We all need to feel that we have a degree of control over our lives, including our health.  Without this feeling of control, we can have the sense that life is something that is happening to us and we are just accepting whatever comes our way. This is a very disempowering way to live especially if you are dealing with health issues or are currently in pain.  If you feel you are powerless to change your situation, your mental health is also at risk.  Lack of control leads to depression and anxiety and feelings of despair.  Pilates is all about control.  Joseph Pilates originally called his method of exercise "Contrology" and "Control" is one of the original six Pilates principles:

It's hard to believe that 12 years have passed, almost to the day, since Katy first started Pilates with me.  Her Mum had already been doing Pilates for just over 6 months and was seeing great results. She wanted to ensure that Katy improved her posture and reduced her back pain at a young age, so Katy didn't have to deal with these issues, throughout life, as she had.  Katy began her Pilates journey in her early twenties and Pilates has become a way of life for her now.  Having suffered a fall down some stairs during her school years, Katy was left with back pain which had stopped her from participating in some sporting activities and she wondered if she could improve her posture.  She also suffered debilitating foot cramps that came on unexpectedly and were extremely painful.  Katy has a degree of hypermobility in her joints meaning they have a large range of movement.  Many hypermobile people have poor posture because they tend to lock into or...

Maintaining good balance is essential particularly as we age.  I'm passionate about ensuring that all my Pilates clients maintain and challenge their balance constantly during their Pilates training.  In a nutshell, if you aren't actively working on improving your balance regularly you are putting yourself at greater risk of a fall, which could lead to broken bones, paralysis, head injuries and potentially be fatal  This is horrible to think about but is all entirely preventable with balance training in Pilates.  When you focus on it, balance improves very quickly and it can be personally rewarding to see how much progress you can make.  JS Mind Body Pilates my Online Pilates studio incorporates plenty of challenging balance training exercises for all levels, so take the free 10 day trial now to start your training.  Alternatively, please feel free to contact me at [email protected], if you have any questions about...

Photo by nensuria

During my early teens, before discovering Pilates, poor posture was a huge issue for me.  Due to a sudden growth spurt, a few months before my 12th birthday I was already 170 cm or 5 feet 7 inches tall when I started high school.  Towering over my friends & classmates, I was incredibly self-conscious & felt like a giant.  I took the one and only option available to me.   Shrinking & looking smaller.  How could I possibly do this you ask?  By leaning my upper body backward and sinking down through my chest and then slumping and leaning at every available opportunity.  Basically, in a ridiculous attempt to disappear into the crowd, I had created a postural nightmare for myself.  Looking back on photos during those years, it's very clear, I hadn't grown into my body yet.  Fortunately, it was reasonably short-lived and starting dance classes at 14 was a big plus for my posture and my confidence. ...