Pilates

Choose the style of Pilates for you:

Individual class

Group matwork

Group reformer

You do not need previous experience

Do not worry if you have never tried Pilates before, our team will be able to teach you the basics and get you started. If you have experience of Pilates you can improve your technique with one-to-one tuition or join a more advanced class. Pilates has been shown to be effective in helping people resolve common aches and pains, such as back, neck and shoulder pain. Exercises can be adapted to prevent exacerbation of any underlying conditions using a variety of postures including standing, sitting and lying. As physiotherapists, our team have the knowledge and experience required to keep you safe. You too could experience the improvements in your posture and a reduction in the common aches and pains we put down to our lifestyles.

You do not need to be flexible or pain free

Pilates is suitable for any level of fitness and flexibility. Our physiotherapists use Pilates as one of our common ways of treating people who are suffering with pain. Movement and strengthening has been shown to be one of the best ways to resolve and prevent many health issues and injuries. Anyone who has never had any previous Pilates experience or is suffering with discomfort or injury is advised to inform our team and will be required to complete an individual session with one of our physiotherapists to allow them to perform an assessment of your movement, teach you the basics of the techniques and identify any priorities for strengthening and any modifications you may require to avoid problems. You will then be assigned to a class of a level to suit your needs.

Pilates is not just for old ladies!

Pilates is suited to people of all ages. It can be seen by some as a gentle exercise class suited only to the older generation, but this is not the case. Although we love to have older ladies strengthening with us, you will find that taking part in regular Pilates classes will help to improve your coordination, balance, strength, endurance and overall fitness, while having the added benefits of promoting bone strength, flexibility and improved posture. We have courses suited for children, teens, athletes such as climbers, runners, skiers as well as people who never step foot in a gym. You may be surprised of the challenge Pilates can give you, especially when using our Reformers and small equipment to make exercises more difficult.

A little background about the Pilates method…

Pilates, formerly known as “contrology” was developed by a German physical trainer who had suffered as a frail child and dedicated his life to perfecting a system of exercises to improve the physical form. Pilates believed that poor lifestyle, poor posture and poor respiration caused illness, pain and disability. He studied gymnastics, body building and martial arts as well as researching ancient methods used by the Greeks and the Romans. His is a system of exercises that aim to strengthen the postural and respiratory muscles using postures and movements of the body or special apparatus, designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness. The images below show him on the reformer, a machine he developed to assist or challenge the exercises that he used in his method, teaching a class and demonstrating an advanced move. Through his dedication he was able to improve his own physical fitness and through his teaching, the health and well-being of many people. His method is now used around the world and can be adapted to any level of fitness or flexibility.