In 10 sessions you'll feel the difference, in 20 sessions you'll see a difference, and in 30 sessions you'll have a whole new body" Joseph Pilates 

Starting Pilates for the first time can be both an exciting and sometimes slightly daunting time, so today I'm going to share some pointers with you from both my own and some of my client's early experiences. Like many people before me, I was slightly underwhelmed during my first 10 sessions of Pilates. I had a few favorite exercises but many seemed very basic to me.  Being an experienced dance teacher at the time, I felt I was capable of more complex movements. How wrong I was! It's essential to begin with the basics - correct Pilates breathing techniques and learning how to connect your abdominal muscles and how to stabilise your abdominals as you add a simple movement. There are no shortcuts. It takes time to establish these connections both mentally and physically and the first 10 sessions are a steep learning curve as...

Its hard to believe yet another year is drawing to a close and amidst all the celebrations, many of us will be thinking about our New Year's  Resolutions. If you are anything like me,  you start off with the best of intentions but usually, these somehow get lost along the way after the holiday period ends and the reality of the everyday working life sets in. Come mid-year, most people have completely forgotten about New Year altogether and any resolutions they may have made are a dim memory.
For this reason, I prefer to set written goals as opposed to making resolutions and based on past experience this really method produces results.

Reflection  Time
Find somewhere quiet where you can reflect on how you feel about your health and fitness during this previous year and ask yourself some questions.  Be as honest as you can with yourself in your responses. Am I happy with where I am physically and mentally? Am I  dealing with any pain or discomfort that I have...

Early Years

In 1928, Joseph Pilates emigrated to the USA from Europe and coincidentally opened his studio in the same building as the New York City Ballet.  The dancers of the company were among his clientele and they discovered that his Method was ideal for rehabilitating their many dance-related injuries. Soon his exercises became part of the dancers daily strength and conditioning routine, for ultimately preventing injury and future-proofing their bodies and in this case, careers. 

Pilates for Prevention Today

Now practiced worldwide, the Pilates Method is ideal for preventing injury, not only in the dance world but can be extremely beneficial to both elite and amateur athletes of all ages. There are numerous benefits for the general population who want to enjoy a high quality of health and fitness throughout their lives and remain fit and active during retirement. As is the case in my own studio, many people use Pilates as an alternative to surgery such as joint...