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PILATES

What is Pilates

Pilates came about by a gentleman called Joseph Pilates in the late 1920’s in Germany.  He devised a sequence of moves that worked the mind and muscles in harmony. As a child he was extremely sickly and suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever, he came to believe that our modern life-style, bad posture, and inefficient breathing were the roots of poor health. Joseph Pilates devised a series of exercises, training techniques and engineered equipment called Reformers and Trapeze Tables which he dedicated his entire life to so that he could become physically stronger .

Both Celebrities and sports professionals participate in Pilates and have increased public’s awareness and made Pilates the must do form of exercise. Pilates unique combination of correct posture, breathing, relaxation and muscle isolation has taken exercise to another dimension. The general misconception of Pilates is that it is just for people with injuries, this is not the case. Many athletes and ballet dances use Pilates to strengthen muscles and increase flexibility.

Who can attend?

Pilates is a great form of exercise that can be enjoy by everyone no matter what age, or the level of fitness you are. All of the exercises you will be taught are progressional so you can choose the level that you feel comfortable to work at. The use of small equipment in Mat Based Pilates such as resistant bands, blocks, chi balls and foam rollers either aid or challenge you further when exercising. Using Pilates equipment like reformers or Trapeze Tables allows the use of spring loaded mechanisms to increase the resistant. The moving platform on the Reformer challenges your balance and stability.

If you are recovering from an injury or have any health conditions that could be affected from participating in a class please consult you local GP or health professional before entering a class. We may ask for your consent to liaise with them if necessary.

What to wear

When attending a class we recommend that you wear comfortable clothing like you would when going to the gym. No jeans or trousers with tight belts, buttons or zips. It is advised to wear clothing that enables you to see the contours of your body, as correct postural alignment is a key factor in Pilates. It is optional if you would like to wear socks or go bare footed. No shoes are allowed to be worn in the studio when exercising.

All mats and any other equipment you might need are provided for you when participating in one of our classes.

After Your Class

Each participant feels different after attending a Pilates class, you might feel taller, evenly balanced, more body aware and hopefully very relaxed. Depending on what level you worked at during the session over the next couple of days your muscle might feel a bit ache (this is completely normal). The benefits you can achieve from Pilates are more than just aching the next day, flexibility, mobility and posture are just as important. If you did not ache afterwards this does not mean you have not worked correctly or gained something from doing the session. Other benefits you may experience are:

  • Reduced Stress Levels
  • Reduced Back Pain
  • Increased Energy Levels
  • Improved Posture
  • Toned Muscles
  • Increased Bone density
  • Increased Flexibility
  • Increased Joint Mobility
  • Improved Respiration
  • Increased Balance and Co ordination
  • Reduce Aches and Pain