Personal Trainers and Pilates Instructors Leeds

Your Trainers

Claire and Jon Wray

Equilibrium Health was founded by Jon and Claire Wray who combined their 29 years experience of the fitness industry to create a unique, bespoke fitness haven in the heart of Leeds.

Claire Wray, co-founder of Equilibrium Health has worked in health and fitness for over fourteen years and is an Advanced Practitioner of Modern Pilates and trained by the Pilates Institute and has brought the first fully equipped Pilates studio to Leeds City Centre.

After a concurrent career in corporate training, Claire specialised in one to one Pilates tuition. She was interviewed in 2003 by Radio Leeds for expert opinion on the Which reports findings of a lack of qualified Pilates instructors. A writer for Leeds Guide, online magazine Baby-Mates and featured in Zest magazine, she gives regular talks to women’s groups in Leeds on posture, Pilates and fitness. Her Baby Pilates class was featured in Practical Parenting’s March 2006 issue as one of 7 Rainy Day Boredom Busters.

She has recently started competing in Figure competitions for the Natural Physique Association in the attempt to prove all is not lost after 3 babies in 4 years!

Jon Wray, MSc, is an ex-professional Rugby League Player with a career spanning twelve years.

Prior to that he played for England Colts and England under 21’s with many of the future 2003 Rugby Union World Cup winners before converting to Rugby League.

Jon played in the 1992 Challenge Cup final at Wembley for Castleford Tigers in front of a 75,000 crowd which was televised internationally. He also won an inaugural Division One Grand Final winners medal with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in 1998.

Realising that a rugby career is short lived, Jon started to study Health and Fitness and progressed to being a highly qualified Group Instructor, Personal Trainer and a University lecturer in Sports Science. He is also a Certified Strength / Conditioning Specialist and now focuses on exclusive Personal Training, dealing with a full spectrum of individuals, from those who are sedentary to elite athletes. He also acts as a consultancy conditioner for various professional rugby league clubs.

Currently writing – “101 Personal Training Gym Sessions” and “101 Rugby Specific Conditioning Drills”.

Academic Qualifications:

Jon Wray has featured and been interviewed many times as a Professional sportsman during his twelve year career and he has also been a commentator on local radio for Rugby League games. He regularly gives seminars on health and fitness to networking groups in Leeds.

Jenny Garside has worked within the health and fitness industry for over 15 years. She has taught a whole range of classes and now works as a personal trainer.

Jenny has had a very successful competitive career competing in fitness & figure:

Jenny’s goal is now to help other people achieve their own personal goals by passing on her knowledge of training and nutrition, and note that not everyone has to be a figure competitor to reap the rewards of looking good and being fit and healthy.

For the more serious athlete Jenny’s expertise is in competitive figure. Anyone who is, or wishes to become a figure competitor, Jenny’s experience in this field would be invaluable.

Heba Abdel Gawad Olympic athlete, Personal Trainer and Stott Pilates Instructor. A competitor in the Athens and Sydney Olympic Games, Heba has been a competitive synchronised swimmer for more than sixteen years. Her experience as a professional athlete as well as her qualifications, have enabled her to achieve fantastic results both with top level athletes and the general fitness enthusiast. She has a strong applied interest in core conditioning, muscle and postural imbalance, body shaping and flexibility.

Annie Rees, Stott Pilates Instructor and Personal Trainer, has worked in the fitness industry for over 10 years, since graduating from Roehampton University, London, with a Sports Science and Dance Degree. Annie now specializes in Stott Pilates, both mat work and reformer, teaching groups and also one-to-one. Over the years she has taught a wide range of clients from teenagers to those in their seventies. Annie believes the benefits of Pilates extends far beyond the studio into everyday living and has the potential in improving peoples lives in so many ways; improved posture, toned muscles, better mobility/flexibility, reduced stress-levels. Annie also has a strong interest in how Pilates can be used to treat /prevent injuries, such as low back pain, and, how it can benefit those with certain medical conditions such as chronic fatigue, MS, arthritis.

Mark Gibson BSc is a Personal Trainer with over 15 years industry experience in one to one training, fitness instruction and health club management. He played for Wakefield Trininty RLFC at professional level and is a National 7 and 13 aside winner. Qualifications include:

"I started Pilates with Claire in 2004, after suffering with back problems for some time. It proved to be a great form of exercise for me, and I soon noticed a big improvement.I became pregnant in January 2005 and continued with my weekly classes until the week before I gave birth. Claire promised me a short labour thanks to Pilates! I was sceptical having had a 30 hour labour with my first son! Claire was right! I had a 4 hour labour with no pain relief - just lots of relaxing Pilates breathing. I really think that the classes were paramount in helping me relax, and giving me the strength to progress through the labour.Needless to say, I am back in class and back in my jeans!"
Julie Barker-Smith, Leeds.