The simple answer is anyone can!

Pilates is open to anyone from beginner to advanced. You can perform exercises using your own body weight, or with the help of various pieces of equipment.

Please let us know if you are pregnant, injured or have any pre-existing conditions. We recommend talking to your doctor or therapist before starting any new exercise. We are happy to work closely with either and often find that a combined approach is very beneficial.

Joseph Pilates designed this programme to also be used as a rehabilitation tool. Pilates develops strength, stability, balance and symmetry to areas of the body that may have been misaligned due to injury. Let your instructor know at any time if, something feels uncomfortable or ‘not right’ with an exercise, as there are modifications for all exercises.

Widely regarded as one of the best forms of exercise for pregnancy, Pilates is designed to accommodate the needs of the expectant mother. Doing Pilates on equipment, such as the reformer, or on the mat can safely boost your physical and mental health. Due to its focus on improving stability and strengthening the entire body, practicing Pilates can prevent and offer relief from joint pain. Thanks to the focus on better posture, alignment, and body awareness, Pilates can help relieve sciatica, back and hip pain while alleviating symptoms of pubic synthesis, a common pregnancy condition.

We always recommend speaking to your GP before embarking on any new exercise.

Think Pilates is slow, easy, and not much of a workout? While Pilates is low-impact and gentle, don’t let that fool you – it is a seriously intense workout that will challenge muscles you didn’t even know you had.

Pilates classes target the entire body to improve flexibility, posture, and strength. Even seemingly simple movements will probably leave your muscles burning or shaking.

You’ll likely be challenging new muscles and doing new movements, so expect to feel sore the day or two after your workout. For example, the inner thigh muscles can be difficult to hit during traditional exercises such as running or HIIT workouts, but Pilates is an effective way to challenge and isolate them.

With time, your body will continue to get used to the different movements as you build strength and improve your flexibility.

Our classes run for 45 or 55 minutes (find out more here). We ask that you arrive 5 minutes before the scheduled start time so that you can get the most out of your class.

Wear something stretchy and comfortable. Pilates is done in bare feet so no trainers are needed. Please avoid any zips or jewellery as they may damage the equipment. If your shorts are baggy we recommend wearing lycra cycling shorts underneath!

With any form of exercise consistency is the key. In the beginning your body is learning a lot of new information and your mind and body connection is being established.

The optimal recommendation is 2-3 times per week. However, once a week on a very regular basis can also be beneficial combining it with other exercise. Pilates is a practice you can work on from home too!

‘Powerhouse’ is a term you may hear used during your class. The Powerhouse is one of the most important concepts in Classical Pilates training. In recent years, the term core strength, has become more well-known and is used somewhat interchangeably with ‘Powerhouse’, but they are not exactly the same.

The ‘Powerhouse’ area of your body is from the bottom of your ribs all the way to your hip line. It includes the abdominal muscles, low back muscles, pelvic floor, muscles around the hips, and the gluteal muscles. The ‘Powerhouse’ muscles work together to form a supportive corset for your torso. It is this ‘Powerhouse’ that gives us the energy, stability, strength, and control within the Classical Pilates exercises.

The core muscles are part of the ‘Powerhouse’ set, and using your core is part of using your ‘Powerhouse’. The core muscles are the deep stabilizers like the pelvic floor, the psoas, the multifidus, and the transversus abdominis, among others. However, the core muscles are not the big movers like the rectus abdominis or gluteals, that also belong to the group of muscles know as the ‘Powerhouse’, in Classical Pilates training.

Joseph Pilates was inspired by eastern and western forms of exercise and wellness principles so there are many similarities. The breathing is different as you scoop your belly in instead of relaxing it. Pilates is more dynamic focusing on movement rather than the static holding of postures as yoga dictates.

Please contact us or ask in class! We want you to feel comfortable, no matter what.