About Bamboo Bay Pilates Studio
Bamboo Bay Pilates Studio was born from a blend of pain and passion. Twelve years ago, studio owner Michelle Montgomery was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis, a condition that sent shooting pain through her back with every movement. A lifelong lover of sport, mountain biking, dogs, and adventure, she found herself helpless and frustrated by the constant pain and determined to find a way out of it.
In her own words:
Having been active, strong, and fit for most of my life, this was unacceptable to me. I had to find an answer to stop the pain; doctors and physiotherapists weren't helping.
My desperate research led me to Pilates. With nothing left to lose, I tried a private class, and for the first time, I felt real relief. I was perplexed. What was so special about these movements? I'd spent years in the gym, taught spin classes, and competed as a cyclist; why hadn't any of that prevented or eased my condition?
What I learned took me on an incredible journey of humility, self-discovery, and a burning passion to understand more. What I discovered wasn't groundbreaking or new, but no one had shown me the right way to move until I was already broken and in pain. That's exactly why I want to share it with you. Pilates is so simple and so effective that I often wonder why it isn't taught as a subject in schools.
That discovery opened a door I couldn't close. I trained to become a BASI-certified Pilates instructor in 2015, and several years later studied to become a Physiotherapist Assistant (PTA).
There is no greater satisfaction than helping a client move from pain and frustration to comfort, relief, and renewed confidence.
Today, my classes blend Pilates and physio-informed rehabilitation, tailored to each client's needs. I specialise in rehabilitation for lumbar spine, knee, and shoulder pathologies and in helping people learn to move the way their bodies were always meant to.
What I Learned About My Own Body After Discovering Pilates
WRONG MOVEMENT PATTERNS
So many people jump into a gym and work on big primary muscles. They train reps, sets and big loads with little understanding of how important the smaller stabilizing muscles are and how crucial they are in supporting the “big guns”- (the big muscles you can see).
Stabilizing muscles sit deep within the body and are not superficially close to the skin and easily visible. When they are not properly activated, it is only a matter of time before the body breaks down and pain follows. Even for seasoned athletes, competitive bodybuilders and gym enthusiasts, muscle imbalances and muscle over-use can cause pain and discomfort.
Check out our PHYSIO ASSESMENT classes assess and improve your stability.
STABILITY
Any healthy person can move their body. Squats, planks, bridges, push ups, the list goes on. But are they using the correct muscles to do it? The human body is amazing. When the muscle that should be doing the work is weak, it will often recruit a different muscle to compensate. This is called muscle compensation.
These are the fascinating things you learn about your own body when you join us for a movement assessment. We are all unique, and none of us move in exactly the same way. Start with our Pilates Mat Foundation Level 1 class to learn more about your own movement patterns, your strengths, your weaknesses, and your restrictions.
From there, you will learn how to change movement patterns, strengthen and stabilize where you are weak, release tight, overused muscles, and ultimately help your body reach its full potential.