
Ali Craig





My Story
Hi, my name is Ali, I’m a mum of 2 and I currently teach group fitness classes both in person in my local area and virtually on Zoom.
I graduated in June 2003 from the London School of Economics with a degree in Business, Mathematics and Statistics and was flown off to New York a month later to start my investment banking career in a graduate job with a prestigious US bank. Over the next 14 years I continued to work my socks off in this industry.
I had my first daughter in 2014 however the struggle of working full time and devoting time and attention to my family was real. I ploughed on and had my second daughter in 2017. At the same time my husband got a new job in Guildford and we decided to move out of London to Haslemere. We figured that for me to return back to work and embrace a future life of daily commutes and long hours, was not a right fit for us as a family anymore and I quit my job.
I decided to take some time out and become a ‘stay at home mum’. I soon got bored.
The one thing that has been consistent over all this time is my passion for group exercise. I have always gone to classes, however stressful work was, family life, even when there wasn’t really time, I made time. It is my way of de-stressing and resetting. I’d go to 4-5 classes a week and loved connecting with fellow fitness enthusiasts.
One day I thought to myself, I should just get paid to teach them instead! I retrained as a Les Mills instructor in Body Pump and Body Balance and completed my Level 2 gym instructor’s qualification. At the beginning of March 2020 I had my first fully booked classes and felt like a complete success. By the end of March the gyms had closed due to Coronavirus and my new career had come to an abrupt halt.
During lockdown, I continued to train, getting groups of friends together regularly on Zoom, this expanded very organically and I put HiiT and my new generation style yoga classes together. It became popular so I started charging. The great thing is that people are still coming now, whether gyms are open or not, and we have a lovely community.
More recently I have completed my Yoga Alliance credited 200H YTT in Power Yoga under the guidance of Jason Pooley, founder of The House of Yoga in London and a prodigy of Baron Baptiste. I want to share my deep love and connection with yoga with my fitness community and live in my local community so watch this space!
Qualifications:
Level 2 Fitness Instructor
Yoga Alliance credited 200H Yoga Teacher Training completed in Power Yoga (Level 3)
Les Mills Certified Body Pump Instructor
Les Mills Certified Advanced Body Pump Instructor
Les Mills Certified Body Balance Instructor
Les Mills Certified Body Attack Instructor
Want to try a class? Book now!