Born in Zimbabwe, Johdi Woodford discovered Pilates in 1999 when a leg injury ended her marathon running career, and an osteopath suggested she try Pilates to rehabilitate. A lifelong athlete and a long-distance runner since university in the UK, Johdi was skeptical about Pilates at first. But after only a few classes, all of her concerns that it was too “gentle, easy and weird” vanished when she saw the results Pilates had on her body. She was hooked, and began practicing Pilates regularly in every country she lived in.

After a successful career in Marketing & Communication, Johdi decided to turn her passion into a career and trained to become a Pilates instructor after the birth of her first child in 2009. She is certified by the Pilates Institute in Geneva and London, and has been teaching since 2010. Her training included workshops on pre- and post-pregnancy Pilates, and Pilates for seniors, as well as special sessions led by physiotherapists on rehabilitation of the back, shoulder and hip girdle.

She opened Little Bird Pilates in 2014 with the aim of sharing her passion for intelligent exercise to a wider audience. She is currently studying with leading Pilates teacher trainer, Shari Berkowitz. She also regularly attends workshops and seminars to continue to deepen and broaden her knowledge and technique.