Frequently asked questions about Pilates

Pilates workouts are developed considering the body as a whole. Pilates encourages a balance of strength and flexibility between all parts of the body creating a great all over body workout.

Pilates is unique in that each exercise can be modified to suit all fitness levels and abilities.

A regular Pilates session in your training programme can enhance your current sporting performance by aiming to improve your core strength, flexibility and body awareness.

Office workers often experience effects of sedentary occupations such as neck and back pain. By teaching how to activate and strengthen deep postural muscles Pilates can provide you with the ability to maintain improved posture throughout your day taking the load off the overworked muscles causing you pain.

Pilates for the elderly is ideal as it is supervised and gentle. It can help with balance, stability and mobility. Pilates is softer on the joints than most exercises and can be modified to suit each individuals needs. Pilates is a positive exercise programme and can improve confidence for the elderly to move around comfortably and efficiently.

Pilates encourages the development of long lean muscle without “bulking up” with emphasis on stretching and lengthening muscle eccentrically. This can make you feel taller, longer and toned.

Pilate’s principles are to have a balance of both strength and flexibility between all muscle groups. It aims to take the pressure off our joints and keep the body in alignment—working and functioning as efficiently as possible.

Pilates is a gentle form of exercise for pre and post-natal women, it can keep you strong and flexible. Both the mat and the equipment exercises will need to be modified as your pregnancy progresses. Our qualified instructors learn about the pregnant body during their training and are able to adapt a programme to address your needs. Special areas to focus on are pelvic floor, posture, and lumbo-pelvic stability as your body changes to prepare you for childbirth.

Always check with your doctor before you start and keep us informed of any medical issues as your pregnancy progresses. Many of our clients report easier childbirth, less back pain and a quicker recovery of their pre-pregnancy body after doing Pilates.

As we get older, our bodies change and we need to exercise both smarter and harder to keep the ageing process at bay. Pilates is both resistance and flexibility training, and can be adapted to your specific needs, so it can be suitable for those over 50. Decreasing bone density is a major issue in this age group, weight bearing and resistance exercise is vital to keep bones strong. The Pilates studio is also a non-threatening environment to work out in, as opposed to many gyms with loud music and heavily muscled Lycra-clad bodies.

A great myth is that Pilates exercises can only be done by flexible females, wrong! Men and Pilates go way back. A man named Joseph Pilates started this form of exercise, and men have been thoroughly involved in Pilates—doing it, teaching it and building the industry from the beginning. Pilates is now an integral part of any sportsman’s training programme. Footballers, swimmers, triathletes and golfers can all do Pilates. Try telling them it’s “girly” after they have completed the Pilates abs series! Your body is made to move and Pilates can strengthen you in all directions, which may help your sporting performance.

We tailor our classes to suit our participants health concerns, and in order to deliver this personalized service we limit our classes to 3 clients per class. We ask that you call or email to book in, or join a waitlist for your preferred class.