What is Pilates?

Pilates is a form of exercise which benefits the whole body as well as the mind. A Pilates workout will promote strength and balanced muscle development as well as flexibility and increased the range of motion for the joints.
Attention to the core support and full-body fitness, including the breath and the mind, mean that Pilates is unlike any other form or exercise. 

Who benefits from Pilates?

Pilates is an educational form of exercise. When you go to a class you are not only doing a set of exercises but you are also learning about the muscles you are using and why. 

Pilates can benefit everyone from elite athletes and dancers to those recovering from injury and illness. It is often recommended by GP’s as a method of improving posture, helping with lower back pain and building core strength to protect from injury. The exercises that Joseph Pilates created were designed to stabilise and build core strength, they are essential for everyone from all walks of life and will benefit those with sedentary jobs right the way through to marathon runners. 

In each mixed ability session exercises are layered so that you can work at a level comfortable to you, this makes it perfect for beginners and more advanced students. As your confidence and ability grows you will find that you are able to progress to the next level. 

After a few sessions you will find that Pilates will affect all areas of your life. How you stand when you are waiting in a queue, the muscles you recruit to lift the bags out of the car, even the first stretches that you do when you wake up in the morning. This really is a form of exercise that will literally change your life! 

‘When I went to Jo’s classes I honestly discovered muscles I had long forgotten about. The feeling was great. Once I had located them I really felt I never wanted to lose them again! That’s why I don’t ever want to stop!’

Sarah Jackson