

Paul is accredited with the APMA at their highest level of Professional Practitioner Level 4 and is an Instructor Training Course Provider, one of only 4 in Victoria. He is also co-founder of the Melbourne Pilates Group.  Paul was introduced to Pilates in 1994 and after four years as a regular client he trained in the UK with the prestigious Body Control Pilates Association, a world leader in the Method and went on to co-ordinate the activities of the Association's London based studios.  He emigrated to Australia in late 2002 and through his training school, Empathy Pilates, he has gained a formidable reputation for training high quality instructors throughout Victoria and, indeed, across Australia.
Paul has worked with many elite athletes including English Premiership soccer players and even Australia's own Pat Cash.

Greg Paterson

Greg Paterson opened his first Pilates studio in Armadale in 2002.  Since then he has opened a further four studios around Melbourne and also formed the Melbourne Pilates Group in collaboration with other respected names in the industry.  He is anAPMA qualified Pilates Instructor and also a qualified and practicing Clinical Naturopath and Personal Trainer. Greg uses all of these skills and knowledge in the way he teaches his clients.

Karen Lee

Karen started her career as a Primary School Teacher, specialising in Physical Education, and also holds Bachelor Degrees in Science and Applied Science.  She began Pilates as a way to improve her flexibility and to address postural issues.  During her Pilates classes she discovered that her body began to positively change as a result of building body awareness through physical movements.  Her breathing, posture and core strength improved dramatically and inspired her to become a Pilates Instructor.
Karen enjoys working with clients of all ages and levels of fitness.  She sees Pilates as an excellent exercise method to assist with postural problems, improve core strength and endurance and rehabilitate injuries.  Karen is also interested in pelvic floor health and the importance of it in the wellbeing of men and women.  "I feel most satisfied when my clients leave their classes feeling invigorated and having learnt more about their body/mind connection."

Julia Wood

Julia discovered Pilates in 2003 when a severe bout of sciatica and disc prolapse left her literally unable to sit down.  A few months later she was pain free and her passion for Pilates was born.  She is now an APMA Level 2 teacher, having completed Paul Higgins’ Empathy Pilates Instructor Training Course.  She has a background of specialist medical practice in anaesthesia for over 20 years, and is studying psychotherapy.  Despite any form of exercise being outside of her family culture, thanks to her Pilates practice she is now a keen latin dancer, cyclist, bushwalker and cross-country skier.  Her ambition is to combine the theories of psychotherapeutic bodywork with those of Pilates to form a new practical bodywork paradigm.  And if all that sounds too serious, she is also on a mission to make Pilates as much fun as possible for her clients and herself!

Emily Russ

Emily started her Pilates over 10 years ago whilst training in Classical Ballet.  It very quickly became her daily practise in order to keep her body balanced and in peak condition for her performances. She began teaching Pilates in 2006, after training with Paul Higgins, and is an APMA Level 2  Instructor.   Emily currently also trains in Kyokushin karate and holds a Certificate III in sports coaching.  She now uses Pilates to assist in her preparation for National and International Karate tournaments.  Emily will create specific programmes for her clients by drawing on all the different disciplines she has studied in.