Pilates matwork classes can enable you to:

• Improve your posture and alignment
• Tone up to develop long, lean muscles without adding bulk
• Increase your core stability, postural control and body awareness
• Improve flexibility, strength, muscle tone and co-ordination
• Learn to move more efficiently with less effort through developing correct muscle recruitment patterns
• Achieve a sense of well-being
• Prevent injury

Pilates was first developed by the late Joseph Pilates, born in Germany in 1880. He was a frail child, and so later developed his own exercise system called 'Contrology', now known as 'Pilates' to produce maximum results through minimum effort. He studied many disciplines from both the East and the West, including yoga, martial arts, boxing, and gymnastics which inspired him into creating his own system. In the 1920’s, he moved to New York, and attracted many elite clients including dancers such as George Balanchine and Martha Graham.

Pilates is based upon 6 original principles: Concentration, Control, Centering, Breathing, Flow and Precision. It encourages postural control with an emphasis on correct muscle recruitment patterns, focusing on engaging the deep postural muscles of the abdominals and the back to support the larger movements of the limbs. Through regular practice, it can help to realign the body’s structure creating balance within the muscular-skeletal system. This in turn enables the body to be at its most efficient, preventing chances of injury.

The benefits of Pilates are now known and utilised by many different people from many different backgrounds ranging from builders and office workers to dancers and elite sports competitors, and is often the exercise type recommended by physiotherapists. Pilates is unique in that it works the body from the inside out to create positive change. Due to its non impact nature, it is suitable for almost anyone at any age and any level of fitness. (Please always ensure to keep your teacher fully informed if you become pregnant, or have any medical conditions/injuries that may affect your ability to exercise safely).