JEN RUTHERFORD

Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT500), Certified BASI Pilates Teacher, International Association of Yoga Therapists accredited and Applied Functional Science certified .

Jen lives in Tamahere and runs a boutique studio that brings together the best of Yoga, Pilates and functional movement, to inspire new ways to live, and move, with your body.

Jen’s passion is keeping a sense of light hearted fun as she challenges clients to the very best of their ability. With 19 years of experienced training, Jen loves all styles of yoga and related movement specialties that help clients who can’t attend classes due to health or injury issues, and everyone up to Ironman level! Her love of anatomy inspires her classes to develop alongside the needs of her clients, as she combines the therapeutic power of yoga, with functional movement, and strength conditioning to accelerate healing and rehabilitation.

Jen’s yoga journey began in 2000, when she started a daily practice with two of her most influential teachers, Ann Hyde and Robert Boustany, while living in Houston, Texas. She completed her 1st and 2nd series Ashtanga teacher training with David Swenson in 2001, and began teaching in Houston soon after.

Before returning to New Zealand in 2007, Jen taught in Melbourne, and advanced her teaching overseas, through trainings and workshops with some of yogas most well known teachers, including Shiva Rea, Pattabhi Jois and many more. She enjoys growing her body of knowledge to extend her clients and students, and gain insight into her own practice.

Because all styles of movement have elements that Jen has a passion to share, she was inspired to create an environment for her clients to practice with her at her home studio The Body Lab, where she is able to blend her knowledge of Yoga, BASI pilates, TRX and functional movement and rehab therapy, to further meet the needs of her clients. She also teaches clients one-on-one in the comfort of their own homes.

Jen’s personal philosophy is ‘Happy Body, Happy Mind’ - when she’s not on the mat, she’s enjoying her time outdoors paddle boarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, dirt bike riding and spending time with her two kids.