functional pt
Build strength, capacity and confidence for the way you want to move. Functional PT is specialised programming designed to bridge the gap from physiotherapy back to regular workouts.
Sessions are intelligently designed to restore correct function of the joints and muscles.
What is Functional PT?
Functional training is about building physical qualities that have a purpose beyond the gym. Rather than training muscles in isolation, we use movements and exercises that develop the strength, stability, mobility, coordination and endurance you need for the things you actually want to do.
Your programme might include resistance training, bodyweight exercises, mobility work, cardiovascular conditioning, balance and coordination. The exercises will change depending on you. The goal is not simply to get stronger. It’s to build the capacity to do more of what you want to do.
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Benefits of Functional PT
Physical Benefits
- Build strength
- Improve physical capacity and endurance
- Develop balance and coordination
- Improve mobility and movement control
- Reduce risk of injury
Additional Benefits
- Build confidence with resistance training
- Prepare for a sport or physical activity
- Return to exercise after time away
- Support your wider Pilates or movement practice
- Develop a sustainable exercise routine
- Feel stronger and more capable in everyday life
A tailored approach to FPT at Mo.Co.
We don’t believe strength and movement are separate things. At Mo.Co., your training starts with understanding how your body moves — then building the strength, mobility, coordination and capacity to support it.
Your practitioner will look at the whole picture: how you move, what you enjoy, what you’re working towards and what your body needs. From there, we’ll build a programme that challenges you appropriately and progresses as you do.
Our Pilates, Stretch Therapy and Breathwork practices also inform the way we train. We bring that same attention to detail, body awareness and quality of movement into Functional PT.
Techniques used at Mo.Co.
Depending on your goals, your sessions may include:
- Strength – Progressive resistance training to build muscular capacity and confidence.
- Mobility – Developing usable range of movement rather than flexibility for its own sake.
- Stability & control – Learning to control your body as you move, change direction and manage load.
- Balance & coordination – Developing the ability to organise movement efficiently and respond to changing demands.
- Conditioning – Building the cardiovascular and physical capacity to sustain activity.
- Movement skill – Practising the movements that matter to you — whether that’s running, lifting, climbing, dancing, playing sport or simply moving through daily life.
- Progression – Gradually changing the challenge as your capacity develops.
What to expect during a session
- Consultation & Assessment – We’ll talk about your experience, what you’re doing currently and what you’d like to work towards. We’ll look at how you move and establish a starting point for your training.
- Train – Your session will combine exercises selected for your goals, with your practitioner coaching your technique, effort and movement throughout.
- Progress – We’ll use what we learn from each session to adjust your training and build your capacity over time.
Our team
Amy Laithwaite
Co-Founder, Stretch Therapy & biomechanics
Amy trained at Canada’s National Ballet School, where her passion for movement began. After a professional career in dance and teaching, she transitioned into kinesiology and manual therapy, driven by a desire to help people move and feel better. In 2019, she founded The Stretch Experience, combining her knowledge of biomechanics, stretch therapy, and postural restoration to create transformative results for her clients.
Amy’s work is rooted in advanced biomechanics, including techniques from the Postural Restoration Institute. She specialises in Myokinematic Restoration, Postural Respiration, and Pelvis Restoration, which address underlying biomechanical imbalances to improve alignment, flexibility, and movement efficiency. Her expertise in Anatomy Trains Postural Analysis further enhances her ability to unlock long-term tension and pain by repatterning movement and posture.
Beyond her hands-on work with clients, has written a CPD-certified course in Stretch Therapy, which is attended by industry professionals. Additionally, she is collaborating on self-care programmes for the NHS, ensuring her innovative approach to movement reaches a wider audience.
Movement Collective represents the culmination of Amy’s vision: a space to unite the art and science of movement.
Charlotte Telfer-Wan
Stretch Therapy & FPT
Charlotte is a movement specialist currently pursuing a Master’s of Science in Dance Science at Trinity Laban University. With a background in Dance and Kinesiology, she has spent the past nine years in Vancouver, BC, honing her expertise in injury assessment, functional movement training, clinical Pilates, and fascial therapies. Her approach is comprehensive and holistic, integrating sport science with a deep understanding of individual differences to help clients achieve their goals.
Charlotte specialises in active rehabilitation, injury prevention, and manual fascial therapy. She collaborates with clients to build trust, comfort, and awareness of their bodies, believing this connection reduces both physical and psychological stress. Her passion for physical and emotional wellness inspires her to create tailored programmes that improve overall health and performance, whether for exercise, artistic pursuits, or everyday life.
In addition to her healthcare practice, Charlotte is a professional contemporary dancer, performing with an interdisciplinary collective. In her spare time, she enjoys training for triathlons, bouldering, playing basketball, and exploring aerial hoop.
Qualifications:
Fascial Stretch and Release Therapy
Bachelor’s in Dance and Kinesiology
Clinical Pilates Training
Functional Movement Specialist
Zhanna Makarevich
Pilates, FPT
With 17 years of experience in London’s fitness industry, Zhanna Makarevich is a certified advanced Mat and Reformer Pilates teacher and personal trainer. She works with clients at all levels, from beginners to professional athletes, using personalised techniques that emphasise control, alignment, and breathwork. Her expertise includes managing lower back pain, post-injury rehabilitation, training seniors, and pre- and post-natal Pilates. Zhanna also specialises in Pilates for sport-specific activities, helping clients improve core strength, posture, and balance. Zhanna’s fitness journey began 25 years ago with strength training, which led to her career as a personal trainer and her involvement in CrossFit, Tough Mudder, and long-distance hiking. After overcoming lower back surgery with the help of Pilates, she was inspired to become a teacher herself in 2017. Today, she integrates small equipment, such as Pilates balls and rings, into her classes to keep sessions dynamic and effective.
Qualifications:
- Reformer Pilates
- Matwork Pilates (Level 4)
- Wunda Chair Pilates
- Lower Back Pain Management (Level 4)
- Personal Trainer (Level 3)
- Pilates in Breast Cancer Rehabilitation
- Exercise for Pre- and Post-Natal Clients (Level 3)
- Training Older Population (Level 3)