I take such enjoyment from nurturing and working closely alongside the students on my training courses. I am also glad to have the ongoing support of the Pilates Foundation and that my students too can rely on a web of exceptionally trained, like minded people.

People often ask me why I volunteer my time for the Pilates Foundation.

I believe that as a not-for-profit organization we set ourselves apart from the multiple commercial Pilates entities: we stand as a community of practitioners dedicated to promoting excellence in Pilates. It is through this approach that we promote health and well-being via this powerful method, and honour the man who inspires what we do.

Above all, it is this community with common purpose that is our strength in moving the Pilates profession forward and in developing the holistic practice of Pilates in the community. As a volunteer run organisation this exciting future relies on the membership coming together to work toward our common goals.

At West London Osteopaths we have been referring patients to Pilates Foundation teachers for over thirty years. With the benefits our patients received from Pilates we started our own Pilates studio offering small mat-work classes and subsequently introducing Pilates Equipment classes.

We strongly believe that the thoughtful application of exercise, stretching and the re-education of the neuromuscular system enables the patients to help themselves in their recovery process. The training and knowledge of the teachers from the Pilates Foundation fits in very well with the needs of our patients for exercise and rehabilitation.

Osteopathy and Pilates is a very powerful and effective combination with many patients maintaining and improving on the benefits of Osteopathic treatment with Pilates.

I had only ever done ‘mass’ classes before and thought I knew about ‘core’ strength….. When my back went, I didn’t believe that Pilates (one to one and in a small group) could do anything I hadn’t already tried.

How utterly wrong I was.

I now have a fuller range of movement than I did when I was doing triathlons, I’m more in touch with my body, I’ve learnt (and am learning) to hold myself differently and my back pain is substantially reduced to the point that I am slowly returning to exercise. The difference these Pilates classes with a Pilates Foundation trained teacher have made to my life is astounding and now, quite honestly, I can’t imagine my life without it.

Pilates is a wonderful form of exercise for anyone of any age. I started in my fifties. Then I was developing a dowager's hump as as a result of life-long asthma. Today, aged 72, though still short of puff, I lead an active life - and my back is straighter as well.

Pilates is not only the most wonderful physio for the lungs, it also keeps our bodies in good nick. I am gaining bone mass not losing it and were it not for shortness of breath, no one would know there was anything wrong with me. Both my teachers are members to the Pilates Foundation, there is no substitute for the best.

The session yesterday made me feel warm and comfortable as I walked, also this morning I was much less stiff than normal on getting up! Thank you.