You don’t need to be ‘good at Pilates’ to start Pilates
Whenever I tell someone who hasn’t tried Pilates what I do for a living, a common response is:
“I’d really like to try that,” or “I’ve been told I should start, but…”
I’m not very flexible / strong / my posture is terrible / I’ve got no core. [Insert any skill you learn through doing Pilates, and are not expected to arrive with].
Don’t let Plantarfascitis ruin Summer
As the weather warms up we tend to swap supportive footwear in favour of flip flops and sandals. Minimal footwear is actually great for our feet, as it allows them to spread, stabilise and adapt to the ground. But if they’ve spent all winter in chunky boots, they might not be ready for the extra work, and if the change is sudden you could develop Plantarfascitis.
In defence of Pilates matwork
When I started teaching Pilates years ago, no one really knew what it was, and anyone who had come across the equipment, would say things like “oh that’s the one with the contraptions - looks like something out of Fifty Shades of Grey!”. These days I’m asked at least once a week if I teach Reformer or “normal” Pilates.
Teachers need teaching too
I’ve recently been lucky to support some wonderful teachers in their own practice.
The environment you move in matters
I've taught in so many spaces over the last ten years, and in that time thought a lot about how I would want my own space to feel. Much of the work we do in the studio is about expanding our awareness and letting go of background tension so we can learn to distribute movement and load through our whole bodies, not just via the path of least resistance
