Martina Enschede • Senior Faculty
Martina earned a master’s degree in Speech and Vocal Therapy from the Academy of Speech Therapy, and taught aerobic, step and body sculpt classes while in the Netherlands. She loves to sing and dance and, following graduation from the Academy of Pop Music in Amsterdam, toured through Europe with several musical productions. She moved to New York City in 2000.
In 2002, Martina received her Pilates certification from the Kane School of Core Integration, NYC, and has taken workshops with Helge Fisher and Sally Donnehauer. She taught Pilates at Riverside Pilates, Manhattan, and Riverspa, Irvington-on-Hudson, and has worked with healthy people, pregnant and post-partum women, and clients with knee/hip replacements, scoliosis, shoulder/neck injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoporosis and other conditions.
Martina began teaching Pilates at The Moving Body in 2006.
After years of singing and dancing in musical productions, I hurt my back. A friend who was training in Pilates helped my back tremendously after only five sessions. I had lived with pain for seven years, and, after a month, I had no pain at all. It was amazing and I decided I wanted to help others out of their pain too.
I really like helping people create awareness about their own bodies, and how they can change themselves by being very aware of common mistakes made during movement. It’s a process that doesn’t occur overnight. Sometimes it can take a year or two until that moment of “oh, NOW I get it!” Then, people can apply all the techniques they learn here in daily life, while lifting something out of a high cupboard or shoveling snow.
At The Moving Body, people get stronger and create self-awareness about their own bodies. They don’t necessarily need to learn about anatomy, but Pilates is not just a workout. Pilates gives people an understanding that they can change their bodies, they can change problems, from the core out. It’s therapeutic. When you’re working out, you have to get your mind engaged, get out of your own daily troubles and breathe. When students leave sessions, they feel so much better.
Personally, I enjoy the fact that my body works as it should. I’m hardly ever in pain. I don’t pull muscles. I know how to get stronger, how to move properly, and it makes me feel great. I love the work of getting people in the best shape of their lives.
I didn’t know why I was having a problem with my legs, but Martina told me why. It’s extremely important to move the body properly.
Manette van Hamel