My movement journey
Wendy Welpton | natural movement coach & movement inspirer based in Oxford
I coach natural movement to individuals and small groups, in person and online. I offer sessions aimed at improving mobility and strength by helping clients find the gaps in their current movement patterns and giving them ways to help fill those gaps.
Originally from Scotland, I’ve enjoyed living in Oxford with my husband for 18 years, since the birth of the first of my 3 sons.
Movement-Rich Life
I have always loved moving, even when I was a desk-bound Marketing professional in London in my 20s, when high impact gym sessions made me feel good and I biked, walked and loved being outdoors when I could grab time away from the office.
Motherhood in my 30s was physically (and emotionally!) taxing, but I tried to fit in some Pilates and swimming and then I found a new passion: running!
I challenged myself with greater and greater distances. I started with a 5k Race for Life in 2012 (shown here, with my much younger boys!) and after a few years achieved a half-marathon with the dream of a full marathon in my sights. Little did I know, I was running on a very unstable foundation.
Life After Injury
But when I hit 40, a hip injury from running became 4 years of chronic pain that completely changed my life. I was eventually diagnosed with a twisted pelvis and piriformis syndrome due to sacroiliac joint instability. I also learned over time that I was hyper-mobile in many joints. My movement was incredibly limited and therefore my frustration was greatly increased! I was no longer able to do many of the things I wanted to and became more and more frightened that even very basic movements would cause flare-ups.
I was highly motivated to rehabilitate my body, refusing to believe that this was going to be the end of my movement life as I knew it. With treatment from inspirational people, I slowly peeled back the layers of injury, surrendered my frustrations and started to rebuild my movement patterns. I also became fascinated with how the body works, and greedily researched as much as I could about a way I could move my body well for life, challenge myself safely and stay out of pain for the rest of the time I will inhabit this body. It was during this journey I found the answer: natural movement.
My Movement - Reclaimed Naturally
Through researching natural movement and good alignment, I understood that how we move every minute of every day (not just in ‘exercise’ sessions) affects our movement patterns and shapes our bodies, and this made me question the effectiveness of all my daily movements and want to find out more. Then I found MovNat.
MovNat showed me a new way of moving that made complete sense to me and helped me to feel great. Using the foundations of movement from human development, many of which I had already been using as methods in my rehabilitation, the practise helps rewire the body’s connection between the nervous and the musculo-skeletal system. With help, I taught my body how to move again and reclaimed my movement!
The wonderful conclusion is that I am no longer in chronic pain and now live in a body that, although not entirely trustworthy (but whose is?!), feels great! I am grateful to be out of chronic pain on a daily basis.
Inspired to Coach
I intend to keep moving well as I age and to remain pain-free. I feel passionate that natural movement training is a great (and fun!) way of achieving this. I would hate for anyone else to go through my experience and this has inspired me to help other people to feel as strong and confident in their bodies as I feel now.
I have studied hard and trained hard over the last few years to gain an Anatomy & Physiology qualification and then to become a MovNat Certified Trainer, which I love teaching.
I hope sharing my journey shows you how beneficial a life with natural movement training can be, how passionate I am about helping people to improve their movement patterns and I would love to help get you started on your natural movement journey.
Movement Qualification:
Other Relevant Courses/Experience:
Anatomy & Physiology ITEC Level 3 Anatomy & Physiology: Distinction
MovNat course, ‘Natural Movement Fundamentals’
MovNat course, 'MovNat Metabolic'
3 day ‘Move your DNA retreat’ taught by Katy Bowman
St John’s Ambulance - Certified ‘Emergency First Aid at Work’
Menopause Movement - Professional Development Training Programme
Coaching options
I'd love you to join me for some natural movement coaching, whether in a group class online as part of the Membership from your own home or bespoke private coaching sessions 1 to 1 or with a small group of your friends (in my studio & garden in Cumnor Hill, Oxford or online).
Have a look through the descriptions and decide which is the best option for you.
If you have any questions at all, please get in touch.
Become a Reclaim Movement Member
• Live classes (Wednesdays; 5 wk terms, 6 per year around UK school terms)
• 2 classes; Practical Movement Skills 09:15-10:00 GMT & Midweek Movement 13:00-13:30 GMT
• Over 60 classes already in video library
• Collections of mini movement videos, such as the '5 minute coffee break series', 'Ground sitting positions & movement breaks' & folders containing Stretches, Tutorials & Demonstrations.
• Over 80 mini videos and more added monthly
Private Natural Movement Coaching In Oxford or Online
If you'd like to get started with some natural movement training and education, but don't feel you're quite ready for live classes, or if you would prefer an individually tailored programme due to personal circumstances such as a previous injury that you need to take into consideration, I offer private 1 to 1 coaching in person in my Cumnor Hill, Oxford private gym & garden (weather dependant) or online via Zoom.