Class information

I teach Pilates both in classes of 6-12 people at a variety of locations, or in private sessions at your home. Below is a rough guide to how all the options work, but if you arent sure which to choose, please give me a ring to discuss what suits you best. I am also going to run occasional half-day introductory workshops at weekends, for people who would like to try Pilates before committing to a term of classes, and also providing a little more detail about the benefits of Pilates and principles of movement than we have time for in a normal class.

Courses

The main advantage of this option is lower cost: you would book for a term of weekly lessons (terms are usually between 6-12 weeks). I only teach small class sizes (between 6-12 people), so although you won't get as much individual attention as in a private lesson, I will be watching everyone carefully to make sure you stay safe, and use modified versions of the exercises when needed. If you lack time/motivation to practice your Pilates at home between lessons, this is probably the best option for you!

I am currently teaching 3 levels of class:

Beginners Pilates Matwork:
For people who have done little or no Pilates, but are generally fairly fit and mobile, and can progress quite quickly once they have mastered the principles of breathing and movement that Pilates exercises are based upon.
Gentle Pilates Matwork:
For people who want a somewhat slower pace, whether that be for considerations of age, injury or recuperating from illness. This will also be aimed at people who have little or no experience of Pilates. If you have done Pilates before but want the slower pace class, I will be happy to provide more difficult modifications for you during the class so you feel adequately challenged.
Intermediate Pilates Matwork:
For people who have some experience in Pilates, and who want to be challenged! In order to ensure people who have done different versions of Pilates are familiar with the Stott exercises and general approach, we will spend the first two or three lessons working carefully to emphasize correct technique and core stability. As the term progresses we will increase the difficulty and speed of the workout, culminating in a power workout at the end of term, which will really test your endurance.

Private lessons

A private lesson lasts one hour teaching 1-3 people, normally at your home. If you choose to have private sessions fairly regularly, there is a discount for block-booking: you would have 10 lessons for the cost of 9, to be taken at your convenience over a 12-month period. To make the best use of private lessons, you should be prepared to practice by yourself at home once or twice a week if you can.

The advantage of private sessions is that you get my undivided attention and I will devise a Pilates programme specific to your requirements. In the first lesson I would aim to do a complete postural analysis, discuss your aims and objectives, plus any medical/injury issues that arise, and teach you the basic principles of Pilates movement. Thereafter you would progress through the Stott Pilates repertoire at a pace suitable for your abilities, and with whatever modifications are helpful. I would then do further postural checks at 3-4 month intervals to assess your progress.

Half-day 'Introduction to Pilates' workshops

Pilates is very much a 'thinking' form of exercise, so it can take some time to absorb all the new information and learn a new way of breathing and moving. A three-hour workshop gives us time to explore the basic principles behind Pilates exercises in more detail than in a regular class, and means you go home from your first session having done some real exercises. Hopefully you will also have a whole new attitude to how your body moves.

Each workshop is divided into three parts:

  1. First we will cover a little bit of basic anatomy and look at why our posture is so important to health and how well our body works for us. This will include some assessments of muscle tightness and why flexibility is necessary for a healthy posture. Then I will explain the five basic principles behind the Stott Pilates method, and we'll do a few simple exercises to try them out.
  2. A well-earned tea/coffee and cake break, to give you an opportunity to absorb all the new information, and ask questions about anything we've looked at so far.
  3. Over the last part of the workshop we'll learn and practice about a dozen Pilates exercises. I will be giving you some handouts at the end to summarize the basic principles, and how to perform these exercises, so you can go home and practice your new skills.

Finally, if you enjoyed the workshops, and would like to continue with Pilates, you qualify for either a half-price one-to-one private lesson, or a 10% discount on a term of lessons. This can be for you, or you could nominate a friend - or partner. Pilates is great for guys as well as ladies!