Dance injuries open door to exercise physiology
Although dance remains her great love, Liz Hewett credits teenage dance injuries as the catalyst to a fulfilling career in exercise physiology, strength & conditioning, and Pilates – a career that includes eight years at The Australian Ballet School in Melbourne.
A serious spinal disc injury in her first year of a Bachelor of Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts persuaded her that human movement and rehabilitation could form the basis of her career.
Back then, though, few courses existed that could allow her to re-shape her and others’ futures back from trauma to optimum health, and through health, to well-being.
Generalist path builds human movement career
Selecting a course that might open her eyes to an as yet unknown career, she completed a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Human Movement at RMIT University. She enjoyed her broad exposure to the science of movement and exercise, graduating with distinction as one of the degree’s top students. She followed it soon after with a Graduate Diploma in Exercise Rehabilitation from Victoria University.
While completing her initial degree, she was exposed to Pilates during a university placement at Canberra’s Australian Institute of Sport.
Attracted by the methodology for her still troublesome back injury, she completed her Level 2 Pilates Teacher Training program with the Australian Pilates Method Association (APMA) in 2001.
Full suite of Pilates and Exercise Science qualifications
She now has the full suite of Pilates qualifications, including a Diploma of Movement Therapy and Advanced Diploma of Pilates Movement Therapy (both APMA), together with Level 2 Strength and Conditioning Coach certification from the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA). She added to her professional qualifications with a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
Over a 23 year career in exercise physiology and Pilates, she has demonstrated an informed aptitude as student, teacher, author, curriculum innovator, and presenter.
Liz cites as her proudest achievement returning to university in 2012 to gain her Master in Exercise Science (Strength & Conditioning) degree over three and a half years while still working full time at The Australian Ballet School. The Masters updated her 1990s university knowledge and brought her training techniques into the 21st century, while further equipping her to work with elite athletes.
The Australian Ballet School a career highlight
A professional highlight to date was her eight year contribution to The Australian Ballet School. She masterminded, designed, and implemented a comprehensive training program for all students aged between eight and 22.
Recognised as a contributing factor in reducing the frequency and severity of injuries, her ballet work in particular has led to presentations and contributions to the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science, the Royal Academy of Dance, Exercise and Sports Science Australia, Fitness Australia, APMA, and the Australian Institute of Sport nationally and at state level.
Senior APMA executive and administrative roles
She has filled senior executive and administrative roles on the APMA’s Executive Council and Education committee, including President from 2008 to 2010. She was proud to have been part of the team that conceived, wrote, and gained government accreditation for the Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Pilates Movement Therapy.
Her work experience spans back to 1999, beginning with roles as a Personal Trainer, Aerobics Instructor and Fitness Instructor. By 2004, she had graduated as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and Pilates teacher in, and consulting to, a range of respected and pioneering Pilates and health clinics.
After her eight year landmark input to The Australian Ballet School, and a further year as Performance Coach with a Melbourne CBD sports medicine clinic, Absolute Health & Performance, she took the decision to establish her own unique practice in March 2017.
Author, speaker, lecturer, volunteer, athlete
Liz is also an author and collaborator with papers published in international and Australian peer-reviewed journals. She has spoken professionally to a broad range of allied health, and exercise and fitness institutions. And she enjoys working as a volunteer mentor to aspiring exercise physiologists and Pilates teachers.
As the culmination of an intense and fruitful career that has so widely benefited the Pilates and exercise physiology sector, she launched her own business in 2017.
