New Beginnings…
Sole Proprietor and Studio Manager Iain Dunn is a Certified Master Teacher and Pelvic Health Coach who has transformed his life with the Pilates Method since 2011.
In summer 2017, Iain established his own Pilates venue. A fully equipped Matwork and Apparatus studio on the top floor of No2 Commercial Street, right on the shore front of the desirable Leith docks area, with stunning views over the port of Leith
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In his early career Iain taught classes at other Edinburgh studios, and therapy centres, gaining great experience working closely alongside the very best movement teachers and physical therapists.
His own area of special interest is in pelvic health and pelvic pain. Iain now provides Pelvic Health Coaching; a holistic lifestyle coaching service for men and women struggling with a range of chronic pain syndromes or health challenges in the pelvis, spine or abdomen. He also works with new mums and mums to be, or anyone in need of pelvic floor, abdominal or postural muscle rehabilitation.
What is Pelvic Health Coaching
In need of abdominal or postural muscle rehabilitation? Read the pelvic health page.
Why Pilates?
Iain previously worked at The Balmoral Hotel as Headwaiter for almost 7 years and it was during his time there he was diagnosed with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome.
As is common among sufferers a cocktail of influences lead to Iain developing this condition. Traumatic experiences, lifelong IBS, chronic stress and anxiety, Muscle imbalances, poor diet and lifestyle choices all contributed to this multifactorial illness. The severity of his situation forced Iain to not only seek a more balanced lifestyle overall but a holistic practice to fuel the changes that he needed to make and Pilates was the answer.
Pilates Career so far…
After certifying as a Teacher Iain’s final examiner advised him that he came across ‘too passionate about Pilates’ and that he ought to try and ‘tone it down a bit’. Today a more seasoned professional Iain has generally ignored that advice and toned it down very little, if at all.
He is one of those classic success stories of a total novice quitting their old job and becoming an established teacher, in Iain’s case that seemed to occur almost overnight.
Iain certified with Body Control Pilates quickly progressing to master and studio certification and was soon also supervising student teachers.
He began his studio training there in the London style although thirsty for a broader view of Pilates he quickly branched out. Iain has now been influenced by a wide spectrum of movement approaches and styles from the US, and Europe.
Iain considers reading his teacher’s copy of Joseph Pilates’ ‘Return to Life’ as one of his life’s greatest turning points. A practice that combined a holistic philosophy with the raw science of anatomy and movement resonated deeply with him at that time. After little progress working with other therapies he naturally set about embracing the method fully into his life.
Inspired by Pilates, Iain trained in the original matwork exercises intensively, a rigorous self designed routine practiced at home or at the gym. Alongside studio sessions with his teacher he achieved a great transformation in his wellbeing and physique.
Today Iain is probably best known in Edinburgh for his regular teaching of the ‘classic mat’ repertoire and for his passion for helping others achieve results like his, overcoming the barriers that limit many in their classic practice.
Other Interests…
Iain is no stranger to transformation, he was unfit and overweight for most of his young life and didn’t find a passion for fitness until he got the running bug in his early twenties. Struggling frequently with Plantar fasciitis and Tendonitis of the knee didn’t stop Iain from running a marathon or taking part in road bike events. A keen cyclist Iain has made the journey from Lands’ End to John O’Groats on pedal power and completed many other combined events such as triathlon, obstacle races, even a solo sky dive.
The struggles he had with his body throughout this time prepared Iain even more for a career in Pilates. His first-hand experience helps Iain in working to apply the Pilates Method in the field of sports and elite fitness with many clients benefiting greatly from his knowledge of imbalance and injury.
Iain now practices the ‘natural’ or barefoot style of running and is an advocate of rebalancing and realigning the body through Pilates for injury reduction and performance enhancement.
Taking the Holistic Approach
Iain sees himself firstly as a Pilates super-geek, however he has the motto ‘be your own scientist’ when it comes to the management of your own health and wellbeing. This can often require boldness and openness to exploring new alternatives without previous judgements or the opinions of others, inhibiting progress.
Mindfulness and Meditation have been a huge influence on Iain. He often describes Pilates as a ‘gateway drug’ to a more holistic lifestyle in the way the practice restores the mind and body connection that the modern environment almost seeks to undermine. Through technology, advertising, our working lives our attention is chronically distracted fuelling stress and anxiety. Iain offers workshops based on his years of experience of Yoga Nidra practice, Tibetan Buddhist thinking and more contemporary styles of Mindfulness Meditation.
Nutrition and detoxification is Iain’s latest fascination. Experimenting with the paleo, raw food and fruitarian diets over the last few years he has developed his understanding of the more bio-chemical influences on our wellbeing and provides general advice on the subject.
Iain is particularly passionate about inspiring more men to practice Pilates and tries to present a more old school ‘Uncle Joe’ brand of teacher in his work and so often can be found exploring weight lifting, modern gym work and martial arts. However Iain firmly believes that without embracing fully all aspects of the holistic philosophy we will not achieve our own recoveries or truly return to life in the way Mr Pilates describes.
