Venn Ambassador Spotlight: Lisa Kaye — Founder of #FitballFriday and Pilates Instructor
Lisa Kaye is a Pilates Trainer and Educator based in Sydney, Australia. She has been teaching movement and exercise for 25 years, specializing in Pilates for 20 years. Originally from the UK, Lisa was in the British gymnastics team aged 12-15 and still retains a love for the sport. Now based in Sydney, where she lives with her husband and 2 cocker spaniels, she teaches Pilates of all types to clients in her home studio and travels to teach courses and workshops in STOTT PILATES to instructors across Australia and overseas.
She has recently launched her online platform Lisa Kaye Pilates On Demand with the aim of helping everyone to move better and she would love you to join her there! Read on for our full interview with Lisa and follow her on Instagram @lisakayepilates.
What is Fitball Friday? How did you come up with it? What is your favorite surprise that has happened in life as a result of Fitball Friday?
Fitball Friday started as an idea on Instagram around 6 or 7 years ago, purely as a way for people to share their exercise ideas using a Fitball. I’ve always loved the Fitball as its such a brilliant way to challenge balance, core stability and pretty much every muscle in your body. I’ve loved how many fellow instructors from all around the world I’ve been introduced to through the Fitball Friday hashtag on Instagram. There’s a great community of Pilates / movement instructors on Instagram who are always supportive and willing to share their ideas.
#FitballFriday
Please tell us about your background in gymnastics and how it has prepared you for a career inspiring others to move their body as a pilates instructor?
Ooh, well I was a gymnast way back in the late 70’s so it was a long time ago! I was inspired by the likes of Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci who were big stars at the time. So, I started flinging myself around the furniture at home until my mum took me to the local gym club in London. The UK (where I am from originally) could not compete at all with the Eastern block countries at that time, so we didn’t even have a full team at the Olympics. Now of course the UK are one of the best teams in the world. There was a long gap between my gymnastics career and my Pilates career as I spent 10 years working in the music industry in London in between… but certainly my gymnastics has stayed with me to this day, I still love to watch the big events and it definitely reflects in how I move… however the core strength that Pilates gives you really supports and improves your ability to perform any sport, including gymnastics.
“I find if I put on dance music (which I love), that always motivates me to move. I often dance around the kitchen as we are preparing dinner, and I always have music on when I am working out in my studio or running. Even when I’m walking my dogs I listen to music and occasionally I’ll break into a little bit of dancing, forgetting that I’m out in public, much to the amusement of passers by.”
Do you ever experience a lack of motivation to use your body? Where do you go or what do you do to recharge your inspiration to move your body again? How has your source of inspiration changed throughout your life?
Yes I think its totally natural to lose motivation from time to time…. Actually for the first 10 years of my adult life I worked in the music industry, I barely exercised and consequently was not in great shape at all. I eventually got retrenched from my job and that’s what reinvigorated my pathway back to movement and exercise as I was out of work. I went to the library one day and saw a poster offering free places on a fitness course to the unemployed. I remember looking at the poster thinking, "I’m not really interested in becoming a fitness Instructor, but I’m not doing anything right now, and its free, so why not!”. I signed on to the course and absolutely loved it! I got fit again in the process of doing the course, and that started my journey as an instructor over 25 years ago.
For my own exercise, I try not to worry too much about lack of motivation. I recognize that sometimes you just need to take a break and that’s okay. However, I find if I put on dance music (which I love), that always motivates me to move. I often dance around the kitchen as we are preparing dinner and I always have music on when I am working out in my studio or running. When I’m walking my dogs I listen to music and occasionally break into a little bit of dancing, forgetting that I’m out in public, much to the amusement of passers by.
I have always been a big music lover, so I would say that’s always been a source of inspiration for me… And I definitely find a lot of inspiration from fellow instructors on Instagram, who often post creative ideas for others to try.
We’re all about movement at Venn. What does a typical day for you look like through the lens of movement? How have you created an environment around you that inspires you to move your body?
I work from my home studio primarily, so I do have everything to hand. I move in some way every day whether it be a structured Pilates, Fitball, or Whole Body Vibration session for myself in my studio, or it could be filming a workout for my Online Platform, Lisa Kaye Pilates On Demand. I like to run a couple of times a week but all my workouts are fairly short as I have a fairly short boredom threshold so I prefer to run or work out for 15 - 30 minutes maximum. I also have two energetic dogs so they get walked every day as a non-negotiable.
“For my own exercise, I try not to worry too much about lack of motivation. I recognize that sometimes you just need to take a break and that’s okay.”
At Venn, we zig when others zag. What's something in work or life that you approach differently, philosophically, physically, emotionally, than others?
I never do anything with money as my main motivation. I do what I do (as a Pilates Trainer, Educator and Influencer) as I really enjoy helping people to learn to move better. It sounds trite, but loyalty and kindness are my number one values… financial gain comes way down the list.
Follow Lisa on Instagram @lisakayepilates and join her new online program, Lisa Kaye Pilates On Demand!
